Customer service (or lack of).

[#1]

Can anyone tell me who I can complain to at Plusnet about their appalling customer service?
We have an ongoing problem with our landline which is a problem with the exchange, and has been proved in the past to be at the exchange. Plusnet insist that the need to send an engineer to the house, even though we know the problem is'nt there, can only give me an appointment next Friday and someone has to be in the house. They won't accept that we cannot take time off work and the second person I spoke to was downright rude. BT won't take complaint because we are not their customer and Plusnet are telling us we have to just put up with the problem because 'we won't agree to being there to let the engineer in'. Don't seem to grasp the fact that people have to work.

[#2]

complaints procedure listed here
http://www.plus.net/support/service/policies/complaints_code_of_practice.shtml?source=keymatch
There is a 5 working days time for any complaint to be initially addressed (10 days if you write in).

[#3]

Unfortunately it's not Plusnet being awkward, it's BTw/OpenReach. They won't do anything about the issue unless Plusnet book an engineer which means you have to be available to let them in or risk the £50 fine for not giving them access.
Raising a complaint is not going to get you anywhere.
Your other option is this which gets you away from OpenReach issues.

[#4]

How do you know the issue is at the exchange, is that on the line test results in your ticket?  When I've had faults which were qualified as being away from our house, Openreach has never needed access.

[#5]

I'm considering moving to another phone provider because of being kept on hold for such a long time.
I've been kept on hold for 15 minutes and got fed up of waiting so I hung up.
The same happened when I waited 20 minutes, and another 15 minutes.
I guess they need more advisors!!
I think I've got more chance of flying to the moon. Come on Plusnet, pull your socks up!!!!

[#6]

Unfortunately even with another provider (Except the aforementioned other) you'd still have to deal with BT Openreach and their need for access to resolve any issues with your telephone line. Perhaps try raising the fault online and/or using the instant chat service.

[#7]

I see in press today at presentation of wooden spoon award for customer service given to BT, that they
intend introducing 2 hour appointment slots.
So some improvement assuming they keep appointments.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/money/news/article-3396333/The-winner-wooden-spoon-BT-voted-telecom-giant...

[#8]

Quote from: Starmans

Unfortunately even with another provider (Except the aforementioned other) you'd still have to deal with BT Openreach ..

Other providers seem much more effective at mobilising and controlling Openreach, and there's also the fact that Plusnet often sit on tickets for a few days as well.

[#9]

Quote from: aesmith

How do you know the issue is at the exchange, is that on the line test results in your ticket?   When I've had faults which were qualified as being away from our house, Openreach has never needed access.

Openreach have a useful URL for checking a BT Phone line:
https://home.bt.com
dick:green Link fixed.

[#10]

I'm not too sure about the link above, but it'd be best to use our dedicated phone troubleshooter here which can test the line:
https://portal.plus.net/my-account/tools/phone-troubleshooter/

[#11]

A couple of points:
1. Weekend appointments with BT Openreach are available. Insist on one.
2. Engineers often have to start testing at the customers home: their testing process proceeds in this order: home. line. exchange. That's the way they do it . Sometimes an exchange fault can be fixed without a visit, but they should still need to check that the fault has been fixed by visiting the home when the fualt has been fixed. Or calling the number to ensure all is working properly
3. Changing to another provider will have no difference on either the appointment slot you are given or the time taken to resove the issue.
Good luck!

[#12]

@Matty / @Gel,
Now the link is fixed, it is as I suspected a service only for BT Retail phone line customers.
It is though time BTOR provuded an industry wide facility such as this so that anyone can report a phone line fault for any line.  One used to be able to 'generically' report a number UA fault which would result in a dead line being repaired.  That's about the only good thing I can recall of the old BT total monopoly.