A confusion of tickets/questions, instead of communication about a fault
Hi there.
The latest response to the broadband fault (long periods of disconnection, and lots of disconnections) I was working on for a friend was:
Question 52302641
This was fine, though the problem had been going on for at least a month.
But then I looked at recently closed tickets.
2012-02-21 01:35:08 Question 127121348 - Service Notice
I was told on Saturday 18th when I raised the fault that interleaving would be turned on then, so it seems odd that it is being reported as being turned on 3 days after this.
2012-02-21 01:35:07 Question 52373508
2012-02-19 02:45:30 Question 126998627 - Service Notice
Question 52302625 - the one generated by the Broadband Fault Troubleshooter.
- Quotes are all from the same CSC Analyst, one after the other.
2012-02-18 16:21:31 Question 52302619
So what am I to make of all this?
Feedback about communicating with customers: The one at the top is the only open one, and is the only one that was sent to me by email and text, and is the only one that would make sense to a non-techie customer. All the others would bamboozle or confuse, and seem to contradict each other.
What they seem to say is that BT are working on a problem in the area, and don't have a completion date. But Plusnet have turned on interleaving anyway, even though BT might fix the problem without this being necessary. But they've also turned on interleaving when apparently the broadband has been moved to 21CN at the same time - are both necessary? And Plusnet placed the order for the move to 21CN on the same afternoon I raised the fault (and didn't tell me). And they don't seem to think that maybe trying to fix a fault at the same time as moving to 21CN might be a bad idea, or they would have told me. Or maybe the move to 21CN was an attempt to fix the problem, except they didn't tell me that. But then why do the move to 21CN when BT are working on a problem in the area? Surely that could cause problems, or at least make it difficult to problem solve. And then the Broadband Troubleshooter ticket is being closed, for three different reasons, by the same person at the same time - it's either a duplicate ticket (which it isn't), or the fault has gone away (which it hasn't), or Plusnet's suppliers have unilaterally decided the problem is over and so Plusnet is following suit without explanation and without asking the customer.
Anyway, I'm left guessing. What I guess is going on, is the move to 21CN happened to coincide with my fault report. So the fault process tried to continue (and no-one realised they should either stop the fault process OR the move to 21CN and let one finish properly first before deciding whether to continue the other), but because of the move BT had to close all open faults, but once the move had happened the fault process jumped back in where it left off meaning interleaving was turned on (perhaps now unnecessarily). And then either the move to 21CN has been interpreted as BT working on a problem in the area, or the move has brought a problem to light, or there has been a problem that BT need to work on for some time but no-one thought to check before going through the rest of the faults process. But all that is just a guess.
It would be much better to be communicated with and informed by Plusnet.
The latest response to the broadband fault (long periods of disconnection, and lots of disconnections) I was working on for a friend was:
Question 52302641
Quote BT are aware of a problem in your local area. This is likely to be causing your broadband issues. BT have this in hand and will be dealing with this case. We do not currently have an estimated repair time for this work, but our faults team will continue to monitor the situation. I apologise for any inconvenience that this fault has caused you.
This was fine, though the problem had been going on for at least a month.
But then I looked at recently closed tickets.
2012-02-21 01:35:08 Question 127121348 - Service Notice
Quote We have asked our wholesale broadband suppliers to turn interleaving on on your phone line to try and fix your current broadband problem.
I was told on Saturday 18th when I raised the fault that interleaving would be turned on then, so it seems odd that it is being reported as being turned on 3 days after this.
2012-02-21 01:35:07 Question 52373508
Quote Provisioning of your ADSL Account Information
Action 21CN Modify Submitted cleared
Modify order has been completed
2012-02-19 02:45:30 Question 126998627 - Service Notice
Quote An update report has been received for this account.
The broadband service is now being transferred to the 21C Network.
The transfer will complete by midnight on 22/02/2012.
Question 52302625 - the one generated by the Broadband Fault Troubleshooter.
- Quotes are all from the same CSC Analyst, one after the other.
Quote 12:14pm, Tuesday 21 Feb 2012
I am closing this ticket as it is currently being tested on Ticket: 52302641. This is a duplicate ticket.
12:14pm, Tuesday 21 Feb 2012
The broadband fault has now been closed. Should problems re-occur, please restart the Broadband Fault Checker.
12:14pm, Tuesday 21 Feb 2012
Ticket Closed
Our suppliers have closed your problem report so we're closing this ticket
2012-02-18 16:21:31 Question 52302619
Quote Provisioning of your ADSL Account Information
New Action 21CN Modify Submitted added
(via ADSL2+ Order System Interface)
So what am I to make of all this?
Feedback about communicating with customers: The one at the top is the only open one, and is the only one that was sent to me by email and text, and is the only one that would make sense to a non-techie customer. All the others would bamboozle or confuse, and seem to contradict each other.
