All NSW-based OptusNet and Optus pay-TV users paying by credit card direct debit are affected, and the company said it won't be offering refunds to the 20,000 pay TV and 18,000 high speed Internet subscribers affected unless there are special circumstances, according to a company spokesperson. However, an internal Optus memo obtained by ZDNet Australia takes a harder line.
"This deduction will not be reversed, however Optus will not deduct any funds from customers' credit cards for December. The next deduction will occur in January 2004," the memo reads. "Note: Customers impacted will not have this amount reversed or credited back for November."
Customer service scripts for dealing with affected Optus customers in the e-mail memo indicate how unlikely it is that affected subscribers will receive a refund. "Unfortunately we are unable to reverse this charge, but will ensure you are not charged in December. Your next charge will appear on your Credit Card Statement in January," Optus staff are being instructed to say. "Please Note: If the customer insists on Optus reversing the charge, then refer this to your Team Leader as per normal procedure," a script note reads.
A spokesperson for the company took a somewhat softer approach. "I would say we would not refund unless there's a specific reason," she said. "If you ring up and specifically need a refund, we'll look at it on a case by case basis."
The company representative refused to give the number of affected users -- prior to the leaking of the internal memo -- describing a breakdown in the number of credit card direct debit customers as information "material to the business" and hence not suitable for public disclosure.
While the spokesperson would not be drawn on whether or not the forced pre-payment was "fair", she urged customers to get in contact with the company. "If there are problems, we're happy to have people call us and discuss it," she said.
Optus would not comment on why it would not reverse the transactions or offer refunds to customers affected by the slip-up.
Customers affected by the billing mistake can contact Optus on 133 937.
When you consider it in relation to other expenses it is a relatively insignificant amount. Therefore I have no real problem with the "no refund" but no December bill.
Apart from this minor stuff up their service is fist class, both technically and administratively