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Support line for acredited proffesionals

Tom
Newbie
Posts: 7
Registered: ‎09-06-2007

Support line for acredited proffesionals

Hi,
One of the really annoying things when having to call support (on all the ISPs I have to deal with) is that they have to start by assuming that they are talking to a total numpty.  I totally understand why this should be so.  Through not having as many customers as PN we have the advantage of knowing which of our clients are numpties!
I reckon that in over 90% of the support calls that we place to ISPs we have already isolated the issue to be a BT one.  Changing out filters, cables, routers, users(?), etc.
What about a method whereby suitably vetted IT professionals could access some sort of a "fast track" system by PIN, or whatever?  Maybe only for those PN customers that they have referred?  With suitable controls this could save both us and PN a considerable amount of time and heart ache.
Any abuse of the facility would lead to its withdrawl from that person.
Moderators note by John (John_Essex All capitals title made lower case as per the forum rules.
11 REPLIES 11
Mark
Grafter
Posts: 1,852
Registered: ‎04-04-2007

Re: SUPPORT LINE FOR ACCREDITED PROFESSIONALS

Hi Tom.
Have a look at my response to one of your other posts.
Something like this is on my roadmap Smiley
mcclim
Grafter
Posts: 111
Registered: ‎06-04-2007

Re: SUPPORT LINE FOR ACCREDITED PROFESSIONALS

THis would be a good idea, would save a bit of time on the phone trying to explain what you have just done.... 
crh
Newbie
Posts: 9
Registered: ‎13-06-2007

Re: SUPPORT LINE FOR ACCREDITED PROFESSIONALS

I completely agree. 
Also, it would help if those of us who become accredited could have our own username that would allow us to deal with our customers accounts without having to remember all of their passwords.  Maybe our interest could be recorded on the accounts that we have referred or now manage with the customers approval.
mcclim
Grafter
Posts: 111
Registered: ‎06-04-2007

Re: SUPPORT LINE FOR ACCREDITED PROFESSIONALS

Crh that sounds like another good idea, but you would also have to have a limited view of a persons account or some way for them to allow you to view there account as this could be open ro abuse  Roll_eyes
prichardson
Grafter
Posts: 1,503
Thanks: 1
Registered: ‎05-04-2007

Re: SUPPORT LINE FOR ACCREDITED PROFESSIONALS

I am inclined to agree on this subject, though how to approach this one is the debate.
Well, it is not a business support based subject, unless its a business product, and we cannot offer anything other than residential support at the time being.
However, the approach still has other obstacles.
The most glaring one is abortive and special fault investigation engineer charges.
These are £140+vat and chargable to the account holder if applied.
How would these be applied in these instances, were is it being dealt with by an individual other than the account holder?
Tom
Newbie
Posts: 7
Registered: ‎09-06-2007

Re: SUPPORT LINE FOR ACCREDITED PROFESSIONALS

Quote from: P
I am inclined to agree on this subject, though how to approach this one is the debate.

Great, I don't think anyone has disagreed.  So let's see PN beat the rest of the ISPs to providing something that is really needed, of benefit to all, and a great selling point.
Quote from: P
Well, it is not a business support based subject, unless its a business product, and we cannot offer anything other than residential support at the time being.

I do see it as a business support issue; businesses pay more for a better service, businesses tend to employ IT professionals (either as staff or as consultants), an ADSL fault can have a  serious impact upon a businesses bottom line, etc., etc.
If a residential customer wants a better service let them pay for it and then they too can have the benefits.
Quote from: P
The most glaring one is abortive and special fault investigation engineer charges.
These are £140+vat and chargable to the account holder if applied.
How would these be applied in these instances, were is it being dealt with by an individual other than the account holder?

