Delay and lack of communication parts 2 3 and 4

[#1]

In this fairly competitive world where service is paramount I feel that Plusnet is perhaps missing the plot completely. Perhaps it is a BT strategy to make Plusnet as unattractive as possible to new customers so that they will not renew their contracts and go elsewhere once their contract expires - should they ever get a service of course.  

So in mid October a new customer contacts Plusnet, pays some money and contracts to have a service provided on the 19 th November, customer arranges to be at home, engineer turns up and gives ok and everything is fine with the world. Engineer explains that service will be up and running that night. 

20 th November text from Plusnet to say service delayed, 21st November another text from Plusnet to say service delayed - no reason in either text or a new date. On 22nd November customers old contract finishes and phone and broadband to house stop - customers spends 2 hours on phone - 1 hour 50 waiting - to be told an engineer will provide connection on 24th - waited in anticipation but again no luck. No texts this time - in fact no communication from Plusnet at all. 

Someone picked up that I was unhappy on the forum and raised a “ticket” on my behalf and closed my topic down. Followed the link to the ticket - after borrowing my neighbours broadband connection because I no longer had one - to be told an engineer would now be sorting the connection on the 26th - another multi skilled engineer no less. Before the day was out my ticket was updated again - again assuming I had access to the internet - to say that the multi skilled engineer would now do his work on the 28 th of November - yesterday in fact.

To my surprise no engineer appears to have connected my broadband and  I still have no telephone, no broadband and to add insult to injury my old telephone service is still diallable and messages can be left.

So that’s 4 dates you have missed without once contacting me to explain why. You use an internal ticketing system to keep me up to date with the progress of an order that requires the service that you have failed to deliver to access.

I have spent more time waiting on a phone in one week trying to contact you than in the previous 10 years with Virgin which is no mean achievement.

I look forward to hearing from you - try phoning and speaking to me this time - to explain why I should remain with you.

[#2]

Hi @GarethAJones

I'm sorry to hear about your experiences with our service and for the conflicting dates you have been provided regarding your installation.

I have looked into your account and responded to your comments here

[#3]

Ok this should now read parts 2 3 4 5 and 6

The dates were not conflicting - they were simply missed without any form of communication and this is continuing.

In summary.

19th November service due to start - didn't happen

24th November engineer to sort out - didn't happen - this was 5 days late and after 2 hours on the phone

26th November engineer to sort out - didn't happen

30th November engineer to sort out - didn't happen 

3rd December engineer to sort out - didn't happen

4th December no contact from Plusnet 

You continue to use your internet based ticket service even though I've asked you to contact me by phone as I have no easy access to the internet.

Perhaps you could take the time to explain the issues you are having - I cannot understand how many times you and Open Reach have failed to resolve this. 

[#4]

So here I am - 15 days without telephone or internet no contact from Plusnet again, no explanation as to why the promised dates have been missed. Updates promised but not forthcoming. I have asked you to contact me directly by phone on several occasions but you haven't. 

Story so far.

19th November service due to start - didn't happen

24th November engineer to sort out - didn't happen - this was 5 days late and after 2 hours on the phone - turns out no engineer came

26th November engineer to sort out - was promised an update - didn't happen

30th November engineer to sort out - was promised an update - didn't happen

3rd December engineer to sort out - was promised an update - didn't happen

4th December no contact from Plusnet 

5th December no contact rom Plusnet so far

You pride yourselves on your customer service awards yet you have left us completely in the lurch. I have asked you via your "ticket" system for information which you completely ignore, I've asked you to contact me by phone and not the internet - for obvious reasons - which again you've chosen to ignore. The contact number you gave me wont let me contact you because my service isn't live.

Can one of your staff contact me directly today to explain what is happening - you'll find my number in several places on the ticket.

[#5]

Hi @GarethAJones

Thank you for getting in touch. As per my voicemail message, I'm sorry to hear about the delays you have been experiencing.

I have updated your account with further information which can be viewed by clicking here.

