Talk Talk and their very poor customer service

Having spent six problem free years with Pipex, even during the Tiscali years, I was hoping that the takeover by TT wouldn't cause hassle. I wasn't happy in the first place about being shunted over to them, as various members of my family have been victims of their pushy cold-calling and street-accosting antics. One month after being shifted to their billing system, I found my broadband access to every part of the internet was blocked, except the talktalk.co.uk domain itself (so that it could redirect me to a page on that domain, instructing me to phone the customer finance department). I was assured there was no problem with my account, and it must be a technical issue.

I then spent two evenings and one morning on the telephone, either being subjected to a holding 'music' tape (which I assume they got a copy of from some US Military torture unit), or speaking to a succession of 'technical' staff, who frankly I wouldn't trust to wire a 13A plug. I was repeatedly told that it was my computer settings at fault, that my modem was 'old, incompatible technology' and one person even tried to tell me that the TT homepage "was not on the internet".

Anyway, on the third day of getting absolutely nowhere, I finally snapped and demanded that someone ring me back so that I could cancel my account. Lo and behold, around four minutes later I tried my brower and everything was back to normal. I did not recieve any explanation, or apology for the amount of my life I'd had to waste listening to a 20 second burst of Bonnie Tyler over and over again.

Four weeks on, and the exact same thing has happened again. So tonight I spent another two hours going through the *exact* same rubbish - your account is fine, your modem is not compatible, your settings are wrong, your router is showing a weak signal, you need a new router, no there is no higher level of technical support, we are all trained to the same level... After the second call to customer services to cancel, I finally managed to speak to someone in Preston, who it seemed knew one end of a keyboard from the other...

He confirmed that my account had had a bar put on it in error, and that he would alert the relevant departments to get it sorted. However, it could take up to three days... so, another three days outage due to an error on their part, not mine. As a result, I'm typing this from a friend's computer. The very minute my own connection starts working again, I shall be seeking out a new provider - something I'm not looking forward to, but anything's better than going through this headache again in another month's time.

TalkTalk are an absolute shambles, and my sympathies go out to anyone else who has had to suffer at their hands. If anyone else is thinking of doing business with them: For the sake of your sanity and blood pressure, just don't.

Hi

I've just come off thew phone from Talk Talk. Im was appalled by their non-customer service, but seemingly others have experienced worse!

I was previously with Pipex, who TalkTalk took over. The bill they say they sent last month never arrived, as is the case with a letter notifying me of the 50% inctrase in charges.

I spoke to four people, one of whom was courteous and helpful (as far as he could be) I had to give my personal details to all of them. I think they have agreed to send me a copy of the bill (tho it wasn't clear, but I may have been told there will be an additional charge

I asked to be transferred to the end of call customer survey - I was kept waiting until I eventually hung up (I wonder why!). While I waited I was played music, sung in a foreign language, which, call me cynical, came across to me as an "up yours"

I will definitely change to another provider on principle - notwithstanding that I'm aware from the comments of others what this may entail

In conclusion, I've been pleased with the courtesy, knowledge and helpfulness of some other overseas call-centres in the past: it's a shame their reputations can be indirectly affected in this way

same complaints about talk talk, just joined orange, was plesently supprised when they rang back following day to confirm my problem was solved.... take note talk talk, there are better suppliers !

TalkTalk Billing. All interested parties should refer to Sec.21, Theft Act 1968

TalkTalk is indeed the worst company in any sphere of operations. They are incapable of or just too arrogant to be answering letters from people seeking help.
Never allow anyone you care for to have any dealings with TalkTalk

Absoultely discusting customer service. The usual number is now unavailable (08700 444 1820). Another alternative number connected me to a company called "Low Cost Holidays". The so called service from AOL is abolute rubbish, their ISP software keeps "freezing", it is as slow as hell and I cannot access any of it this evening. I am totally fed up with both AOL and talk talk. Time to move on I think.

Most pathetic service I have ever encountered. We were promised 1MB, as everyone in this area is receiving, and receive a broadband speed that makes dial-up look amazing. We're talking 11kb/s-56kb/s and the router frequently disconnects, which is a problem we've never really encountered when we were with AOL. If we're lucky, we'll get 89-103kb/s download speeds. During the first week, the problems arose on a daily basis and speed was non-existent to the point that even after resetting it would still take roughly 5 minutes to load up Google. Avoid if you want to keep your hair and have any sense. JUST AVOID!

