Chat transcript for case: 7-2514000033878
Apr 8, 3:14 PM (Pacific Time)
3:15:08 PM Ron: Ron joined the conversation
3:15:08 PM Tom S: Tom S joined the conversation
3:15:10 PM Ron: Hi! Welcome to Thermostats support. My name is Ron. For future reference, your case ID is 7-2514000033878. How are you today?
3:16:49 PM Ron: I haven’t heard from you yet. Just checking you’re still there?
3:17:11 PM Tom S: Not good. We’ve been away on holiday since Monday. I set our nest thermostat to Away mode, it is set to ECO when in away mode, but all week the heating has been switching on at scheduled times. This has cost me a lot of money to heat an empty house. I’m reall annoyed with Nest
3:17:40 PM Ron: I apologize for the inconvenience this may have caused. I understand it is important to have the device work as expected. I will surely look into this and assist you.
3:18:01 PM Tom S: 86FF0B0B-88C4-4022-9EB5-2DD2D971CBA7.png
3:18:12 PM Tom S: 91591A95-A417-461D-B52F-C6AF9D16B209.png
3:18:19 PM Ron: Got the pictures.
3:18:41 PM Tom S: D9AB9B79-749D-4F4C-84C1-AAC9585F2707.png
3:18:55 PM Tom S: 0E0029E1-CC5B-4C43-879D-F60B7313273A.png
3:19:13 PM Ron: Pictures received.
3:19:55 PM Ron: I understand how inconvenient it must be, let us figure out why this is happening. I will do my absolute best to get this resolved for you.
3:20:31 PM Ron: Before moving forward, I would like to ask you a few questions, is that okay?
3:20:50 PM Tom S: Yes
3:20:57 PM Ron: Alright! Please help me with the serial number of the Thermostat.
3:21:02 PM Ron: You can find the serial number in the display of the Nest Thermostat and also through the app, please go to "Settings", "Technical Info" and "Display".
3:21:08 PM Ron: You will see the serial number starting with 09, 15AA, 02AA, or 0A.
3:21:18 PM Ron: You can also find the serial number of the Nest Thermostat at the rear end of the faceplate above the QR code or on the box.
3:22:23 PM Tom S: 9D582347-2DEB-41F1-878B-928567926127.png
3:23:04 PM Ron: Serial number noted.
3:24:28 PM Ron: I’m going to request that you allow me access to view the information in your Google Nest account. There will be a notification to your Gmail account, and once you accept it, I’ll be able to view the information in your Google Nest account for 90 minutes.
3:24:32 PM Ron: I can’t make changes to your account info. This simply allows me to see additional details like Security History and current device statuses and metrics.
3:24:49 PM Ron: Please look for an email requesting access and let me know here on chat once you approve it.
3:25:26 PM Tom S: Done
3:25:31 PM Ron: Thank you for the access.
3:26:27 PM Ron: Could you confirm your last name please?
3:26:37 PM Tom S: SXXXXXXX
3:26:52 PM Ron: Thank you for confirming.
3:28:12 PM Ron: Let me check the details with my resources and get back to you with the information.
3:28:17 PM Ron: Allow me two minutes please.
3:31:01 PM Ron: Thank you for staying connected.
3:33:14 PM Ron: Just to confirm, are there any schedules set on the Nest Thermostat? If yes, could you help me with the screenshot of the schedules set on the Nest Thermostat?
3:34:00 PM Tom S: 9086730A-0D51-4C9D-9149-17B0F1608A4B.png
3:34:46 PM Ron: Got the picture.
3:36:42 PM Ron: Let me check this for you.
3:38:01 PM Ron: Thanks for your time.
3:38:16 PM Tom S: Cost example: Tuesday 4th April, 2.25hrs of Nest heating usage while in AWAY mode cost me £4.05
3:38:31 PM Tom S: ECF73F1B-A288-4665-81A8-BAF4C79F432B.png
3:39:29 PM Ron: I completely understand your point.
3:40:40 PM Ron: Let me help you with an article for better understanding.
3:41:05 PM Ron: Here is an article: https://support.google.com/googlenest/answer/9245535
3:41:34 PM Ron: Please let me know if you're able to access the above link.
3:41:44 PM Tom S: Yes
3:41:52 PM Ron: Perfect!
3:44:48 PM Ron: I'm here with you.
3:46:22 PM Tom S: Well it’s not doing what it said it should in your guide
3:47:26 PM Ron: I'm sorry to hear that.
3:48:18 PM Tom S: 4FA9E0FD-456C-41E8-8F74-23230A498F2A.jpeg
3:48:19 PM Ron: As per the details, I see that there are schedules set on your Nest Thermostat.
