Feedback on Poor System Design – Auto Redemption of Rewards

[Vivekkkk]

Hi,

I just wanted to share some feedback about a poor system design I recently experienced.

I had a 'plan' sitting in my cart, which I wasn’t intending to pay for right away. My number was intentionally suspended for a few months (up to 90 days), and I was just exploring how to redeem Public Points. I ended up redeeming two '$15 Bill Credit' vouchers, assuming they would be added to my account and available the next time I resumed my subscription and paid for a plan.

However, when I logged in to my Public Mobile account homepage, I found that the plan in my cart had already been activated! The $15 vouchers I had redeemed on the Public Rewards site were automatically used for the items in my cart — without any confirmation or approval from me.

How is this even possible? How can credits be applied automatically to something in my cart without my explicit consent to complete the purchase? This is a major design flaw.

Also, I’m not a fan of having to go to the Rewards site to redeem items. It would be much simpler if there was an option directly on the payment page to use reward points. For example, if I want a 250MB add-on for $5, I’d rather just apply 5 reward points during checkout — instead of navigating to another site, finding that specific offer, and redeeming it there.

I get that you might have other redeemable options like ‘Klinik’ (I don't recall the name extacly) on the Rewards site, which could warrant a separate platform. But for things directly related to Public Mobile services, redemption should be as straightforward as toggling a switch to apply reward points versus using a card for full payment.

Thanks for considering this feedback.

[Vivekkkk]

What a poor name for autopay turn on/off!

Thanks for sharing this.

[Vivekkkk]

Thanks kb_mv. Appreciate this info. 

Maybe not the ideal approach having to report the phone as lost when it is not actually but it looks like the only option to prevent accidental usage of funds / activation.

[Vivekkkk]

Thanks Denny. This is definitely insightful. This is such a misnomer that had me scratching my head for a bit...

Thanks again.

[Vivekkkk]

I appreciate your detailed post! Lots of info!

Much thanks.

[RavingRaven]

@Vivekkkk 

Seeing as you suspend your account on a regular basis you also understand the importance of paying and reactivating your account before day 90.

Public Mobile has set a few ways to easily pay and reactivate your account automatically if necessary and the more common payment methods are inaccessible or failed (autopay failure, website/app down for maintenance etc...)

 The introduction of the Public Points program brought about the option to redeem 15 points for a $15 bill credit. The only redemption allowed when suspended and automatically applied to account balance and if the amount equals or exceeds your plan amount or balance owing it will automatically reactivate your account and service.

Instant Top Ups or Real Time Payments(RTR) are available at a select few retailers mainly Canadian Tire Gas Bars and Esso/Mobil stations. Supplying the clerk with your 10 digit phone # and provider (Public Mobile) along with a $1 fee (usually) on top of your payment will instantly add the funds to your account balance and (as above) automatically reactivate your account.

Public Mobile (-RTR) and paying vouchers are also available online. Muskbird.com offers the most reasonable online fees for this service. (10% for credit card and PayPal purchases and only 0.03%($0.03/$10) on e-transfer purchases.) RTR payments are nearly instantaneous and vouchers arrive via email in about 5 minutes and can be applied manually online, in the PM App or preferably by calling 611 on your device or from another phone by calling 1 855 4PUBLIC and entering your 10 digit phone #. Automatic account reactivation as above.

If you know your 4 digit account PIN # account payments via the registered payment card on file (autopay or subscribed) can be made via the 611/IVR system to automatically top up the account balance and reactivate the account.

**Suspending your account via lost/stolen ensures that the automatic payment system cannot debit your account balance, charge your registered payment card for an upcoming plan/subscription renewal and/or reactivate your account services.

Top up payments via credit card, voucher or RTR will still be accepted by the system and added to your account balance but you must log into your online account or PM App and unsuspend via lost/stolen and manually apply payments to reactivate the account/service or redeem points for a bill credit.

Note: This is to the best of my memory. My handy reference were several detailed posts/threads created by @darlicious (credit where credit is due) that were unfortunately "archived" by a mystery oracle for reasons only known to them?

Edit: Credits automatically applied or manually applied by a  CS_Agent can also automatically reactivate your account. (ie. $15 plan w/$5 account balance. CS_Agent applies $10 credit (sim card never arrived) or the $10 RAF bonus credit is automatically applied=$15 account balance that will automatically reactivate a suspended account unless it's suspended via lost/stolen.)

