Outrageous... (Genie)

Member Name: The Operator

Product:	Genie
Date:	10/02/02 (491 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Wouldn't know

Disadvantages: As above

I don't even know why I'm writing an opinion on Genie, I haven't used the service much. Why? Because I can't! Plain and simple. Here's why.

Lured by the siren call of their banner on dooyoo promising 600 free texts a month, cheap calls, free WAP and a free phone, I went in eyes wide open. I ordered a shiny new Sony J-70 because I really have this thing with Nokias and that ridiculous default text alert sound which always seems to be set at about 120db and is only telling the world that you've received yet another visual knob-joke. Anyway, I'd been spending loads too much because the mobile was becoming a bit of a way of life and at least this way I could save a few quid while still using a decent service. It helped that my last phone was on its last legs and both chargers had almost given up the ghost too. Definitely time for a change then.

Just over two weeks ago my package arrived, about three days after I ordered following a credit check and a confirmatory email. They aim to deliver between 5pm and 9pm because that's when they say everyone's in. Ah. Mistake. I mainly work late shift and don't get home until 10.30 or even later if I get detained on the way back. First whinge. Give us the option of a timed delivery. I'm fed up with being beholden to courier companies, we're paying for a service - let us say when we can collect or receive.

Filled with anticipatory glee, I opened the box up and there's my new phone. All gleaming and lovely. Plus a nice green booklet with pictures of a loving couple on the front sitting on a VW Devon and other people enjoying their Genie enabled lives. How on earth could they have done without it for so long? Nice. Desperately wanting to be part of this new generation of mobile communicants, it was out with the sim card. Yes. Er...this is where I own up to the big mistake. (Stage whisper) "I think I broke it accidentally!" I heard it crack as I g
ently tried to remove it from its holder. I inserted it into the phone, switched it on and lo and behold, the legend "Insert SIM" appeared.
"Hmmm. Must be faulty" I mused to myself, "better phone Genie and tell them." 24 hour customer service team on hand to deal with any problems promised much. I called them. No answer. Called them again. Still no answer. Then an answer machine saying that, "due to circumstances beyond our control...late morning next day etc". Went to the website. A message said that due to the adverse weather conditions, no-one was in. So I sent a mail. Which was duly acknowledged.

Next day I managed to call someone and report my "faulty sim". No worries, we'll get one in the post. 3 days. That meant Thursday 31st. My old number was due to port on the Thursday so that meant I wouldn't need to contact anyone with the new number. OK. I could live with that - no inconvenience! As luck would have it, I made a trip up country on the Thursday and I was uncontactable and nobody knew where I was. I didn't receive the sim as promised but I gave them the benefit of the doubt - the weather had after all, been appalling. Maybe it would arrive the next day? No chance.
It's now almost two weeks since my phone arrived and I still haven't used it. The second time I called them I was told that I ought to have been told 7-10 days instead of 3 days. The third time I called my order was traced. Still not actioned. I remained calm. The fourth time, this morning, I spoke to the same chap as before and he once again checked the status of my order. I couldn't believe that it still had not been sent out. I don't really know how I remained calm, I'm meant to have a cool head in a crisis but when it's difficult to understand the reasons for any kind of difficulty, frustration nearly always claims one's temper. I'm now expecting it on Tuesday, 12th February, full
y three weeks after I first reported it as er...faulty.
I have received an email saying that my case would be reviewed by a senior person and I would get an explanation. Doesn't make anything better, I wanted the phone. If there were two weeks in my life when I really needed a mobile it was the last two and I felt very badly let down.

It doesn't stop there though. Anyone used Genie to send the odd free text messsage? Up until recently they very generously allowed Genie members (just sign up, no fee) full use of the free message service and a host of other features on the website. This is over. You're now subject to an allowance and the texts carry adverts, so I'm told. I wouldn't know - I haven't received one recently, have I? What's more, some of the adverts are for premium rate services or chatlines and this I find a huge cheek especially as some of the heavier users will be kids. I know the free service has to be funded somehow and I don't object to the odd advert from time to time but this is really beyond the pale. Additionally, once you become a Genie 'phone account holder, the free web site texts come off your monthly mobile allowance of 600 - a real cheek when you consider that the web texts are limited to 115 characters as opposed to 160.

Genie are part of BT. I know they've had their problems of late but this doesn't do them any favours. If the major telecomms player in the country can't get it right it leaves the door open for every two-bit opportunist to plough in and hoover up the spoils. When you go with a major company you expect above all else, reliability and continuity of service. You'll probably pay a bit extra for the privilege but maybe you'd expect that. I feel pretty badly treated as well as suckered and I won't let it rest. I'll let you know the outcome in an update.

Genies are meant to be magical. They have the ability to change your life should
you want them to do so but like other magical things they can disappoint drastically if you put too much faith in them.

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OK. Here's an update. It's Thursday, 14th February. My card still hasn't arrived. Promised 12th, wasn't it. I called them on Tuesday only to be told that the number I had been using, which I thought got me through to their customer care ("e-care") centre was the wrong one and I ought to be 'phoning a different one. I did. The answer was "You are now being charged 50p per minute" to which my reply wasn't too pretty.
I emailed them instead. Another problem. I wanted to send a nice long email explaining why I wasn't too happy but they limit your mails to 1205 characters or some ridiculous number. They don't even have a general email address you can send to. I got an almost instant reply though and a personalised one too mentioning the problem which would indicate that someone had actually read it. They said that my complaint was to be passed on to one their senior ecare advisors. I haven't heard from them yet. Or had a reply from an earlier mail.

I called them again today on that old number; no problem but help me, I swore. Not like me at all. I've been promised a full and frank investigation now but goodness knows when that will be. And it transpires that three cards have been ordered so far. Four if you count the original. So where the */!@! is mine?

I'll let you know.

Oh yes, I still had 574 free texts left for this month and today being whatever, someone was going to cop for a major portion of those. Thanks, genie. Thanks a bunch for really spoiling my day.
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Second update.
I got the card! Arrived on the 15th. The phone works now and normal service has been resumed. However, I had what amounted to a pretty unsatisfactory reply to one of the emails and I will be followin
g my complaint up. Sorry chaps, "sorry " just isn't good enough.
Just to compound things, their sms service gave up the ghost 36 hours ago. Pity if you had sent an important text say. I could receive but not send although the problem did seem to be with the One-to One service.
Pretty bad introduction to a service which promised to revolutionise my life.They are going to have to really impress to regain my faith in them. If and when they do, I will attempt to use the service to its full capabilities and change the op accordingly.

Summary: