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.
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.
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.
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.
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!
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!
My phone of broadband has fault and I report it, because the house could blow up! Right? Your response? 
My gas has a fault and I report it, because the house could blow up! Rest is left to you!
My gas has a fault and I report it, because the house could blow up! Rest is left to you!
All of which is nothing to do with the points made at the start of the thread. 