Lack of Customer Focus

[Annoying]

I received a confusing email to say my plan has changed and cost will increase.

I rang for a better plan and told that my current plan has been extended for 12 months???

I then tried repeatedly to obtain my plan details and Contract Expiry Date VIA email through online, chat and phone call.

I have no cause to contact AGL but if the latest experience is any guide, customer service is severely lacking. 

As a Customer and Shareholder, I do hope that other customers are not facing the same difficulties.

[Annoying]

Good Luck.

Hope you have better luck and straight answers to simple queries.

[customersfirst]

I can't believe that you can't see simple information such as plan expiry dates when you log in to your account. AGL emails you to tell you that your plan is about to expire and that you will be automatically put onto their market rate and that it means that you'll never have to do anything again. Of course that is to their benefit. They have to let you know when your plan is due to expire. Then if you ring them, to try to get more money from you, want you to switch over immediately rather than to wait until expiry date which means you invariably pay at the higher rate BEFORE you have to. Shoddy customer service. Put the information up on our account page so that we can see all the details of our plans for ourselves. 

[NeilC]

@customersfirst 

Hi,

If you go to Your Account, Click on your user name, select Account Settings,  Properties and Plans,  Your Plans ( then select View on the correct plan) you will see something similar to below.

Now I know there is no actual expiry date listed, but this is your current plan.

AGL is required by law to inform you that your plan is expiring.

If you do nothing AGL will place you on a similar plan or you can do some research and either change providers or choose a better plan to suit your needs.

Now if this was your business you would do the same as what they do and put them on a plan that benefits them.

Solar FIT is one, they will only give you the lowest rate.

For instance their current Solar Savers Plan is 10c per kW for the first 10kW each day then 5c per kW after that.

However they may put you on a plan that gives you a cheaper price in electricity supplied.

The ONUS is actually on you to select the appropriate plan that is suitable for you.

For instance, if you have a Solar Battery, you may not care about FIT as you are a high user of electricity and consume all of your Solar generation in house and will benefit from a reduced electricity purchase price.

The Australian Government runs a a web site called Energy Made Easy which all retailers must register their plans with.

You can go to this site https://www.energymadeeasy.gov.au (click on the link and it will open the Web Page for you) fill in the appropriate details and it will show you a list of plans that MAY suit you. (In my case this is a list of 166 plans).

Before I retired I used to do volunteer work for over 55's groups which included IT support and assistance in reducing bill shock.

Now most liked the IT support, but found that it was too hard to make a decision on, Electricity / Gas and Phone Plans, and most would just stay on their current plans.

I could never understand why people pay $70 a month for a mobile plan when they could get a similar plan for $25 a month and get Data Roll Over???

Now I don't think that AGL or any other Retailer is Lacking Focus but are simply continuing on in trying to maintain you as a customer with minimum contact.

So the onus is on you THE CUSTOMER  to decide how much you want to pay for your Electricity / Gas accounts as YOUR CIRCUMSTANCES should dictate your choices.

Similarly when you ring a call centre and ask for advice that is what you will get, if you ring and have some facts you can normally manage to get something nearer to what you actually want.

Maybe it is the customers that LACK FOCUS.

Cheers Neil

[Panda]

Great answer, Neil.