topic Re: Shockingly bad customer services - witsend in Plusnet Feedback

Re: Shockingly bad customer services - witsend

witsend — Tue, 04 Jan 2011 11:37:16 GMT

Quote from: themathiesons
But I really have had enough now. I was getting 3.5mb reliably until a month ago. Now about 30 disconnections per day and down to 1.5mb consequently.
PN Customer services have managed to:
Add unwanted tickets I cant close, blocking me from seeing fault ticket
Close my fault ticket TWICE "accidentally"
send me a BT engineer who didnt turn up (not PN fault), but then tried to tell me he "must have worked at the exchange" (wasted day off work for me, no improvement, no communication, clearly BT nowhere near)
Adopt a patronising offensive manner when clearly I am not a novice (tried new router in test socket for days etc)
Say too many times "we have no contol over BT", they are your contractor not mine.
PN seem to be focussing on getting as many cheap connections as they can and are letting service fall.

Hi themathiesons, I agree with your views completely. I've had all these negative experiences... although I get 1.5Mb when the connection is working "properly" (which it is not presently (0.12 Mbps downstream, frequent disconnections and failure to autoreconnect)).
I've been advised that a BT engineer will need access to the property, but I can't see why (simply to test the cable as it passes through an exterior wall (which can be done externally) ?), and your experiences of engineers not turning up or "working from the exchange", I see little reason to take a day's unpaid leave and add to the amount I'm spending to provide a resolution to a problem which PN seems unable/unwilling to fix.
Reading the forum there are multiple and frequent comments about poor customer service experiences, which PN seem totally unwilling to accept and acknowledge, let alone rectify.

Re: Shockingly bad customer services

Strat — Tue, 04 Jan 2011 11:54:33 GMT

@witsend
May I suggest you start your own thread detailing your specific issues rather that tacking post onto other people's threads.
They are unlikely to get the right attention from those who can assist if you continue.
Regards
Dick (Strat) Forum Moderator

Re: Shockingly bad customer services

witsend — Tue, 04 Jan 2011 12:28:50 GMT

Hi Strat,
I indeed have a problem... it's logged with Support... why start a thread, when I should be getting the proper responses through the proper channels ?
My updates are simply me agreeing with another person suffering the same issue (not the technicality of the issue, but PN's handling of it). Isn't that what forums are all about ?
It strikes me that PN are using the forum to replace their call tracking system. And many users are reporting a faster response as a result of "logging calls" on the forum. Doesn't this dilute the service offering and distract resources away from attending to everyone's support calls, logged in the right way and on the right system ?
More to the point, why aren't PN collating these repeated concerns and responding by fixing the underlying problems ?

Re: Shockingly bad customer services

pierre_pierre — Tue, 04 Jan 2011 13:01:02 GMT

bye bye witsend was going to suggest some checks but why should we, you know better

Re: Shockingly bad customer services

witsend — Tue, 04 Jan 2011 13:41:01 GMT

Hi pierre_pierre,
Not sure where/how I gave the impression I "knew better"... I'm simply looking for some positive progress/resolution to my outstanding fault as quickly as poss. So, if you have any "suggestions", I'd happily try 'em out and, if it fixes my problem, I'd even support your application to work in PN Support.

Re: Shockingly bad customer services

jojopillo — Tue, 04 Jan 2011 15:02:47 GMT

HI witsend,
I understand we are now just waiting for you to confirm available times for an engineers visit.
Jojo

Re: Shockingly bad customer services

witsend — Tue, 04 Jan 2011 15:51:35 GMT

Hi JoJo,
Many thanks for the update... but I certainly wouldn't want any Moderator to be thinking I might be looking to hi-jack anyone else's thread...
witsend.

PS... as regards engineering appointments, I've updated my call...

Re: Shockingly bad customer services - witsend

Oldjim — Tue, 04 Jan 2011 16:10:01 GMT

You did but I have split it off

Re: Shockingly bad customer services - witsend

witsend — Tue, 04 Jan 2011 16:37:31 GMT

I wish as much oversight, dedication, process, concern and prompt responses had gone into the progression of my FAULT CALL... !! ...logged with the SUPPORT TEAM ! (...and yes, I'm shouting at my computer !!)
Tut... sigh... what is the point of having proper channels if these aren't used properly ?
Do PlusNet really want to send the message that, logging a support call, you'll wait a month. Log it on the forum, you'll get multiple responses within a day ? Is it any wonder you guys are struggling... ????
Or, as that's a different question, have I got to start a new thread... !?!?!?
Give me strength !!!!