Very valid points, however it is quite simple.  Our clients employ us to provide them with what they need in the most cost effective way, and to a certain extent we are authorised to spend whatever is needed.  If we make a bad call (pardon the pun!) on an issue we have to justify it.
They certainly do not want to have to deal with the bull$1tt that comes from BT sometimes, "Not our problem, our system is completely serviceable, your kit must be faulty.  It'll probably cost you for us to come out" and then all of sudden everthing starts working with nothing having changed at the client's!!!!!  How many times have we all seen that one?
I am sure that our clients would quite happily sign whatever is required to give the necessary authority.  They effectively do already because unless they sack us who else do they have to go to?
Quote from: P
These are £140+vat and chargable to the account holder if applied.

Surely an analysis of PN's existing data on what has caused these in the past would show whether or not this was likely to be an issue?
To be brutal any business that cannot afford to have a very occasional problem that costs it GBP140.00 is probably a business that is in deep trouble anyway!
Quote from: P
.... , and we cannot offer anything other than residential support at the time being.

I hope that I am misunderstanding this as the Business Support Team is being trumpetted as a solution to one or two ills.  On www.f9.net.uk/referrals/welcome.shtml it says, "We also have a dedicated business support team open in office hours."
Has it died already?
Kelly
Hero
Posts: 5,497
Thanks: 380
Fixes: 9
Registered: ‎04-04-2007

Re: SUPPORT LINE FOR ACCREDITED PROFESSIONALS

Quote from: Tom
I hope that I am misunderstanding this as the Business Support Team is being trumpetted as a solution to one or two ills.  On www.f9.net.uk/referrals/welcome.shtml it says, "We also have a dedicated business support team open in office hours."
Has it died already?

Not quite understanding this thread so far, must be late Smiley
Just answering that point: The business support team is alive and well! Smiley
Kelly Dorset
Ex-Broadband Service Manager
prichardson
Grafter
Posts: 1,503
Thanks: 1
Registered: ‎05-04-2007

Re: SUPPORT LINE FOR ACCREDITED PROFESSIONALS

Quote
I hope that I am misunderstanding this as the Business Support Team is being trumpetted as a solution to one or two ills.  On www.f9.net.uk/referrals/welcome.shtml it says, "We also have a dedicated business support team open in office hours."
Has it died already?

It is indeed alive and well.
My statement was to reflect the fact that such a process is not one of the business support team, nor is it one for the the residential team alone.
If the customer is a business or teleworker product, you are indeed handled by myself or one of the other business support agents.
It was more to the effect that if the account in question is a residential product, and you are calling through as a "accredited professional" (as per the thread), then it would be handled by the residential line call.
How we would go about such a process is one that needs a lot of thought, as the idea is very sound.
The statements regarding charges are mainly regarding residential accounts. In that you would be agreeing such a charge on behalf of the primary account holder.
sourceit
Grafter
Posts: 127
Registered: ‎08-06-2007

Re: SUPPORT LINE FOR ACCREDITED PROFESSIONALS

I too agree with the fact they we get treated as numpties by the support lines and welcome an accredited referrer support line.  Also, once we become accredited and have access to this, maybe our own account on the PlusNet website can reflect such changes and give us better online controls.  Check a customers account from our own account, so long as we have their logon details.  Reason I bring this up is that I have in the past logged faults on customers own accounts via contact us or thru the support line, left all of my contact details for the support to contact me and then I go away from site and PlusNet or BT end up calling the end user, who have no idea of what I have done because it's too technical for them to understand.
Also, accredited users should also be able to see active and inactive accounts that they have referred.  This surely should be an option for accreditted refers and not mr joe average.
Ben
Source IT
prichardson
Grafter
Posts: 1,503
Thanks: 1
Registered: ‎05-04-2007

Re: SUPPORT LINE FOR ACCREDITED PROFESSIONALS

Hi Ben,
Do you have any examples of cases were we are phoning the customer and not the details on the fault report?
This should not be happening. We collect these details for a reason.
sourceit
Grafter
Posts: 127
Registered: ‎08-06-2007

Re: SUPPORT LINE FOR ACCREDITED PROFESSIONALS

No details as was last year, but I think it was BT who contacted the customer directly not PN.