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Comparison to British Gas

HPsauce
Seasoned Pro
Posts: 7,144
Thanks: 239
Fixes: 4
Registered: ‎02-02-2008

Comparison to British Gas

A few times now I've compared the way British Gas (another public monopoly that was privatized) handles callouts compared to PlusNet "supplied by" BT (whichever bit of BT is relevant at the time).
My experiences with BG have generally been excellent, both in terms of communicating beforehand and up to the engineers arrival, and the process from then on.
A BG engineer was due at our house a while back to perform an annual boiler service, timetabled for a particular slot in the day.
Plenty of advance warnings by text and email, but no-one arrived in the time slot and I had no calls or any other warning.  Cry
So I phoned them and, unusually, they were not helpful (maybe systems were down, they didn't say) but promised I would be called back.
After another 2 hours with no call-back, and about to go out, I filled in an online complaint.
Literally seconds later the phone rang, and it was an engineer assigned (he said very recently) to my job. Just minutes away apparently.
I explained that I was going out but would be back in about 20 minutes. He was happy, as it was the last job of his day, to turn up and wait.
When I got home he was waiting and had a cheerful and pleasant demeanour. He said it was a last minute assignment to him which he was rather surprised about as he'd been working about 100 metres away earlier in the day!
As he had a bit of a journey home through rush-hour traffic he didn't mind working a bit later and his journey would be easier as well. He did the work and left.
I established that he was a BG employee, not a contractor.
Today British Gas phoned to apologise and offer £50 for the inconvenience. This seemed fair and we accepted.
Note that this was for a delay (of nearly 3 hours) on the day and the job was done satisfactorily that day.
This was not a rearranged visit, but the first one.  Wink
5 REPLIES 5
ReedRichards
Seasoned Pro
Posts: 4,927
Thanks: 145
Fixes: 25
Registered: ‎14-07-2009

Re: Comparison to British Gas

Maybe we should all pay our ISPs for an annual router service at a similar cost to an annual boiler service?  An engineer would come out and check that the router, and the broadband is performing as it should and rectify errors found.  Of course, the cost of such an annual service might be similar to the annual cost of the actual broadband.
Empirical
Grafter
Posts: 54
Registered: ‎05-04-2014

Re: Comparison to British Gas

I had nothing but problems getting BG to service my boiler. Engineers not turning up, lying and saying I was out. It was the 4th attempt when I got an engineer and the problem re-occurred a day after.
Never again.
newagetraveller
Pro
Posts: 692
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Registered: ‎03-08-2012

Re: Comparison to British Gas

Ah, Brishit Gas!
I had a full heating system maintenance contract with them a few years ago.
I called them out because there was a leaking radiator valve and the header tank in the loft was overflowing. This was the first and only call out in the five years the contract had been in operation.
Their "engineer's" "fix"?
The leaking valve was "sealed" with bathroom silicone around the spindle, hidden by the valve knob. So the next time it was closed/opened the leak re-appeared. I changed it myself.
The overflow was "fixed" by bending the ball valve float arm down and removing some water from the tank. The water still dripped into the tank and eventually reached the overflow again. I renewed the ball valve assembly myself.
I was sure he removed a ten gallon hat and his cowboy boots prior to entering the property! Roll_eyes
Luzern
Hero
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Registered: ‎31-07-2007

Re: Comparison to British Gas

My phone of broadband has fault and I report it, because the house could  blow up! Right?  Your response? Undecided
My gas has a fault and I report it, because the house could blow up! Rest is left to you! Roll_eyes
No one has to agree with my opinion, but in the time I have left a miracle would be nice.
HPsauce
Seasoned Pro
Posts: 7,144
Thanks: 239
Fixes: 4
Registered: ‎02-02-2008

Re: Comparison to British Gas

All of which is nothing to do with the points made at the start of the thread.  Crazy