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BT - CRAP customer Service and Foreign Call Centres

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    InspirationInspiration Posts: 62,706
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    Heres my BT experiences..

    Ordered a phone line online. First mistake. Never order anything online with BT. 3 working days passed, no contact about an install date. I rang BT, spoke to a lady who informed me "online ordering sometimes doesn't work, even if you get a confirmation number". Her exact words.

    So I gave my details to someone else, some fool at BT who would then give me install dates. Only, he would say something like "Friday 24th September" and I'd reply "Err.. the 24th is a Monday".. and he would go "Oh sorry.. yes.. how about Wednesday 25th Stepmber" and I'd go "Err.. the 25th is a Tuesday. It was THAT bad. Clueless. Every question.. the reply.. "Oh, one moment, I'll need to check with my manager on that" in a really squeeky voice. I asked "Do I need to give you any bank details". "No sir, that will be covered with your first bill".

    I arranged an install date. Then I got a garbled voice mail from someone at BT asking me to ring back. So I did. I was then told my order had been stopped because I hadn't given any bank details. Joy. They then informed me I had three orders in the system. I quickly told him I just want one line!!!

    So I was given a proper install date. And to be fair, the BT install engineers are great. Arrived bang on 9am, polite, asked me about my move, really nice chap. All done in 5 minutes.

    Then a week later I get another phone call from an engineer who is "1 hour away, shouldn't be too long now, get that line installed for you". I quickly ring him back. "Must be a mistake mate, I've already got a line!". I then spent 30 mins chatting to him about my BT woes, and asked him what he felt the chances were that I had two active accounts in BTs system. We both agreed, fairly likely.

    And indeed, I am now getting 2 bills for 2 lines. Only one is real, the other was a ghost on their system.

    So a month ago I rang up, spoke to a guy, who told me he would deactivate the ghost account. Every week since I've gotten reminders.. some blue.. some red. I worry when I get red reminders. I don't want some black mark against my name. So I rang up again, spoke to someone else. "Oh yes sir, thats marked to be removed, no worries.. just ignore the letters". And again.. I rang up, same reply.

    So when I ring up tomorrow I'm going to go mad at them.

    In all I would guess I've spent what.. 8 hours waiting in queues.. been disconnected once after 45 minutes.. spoken to several people who "Can't help with GB accounts".. great stuff.

    BT.. utter s*ite
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    steve_ludwigsteve_ludwig Posts: 2,867
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    Today was installation day.

    Its now 12 and no engineer as yet...oh and no phone call advising of time they will be here.

    Shall we see if they let me down again....
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    steve_ludwigsteve_ludwig Posts: 2,867
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    Still no call, still no engineer, strange and now I'm on the phone to india again....

    oh and now I've just been cut off. Nice service BT :rolleyes:
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    steve_ludwigsteve_ludwig Posts: 2,867
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    Oh and why cant we go back to the days of not being charged until the call is answered instead of paying to sit listening to crap music
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    jon41jon41 Posts: 1,427
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    Today was installation day.

    Its now 12 and no engineer as yet...oh and no phone call advising of time they will be here.

    Shall we see if they let me down again....

    The engineer that did my two lines just turned up and knocked on the door, showed me a peice of paper with the job list on and only contact details he had been given was the address along with the provide info. He was lucky as I was on my way out.

    I hate it when they cut you off! I always make a complaint about it as whenever a call is answered it's logged against your account.
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    steve_ludwigsteve_ludwig Posts: 2,867
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    jon41 wrote: »
    The engineer that did my two lines just turned up and knocked on the door, showed me a peice of paper with the job list on and only contact details he had been given was the address along with the provide info. He was lucky as I was on my way out.

    I hate it when they cut you off! I always make a complaint about it as whenever a call is answered it's logged against your account.


    Lucky you! I'm still waiting for my engineer to turn up!
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    jon41jon41 Posts: 1,427
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    Lucky you! I'm still waiting for my engineer to turn up!

    Have you managed to get through to anyone at BT yet?

    Well he did all the internal work and connect the lines to the junction box outside but couldn't make the service live until the next day as they were short staffed and it required the underground team to locate two spare pairs for it.
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    steve_ludwigsteve_ludwig Posts: 2,867
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    jon41 wrote: »
    Have you managed to get through to anyone at BT yet?

