Whirlpool

OK after reading all the complaint threads about DODO I am absolutely kicking myself I signed up for 2 yr deal with them.
I got connected back in early december and was told the usual stuff IE stay at home certain hours for technician to attend and connect you, etc etc blah blah blah
Well I did exactly as they said, stayed at home during the designated hours, no one knocked on my door, I thought no one had shown up so I rang them and they said a technician had attended but no one was home - told them it was a load of bull I was here the whole time. They didn't want a bar to do with it, you're speaking to a f$%king robot over in the phillipines for god's sake how are they going to do anything about it ?!!!
Anyway I got my first bill - a whopping $300+ due to a $220 incorrect call out fee! Straight on the phone to them, a good 30 mins on hold, finally got a hold of someone in their accounts department they issued with a ticket enquiry number, someone was supposed to contact me but never did, rang them back, they told me someone tried to contact twice but there was no answer, yeah right!

Anyway they are still sticking with the fact that they are right and I'm wrong, apparently some company called streamline are the ones who did the job, anyone know anything about these guys ? sounds dodgy to me.....

Does anyone know how I can take this further ? Should I go to the ACCC ? They are apparently sending me some paperwork in the mail but I hold with bated breath for that to arrive.....
Please someone help, I seriously just want a credit to my account as I feel so strongly I am being ripped off here.

Thanks for any help.

You've been Dodoed.

I had a billing issue with these guys before I jumped ship and joined Optus (cable rocks).
One day I was in a particularly anti-dodo mood and decided that I would not stop calling them until they sorted it. Ended up speaking to an Australian Women in Accounts who promptly applied the 'STOLEN' funds back as credit on my account.

It was particularly difficult as it was my word against one of their Customer Service peeps. Basically I called them to upgrade to a package with more data allowance. They upgraded me to the wrong plan, with less data allowance than I asked for and it cost me about $160 in excess. Only way I managed to prove that I did not request the plan that they put me on was to point out that the plan did not exist at the time of my phone call.

Good indicator to when they are buckling is when they offer you part of the money back. If they do this tell them to get F...d. They are in the wrong and know it. Only a 100% reimbursement is satisfactory.

fletch032 writes...

OK after reading all the complaint threads about DODO I am absolutely kicking myself I signed up for 2 yr deal with them.

Same old theme of a first poster. I am not fan of Dodo and having probs myself. Don't doubt your complaint.

Isn't there a better way staff can give us insider information. Whirlpool will never hand over IP addresses of insiders.

Dodo appear to be in some rather severe financial problems with their broadband. You may have noticed that they no longer advertise any internet on television any more.

They had extremely low rates $49.95 for unlimited 512/128 connection and it's not too hard to figure out that they oversold their bandwidth. I was with them for a few years and when I complained concerning a drop in speeds, they told me that my plan was being cancelled and offered me a rather ridiculous one in place of it.

I offered to pay more for my existing plan but they weren't interested, so I went elsewhere with no penalty.

Officers from the "DO NOT CAll" telephone register are currently investigating Dodo. The TIO (Telecommunications Industry Ombudsman) also has a hefty file on Dodo.

Your only option is to document the problems, contact the TIO and register a specific complaint (you can do it over the phone), just go to www.tio.com.au for all the info. The TIO will give you a reference number and a contact number for someone in Dodo's "Dispute Resolution Team" in Australia and not Manilla. The TIO will also document your details and keep it all on file.

Every time someone contacts the TIO with a complaint about an ISP, the ISP gets charged a fee by the TIO.

The TIO has very limited authority, but I can tell you from personal experience that they Dodo does take notice of TIO complaints. (I think maybe they're in deep poo).

I'd strongly suggest cutting your losses and moving to another ISP.

Hope this helps and good luck.

Just spent 4 hours trying to quit DODO.
Still charging me for disconnect 3 m0nths ago
They hung up on me threetimes left me hanging on the phone for over 1.5 hours
Would have to be the worst customer service in the world and that is because I dont know where i was ringing.
Literally told me they would not do it and hung up.
More like DOO DOO
Cheers for the vent AHHHH.

How sweet it is... Got THIS from Dodo:

===========================

Your account has been successfully closed. This will take effect as of the 29/01/2008.

===========================

I'm so happy I could almost cry!

rokitman writes...

