topic Re: install engineer no show in Plusnet Feedback

install engineer no show

matchsticks — Wed, 12 Dec 2012 18:20:35 GMT

No show from installation engineer today. I even put my mobile number on the notes for engineer. 12PM / 6PM window, 12/12/12
I don't mind taking time off work, it's the waiting in all day, cant even take a shower during the large installation window in fear of missing the knock at the door (I live alone). To not get any communication from the installer is all so very frustrating.
What do I need to do now? HELP!

Re: install engineer no show

HPsauce — Wed, 12 Dec 2012 18:47:42 GMT

1. Have a moan at PN immediately to let them know. Phone support or at the very least raise a high-priority ticket.
2. Read this thread: http://community.plus.net/forum/index.php/topic,109860.msg940566.html#msg940566
(and other similar threads)
3. Be INSISTENT on getting it sorted to YOUR satisfaction.

Re: install engineer no show

matchsticks — Wed, 12 Dec 2012 20:19:19 GMT

OK well I must admit it I have no need to do anything now, At 19:11 a BT engineer knocked on my door, he must have left not much before 20:00 and it's all done. So a credit to the installer and to plusnet for not letting a new customer down, thanks a million.

Re: install engineer no show

dvorak — Wed, 12 Dec 2012 20:24:30 GMT

Glad it's sorted for you, makes a change for them to turn up late.
And a belated welcome to the forums

Re: install engineer no show

adamwalker — Fri, 14 Dec 2012 09:39:54 GMT

@matchsticks
I'm glad to hear that got sorted too and I'm really sorry the engineer turned up so late, I'll make sure I feed that back to our supplier.

Re: install engineer no show

HPsauce — Fri, 14 Dec 2012 10:08:52 GMT

Quote from: matchsticks
At 19:11 a BT engineer knocked on my door, he must have left not much before 20:00 and it's all done.

Good news.
I'd still "compare and contrast" to my typical experience with other service engineers, who typically phone ahead to let you know when they're due, contact you ahead if they're running late etc. etc. and there's normally an admin number you can call to check they're definitely on the way with real-time access to scheduling and location information.
BTOR are a total disaster on the customer communication front and this feeds through to the ISP's and in many (most) cases an attitude of accepting the unacceptable.
As I've said before I think the likes of PlusNet really could do everyone a great service by "getting a grip" on these sort of issues and providing the timely accurate information the customer needs.

Re: install engineer no show

adamwalker — Fri, 14 Dec 2012 10:17:28 GMT

Just out of interest what information do you think would be more useful for us to provide HPsauce?

Re: install engineer no show

HPsauce — Fri, 14 Dec 2012 10:52:20 GMT

Hmm, I'd need to think about that as it's not an exact comparison to say a British Gas engineer coming, but a few things that others do are:
A text message to your mobile confirming the appointment, a few days in advance, a reminder the day before and one on the day giving a better ETA (an hour window roughly).
A contact number you can ring to confirm the appointment is actually happening, i.e. with access to engineers actual schedules & locations. And the ability for you to say "I'll be out from X to Y"!
A management office that makes proactive calls to customers, especially on the day, to inform of improved/more accurate/revised timings.
A courtesy call from the actual engineer who is coming is always a nice touch - "I'm on my way due whenever..."
NEVER EVER abandon the job at the exchange for whatever reason - ALWAYS go to the premises and explain.
If they can't get access, try a neighbour (or 2 or 3 or 4), and also wait a reasonable time and try again (and again) - and phone.
Use both landline and mobile numbers sensibly. And record alternative contact details if relevant, not to mention location instructions if at all likely to be difficult to find.
I'm sure being in a service business you can think of loads more............................
One delivery (courier) company I am serviced by has a web site where you can track your package and it shows estimated delivery times - after all they do know the rounds/routes used. It's surprisingly accurate.