Re: Shockingly bad customer services - witsend

jojopillo — Wed, 05 Jan 2011 13:14:50 GMT

Hi witsend,
As requested on your ticket, in order to try to get to the bottom of this for you we need you to select an engineers appointment between 8.00-13.00 or 13.00-18.00 Monday to Friday.
Jojo

Re: Shockingly bad customer services - witsend

ChrisL — Wed, 05 Jan 2011 13:53:49 GMT

And, btw, this is a community forum, so the help offered is generally by other customers, separate from the Plusnet support channels. There really is no point venting your anger at other customers (including moderators) who are only trying to help.
Regards
Chris

Re: Shockingly bad customer services - witsend

themathiesons — Wed, 05 Jan 2011 14:03:45 GMT

Hi Witsend,
sorry you have had similar experiences as me. I have to say my experience of BT/openreach engineer coming into the property (once they turned up) has been positive in 3 out of 4 visits in the last 2 years, but it would save a lot of time and money if they could do a maximum DSL connect/throughput test before they leave instead of "speed will rise in 3 days time" - because if it doesnt, you may end up with another visit. It must be possible for them to overide the automatic systems.
Quite agree on the plusnet response - quick and courteous through here, very slow and unreliable through tickets, patronising and unhelpful on phone from many CS staff (there are some exceptions). PN need to address this so everyone benefits and not assume they are doing a good job because they scored well in a ranking 2 years ago....
Ticket system needs to be improved:
Need response within 4 hours to each user post/response, not 72 (or more). People rely on BB for their business, life & health.It's not a luxury item any more
All PN replies should be texted
Show concise summary of response in list with click for more detial - pasted data etc important but messy
Remove restriction of 3 tickets - Dont block user seeing main/original ticket by PN adding/splitting tickets themselves
Allow user to rate each PN action
PN to clearly state in each response, in clear lay terms, but not patronising script, what has been done, expected outcome, when it should happen, when next review will take place
Don't push ticket to "back of queue" if a user adds something
Hope these are taken as helpful comments
Stuart

Re: Shockingly bad customer services - witsend

witsend — Wed, 05 Jan 2011 14:20:52 GMT

Hi themathiesons,
You sound like a man "in the business" of support. I couldn't agree more with your suggestions :), and these would do well to be formed into a service mandate, and made public in the absense of a public- facing SLA.
@ChrisL - you say that the help offered is generally by other customers.... I'd have to disagree. In all the threads I've read, help is generally provided by PN staff (albeit that pierre_pierre said he wouldn't help me as (for some reason) I'd given the impression that I "knew better." So, I have to take issue with you perceiving my venting at other customers... I say, bring on the help !
As regards the Moderators, I've exchanged emails with a couple directly, and understand their job to be made worse by orders of magnitude due to PN's treatment of its customers.
So, if I've given any impression previously that I 'dis' Moderators or that I'm not open to customer suggestions, then let this serve to be corrected.
@JoJo - have responded to my fault call............. sigh...

Re: Shockingly bad customer services - witsend

witsend — Thu, 06 Jan 2011 15:38:43 GMT

Hi Jojo,
I'd updated (one of) my (many) call(s) and, as usual, the quickest route to any response from PN seems to be via the forum... (sigh...)
I've just received confirmation that you're taking more money from me... yet my fault remains without resolution.
If I stay with PN, I will clearly be without any usable broadband service for the foreseeable future, but PN will continue to charge me, yet provide no service.
I get vague and inconsistent, or repetative responses.
The commonality of my technical problem with issues reported elsewhere in the forum, and PN's total ambivalence to this, leads me to conclude that...
a). the problem is not likely to occur with another ISP, and
b). if it does, it's likely I'm going to see a better service response.
PN's inability to deliver any semblence of service in its dealings with BT mean that PN can provide no assurances of a fix in the foreseeable future. And I'm not able to take leave from work at BT's whim without either a more realistic and narrower window of when an engineer will definitely turn up and/or a sense that the problem will ever be resolved.
Usable broadband for me is a distant memory... but a requirement I need to return to quicker than PN are able to deliver.
I've asked to speak to a member of PN management, in the hope that I might get some reassurance that PN even care, and are working to fix what is obviously broken in their service capability... but clearly there's no one there.
So I see that I have no other choice but to leave and obtain my broadband service from a more reputable and technically competant ISP.
Please can you action the closure of my account and allow me to move to another ISP as quickly as possible.
To all the other badly abused customers out there... if you want servicable broadband, just leave PN. Leave at your first and quickest opportunity. The current service issues will clearly persist until people vote with their feet.
Goodbye, and thanks for all the fish.

PS... don't s'pose you'd consider refunding my last month's subscription, seeing as I'm giving you money for nothing ?

Re: Shockingly bad customer services - witsend

jelv — Thu, 06 Jan 2011 15:58:07 GMT

They will not accept a request to close an account be an unofficial channel (i.e. these forums), must either ring in or write a letter.
PS If you just ask for your account to be closed you will have to pay for the broadband to be ceased and probably for it to be started again with another ISP. Requesting a MAC is the quickest and most cost effective method.

