[3GScottishUser]

From Mobile Today 20/12/2006:

Customer complaints have prompted Orange to introduce stringent new rules on cashback. Dealers must clearly present all terms and conditions to the customer and the terms must be easy for the customer to comply with.

Any dealer who tells customers they need to submit original statements, charges a fee for processing cashback or says cashback must be claimed in less than 60 days will also be breaching the rules. Additionally, It must be made clear that cashback is offered by the dealer and not by Orange.

In a statement to dealers, the network said: 'Orange reserves the right to uphold these regulations and takes cashback experience of its customers very seriously.' It has threatened to terminate dealers if they do not comply. The rules have been described as minimum business standards.

http://www.mobiletoday.co.uk/content/15413.asp?men=2&sub=2

[3g-g]

Good stuff, it took me an age to explain to a relative that the cashback deal she was on (when it went titsup) was nothing to do with Orange, she'd been venting her anger at CS for hours as well as myself, apparently one of the original bills she'd sent off hadn't been received and voided all her cashback. There was no amount of explaining that CS could do that would appease her and the dealer she bought it from completely washed their hands of her putting the blame squarely on the shoulders of Royal Mail. Either way, the hours she lost on the phone to a helpless CSR when it should of been explained from the outset it's all from the dealer, not the operator. I hope the others follow suit.

[Hands0n]

I'd like to see the death of Cashback. It has been a right pain in the proverbial for the punters. It has generated so much bad feeling!

[Ben]

Three have similarly enacted rules that mean a dealer selling a 3 contract without obtaining valid bank details will face no commissions and actually have money clawed back! Not only this, but there's a £300 fine to any dealer who's cashback customers complain to 3.

Finally, the disincentives are starting to stack up.

[Hands0n]

........... And not before time too Ben. The Mobile operators have been too complacent to see us being fleeced by the Dealers on their behalf - and it has cost them bad press to which they are [finally] reacting to...... shame on them for taking so long to actualy step up the game.