[DennyCrane]

@Phil_Adelphus Bingo. The root of this problem is that Public Mobile is hellbent on calling auto pay "subscribe". If they just called it what it is (auto pay), this confusion probably wouldn't exist.

@Vivekkkk But yeah, at the end of the day if you load funds to your account (via points redemption, credit card, or voucher), it's going to immediately apply to whatever plan you are on. Hindsight is always 20/20, but in your case it would have obviously been best to not redeem your points until you were ready to use them.

[kb_mv]

@Vivekkkk I think the only way around this is to go into your account and set the phone as lost/stolen. This will stop PM from renewing your plan even if their are funds available. When you're ready to reactivate you can go to the same section in your account and resume service.

[Dunkman]

@Vivekkkk 

For future reference, if you have available funds and don't want to use it, you can report your phone lost/stolen in your self service account.  Unsubscribing your subscription is like turning off preauthorized payments and the system will still try to take money from available funds.  

The system can be improved, but it has been like this way for many years.   

[Vivekkkk]

Just re-reading your response - this makes complete sense. Thanks for solving this mystery for me.

[Phil_Adelphus · Accepted solution]

FWIW I think part of the problem is Public Mobile's choice of terms.  "Subscribed" and "unsubscribed" only relates to auto-pay, it doesn't relate to the plan.  It does effectively suspend the plan if there isn't a sufficient amount in available funds to pay for it.  If there is sufficient money in available funds the system it will take that.  Some people prefer to pay with vouchers, for example, and not use their credit cards, in which case they would "unsubscribe" to disable auto-pay but load their available funds to pay each 30 days cycle.  

[Vivekkkk]

I still don't like how it processed my credits arbitrarily but thank you for your suggestion, I will connect with the customer service.

[ORNGNBLK]

@Vivekkkk - as you processed the $15 bill credits, and it is considered a form of payment, it superseded your suspension and the system recognizes it as a payment. I understand your concern, but as we are customers here, the best suggestion I have is to message a CS_Agent directly and address it with them. Perhaps they can credit you back, and re-suspend your service until you are ready to engage again. No guarantees but worth a try. direct message link here : https://productioncommunity.publicmobile.ca/t5/notes/composepage/note-to-user-id/22437 

Hope this helps

[Vivekkkk]

Hi @ORNGNBLK my subscription is turned off for a few months now as stated in my post. I don't think they have every right to take the money in such a case - we're living in a democratic country where due processes need to be followed. They cannot arbitrarily debit my account and initiate the service. You're saying the funds can come in the form of "... Credit card on file". I do have my Credit card on file but it was not debited. Because as I'm stating here again and again, I have my subscription turned off since 2 months now!

"Although you say that you intentionally suspended your account for a few months, the moment you added funds you initiated a payment. Even though this was not your goal, it is how the system works. Hopefully this makes sense" - yes, I'm here to complain that this system is flawed.

Thanks for your response.

[ORNGNBLK]

@Vivekkkk  In short, if you have an issue hindering your personal service, the community (here) is the best place to get assistance and find solutions. Otherwise, if you have general comments and opinions about the user interface  and wish to see improvements, the best way to have that voice heard is by opening a ticket as @Rastin mentioned earlier. (Use the orange chat bubble below to begin) 

As for the payment question you had “How can credits be applied automatically to something in my cart without my explicit consent to complete the purchase” —- Public Mobile is a prepaid service, which means that if you have “available funds” to cover your subscription amount, they have every right to take that amount and continue your service. The funds can come in the form of vouchers, bill credit redemptions or from your Credit Card on file.  Although you say that you intentionally suspended your account for a few months, the moment you added funds you initiated a payment. Even though this was not your goal, it is how the system works. Hopefully this makes sense

[Vivekkkk]

Sorry, your response doesn't make any sense to me. I don't understand most of it (except the last sentence) and it doesn't seem to be relevant to what I have posted. I don't know if you really understood my post.

[Rastin]

As long as there credit on your account your phone will remain active. When you have subscription turned off they will not take money from your visa but having a credit if fair game to them.

As for points it benefits them not to have it auto renew as many people will not use them and continue to pay them not knowing or not carrying to put in the effort to use them.

Also pm Rarely visit this site so they will never see your post. You would need to open a ticket if you want them to see your post. This forum is mostly customers