Customer Service

This is one of the main reasons that prompted me to setup this page as "3's" current level of service is simply unacceptable and they need to know that!

The staff who take calls from the support number "3 Care" on 133320 don't appear to know much about the network. On several occasions I felt that I was talking to a brick wall, at other times the support person would tell me something totally irrelevant to my query. The most annoying though is that they'll ask you for the details of the problem and tell you that someone will call you back. When someone eventually calls back they ask you to explain the problem in detail again. I must say though that the second tier support do appear to know a bit of what's happening but still they don't appear to know much.
(please drop me a line at alhatu@ozemail.com.au if you want to share some of your experiences with "3" Customer Service)

Here are some of the issues I've had with Customer service:

• Calling inquiring about certain features about the phone indicated in the manual (for example, the product manual mentions that one can make a video call to a PC with Webcam). The support staff didn't have a clue and promised to call back. They never did.
• Logged a call informing support that I suffered dropouts at a particular location. When they eventually call me back, the 2nd tier support person tells me that the coverage in the area you live is strong. The location I reported was on the other side of the city!!
• Logged a call regarding continuos call drop outs on a particular freeway and also reported having problems setting up the connection with a PC. When a tier 2 support person calls (a week later), they ask me to detail the drop out problem again (despite explaining it already) as if it is the only thing on my mind!. To my frustration, I find out that they don't have a record of the problem I have with PC connectivity and the tier2 support person wanted to transfer me back to 1st level support to log the problem again. I told him that he must be kidding and requested that I talk to someone who knows a bit about the connectivity side. After managing to convince him, he put me through to a "3" data support person who took the details and promised to call back. 2 weeks later I get a call from a "3" data person telling me that I cannot download ringtunes from the phone to the PC. When I tell him that I am also having trouble uploading ringtunes to the phone, the phone drops out and the support persons doesn't bother calling back. Still waiting for a resolution.
• Wanted to send personal photos via email to the handset and store on the phone. A feature that is supposed to work. After numerous phone calls and emails with tier 2 staff, they confirmed to me that the phone cannot download attachments on emails that are larger than around 11Kbytes but they are working on it. They also told me that this problem doesn't seem to be occurring in the UK (where they run a similar network with the same handsets). 
  A few days later, I get a call from a support person who asked me if he can close the call, and I said, no way, the problem isn't fixed! and he agreed
  A few days later, I get a call from another support person telling me that they are working on this problem and have handed it to the guys in the UK. I told him that if this doesn't happen in the UK, shouldn't it be troubleshooted in the country where it ISN'T working ? Still no resolution.
• Logged a problem where I've received (or made) calls where I can hear the other party but the other party couldn't hear me. Was told someone would call me. Still unresolved but I haven't experienced the problem for a while.
• Received a call from a customer service person asking me about the service and I basically told him how frustrated I was. He indicated that someone would call to address my problems. Someone did call afterwards but only address one issue that I've raised and that was to confirm to me that the area that I experienced drop outs was indeed a weak signal area!.
• It took them over 2 months to supply me with the promised extended life battery. That was after at least 4 calls and it only appeared to happen when a supervisor was listening in on the call I was making that someone took some action.

Interestingly, I found a site in the UK that complains about the Customer service offered by "3" in the UK too.

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Anonymous writes:

There is indeed a sure way to get results from 3 service. The brute force tactics used by a pensioned off ex-army officer has proven fruitful. Lets call him Sarge.

Sarge initially purchased a 606 on a F&F (family and friends voucher). He had plenty of fun with the new toy as did his kids. One night in desperation to answer a call on his dead phone in order to get the power back up on the phone, he plugged the charger into the phone side desperately. To no avail. Why? The fine pins were all bent down. Note that these sockets are known to be the most delicate of all those on mobile phones to date.

Sarge made attempts with online service 133320 & the Warringah Mall for a replacement with no success. Another week passed they took him seriously after he made a fracas in the Brookvale shop and he claimed he would continue to do the same and at times bring a stool to sit out the front and drive people off. The options Gile's gave him were to get the phone repaired independently at 3's expense, a total refund or accept the a 808 or update to a 920 for $528. To get on with things he did eventually accept an 808 which was the best path for the 3 Shop, or at least they thought so. Good riddance the sales drones at the store sighed in relief to get rid of this pain in the arse.

Our ex-army man got home and without much ado set his new phone up charging the battery etc. Back online, Sarge got in touch with his contacts and caught up with things. Within twenty four hours he got the deadly usim error of which I've yet to hear any 808 is not afflicted with and all 3 Hutchison staff still plead ignorance of. Hutchison 3 are selling faulty units knowingly. He reported this error by 133320 put him off for some time. It was only after swearing and getting abusive that they started to hear him out but still were not keen on giving him a replacement of another phone type, but an 808 again (there is a whole stash of these they can't get rid of and most of the refurbishment pool is full of them). They made it appear they were a bit more willing. He tried again with Giles at Brookvale store and even threatening him with a chainsaw.

As Three were so difficult he figured on upping the ante and asked for a 920 replacement at no extra cost. Many calls to Bombay and to Brisbane and he apparently got a softer ear and with Sarge's ways with words was able to get a direct connection with the 'softer' person rather than having to go through the whole rigmarole of going through his history, though logged. And on and on it went for weeks, to no avail - continues.

This just shows you the lengths one has to go to to get service from Hutchison 3. (2/10/2003)

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