Re: Shockingly bad customer services - witsend

witsend — Thu, 06 Jan 2011 16:32:15 GMT

Thanks for the confirmation, jelv. Much appreciated.
It was foolish of me to think PN would know what I wanted and why, without my being very explicit.
I have to say, this forum has been a real eye-opener to just how bad PN really is (and all that time I thought it was just me...). I look forward to hearing more on BBC's "Watchdog", as I have no doubt it'll end up there (... or maybe "Crimewatch" would be more appropriate... )
I've requested the correct steps to leave asap via my (ongoing) call with Support, but I think everyone's out this afternoon.
Cheers... and I will come back and visit and let everyone know where the map to the escape tunnel is...

Re: Shockingly bad customer services - witsend

Chris — Thu, 06 Jan 2011 16:33:51 GMT

Quote
either a more realistic and narrower window of when an engineer will definitely turn up and/or a sense that the problem will ever be resolved

Unfortunately without an engineers visit to investigate where the issue actually lies there isn't much else we can do to help resolve the issue. The slots are available either am (8am-1pm) or pm (1pm-6pm), we can't be more specific than that as the engineer may have other jobs that they have to do before coming to your premises.

Quote
To all the other badly abused customers out there... if you want servicable broadband, just leave PN.

I'm sorry you feel that way, however without an engineers visit there isn't much more we can do for you.

Quote
Please can you action the closure of my account and allow me to move to another ISP as quickly as possible.

As Jelv points out, to cancel your account you'd need to give our customer options team a call on 0845 140 6002 or write a letter to us.

I understand you're frustrated, however there is a process for fault resolution that needs to be followed and the next step of this is an engineers appointment in the slots we've advised. I'm not sure why Watchdog or Crimewatch would have interest in this when we've done everything we can to try and help resolve this so far and are waiting for timeslots for a visit from yourself.

Re: Shockingly bad customer services - witsend

witsend — Thu, 06 Jan 2011 17:58:13 GMT

Hi Chris,
Thanks for the confirmation of the phone number. I've just spoken to ****** (self-moderated to save OldJim or Barry the task).
My choices appear simple...
Continue to pay PN for nothing, with no foreseeable time when I might have usable broadband again, while I inconvenience my employer and sit at home for (at least) half a day (with the reported likelihood of either a no-show and/or subsequent visits needed) and potentially no fix in sight because the nature (and therefore resolution) of the problem is totally unknown to you.
Or... go without broadband for the 5 days it'll take to get my MAC code and move to an ISP whose forum clearly shows that there isn't a multitude of people all with the same issue, all being as poorly treated as PN's customers clearly are !
I've had a fault call open for over a month with no real action. Replaced all 'n sundry equipment in various combinations. Turned off my phone for days at PN's instruction, to remove that from consideration, only to have PN update my calls saying you had tried to call but couldn't get an answer... !?!?!?
PN's processes for fault identification/resolution are waaaaaaay too lengthy, repetitous, inconsistent and open-ended, without visible escalation routes, and no management intervention to expedite/reassure that a resolution is even achievable.
I've been paying PN for a service which you provide through a 3rd party, over which you have no control and hold absolutely no sway; and you seem unable to leverage what must be a large sum paid to BT to enable you to offer your customers something close to a service.
What would you do ?

Re: Shockingly bad customer services - witsend

WWWombat — Thu, 06 Jan 2011 18:35:27 GMT

Quote from: witsend
What would you do ?

Personally? I certainly wouldn't quit now, when the next step is to finally get an engineer sent out!
The process that you're complaining about (and it really does seem unjustifiably lengthy) is all to make sure that an engineer visit is worthwhile. That will be someone from BT Openreach, who are responsible for the copper line between your house and the exchange, and may end up involving the DSLAM equipment in the exchange, owned by BT Wholesale.
*Any* new ISP you go to (even LLU) needs to use the same copper line - so if the fault lies there, you will have to go through the same fault-tracing procedure with them, to get to the same appointment with the same engineer.
A non-LLU ISP will also use the same DSLAM equipment, so if the fault lies there, you will have to go through the same fault-tracing procedure with them.
LLU ISPs will have their own equipment, so a BTw DSLAM fault would not impact them.
And as for how much the service is costing you etc. - That's best dealt with after the fault has been fixed, or you leave. You can make a definitive statement that the service was lost for N days, and PlusNet can make a definitive offer to keep you happy.
That would be my personal approach, because my personal goal would be to focus on getting the internet connection working first, and leaving all other complaints until afterwards.

Re: Shockingly bad customer services - witsend

snozboz — Mon, 10 Jan 2011 22:58:39 GMT

Quote from: WWWombat

The process that you're complaining about (and it really does seem unjustifiably lengthy) is all to make sure that an engineer visit is worthwhile.
[... ...]
That would be my personal approach, because my personal goal would be to focus on getting the internet connection working first, and leaving all other complaints until afterwards.

Excellent explanation and advice WWWombat. Please can we put this in the Library after a bit of editing, or possibly make the post a "sticky"?