What they seem to say is that BT are working on a problem in the area, and don't have a completion date. But Plusnet have turned on interleaving anyway, even though BT might fix the problem without this being necessary. But they've also turned on interleaving when apparently the broadband has been moved to 21CN at the same time - are both necessary? And Plusnet placed the order for the move to 21CN on the same afternoon I raised the fault (and didn't tell me). And they don't seem to think that maybe trying to fix a fault at the same time as moving to 21CN might be a bad idea, or they would have told me. Or maybe the move to 21CN was an attempt to fix the problem, except they didn't tell me that. But then why do the move to 21CN when BT are working on a problem in the area? Surely that could cause problems, or at least make it difficult to problem solve. And then the Broadband Troubleshooter ticket is being closed, for three different reasons, by the same person at the same time - it's either a duplicate ticket (which it isn't), or the fault has gone away (which it hasn't), or Plusnet's suppliers have unilaterally decided the problem is over and so Plusnet is following suit without explanation and without asking the customer.
Anyway, I'm left guessing. What I guess is going on, is the move to 21CN happened to coincide with my fault report. So the fault process tried to continue (and no-one realised they should either stop the fault process OR the move to 21CN and let one finish properly first before deciding whether to continue the other), but because of the move BT had to close all open faults, but once the move had happened the fault process jumped back in where it left off meaning interleaving was turned on (perhaps now unnecessarily). And then either the move to 21CN has been interpreted as BT working on a problem in the area, or the move has brought a problem to light, or there has been a problem that BT need to work on for some time but no-one thought to check before going through the rest of the faults process. But all that is just a guess.
It would be much better to be communicated with and informed by Plusnet.
Hi snozboz,
Cheers for the feedback,
I've just double checked this and it is a genuine issue and not to do with the 21CN upgrade. Regarding that move to 21CN it shouldn't have been done at that stage in my opinion, we should have waited for the fault to be resolved first, either that or give your friend the option.
With regards to interleaving that is an automated step and seems to be off the back of ticket 52302625 as that was originally raised via the troubleshooter. That ticket itself was closed as we know in favour of 52302641, I'm guessing that agent didn't see the other ticket for some reason, other agents on the faults team then closed off 52302641. IMO the last reply on 52302625 was the best and most appropriate one as it explains that we're closing the ticket and it points you to the appropriate one, the previous responses were automated updates when the troubleshooter was closed.
In short I think we could have handled this better as all of the agents should have had a clearer view of the bigger picture (in terms of interleaving and the 21CN order) and the ticket handling could have been a lot less messy so I've given some feedback about this for you.
Cheers for the feedback,
Quote BT are aware of a problem in your local area
I've just double checked this and it is a genuine issue and not to do with the 21CN upgrade. Regarding that move to 21CN it shouldn't have been done at that stage in my opinion, we should have waited for the fault to be resolved first, either that or give your friend the option.
With regards to interleaving that is an automated step and seems to be off the back of ticket 52302625 as that was originally raised via the troubleshooter. That ticket itself was closed as we know in favour of 52302641, I'm guessing that agent didn't see the other ticket for some reason, other agents on the faults team then closed off 52302641. IMO the last reply on 52302625 was the best and most appropriate one as it explains that we're closing the ticket and it points you to the appropriate one, the previous responses were automated updates when the troubleshooter was closed.
In short I think we could have handled this better as all of the agents should have had a clearer view of the bigger picture (in terms of interleaving and the 21CN order) and the ticket handling could have been a lot less messy so I've given some feedback about this for you.
Thanks, I can only tell you want I can see documented on the account, sorry if I confused by getting he ticket numbers the wrong way around, I still stand by my opinion on that one, with yourself being aware of any discussion made over the phone you may have a better awareness of the full course of events, thanks for your feedback though it has been useful.
Hi snozboz,
interleaving should not affect anything other than maybe a slightly increased ping rate which as you rightly say may should only impact on gaming. If you like I can arrange for it to be taken off again, it takes around 24 hours to do so but you might want to see how the line performs with it enabled first.
interleaving should not affect anything other than maybe a slightly increased ping rate which as you rightly say may should only impact on gaming. If you like I can arrange for it to be taken off again, it takes around 24 hours to do so but you might want to see how the line performs with it enabled first.
Hi Adam,
Failure of written communication to communicate tone!
While I wasn't happy about the general confusion which included putting interleaving on unnecessarily, I am happy to leave it on now. Honest!
Thanks for your concern.
Failure of written communication to communicate tone!
While I wasn't happy about the general confusion which included putting interleaving on unnecessarily, I am happy to leave it on now. Honest!
Thanks for your concern.
No worries, when you've been in this line of work for as long as myself you learn not to apply intonation in your head to anything you're reading so I'll always try and cater my responses to the worst case scenario (just in case)
so I'll always try and cater my responses to the worst case scenario (just in case)