At the risk of bringing coals to Newcastle, this is another complaint about the execrable so-called 'Customer Service' at Talk Talk. I have been phoning them several times a day for the last week, being put on hold interminably, being cut off and being passed from one person to another, none of whom understands my problem, which is absolutely straightforward. I have tried to activate another e-mail address on my Talk Talk account and the incoming server is not working, with the result that I can send, but not receive, e-mails from the new address. Not a particularly difficult issue to understand, or even to fix, I should have thought, but apparently completely beyond the wit of anybody at Talk Talk. I heartily wish I had never signed up with these people. As I write this, the recorded message from Talk Talk is coming through on my phone is saying that my call 'is important to them', but after 30 minutes, 'there are more than 9 people ahead of me in the queue'!

In a written reply from Offcom I was informed that they DO NOT investigate complaints from individuals but nevertheless do take note of them. They referred me to the Telecom Ombudsman who will only act in a dispute after the customer has received a "Deadlock letter" from their telecom supplier. Talk talk are often unwilling to write such a letter. There is some good news for all you frustrated TT customers. E- mail dido.harding@talktalkplc.com This is their CEO and she does pass this on very quickly. Try it - it works. Do not keep ringing their 0870 number - all you will end up with is a "Customer service rep.- I use that term with some venom in my voice as they have not the first idea of customer service) based in the philippenes.

It's no comfort to know so many people are being treated like this by TalkTalk. My mother has just moved to BT after being treated appallingly. They were doing some 'work' in the area and told users in advance. Her phone then didn't work and they denied having anything to do with it. Weeks of phone calls (always expensive and having to be done by mobile) to people who couldn't speak English, customer service and supposed technical support who had no idea what they were talking about. Friends helped and managed to get her fixed with a phone by running wires all over the house. Eventually, after she'd contacted her MP and the Chief Exec's office, TalkTalk sent an engineer round who fixed it and agreed it had been their fault in the first place.

Dreadful service from this company - to add insult to injury, they then cut her off earlier than agreed and left her without a phone again. I'll be trying to persuade her to complain and go to Ofcom - I think she should have compensation for this.

It has been over a year now since I lost my internet connection.Despite reporting it to TalkTalk, they refused to report the line fault to enable BT to repair. Only BT can repair and a fault must be reported by their client, in my case TalkTalk.I ended up having no choice but to change provider. We are heavily dependent on the internet so I signed up with BT after more than a month without connection. To add insult to injury, TalkTalk kept plundering my bank account for a further 3 months and taking monies for services they no longer provided.This coincided with the Ofcom revelation that TalkTalk had been doing similar to 62,000 of their customers.I complained to Ofcom who recommended I follow TalkTalk's complaint procedure. TalkTalk ignored my complaint so again on Ofcom's recommendation I made a formal complaint to the telecoms Ombudsman. At first they offered a paltry £50 goodwill gesture and then upped it to £75 when I pointed out that their 'fair and balanced' decision completely favored TalkTalk. Whilst it was clear TalkTalk breached their contract with me and completely ignored Ofcom's binding recommendations, the Ombudsman merely described this as poor customer service. In the meantime I have been invited to appear on a BBC1 consumer prog.to air my woes with TalkTalk and the Ombudsman.Last July I complained to my MP regarding Ofcom's decision initially not to fine TalkTalk. I equated TalkTalk's 62.000 failed customers as being the exact number in his constituency and how would he feel about everyone of his constituents having their bank accounts being plundered. He wrote to Ed Vaizey, the Miinister. Shortly after that Ofcom decided to fine TalkTalk. The sad thing is that I have read many.many complaints and gripes about TalkTalk on this and other sites and newspapers. It constantly manages to top the list of the telecoms companies with the highest number of complaints BUT the figures supplied by Ofcom says it all. They received 1000 complaints about TalkTalk but when they eventually investigated TalkTalk, they found 65000 customers had monies taken for services not supplied or had been chased by debt collectors for bills no owed. So for every person that complained to Ofcom 64 didn't. It only takes minutes to fill in an Ofcom online complaints form or write a simple complaints letter and costs only pence. Whilst people fail to make legitimate complaints, TalkTalk will just continue with its feeble customer service. I could name at least 22 TalkTalk employees i either phoned,emailed or sent a letter to, to try and get them to make a free phone call to BT to get the line fault repaired or the DD stopped.The Ombudsman has again upped their goodwill gesture to £125 after they found out I was appearing on a consumer prog. The Ombudsman is funded by the telecoms' companies and whereas these companies are completely familiar with the way the Ombudsman operates (have obviously handled many complaints about each one) the poor consumer is disadvantaged having only probably used this service for the one and only time. However as Ofcom recommended I use this service, I will now be making a formal complaint AGAINST Ofcom for not receiving the Fair and balanced decision that was promised. Today I read that the advertising watchdog has banned TalkTalk adverts that claim they are the Uk's safest broadband supplier. They just seem to get worse and worse. Take heed and avoid this company at all cost.