3:49:13 PM Ron: I got the picture.
3:51:52 PM Ron: A Nest Thermostat works differently. It will always switch out of Eco Temperatures at the next scheduled temperature change.
3:52:23 PM Ron: You should manually set your thermostat to hold the Eco Temperatures for up to 24 hours.
3:52:54 PM Tom S: But it was set to AWAY
3:53:22 PM Tom S: It should operate at ECO mode whilst AWAY
3:53:43 PM Tom S: for the duration of AWAY
3:54:47 PM Tom S: Ron, Your explanation is not what it says in the user guide. It is not functioning as specified
3:55:26 PM Ron: I understand your point.
3:55:59 PM Ron: Please allow me 2 minutes of your time to check with my resources.
3:57:45 PM Ron: Thanks for your time.
3:58:02 PM Tom S: FC7D2712-4921-4B57-B7D6-02545AD2AB5D.jpeg
3:58:07 PM Ron: It's taking longer than expected please allow me 5 more minutes.
4:03:24 PM Ron: Thanks for your time.Thanks for your time.
4:08:02 PM Ron: When the heating was turned on please tap on it and send me the screenshot.
4:09:16 PM Tom S: 74A46DD0-BCB7-4EE9-AC5F-F0615C7B2444.png
4:09:47 PM Ron: Got the picture.
4:11:35 PM Ron: Could you please tap on the temperatures and help me with the screenshot of it.
4:13:15 PM Tom S: I don’t know what you mean?
4:13:52 PM Tom S: you have access to my Nest, please conduct the necessary analysis remotely
4:14:24 PM Ron: Please tap on the orange colour round icon and help me with the screenshot.
4:15:17 PM Tom S: 9E576D62-7691-4AED-914B-180524936BF8.png
4:15:29 PM Ron: Received the picture.
4:17:41 PM Ron: I see that the heating was turned on due to the schedules.
4:17:57 PM Tom S: Ron, could you update me with how long your enquiries will take? We have been reviewing for over 1 hour. I need to log off shortly and would like a mutual and appropriate solution
4:18:22 PM Ron: I request you to turn off the schedules and monitor the behaviour of the Thermostat.
4:18:35 PM Ron: I understand your concern.
4:19:03 PM Ron: I request you to turn off the schedules and monitor the behaviour.
4:19:24 PM Ron: If the issue still persists please contact us back.
4:19:43 PM Ron: Here is one thing I can do for you, I'll make detailed case notes on your account so that you need not to start over again. You can start from where we left by referring to the case number 7-2514000033878.
4:19:43 PM Tom S: This is not acceptable
4:21:54 PM Ron: I apologize for the inconvenience this may have caused.
4:22:31 PM Tom S: The software is not functioning as described. The thermostat was in AWAY mode all week, according to your guide it should be in ECO mode, it should not have therefore been heating at temperature above the minimum 9.5C. As a result of this malfunction of your software I have incurred heating expenses.
4:23:15 PM Tom S: I want to receive compensation for this malfunction and ensure it is fixed asap
4:24:43 PM Ron: I understand your concern.
4:25:26 PM Tom S: In that case can we stop wasting time and reach a mutually beneficial conclusion.
4:26:29 PM Tom S: I am NOT going through a process to ‘try and see if it happens again’
4:27:44 PM Tom S: Youve acknowledges there is an ‘issue’, therefore I want compensation for the costs I have incurred.
4:28:23 PM Ron: I understand your point.
4:29:16 PM Ron: Thermostat is working as expected, as the schedules are turned on, heating is activated.
4:30:20 PM Ron: As the temperature schedules are set, temperature schedules will override eco mode.
4:30:21 PM Tom S: Thermostat set to AWAY which triggers ECO mode which overrides temperature settings above the minimum 9.5C
4:31:06 PM Tom S: What does AWAY do then? It’s meaningless
4:31:53 PM Tom S: Ron, what would you do in my situation right now??
4:32:19 PM Ron: Let me check with my resources.
4:38:05 PM Ron: I have checked my resources, I'm sorry as the schedules are set it has overriden the eco mode and that is the reason heating activated when you are away.
4:41:05 PM Tom S: Ron, this is not right and not what the spirit of the functionality is there for. How would the Nest ever save its users any money if it continually reverted to heating mode even when it is set to AWAY and ECO.
4:41:11 PM Tom S: ?
4:42:07 PM Tom S: please can you escalate my claim to your manager? I am very unhappy.
4:43:13 PM Ron: I'm sorry if you felt that way. Sure, I'll go ahead and transfer this chat to our senior support team.
4:43:42 PM Ron: Please be connected while I transfer this chat to the senior support team.
