Public Points Joining Confirmation Email - Jan 24

[J_PM]

Hey Community, 

We’ve been notified that some customers received an email confirming their switch to Public Points, our new Rewards program that is launching tomorrow.  If you have received this email, please disregard it. You will not be switched to Public Points automatically - joining Public Points is optional for all existing Public Mobile customers.

This email was triggered accidentally, due to back-end testing and preparation before the official launch date. Not to worry, you will have the opportunity to switch over, if you choose, when we launch Public Points. 

Note:You will also receive another email from us that will confirm that you have not been switched to Public Points, and that you should disregard the email sent in error. We apologize for the mix-up!  

Thank you,

    - Public Mobile Team 

[darlicious]

@dacdoter 

I can understand the frustration and anger. The roll out of the new points program was the complete opposite one would want when selling an inferior rewards program so much so the positives of the program were barely mentioned because pm was running around putting fires out from the erroneous emails and the immediate negative outcry they created,

The separate rewards account while probably warranted for the new points program and it's redemption catalogue it wasn't needed for the rewards program and feels a little like a trap that if you picked up your phone the wrong way or similar to the toddler who ordered a dozen chairs from Wal-Mart next thing you know you're being ushered down the points hall of no return....

To contact customer support click below:

https://productioncommunity.publicmobile.ca/t5/notes/composepage/note-to-user-id/22437

To pre-verify your account include your full name, address, email, phone # and 4 digit acct pin #.

[Zyl]

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@hTideGnow wrote:

HI @chch518 

If you are pretty sure you have done nothing wrong and you didn't click anything to opt-in, demand the CS_Agent to escalate your ticket and see if they can do something or at least give you some compensation.

Let me tell you something good on the new system, it is cheaper use reward to buy add-on than paying for the add-on or using the reward dollars on the old system to buy.  It is around 33% cheaper.  Hope that cheers you up a bit.

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@hTideGnow  but for people who don't buy add-on's that much, these points are not much of use.  And plus if you find yourself buying add-on's all the time, then that means your current plan is inadequate and you will be better off upgrading your plan and earning more points for you to enter the Jackpot, so far the most valuable thing you can redeem for.   

If they really want to make the points system more enticing, they should allow redemption of points for other merchandise as well like phones.  

[Zyl]

@WoozyPolarBear wrote:

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@chch518 wrote:

Now 1 point =$1, later 100 points=$1, which is industry standard. 

---

You are 100% correct about points deflation. It's a very common tactic with reward/loyalty systems, in which they arbitrarily lower the value of points. It's why I only sign up for credit cards that have literal cash rewards. None of this points none-sense. Points have ZERO real world value, whereas cash-back rewards are tied to the value of a currency. 

---

@WoozyPolarBear   Or/and they inflate the number of points required to redeem for merchandise.  The same merchandise, if you use the dollar-for-points earning ratio to calculate, it always always costs more points than what should be required if you compare to the market price of the merchandise.  For example, a toaster costs $50 to buy let's say, so if you have a points system that's $1 for 1 point, then to redeem the points to get the toaster, it should cost you 50 points but no, usually they would require you to redeem 60 points or even more for the same merchandise so you are actually spending more $$ to buy the same product.  So this is why, not only one should use literal dollar-based cashback cards, you should NEVER EVER NEVER EVER redeem points for merchandises.  If you are earning points, always always redeem them for cash and then use cash to buy whatever you want.  Cash is king!!      

[darlicious]

@writingmina 

A whole bunch of customers got errant emails but no one has been switched over. For 99.99% of customers its better to stay with the $$ rewards.

To contact customer support click below:

https://productioncommunity.publicmobile.ca/t5/notes/composepage/note-to-user-id/22437

To pre-verify your account include your full name, address, email, phone # and 4 digit acct pin #.

[Anonymous]

Ignore the emails. They were sent in error. You will not have been switched.

