topic Re: Does Waitrose offer better support than Plusnet? in Plusnet Feedback

Does Waitrose offer better support than Plusnet?

ReedRichards — Mon, 18 Aug 2014 18:57:59 GMT

I and a client had to call Waitrose broadband technical support at around 5pm today. We got through with barely any wait and the support agent was very clear, helpful and thorough. I was surprised at how promptly the phone was answered because it's a busy time of day and I've read about long queues for Plusnet Tech Support (and experienced a long wait myself when calling at about 8pm in June). Yet, to the best of my knowledge, all Waitrose Broadband services are provided by Plusnet. Was I just lucky or does Waitrose/John Lewis have dedicated staff and perhaps shorter queues?

Re: Does Waitrose offer better support than Plusnet?

anniesboy — Tue, 19 Aug 2014 15:59:24 GMT

Almost three years ago I was with Waitrose broadband,I moved to PNet as I was often exceeding allocated usage.
I'm sure when contacting them by phone it was quite quick,hence I guess they get priority service
But at a price https://www.johnlewisbroadband.com/fibre/

Re: Does Waitrose offer better support than Plusnet?

ITWorks — Tue, 19 Aug 2014 16:06:18 GMT

When i was on a call last year to the JL brand , I was told the JL brand has it own dedicated PN team.
Regards
Mike

Re: Does Waitrose offer better support than Plusnet?

LinnPlusnet — Tue, 19 Aug 2014 17:04:30 GMT

Hi ReedRichards,
Thank you for your feedback and I'm glad to hear that you were able to get through quickly to our support team.
We do strive to offer the best levels of service to all our customers, however, some calls may be answered faster than others as we have different teams working different workflows and therefore response times will vary depending on call queues.

Re: Does Waitrose offer better support than Plusnet?

ReedRichards — Tue, 19 Aug 2014 18:36:45 GMT

Linn does not quite make this explicit but I suspect I.T.Works is correct and that Waitrose/Greenbee/John Lewis has a dedicated team of Plusnet employees. And yes you do pay quite high prices with John Lewis Broadband but maybe that's what you have to do these days if you want good and prompt customer support.

Re: Does Waitrose offer better support than Plusnet?

BRABUS — Tue, 19 Aug 2014 22:03:45 GMT

Ruddy hell, I just looked at the Waitrose prices and I for one will stick with long wait times when I ring Plus Net

Re: Does Waitrose offer better support than Plusnet?

picbits — Tue, 19 Aug 2014 22:23:04 GMT

Agreed. I'm realistic with expecting service response times vs. what I pay.
If I wanted 24/7 tech support with answer times in seconds then I suspect my £20 a month for unlimited FTTC wouldn't stretch too far .......

Re: Does Waitrose offer better support than Plusnet?

Anotherone — Wed, 20 Aug 2014 09:32:06 GMT

It's a pity quite a few other people don't realise that Dom, especially when you look at some of the posts round here, never mind the benefit of the support through this forum.

Re: Does Waitrose offer better support than Plusnet?

Townman — Wed, 20 Aug 2014 10:51:45 GMT

Possibly that's the issue - prices have been cut to silly levels?
I'm now paying less for unlimited ADSL than I was for the previous 10G product.
New customers can get FTTC for less than I'm paying.
At these prices, answering a single CSC call has to cost more than two months service charge.

Re: Does Waitrose offer better support than Plusnet?

Anotherone — Wed, 20 Aug 2014 12:40:51 GMT

Well my price hasn't been cut to a silly level and that's OFCOM's fault with this damned market classification

Re: Does Waitrose offer better support than Plusnet?

w23 — Wed, 20 Aug 2014 14:16:41 GMT

The current new customer offer of unlimited fibre for £3.75/month for 6 months seems to me a hell of a loss-leader for a company that's struggling with support call waiting times like Plusnet is (though I have my suspicions that the offer being subject to taking phone line as well may mean the 'subsidy' is not as great as it first appears).
If PN customers (reasonably) should expect a slightly poorer response time for support compared with JL customers paying more then might I, as a long-standing customer without special discounts, expect a better response than new customers paying a fraction of my monthly broadband charge?

