topic Re: Time to answer in Plusnet Feedback

Time to answer

johnwnice — Tue, 10 Nov 2015 22:21:07 GMT

Call me old fashioned, but I really don't think callers should have to wait sixty-five minutes to speak to a human. After all, when the telephone line, and the associated broadband service, has failed there's no alternative but to communicate with a sentient being. And even the famous Yorkshire accent starts to pall when you've heard it 50 times. And don't get me started on the music on hold: in terms of quality it's close to Tesco's Christmas music.
PlusNet service is wonderful while it works. When it doesn't there's nowt to choose between Yorkshire and Bombay accents.

Re: Time to answer

adamwalker — Wed, 11 Nov 2015 13:15:24 GMT

Hi johnwnice,
Really sorry about the long wait you experienced last night. That's honestly the longest I've come across in a while.
I've checked your account and will be updating ticket 113844380 shorty with an update although it looks like the issue should hopefully be resolved.

Re: Time to answer

artmo — Wed, 11 Nov 2015 13:32:26 GMT

@Adam, the problem highlighted by johnwnice is not an isolated problem. Many of us have had long waits to talk to PN. I raised this problem in a thread recently and didn't even get the courtesy of a reply.
We have been told in the past that the new centre in Leeds was the answer but it doesn't appear to be so.
Can someone in authority at PN please address this ongoing problem and post a reply indicating why the wait to get through to PN is so unsatisfactory?

Re: Time to answer

AlaricAdair — Wed, 11 Nov 2015 17:17:15 GMT

I second Artmo's points. Apologies hold good only for short term problems. The extended answer times have gone on too long.. In the absence of evidence to the contrary seems to me that PlusNet corporate management, or maybe its bosses in BT have taken the decision to downgrade customer support resources allocated per customer. As I've already mentioned elsewhere I took new business to another supplier because of my concerns about PlusNet support.

Re: Time to answer

198kHz — Wed, 11 Nov 2015 21:44:20 GMT

Average answer time today 34 minutes and 57 seconds
I would assume that in the quiet periods the time to answer would be a lot shorter, so if the above figure is the average, peak times must be horrendous.
This seems to be a recurring problem going back many years; every so often we're assured that things will get better, and sometimes they do - temporarily.
I realise that PN has become a budget ISP, but answering customer calls in a reasonable time is surely a basic requirement.

Re: Time to answer

aesmith — Thu, 12 Nov 2015 08:26:37 GMT

I don't think there's any such thing as a "quiet time". Apart from one lucky call I've had the same sort of lengthy hold, between 30 and 60 minutes at all times of the day. I assume that Plusnet think that's acceptable, so simply put fewer people on the phones during less busy times.

Re: Time to answer

artmo — Thu, 12 Nov 2015 10:26:34 GMT

......and still no response from PN.

Re: Time to answer

198kHz — Thu, 12 Nov 2015 12:29:20 GMT

Quote
We actively monitor our peak times to ensure we always have enough people on the phones to answer your queries, without keeping you waiting too long in a queue.

Source:
Plusnet Service Information.

Re: Time to answer

jelv — Thu, 12 Nov 2015 12:42:27 GMT

Just looked at the stats on that page and one thing jumped out:

Quote
Business call stats
Current calls waiting Longest call waiting now Average answer time today
6.77 23 minutes and 26 seconds 17 minutes and 6 seconds

I've never seen it that bad for business calls before!
One also notes that it is possible for them to display the longest call waiting now for business but not for residential. No doubt they will come up with some pathetic technical excuse, but we all know the real reason!

Re: Time to answer

Chilton1199 — Thu, 12 Nov 2015 19:29:49 GMT

over the last three or four years I have needed to contact customer services several times. Whenever i try to phone I experience horrendous waiting times. On Monday it was 35 minutes, but this is pretty well what I have come to expect. Heaven knows how anyone who is less well off in either time or money can afford to call plusnet for support. I think it is disgraceful. I think it is probably too much of a coincidence for my internet/broadband problems to coincide EVERY time with a period when Plusnet is experiencing hig call volumes, so I can only assume that your call centres are chronically underresourced. When I do get through, the help is friendly and it is helpful. But the waiting times are unacceptable. I note that the average wait today was over thirty minutes again today when I checked. Plusnet should be very embarrassed!