[writingmina]

I got an email about the new reward system and I was glad to know I didn't have to switch over right away. I'm happy with how it is at the moment. A few minutes later I got a second email saying Ive been switched over. I don't know how to switch back. Can I get some help?

[Zyl]

@chch518  The "My Rewards" section is no longer part of "My Account".  They have created an independent "My Rewards" site to show both the original dollar-based reward system and the new points-based system.  If you signed up with Public Mobile before Jan.  25, 2022 and you didn't switch to the new points-based system, when you log in to the "My Rewards" site using the same login for "My Account", you will see your rewards still in the existing dollar-system regime.  If you signed up with Public Mobile on or after Jan.  25, 2022, you will see the reward based on the new points-based system.   

[WoozyPolarBear]

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@chch518 wrote:

Now 1 point =$1, later 100 points=$1, which is industry standard. 

---

You are 100% correct about points deflation. It's a very common tactic with reward/loyalty systems, in which they arbitrarily lower the value of points. It's why I only sign up for credit cards that have literal cash rewards. None of this points none-sense. Points have ZERO real world value, whereas cash-back rewards are tied to the value of a currency. 

[hTideGnow]

HI @chch518 

If you are pretty sure you have done nothing wrong and you didn't click anything to opt-in, demand the CS_Agent to escalate your ticket and see if they can do something or at least give you some compensation.

Let me tell you something good on the new system, it is cheaper use reward to buy add-on than paying for the add-on or using the reward dollars on the old system to buy.  It is around 33% cheaper.  Hope that cheers you up a bit.

[chch518]

I recalled I click the access rewards, I saw nothing but sign up the new points system. 

we saw the difference.  

[hTideGnow]

HI @chch518   You wouldn't be force to go to the new system.  You probably click too fast and missed this screens:

[Anonymous]

 @chch518 : a. I log in to My Rewards (aka Access Rewards) and I get this:

(I zoomed it down to get more of it.)

Clicking on the Join on the left or clicking on Discover Public Points goes to the same place:

So way down at the bottom one can finally click on Join. Don't if you don't want to join. Even then there's another thing to click to really be sure. You did all this under a misunderstanding. I agree with your fight on this. There ought to be a back out for like 24 hours.

b. My crystal ball is on the fritz.

[chch518]

@dacdoter

you are not alone. 

A lot of customers soon will face the same issue. 

[chch518]

good job. keep going. 

Be careful with  those " Mayor " status  replies. they are not on your side. 

[chch518]

how do you know? you are on a old system. 

how do u know the new system

[Zyl]

@dacdoter This email was sent out in error. Please disregard it. You have not been switched to the new Public Points system. The Community Manager @Jade_S from Public Mobile has already made an announcement in an update to the publication of the Public Points System. The emails were sent out during their testing in the back-end system. https://productioncommunity.publicmobile.ca/t5/Announcements/Update-Introducing-Public-Points/td-p/7...

[Talaxin]

Actually, there is no way you were forced, you have to check a box that stats that the transfer is final. If you checked that box then you agreed to the switch. 

[chch518]

I dont believe you. 

a. if I don't click , i won't see my rewards page in details

b. eventually, every one will be on the same rewards points system.

[dabr]

@dacdoter    Telus is the parent company of both PM and Koodo.   You're right that having to login again to view your rewards is an extra unnecessary step.  Hopefully, PM management hears our complaints and will make changes going forward.  However, who knows..

[Anonymous]

 @chch518 : This is not your situation.

 @dacdoter : Just don't click Join if you wish to keep the original system.

[chch518]

you did nothing wrong. PM set you up. 

[chch518]

"... for both the OLD system and the NEW rewards system. "

it above is wrong. I don't see the old system page. that's why I look  for it...., and click on access rewards , then lead me to the new points system, you have to sign up, otherwise  you won't see the old system ..

[dacdoter]

Wow, this is such a terrible user experience.  I never used to log into the site often, but now I understand more why I'm confused.  I think I used to see mention of the rewards discounts right on the Overview page in the normal login.  Now when I click on Access Rewards from there, I get to a SCARY login / create account screen.

