Confusing contracts and additional services: Customers often find it difficult to find the right telephone tariff. Consumer advocates see the reason in bad advice.
The NRW consumer advice center has warned the three major providers Telekom, Vodafone and O2 because of poor advice and violations of information obligations in telephone shops. The companies would have to pledge to change their practice or that of their franchisees.
Otherwise, the consumer advocates could win high penalties in court, said the NRW state chairman of the consumer center, Wolfgang Schuldzinski. Vodafone and O2 spokesmen have denied the allegations. Deutsche Telekom did not initially respond to the criticism.
Offers must be submitted in writing
Specifically, it is about, among other things, the obligation introduced in December for telephone consultants to present their offer to the customer in writing before signing. This is to prevent customers from losing track of the confusion in tariffs and from being sold unnecessary or too expensive services. A detailed written offer also makes it easier to compare prices, said Schuldzinski.
So far, however, hardly any consultant has adhered to this documentation requirement: In a random sample of 198 telephone shops throughout NRW in January, one single one submitted the legally required summary of the offer, five others did so on explicit request – the others did not, complained the consumer advocate.
Vendors are reluctant to accept criticism
A Telefónica spokesman emphasized that the employees in the O2 and partner telephone shops had been trained in the new legal situation. Customers would receive the prescribed contract summary before ordering. However, the company takes the criticism as an opportunity to “again point out the processes to its own sales teams and in particular to sales partners”.
“Vodafone attaches great importance to sustainable business and competent advice,” the company said. Contracts should only be concluded if the customer is aware of the product and wants to use it. There are also “clear processes and guidelines” in the Vodafone stores for contract summaries. “However, we will take a close look at the information from the North Rhine-Westphalia consumer advice center on the subject of summarizing the contract provisions and, if necessary, retrain locally,” said a spokesman.
No right of withdrawal for in-store transactions
Again and again, customers come out of the shops with far too extensive contracts and additional services that they do not need at all, reported the head of the Essen advice center, Manuela Duda. With monthly costs of 40 to 70 euros and the contracts usually run for 24 months, this represents a real poverty trap. Unlike sales talks on the phone, there is no right of withdrawal for transactions in the shop.
Such a right of withdrawal must also be introduced for transactions in stores, demanded Schuldzinski. Duda and Schuldzinski advised consumers not to sign contracts in branches on the representatives’ tablet PCs. Then you lose track of the regulations. Customers should have the offer printed out in full and study it at home in peace.