Just spent 4 hours trying to quit DODO.
Still charging me for disconnect 3 m0nths ago

You have nobody to blame but yourself.

Call the damn TIO, file your complaint, get a reference number.

Call DohDoh and inform them that you think they are theives and then give them the reference number.

They WILL see things your way.

To ignore this is to continue to shoot yourself in the foot.

My advice is not to sign up to a contract longer than six months with any ISP. Also, do your homework, examine whirlpool, ask your friends, read newspaper / magazine articles about reliability surveys, Choice etc.. read and investigate widely, don't use one source ONLY. Also, find out what it will cost you to terminate the contract.

I haven't heard wonderful things about DODO, but one of my friends went with them because he wanted low cost Internet, especially email - he's a pensioner... think he has been with them for a couple of years, so guess he's happy enough, as I don't think he's a big broadband user.. Will have to ask him what he thinks of DODO next time I see him.

I am into my second month of a 6 month Dodo contract and have some major issues with Dodo too.

I went over my allocation in the first month (cost me $99) and not wanting to do it again I rang before the start of my next billing (July 08) period to go up in allocation and agreed to have my credit card debited the new monthly fee of $79.99 (bundled).

3 weeks in and I have been slowed in my connection speed. Back to the polite Asian support section and I'm informed that I have not been upgraded- still on the old plan and have incurred extra charges ($50) for going over my allocation.

Go to the next level of support (Australian) and told that in order to have my speed returned Dodo apologised and will:

1. give me a $10 credit
2. make me surrender the remaining days of this current billing period so they can:
3. Charge me $79.99 NOW and in 3 days from NOW my hi-speed will return.

So, because of Dodos inaction I have:

1. an excess download bill to pay $50
2. am on dial-up speed for the next 3 days if I pay for the $79.99 now
3. Have to wait 3 days to get back to Hi-speed.

But hey it's not all bad I do have that $10 credit to look forward to!

Apparently it'a all my fault, I'm supposed to have given 7 days notice prior to the start of the next billing cycle as the Aussie rep pointed out- I should have gone to the website and read the Dodo terms and conditions.

Stupid me.

Happy days are here again! Woo hoo... now where to go? *looks around* Oh yeah Whirlpool is the best referral site!

Constant problems with Dodo. They keep being incapable of pulling money out of my bank account then cutting the service due to nonpayment. I remind them over and over again – there is money in the account and it is a direct debit. The reply is "system issues ". have spent hours trying to sort out these people. I am now very familiar with Manila. No reply to emails and no calls back.

To be fair to the Manila staff they are at least pleasant and try. The real problems lie with the Australian staff and "management". There is total arrogance with this lot.

I am now preparing a complaint to the Ombudsman re constant inability to provide a constant or reasonable level of service.

A warning to all "DON'T SIGN UP TO DODO"

Just an update. For some strange Dodo reason they put a bar on my phone. No explanation juts the usual "system issues". No apology and it has not even been removed yet. I have asked for a reason writing but I am not holding my breath but the failure to do so will help with a further TIO complaint. As usual the Manila staff are pleasant but can't do anything and the Australian can do something but don't want to because those I deal with are completely arrogant. One wonders at the work culture and leadership in this outfit. This is one company doomed to failure eventually. I experienced Onetel and have a feeling of deja vu.

I have had my fair share of problem with dodo. After i called the TIO i never had a problem with them again. I had no problems disconnecting from them.

hey yeah lets bump this thread because the OP posted in JAN and it was as usual a one off poster who NEVER returns

so WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO hats off again to the people in control of the dodo forum for really being on top of their game and deleting this from the board

bump because i want to

artax writes...

bump because i want to

Its awll about youa...

RIPPED OFF EVEN AFTER I CHURNED TO OTHER ISP:

What BULLSHIT...I am being ripped off over here, Dodo is taking money from my credit card even after I disconnected my service with them 3 months ago.... WTF

When I try to contact them, by email, they call me and give another number.
I call them during working hours they tell me "Customer Service blah blah monday to friday 9am to 5pm whatever" ...and I was calling at 10am on monday.

I am really really pissed off right now. Finally called TIO and got a reference number.

Yaay...I called the 1800 number TIO gave me and they said that they just cancelled my account and refunded the money back to my credit card........YAAY again.

Congratulation, you won't do that again too so will you now!