@CHRIS.... Employ MORE people to answer the phones

[#1]

Why is there so much demand for phoning in would be my question?
I 've only needed to phone in twice in the years I've been here. First was because LLU didn't care but 21CN DLM was problematic and it was detected I had a dodgy phone line. One call and fixed within 2 weeks.
Second time was to confirm my slow fibre speed compared to the initial estimate was correct. Line tested and all OK so speed down to ally telewag wiring.

[#2]

The reason for my phone call, was because I wanted a new router, and there is no provision for Paying for it via on line transaction.... it HAS to be done over the phone... even though they already have my bank details, because of the direct debit.... they still need the details from my card...
Surely with this modern tech we have now, where we can pay for just about anything with PayPal,  Plusnet should get it`s act together and accept PayPal payment... no need to be hanging around on a phone for hours..... My arm and my ears were aching from the wait, ...
But... There again...it`s not happening to Chris... or any of the PN staff, so it`s not important any more....

[#3]

I'm not sure why you're singling Chris out but I'm really sorry about the waits all the same.
I know you'll want to communicate with us in your own preferred way but don't forget we have web chat agents available and I'm happy to help out via here if there's anything in particular.
We're putting what focus we can on improving this situation and I'm sorry that things haven't improved as quickly as we may have liked.

[#4]

@Adan..... Oh come on... now... Why Am I having a go at Chris? 
It`s written all over the present thread..... he promised SIX YEARS AGO.... that .>>GIVEN TIME... WE WILL GET THERE....
and he has failed... if not him personally,... then PlusNet, who he was representing when he gave those assurances... ...
It is not too much to ask. that when a phone call is requested, by Customer Service staff...that Phone call,.... and indeed, all the other phone calls, SHOULD BE ANSWERED WITHIN A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME>.. bearing in mind the time of day, and possible "busy periods"....
So ... For example.... between the hours of (say) 0900 and 1300 .... 30 mins MAXIMUM
                                                                                        1300 to 1800 ....  again. 30 mins MAX
                                                                                        1800 to 2200..........45 mins MAX
However.... a much better system would be to give the opportunity to the caller to be called back, when their turn comes.... to save "hanging on.... doing nothing, but listen to scratch sounds and getting ear ache.... as well as stiff limbs...  The pathetic message underneath the graphs stating that peak times are being monitored to ensure waiting is kept to a minimum is a load of......... (enter your own words )....
after 2200 there should be a max wait of 5 minutes... due to the lower number of calls after 2200.... and that is taken from your own graphs on the status pages....
You should take time to read this whole thread..... and also the one I started 6 years ago,.... and then,....perhaps you will understand why I, in particular, and many other faithful customers, are angry that we have a SHODDY customer service, and one that NONE OF US WILL RECOMMEND, given the chance....
Chris, took the responsiblity of stating that the service would improve, given some time....... so he is the one that gets the brickbats......AND RIGHTLY SO... If his only "improvement" has been to watch the telephone customer service disintegrate into a farce of the word "SERVICE", in SIX YEARS... then how much more time does he need....

And  this statement by you .... really is the pure genious.....

Quote

We're putting what focus we can on improving this situation and I'm sorry that things haven't improved as quickly as we may have liked.

You should stand for parliament...... because nobody will believe what you have just said... and that makes for perfect politicians....  They spout off the first trite thing that they can think of, and nobody ever believes any thing they say either....
Being "sorry about the wait"... doesn`t cut it with me..... I have been waiting for SIX YEARS  to see the "situation impove"... 
Your mention of the "web chat" agents.... did you not read my other post about that  ?  Took me almost 2 days to get that chat service working.... and when I did manage it.... it was no thanks to PLUSNET ... it was another customer, who pointed out what could have caused it...
Plusnet should  revise the webchat scripts.... so that NON computer nerds can use it......
Further to that thread.... and the reason for this thread.... is The guy on the chat said I had to phone up to pay for my router,... as it could not be done over chat.... yet you have my bank details and the charge could well have been added to that..... OR... you should make available an ONLINE payment system using PAYPAL... in this the 21st century.... even small retailers use on line payments system... why can`t Plusnet.... ? 
So, Adam... I hope you are now CLEAR why CHRIS is getting the flak........ I just hope that he is so ashamed, and you too, for not reading posts properly, to actually get on and do something about it...

SOONER rather than "......in time... we`ll get there"

[#5]

No I'm not ashamed and have no reason to be at all.
As said I'm sorry that you've had to endure some long waits and I'll be around here and happy to help for the foreseeable future and so will Chris.

[#6]

You obviously only read the last posts on this thread.... and commented on the title of the thread, and not the content....  
Not seeing the whole picture, and making trite comments is something you should be ashamed of.....  .... Your "apology"... does not remove the frustration, and stress caused by the lack of improvement  ( nay... not lack of improvement.... more  in the way of escalation of the original problem to the depths that it has now sunk...)... of the service over the past SIX YEARS... something that you have failed to understand.....
I suggest you read the whole of the two thread,... this one and the one about the chat service... and read it as if it were happening to you....  ....
not as someone just "having a go"... because, I can assure you.. I only "have a go"...when I feel I am totally justified in doing so....

