BT customer service, truly dreadful
Like many other 'gripers' I am a BT customer. The problems began in ernest when I accepted an email offer for the total broadband package in September 2006. After numerous calls to BT customer service, where people could find no record of my order, eventually the package 'arrived' at Christmas.
For a year, after initial teething problems, the service was good; then from Christmas 2007 the Internet connection drop off became a daily occurrence. The engineers visited my property on three occasions and they did everything they could. (If only the rest of BT personnel were as thorough and helpful.) The engineers identified the problem as a 'long line issue'. Essentially this means BT have to replace / upgrade 800 yards of distribution cable to provide a continuous signal. Up to 8MB they offered when I signed up, however, the actual speed I received was 0.42MB at best.
Eventually, after hours of fraught discussions with BT, the technical department agreed to refund my line rental. Also agreeing that I would not be required to pay broadband line rental until the cable was replaced.
I thought this was very fair of BT. However, the next quarterly bill arrived with no credit against it for the line rental. More fraught long-winded calls with BT customer service. As others have described: transferred from to department to department. In the end the matter was sorted out. Regrettably I have to grapple with the same procedure every quarter to obtain the credit. I am now on the fifth quarterly session.
On one occasion a lady in customer service actually told me they are essentially paid to listen and can do precious little. The BT customer service advisers can remove certain items wrongly charged to a bill, but have little if any powers to authorise any compensation.
I have been a BT customer for many years. The service has deteriorated since call centres moved out of the UK and in essence the impression gained is this: BT unofficially or otherwise seem to operate a policy of making life extremely difficult for UK domestic users. I'm sure their customer complaints statistics look quite good. Probably because there is no clear route to a reasonable conclusion.
If I had £5 for every failed promise and meaningless apology received from BT I could retire very comfortably for the rest of my life.
By: Veo
Comments from visitors
Dear Service Provider (II):
Now on Sunday, in an unrelated incident, our power was cut and was out for nearly a day. I guess the tropical downpour on Saturday on/off affecting Hammersmith (yeah London SW13) had some bearing on the matter. Now we have a standby generator running to give us power, telephone and dsl. I can hear the engine running outside from a truck(Monday). We had to eat up all the melting ice cream, precook our chicken etc, what a day Sunday was. Yeah some power guys also dug up our approach and front garden looking for the problem...what a mess: a pit about 30 foot long, 5 feet wide and about 4 feet down - took 3 or 4 guys digging for about 5 hours. Still these guys who were contractors (Laing?) for our South Electric vendor were v. polite and didn't touch our ornamental tree and missed most of the flowers. Boy oh boy, this is becoming like a daily gripe. Is 2012 coming soon? Well ok, the good news is that at least half the neighbours of about 10 houses that were also down came by at some point and we all commiserated about the loss of power.
Now on Sunday, in an unrelated incident, our power was cut and was out for nearly a day. I guess the tropical downpour on Saturday on/off affecting Hammersmith (yeah London SW13) had some bearing on the matter. Now we have a standby generator running to give us power, telephone and dsl. I can hear the engine running outside from a truck(Monday). We had to eat up all the melting ice cream, precook our chicken etc, what a day Sunday was. Yeah some power guys also dug up our approach and front garden looking for the problem...what a mess: a pit about 30 foot long, 5 feet wide and about 4 feet down - took 3 or 4 guys digging for about 5 hours. Still these guys who were contractors (Laing?) for our South Electric vendor were v. polite and didn't touch our ornamental tree and missed most of the flowers. Boy oh boy, this is becoming like a daily gripe. Is 2012 coming soon? Well ok, the good news is that at least half the neighbours of about 10 houses that were also down came by at some point and we all commiserated about the loss of power.
-1
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Dear Service Provider:
Last night Thurs 16/6/11 and the previous night Wednesday around midnight the internet went down and then I noticed the phone (landline) line was dead also ( a busy signal on the telephone). Last night it was still down at 1 am. the night before it cleared up by 00.30 am.
Its impossible to say for sure if its the internet down or the telephone is down. However it is likely that BT can disrupt the phone and then the internet which is DSL is by definition also disrupted..
My BT exchange happens to be at Hammersmith. Usually my internet can go down maybe once in a blue moon if they are doing maintenance at the Hammersmith exchange for example - this can occur around 4pm and can last no more than a half hour. When it was Tiscali, you could call a certain number using a cell phone and it would tell you that BT had reported problems at certain locations. However these are recordings,
Practically no point in calling anyone, because even if BT has the exchange, you can't complain to Tiscali or TalkTalk for that matter, because they will blame BT. and no point in calling BT, because your service provider is in my case TalkTalk.