Re: install engineer no show

adamwalker — Fri, 14 Dec 2012 14:50:02 GMT

Fair and sensible suggestions thanks, let me know if you have any more as I'm feeding back to our suppliers with regards to our customers experiences of engineer visits in a weekly basis now.

Quote
A management office that makes proactive calls to customers, especially on the day, to inform of improved/more accurate/revised timings

I can see that as an idea being overlooked in favour of engineers making the calls themselves which to me would be the more realistic option, I'm aware that doesn't always happen but I will ask BTW if they think the engineer having to call the customer and keeping them informed at key points of an install (or a fault for that matter) is feasible or not.

Quote
I'm sure being in a service business you can think of loads more............................

We certainly are but we want to hear any ideas or suggestions from our customers as you're the guys that have a direct perception of using our services.

Re: install engineer no show

HPsauce — Fri, 14 Dec 2012 15:10:18 GMT

Quote from: _Adam_Walker_
I can see that as an idea being overlooked in favour of engineers making the calls themselves which to me would be the more realistic option

Personally I'm not convinced, the supervisor (or whoever) should have a good overview of where the actual designated engineer is and what their schedule is. Also someone office-based is a necessary 2-way point of contact for the customer - after all the engineer should be busy either working or travelling!
Not to mention that this is something that can easily done by ISP's without waiting for BTOR to change practices/processes/systems/union agreements etc etc.
(for easily read - implement more quickly than BTOR though it may involve kicking a few BTOR doors in to get access to the information!)
I see direct contact between engineer and customer should normally only occur shortly before, during and at the end of the task - i.e. when they have their mind on that specific job. Outside that a central admin would be better.
That said, I have had no need of BT's services in quite a while so I can't speak from direct recent experience, only comparing what I see other organisations now manage to do and what "let-down" ISP customers report here and to be fair on other ISP's forums.

Re: install engineer no show

TrevorS — Sat, 15 Dec 2012 11:25:11 GMT

Quote from: HPsauce
Hmm, I'd need to think about that as it's not an exact comparison to say a British Gas engineer coming, but a few things that others do are:
A text message to your mobile confirming the appointment, a few days in advance, a reminder the day before and one on the day giving a better ETA (an hour window roughly).
A contact number you can ring to confirm the appointment is actually happening, i.e. with access to engineers actual schedules & locations. And the ability for you to say "I'll be out from X to Y"!
A management office that makes proactive calls to customers, especially on the day, to inform of improved/more accurate/revised timings.
A courtesy call from the actual engineer who is coming is always a nice touch - "I'm on my way due whenever..."
NEVER EVER abandon the job at the exchange for whatever reason - ALWAYS go to the premises and explain.
If they can't get access, try a neighbour (or 2 or 3 or 4), and also wait a reasonable time and try again (and again) - and phone.
Use both landline and mobile numbers sensibly. And record alternative contact details if relevant, not to mention location instructions if at all likely to be difficult to find.
I'm sure being in a service business you can think of loads more............................
One delivery (courier) company I am serviced by has a web site where you can track your package and it shows estimated delivery times - after all they do know the rounds/routes used. It's surprisingly accurate.

I am not disagreeing with you but you’re asking for a more precise time slot on something that may take up to three hours for each customer. I wonder what the average time is for each installation. I don’t know how many installations per day the engineer has to do, mine arrived here unannounced but within the time frame and as I had moved furniture etc. he was here less than half an hour. You also say that they should try neighbours and wait, how long should they do this? Don’t you think that while they are faffing around trying to gain access to one customer they may be able to have finished another?

Re: install engineer no show

HPsauce — Sat, 15 Dec 2012 11:54:37 GMT

Well quite a bit will depend how long jobs take and how they're scheduled/located and the travel times between.
Surely it makes sense to spend a few minutes trying to get access if the next job is a 30-minute drive away?
Also if there's no initial answer will the engineer go back again after the next job or just slap on a charge for "no access"?
Once an engineer has arrived and assessed the situation it's easy enough to feed back to management if the job will take longer than normal and take appropriate action.
That may mean doing only some preparation and scheduling a return visit of appropriate length. Better that than impact a whole chain of subsequent customers?
Maybe they do this already?
Again, comparing to others I know that British Gas do something like that. If they can fix a problem from their "van stock" quickly they do, but often have to order parts and schedule a return.
Maybe because they have to do that regularly they're better organised?

