topic Re: Missed engineer appointments and denial of conversation with Customer service in Plusnet Feedback

Missed engineer appointments and denial of conversation with Customer service

runhare — Tue, 24 Nov 2015 20:00:25 GMT

Here's another example of customer service not having a grip on what's going on.
I recently suggested a long standing referal of mine should think about upgrading to fibre to improve their service & reduce their costs.
However, I have just had this message from them:
"We are in the process of upgrading to Fibre, but the customer service over the last couple of weeks has been appalling.
We have been quoted £16.50 per month for unlimited internet and phone rental.
I took a day off work on 11/11/15 to wait in for an engineer to come, but they never showed! So i phoned Plusnet to complain, they said they would give us 2 months free internet as an apology, however they have kept charging us. I have been on the phone to them again tonight to challenge these charges, but all they could say was that nothing was on their system to say about 2 months free internet. They are supposed to be sending an engineer tomorrow, 25/11/15, so we will see if they turn up! "
I'm not that surprised to hear about the missed appointments and delays as BTO have such a bad record of keeping appointments, and PN have very managed to create a mosnte of a customer service system . I am concerned and annoyed that a promise was made to the customer and no record of it has been kept.
Should a COS person take this up pm me for the custmers user name
Thanks

Re: Missed engineer appointments and denial of conversation with Customer service

Alexandre — Wed, 25 Nov 2015 09:26:16 GMT

Welcome to Plusnet ! In 8 months I had 3 no-show of the engineer, and also 2 times an engineer came unannounced (when I wasn't there).

Re: Missed engineer appointments and denial of conversation with Customer service

runhare — Wed, 25 Nov 2015 10:12:18 GMT

These issues of missed appointments is really down to
a) BT Openreach cancelling engineer appointments with no explanation
b) Plus Net not bothering to inform the customer when BTO cancel
c) PN then doing nothing about it or providing complete explanation & appology
d) PN taking ages to answer the phone.
Because BTO are at arms length from PN, customer service are behaving as if they have no responsibilty to customers

Re: Missed engineer appointments and denial of conversation with Customer service

tijara33 — Wed, 25 Nov 2015 11:11:28 GMT

The latest Which report clearly states that BTOR always pays compensation to the isps, including Plusnet, for missed appointments. Sadly the isps, including Plusnet, are not passing this onto the customers. 10% of appointments are missed!!

Re: Missed engineer appointments and denial of conversation with Customer service

ITWorks — Wed, 25 Nov 2015 11:47:32 GMT

To get compensation from PN for missed appointments , you need to raise a complaint
When an appointment is missed, this info is very useful : http://www.moneysavingexpert.com/shopping/delivery-rights
Kind regards
Mike

Re: Missed engineer appointments and denial of conversation with Customer service

runhare — Wed, 25 Nov 2015 13:05:00 GMT

I've just checked with the customer.. They have given them one month's free fibre broadband, worth £7.99 credited to their account! What is the actual rate?

Re: Missed engineer appointments and denial of conversation with Customer service

jelv — Wed, 25 Nov 2015 13:11:32 GMT

How much Plusnet get is irrelevant (it's actually very considerably more than £7.99). If the customer has incurred a loss they are entitled to claim in full - see the Money Saving Expert article.
If you are not there for an appointment and the engineer can't get access you will be charged £50 - you might consider that appropriate.

Re: Missed engineer appointments and denial of conversation with Customer service

tijara33 — Wed, 25 Nov 2015 13:37:59 GMT

Quote
How much Plusnet get is irrelevant

Rubbish! It is very relevant. This money should be paid to the customer, which is the point of the Which article.

Re: Missed engineer appointments and denial of conversation with Customer service

jelv — Wed, 25 Nov 2015 13:48:51 GMT

It's totally irrelevant - if a customer loses £200 they can claim £200 which is way more than the ISP gets from OpenReach.

Re: Missed engineer appointments and denial of conversation with Customer service

runhare — Wed, 25 Nov 2015 13:51:14 GMT

Good points, although the article - as I read it- implies that compensation is acheved via the small claims court process and only likely to be considred by the court when the engineers miss a SECOND appointment. As it is perfectly resonable for BTO to miss or cancel the first appointment without explanation and for the customer to endure the inconvenience .
However I do feel £50 is a good starting point.

Re: Missed engineer appointments and denial of conversation with Customer service

tijara33 — Wed, 25 Nov 2015 13:51:45 GMT

Loss of earnings can be claimed on top of any money awarded by BT. I suggest that you read the article.

Re: Missed engineer appointments and denial of conversation with Customer service

jelv — Wed, 25 Nov 2015 14:09:34 GMT

The problem is that when people know how much PN get they think that is the limit to what they could claim. The point I'm trying to make is that is not the case.

Re: Missed engineer appointments and denial of conversation with Customer service

AndyH — Wed, 25 Nov 2015 14:12:02 GMT

Quote from: tijara33
Loss of earnings can be claimed on top of any money awarded by BT. I suggest that you read the article.

You can claim whatever you want, but you are always going to be asked to justify your claim.
The same goes for any action you take in the county court. You will have to demonstrate the amount claim reflects what you've lost.

Re: Missed engineer appointments and denial of conversation with Customer service

jelv — Wed, 25 Nov 2015 14:16:11 GMT

... and the county court will not be in the least bit interested in what the ISP may or may not have received from OpenReach - that is irrelevant.

Re: Missed engineer appointments and denial of conversation with Customer service

adagio — Fri, 27 Nov 2015 15:19:58 GMT

Quote from: AndyH

The same goes for any action you take in the county court. You will have to demonstrate the amount claim reflects what you've lost.

Do you not also have to be prepared to go to ADR first?

Re: Missed engineer appointments and denial of conversation with Customer service

jelv — Fri, 27 Nov 2015 15:40:15 GMT

I think the OFCOM rules say the ISP must have ADR available, but it's up to the user as to whether they use it.