topic Re: That wont do in Plusnet Feedback

That wont do

hooverman — Wed, 21 Oct 2020 19:34:32 GMT

Plusnets new slogan of That'll Do is hardly going to give confidence to the users of Plusnet services, because its like my son says its something you say when you cant get things quite right and you settle for 2nd best, cant get the billing right THAT"LL DO, cant get the users download speeds right THAT'll DO, so what problems Plusnets users have THAT WONT DO ,I suspect its some ad mans idea so plusnet please change it if you want to settle for 2nd best THAT'LL DO

Re: That wont do

Alex — Thu, 22 Oct 2020 01:30:55 GMT

So they've actually paid someone to replace "We'll do you proud", to "That'll do"?

Oh dear, the marketing agency people must have had some long lunches down the pub when they won that contract. Mind you they must have already have been there for some time beforehand.

Image it:

Person A: "We need to come up with a new slogan for the company I am working for".
Person B: "No idea".
Person A: "Shall I get some more drinks?'.
Person B: "Yes".
(Person A gets the round in).
Person B: "That'll do".

I would laugh if it wasn't so funny, as least there is no skill involved in marketing.

Re: That wont do

Townman — Mon, 26 Oct 2020 12:15:26 GMT

It does indeed create a shabby impression.

Sometimes a local regional expression does not travel well. I seem to recall that within Yorkshire (not lived there for many years) "That'll do" might refer to something "fitting the bill" well, as in "Just the job!". However it is very bad marketing practice to adopt a phrase which might ambiguous elsewhere.

Take for example "It is Micky Mouse"..

In Australia, it means "It is the best"
Elsewhere, it means they very opposite!

See https://www.koalanet.com.au/australian-slang.html#M and https://english.stackexchange.com/questions/335784/why-does-mickey-mouse-operation-refer-to-a-poorly-run-company

Re: That wont do

jab1 — Mon, 26 Oct 2020 12:58:33 GMT

I rarely bother about a companies 'advertising' gimmicks - I prefer to base my opinions on experience and common sense, and to me this 'That'll do' tag sends the totally wrong message. They can't even get it right - as a Yorkshireman (and Sheffielder) born and bred, I read that as meaning 'We've done the minimum we have to, so take it or leave it', rather than the correct phrase which we use - 'That'll do nicely', which implies you are satisfied.

As an aside, I fortunately haven't needed PN support for quite a while, and hope I can avoid it for the next 10 months or so before my contract ends, at which point, unless things improve drastically, I'm sorry to say I'm very likely to be saying 'Ta'ra' after over 10 years.

Re: That wont do

hooverman — Mon, 26 Oct 2020 14:37:24 GMT

Hi @jab1 and others thanks for your comments I joined Plusnet in 2012 not because they were based in Yorkshire but because they were UK based and they had good feedback on price and service I could get an issue resolved normally in one call or 24 hours ,they could have been in the Shetland Isles for all I care ,after leaving AOL with foreign call centres and reading answers off scripts .Plusnet were a revelation and up until last year I was happy ,After a billing issue with my LRS I have lost faith in plusnet ,And the logo That'll Do was probabally not thought up in Yorkshire but in BT Group PLC in London where the senior managers are , the website ispreview is of the view that the new That'll Do logo will find some comical uses,Plusnet want to be the buget element of the BT family but they want to get the issues right before introducing a new logo

Re: That wont do

jab1 — Mon, 26 Oct 2020 14:56:55 GMT

@hooverman I'm tempted to put down exactly what I think the bean counters and management at BT HQ are up to here, but I don't think it would go down very well. Suffice to say that BT don't really want the PN brand.

Re: That wont do

Alex — Mon, 26 Oct 2020 17:54:58 GMT

Yep well I keep seeing BT's new logo - who designed that?

Must have taken a ruptered gerbil 20 minutes (if that) to knock that up in MS Paint. Well at the logo designers had a laugh to the bank. PlusNet's one isn't much better, though at least someone may have spent over half an hour on that one and maybe used Photoshop instead.

I've only ever used PlusNet support twice, both times have been fine. I think I joined in something like 2002. So I can't complain.

I would be terrible in suport, if some people spoke to me in person like some people do on these forums to others I would put the phone down. Or I would try and sink to their level: 'Hi m8 am tlking in txt spk, c8u l8r on'.

Re: That wont do

Townman — Mon, 26 Oct 2020 18:37:06 GMT

Hi Alex,

Indeed - too many people seeking assistance come with completely the wrong "entitled" attitude. Yes they want help, they might be frustrated, but being rude to those offering help is not the way to engender patient help. Sadly rudeness and poor communication skills seem to go hand in hand.

Over the years I've needed quite a lot of support from Team Plusnet on a number of BT screw-ups. Though getting fixes might have been protracted, Plusnet staff have always been courteous, helpful and pushed as far as BT business rules permit - the trouble is that BT rules are not flexible, nor designed to deliver swift solutions ... but I guess "That'll do!".

Re: That wont do

Thrall — Tue, 27 Oct 2020 21:04:27 GMT

As with most slogans you could spin it to be negative but looking at the positives, one may argue it highlights being clear and simple

Re: That wont do

newagetraveller — Wed, 28 Oct 2020 09:44:38 GMT

Or one might argue that if I painted a door, for example, missed bits and there were big paint runs in other bits, then just say "that'll do", would be positive?

Or didn't bleed air out of brakes after a caliper change - can't be bothered, it should be fine - "that'll do"!