Re: install engineer no show

dai — Wed, 02 Jan 2013 18:26:01 GMT

Some kind of final check in the late afternoon should be introduced to ensure all appointments that are assumed to be booked, are actually booked?

Re: install engineer no show

adamwalker — Fri, 04 Jan 2013 09:59:39 GMT

Thanks for the suggestions everyone, keep them coming.
@dai, if we've seen problems with engineers not having turned up, unfortunately in a lot of these cases the engineer has actually been booked hence us not always being able to preempt such issues.
However, in some cases a flag is placed against the order to indicate a delay, in some cases that delay can lead to the scheduled engineer visit not taking place so we're going to look at what processes we could perhaps put in place to nip those in the bud before the customer is impacted.

Re: install engineer no show

abhijack — Mon, 07 Jan 2013 15:27:55 GMT

My suggestions:
1) In an ideal world the engineer should text / ring the customer an hour or so before ETA.
2) If the engineer gets no response from the doorbell he should definitely ring the customer to check whether they are at the right / wrong address.
3) Some formal apology from the engineer for wasting customers time by not showing up having made them wait.
4) A new appointment within couple of days for the customer who suffered by the incompetency of the engineer.
These are the only few points I can think of at this moment . I will update if I have more once the engineer comes to my right address and do the install.

Re: install engineer no show

HPsauce — Mon, 07 Jan 2013 15:42:14 GMT

Quote from: abhijack
formal apology from the engineer for wasting customers time by not showing up having made them wait.

Love it.

Quote from: abhijack
These are the only few points I can think of at this moment .

I note that in your own thread you said that you called PlusNet but they said they were unable to access any information until AFTER the appointment period.
This is a real "chocolate teapot" if correct.
You'll note in my suggestions above:

Quote
A contact number you can ring to confirm the appointment is actually happening, i.e. with access to engineers actual schedules & locations.

Re: install engineer no show

abhijack — Mon, 07 Jan 2013 19:28:50 GMT

Quote from: HPsauce

If they can't get access, try a neighbour (or 2 or 3 or 4), and also wait a reasonable time and try again (and again) - and phone.
Use both landline and mobile numbers sensibly. And record alternative contact details if relevant, not to mention location instructions if at all likely to be difficult to find.

i think thats a very reasonable expectation of any customer. and it was mine too..but the engineer didnt think so....
like you said :
there should be some number to ring and check updates re: engineer visit even during the time slot.

Re: install engineer no show

tijara33 — Mon, 07 Jan 2013 20:27:53 GMT

I was updated to fibre in early October & the day before PN emailed me confirming the visit & informing me that the engineer would phone me 30 minutes before his arrival. Sure enough this is exactly what happened. Therefore I feel that the protocols must already exist, both within PN & Openreach. It then relies on the individual to be properly trained & then to correctly action this training. I was absolutely delighted to receive such excellent customer service.
Oh, I'd forgotten. Shortly after I moved to PN in June, having migrated from the dreaded AOL, a line fault was diagnosed. I received an engineer's visit within 24 hours & again he phoned me in the morning prior to "their" arrival. Apart from taking one of my cats for a 35 mile journey in one of the vans, the visit resulted in the fault being successfully cleared.

Re: install engineer no show

Jaggies — Tue, 08 Jan 2013 03:43:57 GMT

Quote from: tijara33
Apart from taking one of my cats for a 35 mile journey in one of the vans

Not the one in your avatar, I trust???

Re: install engineer no show

tijara33 — Tue, 08 Jan 2013 12:52:31 GMT

No, he's still at Londolozi thankfully!!