Re: Does Waitrose offer better support than Plusnet?

Townman — Wed, 20 Aug 2014 14:39:56 GMT

The logic is admirable!

Re: Does Waitrose offer better support than Plusnet?

Anotherone — Wed, 20 Aug 2014 15:50:02 GMT

Well they do have a current "special" offer open for existing customers but only those on ADSL and it's very special as you have to pay £5 extra to have any (all) inclusive calls and the BB discount is only for 3 months. That compared to the current new customer offer of 1/4 price broadband for 12 months if in a low-cost area, but if not, you pay more than 1/2 price ,w/e calls are included and must take line rental.

Re: Does Waitrose offer better support than Plusnet?

goldenfibre — Wed, 20 Aug 2014 15:51:09 GMT

Quote from: ReedRichards
I and a client had to call Waitrose broadband technical support at around 5pm today. We got through with barely any wait and the support agent was very clear, helpful and thorough. I was surprised at how promptly the phone was answered because it's a busy time of day and I've read about long queues for Plusnet Tech Support (and experienced a long wait myself when calling at about 8pm in June). Yet, to the best of my knowledge, all Waitrose Broadband services are provided by Plusnet. Was I just lucky or does Waitrose/John Lewis have dedicated staff and perhaps shorter queues?

That's disgraceful. Why should Plusnet get fair share equal rights with support and why is Waitrose get higher priority over than Plusnet. A formal complaint submitted to Ofcom about this! If plusnet support call take longer than 45 minutes, then we should do the same phoning up 0800 022 3300 instead of 0800 432 0200 because it the same company - PLUSNET!

Re: Does Waitrose offer better support than Plusnet?

Anotherone — Wed, 20 Aug 2014 16:44:41 GMT

Because they pay a lot more for their broadband, did you not read carefully

Re: Does Waitrose offer better support than Plusnet?

goldenfibre — Wed, 20 Aug 2014 16:47:06 GMT

I just calling plusnet 0800 022 3300 instead of 0800 432 0200 and got through straight away no problem. It far better than 0800 432 0200 as it still saying in queue of approx 30 minutes! I shall use 0800 022 3300 from now on. They say it does do both john lewis & plusnet when I call them up.

Re: Does Waitrose offer better support than Plusnet?

DaveyH — Wed, 20 Aug 2014 16:56:44 GMT

I phoned COT around 4.30 this afternoon on the 03 no. as I was calling from a mobile (to negotiate a deal, as I'm now out of contact), and despite a message announcing long wait times, I was done in under 10 minutes...

Re: Does Waitrose offer better support than Plusnet?

ITWorks — Wed, 20 Aug 2014 17:02:31 GMT

Quote from: Anotherone
Because they pay a lot more for their broadband, did you not read carefully

Not for market 1 customers

Re: Does Waitrose offer better support than Plusnet?

goldenfibre — Wed, 20 Aug 2014 17:14:20 GMT

Quote from: Anotherone
Because they pay a lot more for their broadband, did you not read carefully

I don't believe in this to do with money. Plusnet and John Lewis support phone call should be EQUAL to everyones not because John Lewis costing more than Plusnet. I will be fuming furious if plusnet decided that john lewis customers support call is higher priority than the plusnet customers support call. I will use John Lewis support call from now on because it make me lots easier using typetalk service here: http://community.plus.net/forum/index.php/topic,130295.0.html

Re: Does Waitrose offer better support than Plusnet?

Anotherone — Wed, 20 Aug 2014 17:22:46 GMT

Sorry I don't agree one bit with that. If I were paying a premium price, then I'd expect premium support.
If I'm paying a budget price, then I'd expect to wait a bit longer in the queue. Endof.