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Long story short...
An office in the same building as us but with a completely different name and account holder switched to Vodafone broadband. Instead of switching them they switched us (from plusnet) and left us without internet and a phone number that no longer relates to our long established business. After much phoning and being pissed around we are finally back with our original ISP. It's taken them two weeks to get to this stage.
Because Vodafone flicked the wrong switch and basically pulled the shutters down on the business this has cost us a (relative) small fortune.
What's the best angle of attack for making a claim for loss of business ect...? Direct to Vodafone or go above them from the off.?
"Above them" meaning regulator? Do they make financial decisions for loss (I doubt it, and if they do, ar they enforceable)?
Lawyer-time I'd have thought. May be little pecedent and complex.
Lawyer-time I’d have thought.
Yup, got lawyer written all over it
No regulator is going to be interested until you have exhausted the internal complaints issue. Whilst I am sure a lawyer will take your money, their first course of action will be to write to Vodafone laying out the issue, the cost/loss you incurred and asking to be compensated. I can see no reason not to do the same yourself.
oh, and i'd expect vodafone to try and pass some or all of the blame to plusnet or openreach
exhausted the internal complaints issue
They're not a customer of Vodafone though. I would think that makes any contractual complaints procedure moot. Lawyer up or just send a letter yourself. Might be worth a call to offcom too.
Write to your local newspaper remember to practice your angry face for the photo.
Not being a vodafone customer in the first place has been a big problem. For the first few day they wouldn't talk to us as we weren't on the account. Kind of a catch 22 as we never wanted a vodafone account in the first place.
You have a business with only one ADSL connection and no resiliency?
They’re not a customer of Vodafone though. I would think that makes any contractual complaints procedure moot.
Might be worth a call to offcom too.
I didn't say contractual complaints - I said the regulator won't touch it if you haven't given the company the chance to resolve it themselves. Don't waste your time on offcom until Vodafone or others have (probably inevitably) shrugged their shoulders.
Not being a vodafone customer in the first place has been a big problem. For the first few day they wouldn’t talk to us as we weren’t on the account. Kind of a catch 22 as we never wanted a vodafone account in the first place.
Don't phone them. Even if you get to a "manager" they are still about 4 levels of management below the one who is going to authorise any compensation. However, since you do have a contract with Plusnet and they are presumably "breaching" that by not providing you internet I'd also be making it Plusnets problem (their T&Cs almost certainly say no consequential loss) though.
You have a business with only one ADSL connection and no resiliency?
Depends on the business? Some businesses would find that unacceptable others would grin an bear (especially as usually you have a 24hr ish fix from a decent supplier). For ordinary businesses probably just as likely that powercut prevents work - but most SME's don't have backup supplies unless there is something genuinely critical on site.
You have a business with only one ADSL connection and no resiliency?
How about we play the ball rather than the man for a change?
First of all, your original provider shares at least some of the blame for this. The transfer process has a minimum 2 week "cooling off period". This is to allow your current provider to retain your business if necessary. When the order was placed by Vodafone your provider would have been notified almost immediately, giving the opportunity for them to contact you to find out why you were leaving. Although it doesn't explain why your number changed, as that typically is the key identifier in placing any migration orders.
It sounds to me like Vodafone has carried out a working line takeover on your line, hence why the number changed. Basically they place an order Its not uncommon in multi occupancy premises, but it should have been picked up at the time, rather than after the event.
As a provider its an utter PITA to get things back to how they were before and two weeks isn't bad going.
As the wise cougar has mentioned, why something so critical to your business (costs you thousands of pounds for downtime) doesn't have a backup for exactly this type of scenario. For the sake of £50 a month you've lost thousands, which isn't good planning really.
left us without internet and a phone number that no longer relates to our long established business
For all those banging on about only having one broadband line, I think the OP had more of a problem with the loss of his long standing business telephone number which presumably his customers use to contact him.
Also only having one broadband line for non critical comms or for a small business is no problem as you can always nip out and buy a pay-as-you-go wifi dongle to get your internet link back or just use your mobile phone as a hotspot.
Good luck - this happened to me at my last house every time a new neighbour moved in across the hall and wanted phone and broadband connected - the sub/sub/sub contractor would be lazy and just grab the nearest line and connect that without bothering to check who it belonged to cos they couldn't be bothered doing their job properly (or, more cynically could charge twice if they had to go back and fix it)
You need to quantify how much you have lost I think this will be tricky and Vodaphone can argue about the sum indefinitely or until you get fed up chasing them.