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Plusnet's halo has gone rusty and sour grapes too!

paulo
Grafter
Posts: 157
Registered: ‎02-01-2008

Plusnet's halo has gone rusty and sour grapes too!

I have been a fan of Plusnet for 5 years and have always sung their praises but it has slowly dawned on me that there are better ISPs around that offer far more and at better prices.
So now that I have decided to leave,  I've just tried to contact Customer Services to cancel my contract I find there is at least a 25 minute wait (hanging on the Phone) to speak to someone AND even then apparently it will take another FIVE days to come up with a MAC.
So it seems once Plusnet looses a customer they make it as difficult as possible.  That does not give the immpression of a modern enterprising company but of sour grapes and jobs-worth that we would expect from a lesser company.  What on earth has happened to Plusnet we used to know and love.
I can resist everything except temptation.
20 REPLIES 20
Steve
Seasoned Pro
Posts: 6,853
Thanks: 336
Registered: ‎13-07-2009

Re: Plusnet's halo has gone rusty and sour grapes too!

Quote from: paulo
slowly dawned on me that there are better ISPs around that offer far more and at better prices.
Really? Like who?
If life gives you lemons, make lemonade.
phil4
Grafter
Posts: 244
Registered: ‎13-12-2007

Re: Plusnet's halo has gone rusty and sour grapes too!

I've said before, and I'll say again.  You need to see this from the point of view of a commercial company who's #1 goal (and don't let them tell you otherwise), is to make money.
If you do that, you'd understand that there's no good commercial reason to put more than one person on the "cancellations" team phone.  And no point paying them for overtime.
And, as the MAC codes are allowed to be delayed by law by 5 days, why provide them sooner?
If it doesn't make money, there's no point doing it, and when it comes to leaving customers simply put that means not paying a penny more than needed.
I've come across plenty more companies that operate in this exact some way, some in this industry, some in others.  While I completely agree it's so frustrating as the customer (I don't like it), it's the harsh reality of the world, in the same way as death and taxes.
orbrey
Plusnet Alumni (retired)
Plusnet Alumni (retired)
Posts: 10,540
Registered: ‎18-07-2007

Re: Plusnet's halo has gone rusty and sour grapes too!

Hi there,
Assuming you rang the COT line number (0845 1406002) the best time to call is early afternoon as that's when they're usually least busy.
Sorry to hear you're less than satisfied, if you don't mind us asking where is it you're thinking of migrating to? Also (and more importantly) is there anything we could do for you that might change your mind?
paulo
Grafter
Posts: 157
Registered: ‎02-01-2008

Re: Plusnet's halo has gone rusty and sour grapes too!

Hi Matt,
Thank you for your interest.  What first made me a bit annoyed and started me looking elseware was the fact that I have been paying £9.99 per month for the basic broadband with 2GB download per month when there was an alternative product with 10GB and free evening and weekend calls for £6.49 per month + line rent, that I was unaware of.  As a customer for the last 5 years it would have been nice if Plusnet had made me aware that one of their other products would have been better for me.
I appreciate that it may not have made sense commercially to have informed me but it is a moral and trust issue.  I am sure you are aware of banks and building societies attracting alot of criticism recently for not informing their customers that more benifical produces were available.
I can resist everything except temptation.
pierre_pierre
Grafter
Posts: 19,757
Thanks: 3
Registered: ‎30-07-2007

Re: Plusnet's halo has gone rusty and sour grapes too!

its going back a long time, but you probably had an e-mail about the 9th April 2009 to tell you about Value, there should be a copy of it in your closed questions section on the same date, just had a look at mine
Oldjim
Resting Legend
Posts: 38,460
Thanks: 787
Fixes: 63
Registered: ‎15-06-2007

Re: Plusnet's halo has gone rusty and sour grapes too!

unless you have marketing emails blocked
pierre_pierre
Grafter
Posts: 19,757
Thanks: 3
Registered: ‎30-07-2007

Re: Plusnet's halo has gone rusty and sour grapes too!

in which case dont moan Cool Cool
matt_2k34
Grafter
Posts: 1,300
Registered: ‎09-07-2007

Re: Plusnet's halo has gone rusty and sour grapes too!

Quote from: pierre_pierre
in which case dont moan Cool Cool

Whilst i *never* normally agree with Pierre... Bingo? Smiley
When you signed up to PN, i believe it is (or at least was) told to you that updates such as this will be passed on via your (main) plusnet mailbox by default - and this is the main form of communicating with you from PN's point of view.
Quote
it's the harsh reality of the world, in the same way as death and taxes.