Re: Time to answer

jetstar — Thu, 12 Nov 2015 20:56:23 GMT

Call wait times last night at one point were up to 60mins, i've regularly waited between 30 and 45 mins last week daytime. It is definitely getting worse so why did plusnet shut down phone support at 10pm ? It was to channel more resources into peak hours to reduce call waiting time only i'm certain it has had exactly the opposite result in that more customers are chasing into 39% less support hours.

Re: Time to answer

artmo — Fri, 13 Nov 2015 12:16:00 GMT

Last night I sent an email to Andy Baker, CEO of Plusnet. I invited him to come onto the forum and explain what was going on.
I have not had a reply nor even an acknowledgement from him. I can't say I am surprised.
Maybe if enough people write to him he might realise he has a problem
adie:orange removed email address as requested.]

Re: Time to answer

artmo — Fri, 13 Nov 2015 14:43:19 GMT

Requested by whom???

Re: Time to answer

jelv — Fri, 13 Nov 2015 14:59:10 GMT

Don't understand why that's such an issue:
1. Googling "Andy Baker Plusnet email" finds it very quickly
2. Plusnet emails are usually firstname.lastname@plus.net so it doesn't take much guessing.

Re: Time to answer

artmo — Fri, 13 Nov 2015 17:54:57 GMT

I have received a reply from PN to my email addressed to Andy Baker.

Quote

Thank you very much for taking the time to raise this complaint with our CEO, Mr Baker. After his review, this has been passed onto me as part of the high level escalations team here at Plusnet.
First of all, I would like to offer my most sincere apologies that you are one of many customers who have experienced poor wait times of late. Please rest assured that this problem is something we are treating as an urgent priority and are taking huge steps in order to resolve.
Currently, we are implementing new systems and processes in order to streamline and automate our offline work flow. This means that the agents who are currently engaged in this work will be free to get stuck into these calls as it allows much more resource to be driven to areas that we need it most.
Also, the main change that is coming into play, is the sheer amount of new staff that we will be taking on. We are in the middle of a huge recruitment drive to gain many temporary and permanent staff and this will be a constant force in gaining new staff well into the first quarter of next year. Unfortunately, we're not at liberty to say how many staff we will be taking on but what I can say is that it will be more than enough to quell the volumes we're receiving.
I hope what I have said leaves you feeling better about the situation and that you can appreciate I can't go into huge detail about this. What is important is that we know this is a problem for yourself and many others and it is our main goal to get back to providing a service our customers can be proud of.
Again, I am very sorry for the situation you are in but a personal thank you for your feedback and your patience. It won't be long now!
Kind regards,

I understand [mremoved] works in customer relations. If it is wrong to leave his name on the message I would ask Strat to remove it. I see he is on the forum at present.
dick:csa

Re: Time to answer

AlaricAdair — Fri, 13 Nov 2015 18:37:22 GMT

So we can see Andy on-line here tomorrow morning? After he's finished his cornflakes of course.
To be honest that is a bit of a "Can't tell you how good it is..." reply.

Re: Time to answer

jelv — Mon, 23 Nov 2015 23:35:44 GMT

Quote
Also, the main change that is coming into play, is the sheer amount of new staff that we will be taking on.

Would someone give the record player a nudge please - the needle's stuck.

Re: Time to answer

avatastic — Tue, 24 Nov 2015 00:48:28 GMT

Nudging the record player is next on the list after launching the new billing and provisioning systems. The nudge will be along really soon.

Re: Time to answer

artmo — Tue, 24 Nov 2015 06:00:28 GMT

I said I would post the latest reply I received to my email to Andy Baker. Here it is:

Quote
Thanks for getting back in touch.
Unfortunately, it's not my team that deal with the forums anymore I'm afraid but I will see what I can do about the Social guys keeping the forums posted.
I appreciate how you feel about it, Leeds was indeed intended to resolve these problems. It is up and running and doing a really good job at handling a good chunk of calls we're receiving but it isn't up to capacity yet.
Please don't feel like I'm just giving you the regular answers. The company does have a solid plan in place right now to resolve the issues but it's going to be a little while longer. I know it's hard for our customers at the minute and frustrating for you all getting through when you need us but it won't be too long.
Your patience really is appreciated.
Kind regards,

I must stress this hasn't come from Andy Baker but one of his staff. Maybe Andy doesn't have an email account

Re: Time to answer

Apprentice — Tue, 24 Nov 2015 07:56:17 GMT

Quote
I must stress this hasn't come from Andy Baker but one of his staff. Maybe Andy doesn't have an email account

Could he have dictated it?