topic Re: Why all the minus points? in Plusnet Feedback

Why all the minus points?

Linc — Thu, 26 Jun 2014 16:54:48 GMT

OK, I am new to PlusNet - and this Forum - but I wonder why this Section is full of complaints about various aspects of the service(s) offered. Does no one have anything good to say about PlusNet?
Well, I do. It is much cheaper than my last ISP/Phone provider; the Broadband is faster; the service I have received is First Class - and I don't get referred to some man/woman on the Indian sub-continent who has trouble with my language let alone my problem! A recent example of this is the guy who organised my Registration on these Forums. Try as I might, it simply would not accept my registration. I rang Support and the man I spoke to spent nearly an hour sorting it out until...BINGO!! I was in!!
Thank you PlusNet. There may be times ahead when things don't work as they should but I am confident that it will be sorted by the guys in Support!

Re: Why all the minus points?

Chris — Thu, 26 Jun 2014 17:20:07 GMT

Thanks for the positive feedback, always good to hear! It was myself who rang you around 5.30 today, so glad to see you've managed to get in the forums now.

Re: Why all the minus points?

Townman — Thu, 26 Jun 2014 17:35:54 GMT

Hi Linc,
Welcome to the forums and PlusNet. I think that the answer to your question is that these days people are very quick to complain but infrequently take time to say thank you for good service.
When I've had really good service somewhere, like a restaurant or a pub, I'm likely to send for the manager... people then get all twitchy... they then come strolling over ready for confrontation... when I then tell them that I've had good service and just wanted to make a point of saying thank you (and ensure whoever looked after me gets recognition) the reaction which comes back could not be better if I'd put a £50 note in their hand. All too frequently service industry workers have to take the brunt of people's anger and hardly ever hear thank you for trying to deliver / excel in what they do.

@Chris,
Manning the call desk now as well as sorting out forum gripes and issues?
Cheers,
Kevin

Re: Why all the minus points?

Chris — Thu, 26 Jun 2014 19:20:28 GMT

I occasionally see what tickets are in the pools to be answered, noticed this one and thought it'd be resolved easier with a call.

Re: Why all the minus points?

ReedRichards — Fri, 27 Jun 2014 06:59:20 GMT

Unfortunately, the guy who spent an hour organising your registration on the forums is the same guy who was not taking calls from people whose telephones had stopped working. So one reason for the minus points is that Plusnet currently don't have enough staff to answer the telephones promptly nor address issues reported online in less than a few days. But they seemingly don't have any formal hierarchy to prioritize the more urgent cases (just Chris working on his own initiative). When you get to the front of the queue then the service is generally very good but the actual queues, which have got much longer of late, attract a lot of criticism.

Re: Why all the minus points?

LinnPlusnet — Fri, 27 Jun 2014 08:23:31 GMT

I've replied to your thread here, ReedRichards - http://community.plus.net/forum/index.php/topic,128656.0.html

Re: Why all the minus points?

shutter — Fri, 27 Jun 2014 08:30:06 GMT

I agree with the OP..... I have been with PlusNet for a long time now.... and I have had issues with them occasionally, but as ReedRichards says... it is the queueing that is the bugbear....
Despite opening a second call centre... there are still unacceptable waiting times on the phones.... and still..... NO queueing system to tell you how long you are going to be on the phone... continually being told "your call is important to us, and we WILL get to you as soon as possible" begins to grind after 10 minutes... and gets right up your nose after 20 minutes...

compounded with the "muzac" and the constant "you can also contact us on line at ......." again this grinds it all in, especially if you are not connected, and your call is to find why.....
also, it is a known fact that opening a ticket will result in at least a 24 hour delay, before you get an acknowledgement, and who knows how long before you get any REAL help, apart from a poorly worded message saying your ticket has been escalated....
Really? what does "escalated" mean? does it mean it is one bit of paper nearer the top of the pile? ( doesn`t say it is on the top of the pile, or how big the pile is )....
or does it mean that someone is actually doing something about it? who knows? certainly not the customer... it is just another "fop" in the hope that the problem will solve itself, or the customer will think.... well at least something is being done...
The above is not a reflection of how I have been treated by PlusNet.... but a generalization of the comments that I have read on the feedback forum.... and yet,.... the stock response with PlusNet staff is
..... "Give us some time...... We are getting there...... " When the subject of getting more staff trained to answer phones or tickets......
See my thread.... Started 5 years ago........ ( all NINE PAGES of it )...... http://community.plus.net/forum/index.php/topic,80676.0.html
How much longer to actually ..... "Get there"... ?

Re: Why all the minus points?

rongtw — Fri, 27 Jun 2014 08:54:06 GMT

shutter
PN must be like British Rail ,,,, because they say they getting there too 8).
I too have had brilliant service from PN for past 4 years but have found the only place to get answers Is from the EXCELLENT staff Here

Re: Why all the minus points?

Townman — Fri, 27 Jun 2014 09:42:44 GMT

Thank you for responding to my ticket yesterday afternoon within 2 hours and 57 minutes.
Whilst things could be better they are not universally bad.

Re: Why all the minus points?

newagetraveller — Fri, 27 Jun 2014 12:48:28 GMT

Or alternatively, my last ticket's response times were - 4 days, 4 days, 4 days, 5 days and 5 days.
Plus I still seem to be encountering Static Line Management for the past three weeks.

Re: Why all the minus points?

shropshire99 — Fri, 27 Jun 2014 15:30:54 GMT

I have used Plusnet for some 3 weeks now and i have found it to be very good , responsive and quick with assistance, answering queries etc and the speed is much better . Much better than my previous ISP. i dont understand why all the negative comments exist , if my exeprience is anything to go by. The comunications for changing my ISP were very good and everything went to plan ,the helpdesk is refreshingly helpful!!
Lets hope it stays that way !

Re: Why all the minus points?

noname — Sat, 28 Jun 2014 06:57:03 GMT

I agree PN's staff are genuinely good, and do help to the best of their ability. I used to be with Metronet who were taken over by Plusnet years ago. I moved away, and came back to Plusnet just recently. so I have had some experience of dealing with PN.
Problem/issue 1 - wait times on the telephone to get through (and you can't always report it online if your connection is down....)
Problem/issue 2 - wait time until staff get to the problem
then once staff get to the issue it seems to be dealt with promptly and efficiently - in my experience anyway.
and looking at the posts on this thread of feedback - seems to be that's why there are a lot of negative posts
so PN management - it's simple to fix - HIRE MORE UK STAFF!
(I love the fact PN use UK staff helping the UK economy, and providing a good service - well done PN!)
and I'd like to thank the hard work of PN's staff who do help us all in sorting out the problems we encounter. Take a pat on the back!

Re: Why all the minus points?

Mayfly — Sat, 28 Jun 2014 07:00:58 GMT

I know hanging around on the phone waiting for your call to be picked up is immensely irritating but PN are the only provider I have used that actually answer the phones in under 45 minutes normally and they were 0845/0844 numbers at least PN have low cost calls.

Re: Why all the minus points?

noname — Sat, 28 Jun 2014 07:10:04 GMT

Yes that is a definite plus point, low cost calls to contact PN is absolutely brilliant, but just because PN have shorter wait times than the competition isn't good when it still hacks off their customers...