    Well he did all the internal work and connect the lines to the junction box outside but couldn't make the service live until the next day as they were short staffed and it required the underground team to locate two spare pairs for it.


    I tried and tried and tried. After about an hour of being passed from department to department I got through to "Reception" for the department I needed to speak to. This is where they have a department which takes your details and gets the department with which you need to speak, to call you back.

    @BT - It seems bizzare and a silly little idea, but how about turning the reception into the department I need to speak to and then I would have in fact have just spoken to them and problem solved?? Still maybe thats too simple:rolleyes:
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    jon41jon41 Posts: 1,427
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    I tried and tried and tried. After about an hour of being passed from department to department I got through to "Reception" for the department I needed to speak to. This is where they have a department which takes your details and gets the department with which you need to speak, to call you back.

    @BT - It seems bizzare and a silly little idea, but how about turning the reception into the department I need to speak to and then I would have in fact have just spoken to them and problem solved?? Still maybe thats too simple:rolleyes:

    Normally I just call up and don't press anything apart from * and then you get a human straight away and then the fun begins - also if you have multiple lines, always get two outgoing calls to that number and then that way you don't lose your place if they cut you off! I always do that, often forget I've put the other call on hold though :D

    I also always use the "keep your place and we'll call you back" We have an 08707 number so make money when they call me back!!

    I'm now stuck on hold with the 0800 022 3089 line... Why do they do it so you can't contact 150 regarding the new accounts?!

    Update, just got the reception speech...
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    steve_ludwigsteve_ludwig Posts: 2,867
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    Entire day wasted because of BT. No call or anything.

    Also, regarding my previous complaint made via the BT website on 13th of this month, I have yet to receive a response. Complaints Review service is impossible to contact...spent ages on hold..waste of time.

    Have sent another email to BT today asking why they have let me down yet again and asking for someone to call me.

    JUST A TOTALLY USELESS INCONSIDERATE UNPROFESSIONAL COMPANY IMO :mad:
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    jon41jon41 Posts: 1,427
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    Also make sure you use this link to complain about them http://www.ofcom.org.uk/complain/landline/
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    clive4clive4 Posts: 386
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    Try emailing BT's CEO Ben Verwaayen as a last resort:- ben.verwaayen@bt.com quoting all your reference and complaint numbers. Brief Facts only, and to the Point. Most BT staff regret the outsourcing of much of their work to Asia and their hands are tied. We returned to BT after a painful 19 days with TalkTalk but took nearly six weeks to return to an acceptable service as all our account and direct debit details became lost and could not be accessed by us or BT. We had willingly paid the re-connection fee upfront but that got lost as well so were billed for late payment. Was it that naughty hacker? Thanks to Ben, all OK now. :)
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    steve_ludwigsteve_ludwig Posts: 2,867
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    clive4 wrote: »
    Try emailing BT's CEO Ben Verwaayen as a last resort:- ben.verwaayen@bt.com quoting all your reference and complaint numbers. Brief Facts only, and to the Point. Most BT staff regret the outsourcing of much of their work to Asia and their hands are tied. We returned to BT after a painful 19 days with TalkTalk but took nearly six weeks to return to an acceptable service as all our account and direct debit details became lost and could not be accessed by us or BT. We had willingly paid the re-connection fee upfront but that got lost as well so were billed for late payment. Was it that naughty hacker? Thanks to Ben, all OK now. :)


    Very helpful thank you very much.

    I emailed him half an hour ago and just had a reply.

