The Guardian Newpaper Customer Service review: Customer service (not content or journalism)

My issue has become a saga.

1. February 27th 2024: First phone call.

I had paid a one-off contribution via PayPal to the Guardian online. Something was amiss and there was a flashed message saying payment not completed and the site dropped out. However, I received the usual email from PayPal indicating the payment had been made. However I did not receive the usual email indicating receipt by the Guardian. My bank listed it as pending. i contacted "Customer Service" (CS). The woman to whom I spoke was unable to assist but did helpfully suggest I wait to see what happened with the bank, which I did.

2. March 1st 2024:

I had checked with my bank to find that the payment had been processed and was listed as paid. I checked my account at The Guardian but the payment was not listed in my Account Overview.

2. March 2nd 2024: first email

I emailed the CS explaining the issue and attaching a copy of the bank receipt. I included that the payment had not been listed on my Guardian Account Overview.

3. March 6th 2024: First response from CS, my second email and first chat

The first response gave the same advice as received in the initial phone call,

clearly indicating the CS Representative had not read the email properly or had just completely ignored the statement and the attachment showing that the payment had been processed/paid. I responded via email requesting an investigation. I also contacted CS via chat. This woman suggested I request a refund. I was not looking for a refund. I was looking for an investigation, confirmation that the payment was received, and for the payment to logged in my Account Overview. The conversation was long and often confusing and when finished I was unsure if I had actually been assisted.

4. March 7th 2024: Email Response from CS And Email from Escalations Agent, my third email and another response from CS

This email from CS indicated that the issue had been referred to the financial team for further investigation. At last!

The email from the Escalations Agent indicated the payment had been found but did not address the issue of it being logged in my Account Overview. I responded with thanks and repeated the request that it be added to my Account Overview. The responding CS representative said "Please be advised that a One-off Contribution will not be shown on the 'My Account' section of our website as our system does not store one-off contributions." Odd given all my other payments were recorded in my Account Overview.

5. March 8th 2024: My 4th email

I responded asking if there had been a change in policy, as all 7 of my other contributions were listed. I also Identified that I had been given an incorrect phone number.

6. March 10th 2024: CS email response

This email confirmed my payment in April 2023 as myn last payment and said nothing about my payment in 2024. Once again demonstrating an inability to read the whole email. The person responding clearly was uninterested in understanding what had happened this year.

It seems that you need to repeat the whole saga in every contact with The

Guardian CS because they are not interested in following the email trail. Too bad if it is inconvenient for the customer.

My contribution while found is still not listed in my account overview and I am still unclear if the policy re listing one-off contributions has changed.