Please do not hesitate to get back in touch if we can be of further assistance.

[#6]

Thank you for responding. If all the missed dates are down to Open reach resourcing problems - that is six missed dates by the way - how much confidence should I have that we will be connected tomorrow.

[#7]

Hi there, I can see we're already responding to your original post here about the same matter, I've asked the mods to merge the two threads: 

https://community.plus.net/t5/Fibre-Broadband/Delay-and-lack-of-communication-parts-2-3-and-4/m-p/15...

[#8]

Thanks for getting back to us.

Unfortunately it's not guaranteed that an engineer will go out tomorrow as our suppliers always advise us that their work-stack is fluid, which means that jobs can sadly be pushed back or moved forward. That's in addition to engineer availability.

Fingers crossed it goes well tomorrow though. Let us know how it goes.

[#9]

Moderator's note:

Topics merged.

[#10]

ingers crossed - really. My wife and I run a business that works on the basis that when we say we will turn up we will. To say to our customers that we will turn up - fingers crossed - on a particular day and time and then not turn up would be tantamount to saying we basically don’t give a toss. I have already had six - yes six - appointments when you haven’t given a toss. 

So does an appointment with Plusnet work on the basis that if you don’t turn up or choose not to fulfill what you have committed to assume there are no consequences - words do fail me.

I have to say this is - without exception - this is the most dreadful customer experience I have come across. I cannot find a parallel in 50 years of dealing with companies where I have contracted to provide a service that Is so incompetent. 

[#11]

As a belt and braces adjunct this was posted to Facebook - I really have no idea who cares about this issue because you really don’t come across as being the least bit interested or organised—

“What a dreadful experience with Plusnet. Was told today that my service would be connected today - 6th - only to be informed later that may not happen - this is at least the 6th time you’ve let me down. This is my brief summary of my complaint to ofcom.

“Signed up with Plusnet in October this year service to commence on 19th November. Cancelled virgin contract to finish on 22nd November. Plusnet unable to provide either telephone or internet as at 6th December- no telephone or internet for 17 days - at least 6 dates promised and missed. No discussion as to whether vulnerable individuals on this phone, insist on dealing via internet in spite of no connection, exceptionally long wait times to customer service, promises made regarding connection but not kept. Overall a dreadful experience.

Ofcom state that “Ofcom wants all consumers to be confident that they can switch their broadband provider with the minimum of fuss.

When switching between broadband providers, your new provider will be best placed to provide you with accurate information and advice on the switching process you will need to follow. All providers are required to do this.”

So so why after 17 days of no phone and internet have you done nothing apart from apologise and provide non achievable delivery dates and no solution.

[#12]

We'll do you proud.........NOT. plusnet are a total joke

[#13]

Hello @GarethAJones,

Thank you for taking the time to raise your experience with us, I really would like to assure you that we take all those raised seriously and would like to say we are deeply sorry.

This is not the level of service we aim to provide and is certainly not in keeping with our values. We fully understand that the connection to our service has taken longer than we would like and can assure you that it is with the correct team.

We will keep you updated here.

[#14]

OK plusnet I've vented on several posts at how poor your customer service was - I thought it was just me but it appears that this is a recurring problem judging by posts elsewhere.

You have now missed in excess of 10 committed dates to deliver my service. You continually blame Openreach. You tell me the service will be available on 8th December and we will update you - didn't happen. You tell me that you will escalate the problem on the Monday and that you will inform me - didn't happen. Again forced to contact you for an update via Facebook to find that maybe I might get a service on Friday. These are Plusnet issues not Openreach.

I cannot work out how this process works - does Openreach ignore you completely when you agree dates. Are you actually contacting Openreach?

Perhaps you could arrange to contact me and explain what these issues are and realistically what date we are likely to have a phone and broadband service.

[#15]

Hello @GarethAJones

I am deeply sorry for the delay in connecting you on to our services.

I have responded to your query via a ticket. You can view my response by Clicking Here

Should you require any further assistance, please do get back in touch with us.

Kind regards.