    :D
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    [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 10
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    jon41 wrote: »
    Also make sure you use this link to complain about them http://www.ofcom.org.uk/complain/landline/

    and try open reach aswell.....they respond

    complaints@openreach.co.uk
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    InspirationInspiration Posts: 62,706
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    So BT finally closed my ghost account, the one for a phone line I'd never had and a phone number I'd never had. Now they've billed me for the early disconnection charge. I just can't believe it. Utterly gob smacked at how a company could get it so badly wrong.
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    [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 23
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    Still waiting for my line reactivation, line has only been disconnected for 11 months by previous occupier so assume all cabling is current and in working order. CS is a joke, cant get through yet again, currently at 38 minutes on hold.

    line should have been on yesterday, got fobbed off earlier by CS after a wait of over 50 minutes. going to make a nuisance of myself till someone actually listens.

    if its not on by monday, bye bye BT, will stay with virgin media and pay the extra few quid each month.

    blo*dy annoyed.
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    steve_ludwigsteve_ludwig Posts: 2,867
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    Steve34 wrote: »
    Still waiting for my line reactivation, line has only been disconnected for 11 months by previous occupier so assume all cabling is current and in working order. CS is a joke, cant get through yet again, currently at 38 minutes on hold.

    line should have been on yesterday, got fobbed off earlier by CS after a wait of over 50 minutes. going to make a nuisance of myself till someone actually listens.

    if its not on by monday, bye bye BT, will stay with virgin media and pay the extra few quid each month.

    blo*dy annoyed.


    Sorry to hear that. They are useless...worst company I have ever dealt with. Next time I'm going with someone else if at all possible.

    Edit: more complaints - http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?t=659154
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    [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 23
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    F**K BT, had enough now, CS and getting through to them is an absolute joke, no contact from them as to why my line was not reactivated. They have been bloody quick enough to set up the Direct debit details though.

    Time to contact virgin media and negotiate a better package deal, if it costs me a couple extra quid each month then its going to be worth every penny until BT get there sodding act together and offer a service to the customer, not a burden.

    I cant believe that they are being allowed to get away with it. WTF is ofcom doing about it?
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    steve_ludwigsteve_ludwig Posts: 2,867
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    Steve34 wrote: »
    F**K BT, had enough now, CS and getting through to them is an absolute joke, no contact from them as to why my line was not reactivated. They have been bloody quick enough to set up the Direct debit details though.

    Time to contact virgin media and negotiate a better package deal, if it costs me a couple extra quid each month then its going to be worth every penny until BT get there sodding act together and offer a service to the customer, not a burden.

    I cant believe that they are being allowed to get away with it. WTF is ofcom doing about it?


    Try contacting Ben (email on previous page) - he replied to me in 20 minutes.

    :)
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    [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 23
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    Try contacting Ben (email on previous page) - he replied to me in 20 minutes.

    :)

    sent one last night around 7pm, no reply so far though.
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    [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 23
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    Sorted!

    After spending an additional 2 hours of my life messing around with Customer services this morning i have my peace and sanity restored.

    Have cancelled the installation and any future business with BT.

    not worth the aggravation.



    note to anyone thinking of switching back to BT.............

    DONT!
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    [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 23
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    talked to virgin media today, 2mb broadband / phone line rental / free (crap) tv and 24/7 free phonecalls for £20 per month so happy for now.
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    timboytimboy Posts: 30,094
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    jon41 wrote: »
    I'm now stuck on hold with the 0800 022 3089 line... Why do they do it so you can't contact 150 regarding the new accounts?!

    Because the folk that work off the 150 platform have not had their training on the new system and so do not have access to the new system.

    Training thousands of people takes time and eventually 150 will become the number for both customers working off the new and the old system until the old system is phased out.
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    jon41jon41 Posts: 1,427
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    timboy wrote: »
    Because the folk that work off the 150 platform have not had their training on the new system and so do not have access to the new system.

    Training thousands of people takes time and eventually 150 will become the number for both customers working off the new and the old system until the old system is phased out.

    The same issues arise when you try to order something online with these new accounts, you get an error message telling you to call 0800 800 150, who then tell you they can't help you - they then in turn transfer you to another number where 30mins in to the call you get someone say "hello, reception how can I help you" then you get put back in the system and it goes around in a circle until they cut you off.

    Should they not have trained everyone or most people before launching these accounts?
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    steve_ludwigsteve_ludwig Posts: 2,867
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    Today I had my call from the Chairmans office.

    I shall be making several suggestions to my contact when my issue at home is resolved.

    To have to go to such lengths to resolve a problem is rediculous and the level of accountability is almost zilch.

    I am going to bill BT for my time; the two days I had to have off (now 3!)
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