4:45:06 PM Tom S: In the meantime I want sent to me a transcript of this entire conversation
4:48:07 PM Ron: During the chat, at the top right of the chat box, click the 3 vertical dots and select "Email transcript".
4:48:17 PM Ron: Orelse, after the chat, click "Send" when the Email a copy of this conversation dialog box appears at the end of the conversation.
4:50:17 PM Ron: Ron added participant(s): David
4:50:18 PM David: David joined the conversation
4:50:33 PM David: Hello, Tom. Thanks for contacting Google Nest. This is David from the Senior specialist team. I’m here to help. Please allow me 3-5 minutes, while I go through your conversation with the previous associate and help you better.
4:50:38 PM Ron: Ron left the conversation
4:50:53 PM Tom S: Yes
4:52:25 PM David: I appreciate your time and patience. I see that you're contacting us about the issue with the unexpected activation of heating. Am I correct?
4:53:42 PM Tom S: Yes
4:53:50 PM David: I am sorry that you have to experience this inconvenience. I'll certainly help you out today with my best.
4:54:55 PM David: I have checked the chat details and see that the heating got activated as per the temperature schedules set on the Nest Thermostat.
4:56:17 PM David: I request you to reset the schedules and turn off the auto schedules, so that the heating does not turn on unexpectedly next time.
4:56:50 PM Tom S: I don’t have auto-schedules turned on
4:56:51 PM David: Please go to “Settings”, “Reset” and “Schedules” on the Nest Thermostat to reset the schedules on the Nest Thermostat.
4:57:43 PM David: Got it. Please reset the schedules by following the steps provided above.
4:58:18 PM Tom S: David, what would you do in my situation when I’ve spent money paying for heating that should not have happened due to Nest not performing as guide says?
4:59:27 PM David: I completely understand your situation. The Nest Thermostat worked as expected as per the schedule set.
5:00:24 PM Tom S: what does AWAY and ECO do then? How does it save user money?
5:01:59 PM David: I can understand your query. Your Google Nest thermostat can automatically switch to Eco Temperatures after it senses that nobody’s home.
5:02:08 PM David: This can be useful if you want to try to save more energy while you’re at home, and you don’t mind it being a bit cooler or warmer than usual.
5:02:34 PM Tom S: What does AWAY do? Please answer
5:03:31 PM David: Home/Away Assist uses input from activity sensors in your Nest products managed in the Nest app and your phone’s location to automatically switch the behavior of Nest products in your home when you leave and when you come back.
5:03:48 PM David: You don’t have to manually set each product or rely on a fixed schedule.
5:04:29 PM David: In this case, as the Nest Thermostat has temperature schedules set, it has overridden the eco mode and the heating got activated.
5:05:12 PM Tom S: E2F3F951-16D7-4D62-B4A9-A1F7E5A0FF39.jpeg
5:05:32 PM Tom S: This is a contradiction.
5:06:48 PM Tom S: by your logic, if I have a heating schedule I can NEVER save any heating period and even when it is set to AWAY
5:07:02 PM David: I got your point. I am trying to communicate that you can also set up the eco model manually when you are at home if you don’t mind it being a bit cooler or warmer.
5:08:39 PM Tom S: Oh my god, this product is actually useless. You telling me the only use of AWAY is to train the schedule if set to auto-schedule?
5:08:40 PM David: I request you to access the help article for more information on eco mode.
https://support.google.com/googlenest/answer/9245535?hl=en#zippy=%2Chow-eco-temperatures-work
5:08:49 PM David: I am sorry, if you feel that way.
5:09:17 PM David: Please access the help artilcle above for more information on the eco mode.
5:09:47 PM Tom S: This is so useless!!!
5:10:05 PM Tom S: NEST is totally useless at saving money
5:10:43 PM David: I can understand your situation. Please reset the schedules of the Nest Thermostat so that the issue does not occur again.
5:10:59 PM Tom S: i could have a schedule of heating but it won’t override it when I am in AWAY mode. Do you realise how useless a product that is?
5:11:55 PM David: I can see where you are coming from.
5:13:39 PM Tom S: I’m ending this conversation. I will return as I am not satisfied and now appears I aman owner of a totally useless product. I’m really shocked.
5:14:44 PM Tom S: 2hours of my time wasted. Tobecontinued as this is totally wrong.
5:15:27 PM David: I totally understand your concern. You can submit a feedback for the Nest Thermostat using the link below.
https://google.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_2aStd8wsbcLGvwG
5:15:31 PM David: Please let me know if you are able to access the link.
5:17:44 PM Tom S: Tom S left the conversation
5:17:44 PM Tom S: Tom S ended the conversation