Bingo Smiley
Quote
As a customer for the last 5 years it would have been nice if Plusnet had made me aware that one of their other products would have been better for me.

I've never understood, when people are unhappy with their package/provider, that they dont LOOK at *their current provider* FIRST!? - - Why hassle with a move if your current provider can sort you out? amazing  Huh
Regards
jelv
Seasoned Hero
Posts: 26,785
Thanks: 971
Fixes: 10
Registered: ‎10-04-2007

Re: Plusnet's halo has gone rusty and sour grapes too!

Quote from: Matt_2k34
I've never understood, when people are unhappy with their package/provider, that they dont LOOK at *their current provider* FIRST!? - - Why hassle with a move if your current provider can sort you out? amazing  Huh

If we had a 'like' button on these forums I'd have pushed it for this post!
jelv (a.k.a Spoon Whittler)
   Why I have left Plusnet (warning: long post!)   
Broadband: Andrews & Arnold Home::1 (FTTC 80/20)
Line rental: Pulse 8 Home Line Rental (£14.40/month)
Mobile: iD mobile (£4/month)
Wheel_nut
Grafter
Posts: 893
Thanks: 1
Registered: ‎03-08-2007

Re: Plusnet's halo has gone rusty and sour grapes too!

Like
paulo
Grafter
Posts: 157
Registered: ‎02-01-2008

Re: Plusnet's halo has gone rusty and sour grapes too!

Sorry Guys but you are not in full knowledge of the facts behind my decision to move and its too long-winded to write it all here (and boring for those that it does not concern).....so dont be so judgemental.
I thought these forums were intended to be friendly places to give feed-back and help but it seems there are many who take abvantage of there anonymity to make unhelpful snide remarks.
On so it rumbles on..and on....and on.....and on..........and on!
Thanks to phil4, Matt Taylor and of course good Old Jim for your constructive posts.
I can resist everything except temptation.
matt_2k34
Grafter
Posts: 1,300
Registered: ‎09-07-2007

Re: Plusnet's halo has gone rusty and sour grapes too!

Not at all, just merely stating the fact that your blaming plusnet for them not telling you of updated products - when you yourself have probably opted out at some point of this communication  Huh
This was eluded to when you stated..
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As a customer for the last 5 years it would have been nice if Plusnet had made me aware that one of their other products would have been better for me.

Whilst not deliberately poking fun, your not the first person in the last 5 or so days to start a thread with basically the same sentiment.
OFCOM makes ISPs give you a MAC key within 5 days, PN do that on the 5th day, which is within the regulations. (They're there for a reason). At least they will allow you to transfer away from them cleanly, rather than generate you a MAC, and make it as difficult as possible to switch (Sky and TalkTalk are *very* bad for this)
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but you are not in full knowledge of the facts behind my decision to move and its too long-winded to write it all here

Understandable, but what i would say that if you 're-read' your posts from a "someone else wrote them" point of view, You'll probably read it in the same way i have, in that your trying to blame PN for being on a more expensive/not as modern/less value for money package.
Regards
paulo
Grafter
Posts: 157
Registered: ‎02-01-2008

Re: Plusnet's halo has gone rusty and sour grapes too!

Many thanks Matt_2k34 for you sensible approach to this tread and you are perfectly right in what you say.  When I opened this thread I was frustrated that I could not get through to customer service (cancelations presumablly) for over 25 mins and the 5 day MAC delay (all of which has been explained to me since) and Mybroadband being down.
A bit of background for not taking PN home phone.
I have an ongoing (years) problem with the underground cable that feeds my property.  I am the sole user of the cable and it runs under land owned by me and a local farmer.  Although I am the only subscriber on this calble and it runs under private land it does belong to and is maintained by BT (Openreach)  Every few months the cable goes dis because of cattle and tractors etc running over the cable and I have to call out BT to repair it.    If I started paying line rental to PN instead of BT as I would by useing PN home phone then I would have to report cable faults to PN and not BT.  This I think would give me less control over getting the cable fix, which is difficult enough, as it would introduce a third party (PN)
I can resist everything except temptation.
jelv
Seasoned Hero
Posts: 26,785
Thanks: 971
Fixes: 10
Registered: ‎10-04-2007

Re: Plusnet's halo has gone rusty and sour grapes too!

Also, I presume when it is broken you get call diversion for free with BT. You don't get that with Plusnet.
jelv (a.k.a Spoon Whittler)
   Why I have left Plusnet (warning: long post!)   
Broadband: Andrews & Arnold Home::1 (FTTC 80/20)
Line rental: Pulse 8 Home Line Rental (£14.40/month)
Mobile: iD mobile (£4/month)