I was a BT customer and reasonably satisfied with their service. Then we moved house to where the previous owner had Talktalk for phone and internet. Unfortunately the line to the property is a TT line and BT has no access. So the previous owner and I were advised by TT to download and complete a two part change of ownership form. This was done mid November before the move and duly signed by us both then mailed to TT Southampton first class recorded delivery.

Six plus weeks later after at least 10 calls to TT customer service (India mostly South Africa sometimes), we are no further forward and TT deny all knowledge of change of ownership. Since the previous house owner has now cancelled the direct debit but remains the account owner of 'our' phone, I fear we will be cut off soon.

What a pathetically inept management TT must have. The feeble attempt at ensuring service quality by asking the customer to hold the line after a conversation in order to 'rate' the TT operative. The mangement is like a chess player in a game of draughs ie on occasions when the call is not going well for the operative I was either cut off or abruptly transferred.

Unlike other customers I do not have the option to transfer to BT or anyone else sine TT owns the line.

A SMALL NEW YEARS GIFT TO ANYONE HAVING PROBLEMS WITH TALK-TALK.

I have been without my landline now for 8 days despite spending over 10 hours on the phone (0870 number) and being pushed from one department to another all telling me that there is nothing wrong with my phone and that Talk Talk are not barring me making all but local calls.

Yesterday I e-mailed their CEO, Dido Harding and to my total amazement got a reply from her via her i-phone within 2 hours.

First thing this morning I received an e-mail from one of the managers in her office with his direct phone number. I spoke to him at some length and he ashed me for 5 minutes to look at the matter. He phoned me back in 3 miutes to say that there was a partial bar on my phone line which would be lifted in a few hours. It was.

So for those of you (I think there are many) who are having problems with Talk Talk try an e-mail to Dido.Harding@talktalkplc.com or to ceoexec@alktalkplc.com it really works!!

Happy New Year

Talk talk must have the worst customer service department of any company. I have been without my landline since 23 December despite a total of over 8 hours on the phone to them. They placed an intecept on my line 4 days after I signed a new 12 month agreement with them and no-one has been able to tell me why or get it removed. So far it has cost me in excess of £100 in mobile calls to talk to family over Christmas.
If you start to get angry they cut you off (and that is without swearing at all). There are never any managers available and the grasp of English from many of there call centre staff is poor to say the least.
Talk Talk you really are total SHITE and I will be leaving you after I have taken this to OFFCOM

the worst customer sevice ive ever experinced in my life...they 2 hav spoilt my xmas...12 customer service staff i talked to yesterdy. and for something as simple as trying to get my wireless password sorted as no wireless device was picking up on it..i eventualy spoke to the one and only person in talktalk who had any idea and after 6 hours on the phone he sorted the problem for me by talking me through how to change some settings on the router.this took all of 5 mins...so frustrating, i might add all of these people i spoke to were apparantly technical support 11 of them told me i couldnt get settings changed when i knew you could,,i will no longer be a talktalk customer

My mother has just decided to leave TalkTalk because of the same reason that I did - incessant marketing calls she keeps receiving from them, despite supposedly being removed from the appropriate list and being promised that she would not receive any further calls. TalkTalk itself is driving customers away! What a crazy company.

Just put any future correspondence from them straight in the bin and ignore it!

Or, if you want to make a point, just save it all up for a year and then send the whole lot back to them by post without attaching any postage. Just add a covering letter saying "these are not for me" with a big smily face.

I am not a Talk Talk customer, I never have been, not has anyone at this address in the last 12 years. We keep getting someone else's bill, our address, different name, it does not matter what I try, I cannot get it to stop. I've tried returning to sender, telephoning, e-mailing. Sending the letters to the complaints department. They will not even acknowledge my letters by writing to me!!

How do I sort this out? I

I am glad I am not the only one. Also considering going back to BT. TT have ruined my Xmas before it has even started!

talk-talk is an ass, ive never delt with such a shambles in my life, 4 hours over a period of 2 days we was on the phone trying to get back £80 which they took out of our bank account, being pushed from pillor to post, left us without anything in our account after one of there none speaking english reps saying we didnt have to pay our bill for this month as they messed up our billing account, and what do you no they took it anyway, not good at xmas when our kids cant eat and a 5 month old baby cant have his milk cause they took all our money, i would love to be face to face with the ceo of the company, hope he can sleep at nite ripping familys off, bet he is ok with his big bonus for ripping people like us off, a prize blip if u ask me, he would get more than a blip if he was in front of me......