So last night (ie Thursday night), I didn't bothering resetting my router, because this morning (Friday) around 5am on 17/6/11,the phone was up again, and the internet was also up. So life is beautiful again!
Funny though, I have Windows 7 on my pc which I use wirelessly for broadband (when its up) .Last night when internet was down, I right clicked the little icon indicating internet wireless connection, and it showed huge activity both on receive and on send data blocks coming and going, Even though there was no internet, and even though the landline was indicating a busy signal. so all v. strange indeed.
Last night Thurs 16/6/11 and the previous night Wednesday around midnight the internet went down and then I noticed the phone (landline) line was dead also ( a busy signal on the telephone). Last night it was still down at 1 am. the night before it cleared up by 00.30 am.
Its impossible to say for sure if its the internet down or the telephone is down. However it is likely that BT can disrupt the phone and then the internet which is DSL is by definition also disrupted..
My BT exchange happens to be at Hammersmith. Usually my internet can go down maybe once in a blue moon if they are doing maintenance at the Hammersmith exchange for example - this can occur around 4pm and can last no more than a half hour. When it was Tiscali, you could call a certain number using a cell phone and it would tell you that BT had reported problems at certain locations. However these are recordings,
Practically no point in calling anyone, because even if BT has the exchange, you can't complain to Tiscali or TalkTalk for that matter, because they will blame BT. and no point in calling BT, because your service provider is in my case TalkTalk.
So last night (ie Thursday night), I didn't bothering resetting my router, because this morning (Friday) around 5am on 17/6/11,the phone was up again, and the internet was also up. So life is beautiful again!
Funny though, I have Windows 7 on my pc which I use wirelessly for broadband (when its up) .Last night when internet was down, I right clicked the little icon indicating internet wireless connection, and it showed huge activity both on receive and on send data blocks coming and going, Even though there was no internet, and even though the landline was indicating a busy signal. so all v. strange indeed.
+5
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dear sirs
you sent me a letter saying my broadband services- account suspended why ?Ipay monthly by direct debit
try ring on the number on letter 08456007030 it then gives other 8001114567 then say www .aol/ bt
which does not work
please apply in next two days thanks J Fallon
you sent me a letter saying my broadband services- account suspended why ?Ipay monthly by direct debit
try ring on the number on letter 08456007030 it then gives other 8001114567 then say www .aol/ bt
which does not work
please apply in next two days thanks J Fallon
-14
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Your absolutely correct!! I will be doing away with talk, talk,
-1
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pretty much had the same experience as sue below only that bt vision cancelled my direct debit in july this year didnt bother telling me they had and then claimed the whole thing back today by increasing my direct debit by three times what it was.i called bt to find they had merged back in july the two acounts (line&vision) and hadnt bother to tell there customers they appologised for there mistake.now my account is in arrears due to no fault of my own
-11
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this could be 'word for word ' my experience
BT are appaling at customer service - where I live there is no other choice sadly
BT are appaling at customer service - where I live there is no other choice sadly
-7
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I have never been reduced to tears when dealing with a ultilities company it's not exactly life or death but have to admit I have sobbed when for the 30th time (no exaggeration) I get the foreigner (which I have no problem with if they fully understand the lingo) asking me to repeat my story. I'm too depressed to write the in's and out's of this but in a nutshell the service BT give their customers is so crap it's laughable, I have constant problems with my broadband (they tell me its' fine), problems with Vision (they tell me it's fine) and to top it off they stopped my direct debit without telling me and changed the BT account and then blamed me demanding the money and cutting me off to boot. UTTER CRAP BT YOU'RE A DISGRACE!!!!!!! Got to go home now to ring them again from my mobile because my land line and Vision isn't working can't think anything better than wasting 2hrs on a Friday night, can you?