It's a telus.com site  (why should I trust this - do I have to go Google to find out if Public Mobile is owned by telus or not?).  I have no idea if I should try logging in with my existing PM My Account login credentials.  If it worked, that would feel reasonable, but if not, they might have just scraped my info and can impersonate me and change my account and everything.   Or do I need to, for some reason, create YET ANOTHER account?  

First I have a Public Mobile account - makes sense.  Then to get help or help others, be part of the forums, I had to register for a completely separate account.  Very unusual, but I guess fine.   Now I need a 3rd account to check that I'm going to automatically get my monthly discounts?    Who is in charge of these decisions?

[chch518]

I was forced to swicth the new points systme. I am fighting now.

we are on the same boat.  I support you to email CSR and complain. 

I believe PM may not make money, that's why PM decide to roll out the new points rewards system. 

Now 1 point =$1, later 100 points=$1, which is industry standard. 

[hTideGnow]

HI @dacdoter 

No worry.  The new Reward site is for both the OLD system and the NEW rewards system.   Once logged in you should see your reward showing up with $ values since you are still on the old system.

[dacdoter]

When I log in and explore the main site (not the community), I see mention of the $15 plan, but I cannot see the discounts anywhere.  There is a section for My Promotions which is blank.  There is one more place i haven't looked - the My Rewards or Check Your Rewards links.

I guess I will try it, but as anyone could imagine, I am terrified that if I click the link to check my rewards, they will send me an email saying "welcome to the new rewards program" again, claiming that the click signed me up, which would be unfair.

[dacdoter]

@NDesai  Thanks, I did not see this email with about 5 minutes of searching on the site.  I will log in again and report what I see to try to verify.

If this is true, it's unconscionable that they would not have sent a follow up email explaining that it was in error.

... Ok, I have now gone back to my inbox and I see that they made the mistake of using the marketing old subject line "Introducing Public Points".    What a silly mistake - I already saw an email with that subject line 2 days earlier, so obviously I didn't waste my time reading that email again.

If they had sent an email with the subject line "Previous email sent in error", I wouldn't have been very angry all week.   I get hundreds of emails a day - I have to triage, I even opened that second email, but the Heading and the first paragraph were exactly the same as the previous promotional email, so I stopped reading.  I think I was justified in making this decision.  Error on the communication team's part.

Meanwhile I will still log in and look for evidence that I will still receive my $4 in discounts.  Thanks again NDesai.

[NDesai]

@dacdoter Email was sent in an error. Existing customers will remain on the old rewards system unless they manually enroll into the new point system. 

[dacdoter]

I sure hope you will reverse this injustice, or Public Mobile will have gone from a great and recommended experience to a terrible one that I will speak publicly about.

On Jan 23, I saw an email that new rewards were coming.  I was not interested.  It is almost certain that it's not as good a deal I'm getting now on the old rewards.  I thought maybe I'll read up on it sometime, but I definitely do not want to switch for now.

On Jan 4 I got an email saying "Congrats, you just earned 5 bonus Public Points".  2 hours later another email "Introducing Public Points" again.

I was very angry, but this has been a terribly busy week with my work and some family emergencies.

Tonight I finally log in for the first time, and instead of showing that my bill would be $11 after credit, it's back up to $15.

I am very angry about this and want it put back to the way it was.

This seems obviously like a plan to remove my hard-earned rewards, and nice low phone bill, because you want me to pay more, and that is not ok.

Please help ASAP.

[Zyl]

@vch250 That email was sent out in error. Please disregard it. You have not been switched to the new Public Points system. The Community Manager @Jade_S from Public Mobile has already made an announcement in an update to the publication of the Public Points System. The emails were sent out during their testing in the back-end system. https://productioncommunity.publicmobile.ca/t5/Announcements/Update-Introducing-Public-Points/td-p/7...