Re: That wont do

shutter — Wed, 28 Oct 2020 11:05:02 GMT

Good job ? working for an electronics or engineering firm... with the attitude of " that`ll do! "... will not have a job within a few days methinks....

indeed, a long time ago, a mechanic mate of mine, who used to work for the local Chrysler dealership, finished doing some job on a car, and said to the foreman... "Right, Steve, I`ve finished that job,... that`ll do."... when asked about it, he did mention a couple of things that needed new hose clips, but he thought the old one`s were ok.... Next day, he was called to the office, and given a week`s notice...

ahem.......... "That`ll do"...............

Re: That wont do

hooverman — Wed, 28 Oct 2020 11:27:52 GMT

Hi @Thrall you are right a slogan can a force for good ie Kick it Out in football ,or in the retail world john lewis never knowly undersold or zen intenet Award winning internet ,these people try to or live up to their slogans ,if one was to look at trustpilot plusnet has an 84% bad rating whilst we all can have issues at sometime or other with an isp,but plusnet do not seem to be resolving theirs effectively ,And its not the call centres staff fault Ive always found them helpfull but I belive its BT responsibility to input the correct management /systems/money to sort it out because at this moment I belive plusnet have a worse reputation than talktalk

Re: That wont do

Townman — Wed, 28 Oct 2020 11:40:26 GMT

The problem is BT has no good management anywhere, just upwardly mobile green horns. BT removed most of the good managers from within Plusnet.

I have never heard anyone say how great BT managers are. I’ve spoken with field engineers and they speak of being managed by clueless graduates. I’ve ex-work mates who were transferred into BT any they do not have a good word for BT managers.

If BT management were capable of doing something positive, then BT Openreach would not be as problematic as it appears to be.

Re: That wont do

198kHz — Thu, 29 Oct 2020 17:32:04 GMT

@hooverman wrote:

Plusnets new slogan of That'll Do is hardly going to give confidence to the users of Plusnet services, because its like my son says its something you say when you cant get things quite right and you settle for 2nd best...

They really haven't thought this through.

It says in their blog - "Our latest campaign ‘That’ll Do’ is based on the local Yorkshire expression for when you get more than you bargained for."

It also commonly means "Stop it!" or "Cut it out" etc, especially when directed at misbehaving or argumentative children.

Re: That wont do

Townman — Thu, 29 Oct 2020 18:46:32 GMT

It is essential that strap lines are not open to ambiguous interpretations and need to have a common parlance across the target audience. Not even as as Yorkshireman do I see this as a good strap line. The fact that Plusnet needs to work hard at explaining their intentions illustrates that it’s not having the understanding they hoped for.

Adding the word “nicely” would make a massive difference to understanding. “That fits the bill” more clearly expresses the sentiment they suggest they want to convey.

Sorry Plusnet but this looks like an epic PR / Marketing / Comms failure ... you know, those departments tasked with communicating the right message but invariably make a total hash of things.

Re: That wont do

shutter — Fri, 30 Oct 2020 16:48:30 GMT

@Townman Yep ... Can`t say I have heard the expression "That`ll do" meaning what PN is trying to project... in any part of Yokshure. But.. I have been "exiled" for a long time.. so maybe it`s modern culture speak amongst the kids ? ? ? ?? (

on the other hand..... to quote a well known prhase or saying....

"Give us time... and we`ll get there" ... ... ... ...

Re: That wont do

jab1 — Mon, 07 Dec 2020 15:48:09 GMT

Sorry for resurrecting an old thread, and maybe going slightly 'off-topic', but where the blue blazes are the Help Team these days? I understand the restrictions around CV-19, but surely, given the size of PN Towers, there is room for at least a skeleton team.

Apart from Gandalf, Matthew Wheeler, Tinytcao and Mads making fleeting appearances I don't think I've seen anyone else, instead it is left to those of us customers who have a conscience, or desire to help, to try and salvage something from the wreck that used to be a thriving and useful source of information. I don't mind helping out if and when I can, but to have no PN back-up is making me think long and hard as to whether it is worth it.

Re: That wont do

Alex — Tue, 08 Dec 2020 03:14:23 GMT

I do understand what you mean, however as I was saying to someone earlier today it is a very difficult time for all of us and we all have to adapt as best we can to these challenging times. So I understand people need the internet more than ever, (to work from home of course).

It is good that yourself are trying to help where you can, I try where I can too. However I am not taking sides here where this post may come across as I am defending PlusNet or saying customers are wrong. We're all human and the difficult decision is what is right?

I just hope the staff, their friends and family are all well. Including everyone on here of course. The long story of what I have been through is not forum friendly, put it that way. For me family comes first, (certain friends - the ones I haven't dropped) second and then work.

That sounds like I am being arrogant, but I don't mean it to come across that way.

Re: That wont do

jab1 — Tue, 08 Dec 2020 08:17:15 GMT

With respect @Alex , I understand that we have to adapt to this situation, but other companies and organisations I have dealt with who have a customer-facing web prescence have managed to at least restore some form of 'normality' to their web responses - including some ISPS - admittedly not quite normal service, but at least they haven't totally disappeared. As I see it, Plusnet management (if they have anything that can be realistically called that), have decided to shut up shop, which to my mind is disgraceful behaviour.

I assume, maybe wrongly, that 'FEEDBACK' is passed on to them, but they are too incompetent or cowardly to explain their action, or lack of.

Re: That wont do

Alex — Tue, 08 Dec 2020 10:56:15 GMT

Fair enough @jab1

I entirely understand that you feel PlusNet could do better, I've been lucky when I needed to use support. Which has only even been twice in the years I've been here.

Maybe this has caught them by surprise, and their DR (disaster recovery) plans need some improvement as this situation as clearly is one of those scenarios unfortunatly.