[#7]

I doubt whether Chris or Adam were/are responsible for the allocation of resources (people) necessary to achieve reasonable response times on the PN phones. 

[#8]

Probably not.... but you cannot hide the fact that he did say.... on several occasions.... and in different years....... "Give us some time.... and we`ll get there"... which, kinda does make him responsible. would n`t you agree ?
This thread is not supposed to be a "personal attack"... more of a reminder that, promises were made, and have been forgotten along the way... and someone should take responsibility for that...
If the person who makes statements that improvements are in the pipeline.... because of increased numbers of staff, increased capacity, and other factors, suchas "give us time to train up the new staff and you will see improvements".... then that person is the responsible person if it doesn`t happen...... and ... that person takes the credit if it does.... but  on the obverse side of the coin...he should stand up and be counted, when the brickbats start flying in his direction.....
Adam is doing his best to deflect the brickbats, but he will fail......

[#9]

Slight off topic, but still relevant :
As I do not work for PlusNet I do not know (but would be interested to find out) how they determine the number of bums they need to man the phones. Doing what I do for a living I see the need here for a forecasting model, one that can be (ideally) fed lots of historical data, regarding waiting times, call numbers, bum count, staff numbers and availability, phone line count, shift requirements, call completion times and if available a category of the support being required, to name some.
The output of said model could be a list of employee names along with the days and the times they were required to cover these periods. I do not see why a company like PlusNet do not use such an approach to help combat the issue reported here. But if PlusNet are using a model to fulfil this requirement then someone needs to review its objective function.

[#10]

In my original post SIX YEARS AGO... I suggested they use a "proper queueing system"... whereby the customer is told that his turn is number XXX and there are zzz in front of you...  the projected wait time is YYY... but Chris was adamant  ( no not adam walker in disguise)...that such a system would not work because of call prioritising....  however .... he did not explain or answer the question.... how doe PN prioritise calls when they don`t know what the caller wants until they speak to them....  presssing 2 or 3 or 6 or whatever , was,... and still is the situation... which ... despite CHRIS`s famous words.... "Give us time... and we`ll get there"... still hasn`t materialised....
If they had accepted my suggestion, and put the necessary equipment in place within a year.. ( due to financial/training costs etc )... the current chaos would probably not be happening... and neither would this thread...
My suggestion at this time... is to go ahead with the "your turn is number"..  system.... and also the furthe refinement of pressing 9 for a call back when that turn eventually arrives... would negate much bad feeling, frustration, stress, and anxiety, for customers who have other things to get on with, instead of sitting around for an hour or more, listening to the deplorable scratch music and constantly repeated message about having your username and password ready... 
Of course... the other insult, whilst waiting on the phone to speak to someone,    is to suggest that you get off the phone and use the internet..... Oh I wish....... when the internet tells you , you can only do it over the phone... to get that message, really rams it home, that there is something radically wrong with the systems in place....

[#11]

I Guess call handlers will say almost anything to get you off the phone, 'I will pass it on' or 'we are looking into it', or 'we are aware of the problem' but in most cases it's just jargo, how can anyone taking calls make a promise something will happen, only someone higher up the ladder can do that and they have their own jargon for that, 'we have learned lessons', 'We are reviewing our procedures' etc.
All customers are interested in is a good service ie the service we used to have.
Seems the more we are expected to pay the less we get.
We have a couple of Andy's on the forum it's the third one it would be nice to hear from occasionally.

[#12]

Chris is not a "call handler".... but he is "higher up the ladder"..... and he did say.... "Give us time ..... and we`ll get there"...... so his words have come back to bite him..... and he should take responsibity.... and do something about it....

[#13]

Both myself and Chris always do all we can to flag things like this up and will make a difference where we can.
I'm highlighting this thread in the meantime and I'm sure Chris will comment if he feels the need on Monday.

[#14]

Should I hold my breath, that improvements will be made ..........................in my lifetime?





  I`m 71 yrs old this year........      another SIX YEARS time and I may not be here to see them....

[#15]

Quote from: shutter

The reason for my phone call, was because I wanted a new router, and there is no provision for Paying for it via on line transaction.... it HAS to be done over the phone... even though they already have my bank details, because of the direct debit.... they still need the details from my card... Surely with this modern tech we have now, where we can pay for just about anything with PayPal,  Plusnet should get it`s act together and accept PayPal payment... no need to be hanging around on a phone for hours..... My arm and my ears were aching from the wait, ... But... There again...it`s not happening to Chris... or any of the PN staff, so it`s not important any more....

Sorry chum, but I have to take exception to that, disturbed as I am by your problem. Snide, quasi abuse, remarks about staff of any business should not be directed at individual members of staff, but at the company concerned.