Furious Optus customer reveals time-wasting conversation with the telco simply to cancel a data plan

A disgruntled customer has shared the annoying conversation he had with a customer service chatbot while trying to cancel his data plan.

The customer requested help canceling an ongoing ‘Optus Choice Plus’ data plan, which would have rolled over after their tablet’s contract expired on October 6.

Captioned ‘It takes more than 10 requests and a threat to ACCC to cancel an Optus subscription…’, the frustrated customer took to Reddit to share screenshots of a strange conversation.

“I wasted 30 minutes of my life trying to cancel my Optus mobile subscription,” they added.

“I can’t believe they turned a one-click process into this monstrosity.”

The customer started the conversation at 12.47pm on Thursday and initiated the request to ‘cancel subscription’ via the Optus chat.

After receiving an automated message with suggested help options about their plan, the bot offered to connect them with an “expert.”

“Cancel subscription,” the customer wrote again, before being transferred to a customer service representative, “Wyatt.”

“I want to cancel my tablet subscription,” they wrote again.

‘I understand you want to cancel the service. You have reached the right team. I can certainly help you with the problem,” the Optus employee replied.

The customer then wrote that he wanted to cancel his data plan and explained to the representative that he no longer needed it after receiving his tablet.

After confirming the customer’s request, the customer service representative will return with a counter offer.

‘I understand that you (sic) want to reduce the subscription costs and thus cancel the service. Let me see what I can best do for you here,” the representative said.

“Instead of canceling the plans, I can help you with the (sic) better deals on the services so you can use them,” they wrote a few minutes later, touting the new Optus Choice Plus data plan from $ 20 suggested and offered a $10 discount for 12 months.

‘Does that (sic) sound good? Can you please confirm?’ they asked.

Again, the customer simply responds with, “No, thanks. Can you please cancel it?’

The rep wrote, “I’m truly sorry if you feel this way. May I know what we can do to ensure you stay at Optus?’

‘Nothing. Please cancel,” the customer insisted.

The back and forth then continued, with the rep offering three months of free access to the service ‘as you are a loyal Optus customer’, and them ‘helping with the better deals’.

‘Is that alright (sic)?’ They wrote.

The customer replied, “No. Cancel. The. Plan.’

“I’m truly sorry if you feel this way,” the rep wrote.

“Since you still intend to cancel the service, I will respect your decision.”

‘Beautiful. I consider this canceled,” the customer said.

But the Optus employee had other plans.

‘Certainly. Before canceling the service, do you know anyone who might be interested in using the service?’ They wrote.

‘You can actually transfer this service to someone else instead of canceling it.’

The irate customer repeated his request, insisting that the plan had already been canceled.

“Still not canceled once you confirm the above information we will proceed with cancellation as this is a mandatory process when canceling,” the rep wrote.

“Cancel the plan. Don’t make me call ACCC,” the customer argued.

The Optus representative assured the customer that they could help with the issue and asked if the customer wanted their supervisor to take over the chat.

The customer wrote, “You told me it’s already canceled. Thank you for canceling my subscription. Nice day.’

“Please stay connected, I will help you with the cancellation,” the representative replied.

They were then told they would have to pay their next bill manually, and were asked again by the representative if they still wanted to cancel the plan.

‘Cancel. Mine. Employ. Please. I understand,” the customer admitted.

The conversation lasted more than half an hour, with social media users joking that the customer should have simply “asked to cancel the subscription.”

One wrote: ‘You could have been more clear that you wanted to cancel the plan……’

“My dad was on the phone for hours a few months ago, repeatedly telling them he wanted to cancel his subscription,” said another.

“I’ve never seen him get angry at a service member before, but toward the end I could hear the suppressed anger as he had to keep repeating, ‘No, I don’t want any specials, I just want to cancel my plan.'” ‘

This is what an Optus spokesperson said news.com.au: ‘Optus values ​​every customer and is committed to ensuring we fulfill every customer request in a timely manner.’

‘We regret that a customer’s experience on this occasion did not meet the usual high standards that Optus prides itself on.’

This comes as 150 Optus call center workers at an Adelaide office will be made redundant within the next four weeks, with the telco saying the job cuts will “strengthen our business”.

Some employees have reportedly been told that their severance packages could be in jeopardy if they speak to the media about the mass layoffs.

But those who spoke anonymously 7News said they were stunned when the company hired and trained new staff at the North Terrace location a few months ago.

A survey published last October following the massive data breach at the telecom provider found that 10 percent of customers had already left the country’s second-largest telecom company “as a direct result” of the cyber attack, while more than half a step ‘considered’.

About 10,200 Optus customers had their sensitive information posted on the dark web.