-1
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Sorry I noticed someone had suggested 24 Talk to you with the 90 day cool off period- OMG I have been with them for a year and it has been the most frustrating long year of my life - they are very difficult to get hold off as they close 5.30 each day and for those of us that work that is impossible- then they break their agreement with the 90 day thing - I got well and truly caught- I then gave them notice to get away from them after my contract had ran out and they told me they automatically re-contract you without notice and you have to write to them in the 11th month of the contract for a months notice or they charge £35 even out with your contract- if you stay with them longer than a month after your contract they re-contract you and if you want out it cost you a £82 charge- I have had loads of problems and phoned- e-mailed until I was blue in the face promising an investigation and would get back to me 12 months later they never did get back to me- and ignored all of my e-mails- seriously think twice before using this firm- worst mistake I made, I grant you BT is not much better but please do not jump to them.
+2
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dont even get me started on BT, the worse service I have ever received, they made error after effor with me, 12 after I moved away from the property where I held the contract im still being hastled by them. they made an error and got debt collectors involved and now admit it was their fault but im still being bothered by them and no sorry, no letter to confirm it or put a stop to it, they will be losing customers very fast, already all my family and friends are switching to other suppliers. monkeys could do a better job!
-12
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If u r not happy try 24 Talk with 90 days trail period ...that first three month there is no Contract ...???
+5
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If you think BT is bad try TALKTALK, yep, BT customer service is bad and tech support is just as bad, but compared to TT your in internet heaven with BT.
+9
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Veo Why put up with this un-proffessional service there are alternatives you know!
Look the company I use are polite,very very successful,value for money and a no nonsense kind of business.Just go here have a brows you will be pleasantly surprised too.www.bestbillsaver.co.uk
If you know anyone,anyone at all that is having problems with BT,Sky,TalkTalk just send them there too.
These kind of companies need to know that they do not own you and they can't monopolise the situation that many of us face! It makes my blood boil when I hear of such stories who do they think they are!
bestbillsaver
Look the company I use are polite,very very successful,value for money and a no nonsense kind of business.Just go here have a brows you will be pleasantly surprised too.www.bestbillsaver.co.uk
If you know anyone,anyone at all that is having problems with BT,Sky,TalkTalk just send them there too.
These kind of companies need to know that they do not own you and they can't monopolise the situation that many of us face! It makes my blood boil when I hear of such stories who do they think they are!
bestbillsaver
-7
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bestbillsaver.co.uk - 23-May-10 10:06
BT broad band is not what it all made out to be I have had it for 2 years now and it has gpne off nearly every month. I have weekend free calls but can not phone out on the braod band phone. I have compained lots of time but they put me onto the callcentre that costs me a lot of money because I have to use my mobile phone. I email and they say there is a free phone number aaaa. It does not hel when I have no voice and have not had a voice for a long time which I have said but BT still phone me. I am looking for a better braodband and will cahnge. Hmmm as im righting this letter my braodband is flashing ready to go off again. so im trying to keep this short before I have to do it all again. anoyed customer.Please dont phone me!!!!!
+5
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BT's own website is extremely slow. Try going to 'Manage Services' but expect to wait all day, if you are lucky, just to get there, which, by the way - may never happen!
+1
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Almost exactly the same problems I have had. Also, don't trust the BT desktop help supplied with broadband. It has crashed my PC so many times and once you have it you can't get rid.
BT owe me over £700 in credits which I have proved to them several times over the past year, they keep promising to put my account on hold until it is sorted, then a few weeks later they cut me off again! All because they can't sort their accounts errors out. And never believe them when they say they will ring you back - stay on the line as you'll never get that call.
BT owe me over £700 in credits which I have proved to them several times over the past year, they keep promising to put my account on hold until it is sorted, then a few weeks later they cut me off again! All because they can't sort their accounts errors out. And never believe them when they say they will ring you back - stay on the line as you'll never get that call.
-1
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BT Answer 1571. You cannot turn it off temporarily. You either have to have it or not as the case may be. As it can only hold 10 calls - what an honestly feeble and pathetic number, and they charge you heavily [unspecified] if you want to "Retun the Call". As they have discontinued access via Internet or remotely by phone. As it always butts in when you call and the phone is occupied costing 15p on my mobile whether I want to leave a message or not. As ... As ... I am going to have this service completely cut off. It's useless.
BT Answer cost me over £2 in change once when I was trying to get through urgently from a call box and the line was occupied.
Oh La La why do I have to live in a useless land run by useless monopolies, dangerous banks, overprice restaurants, meaningless governments ...?
Jump on the Greedy Gravy Train ...
BT Answer cost me over £2 in change once when I was trying to get through urgently from a call box and the line was occupied.
Oh La La why do I have to live in a useless land run by useless monopolies, dangerous banks, overprice restaurants, meaningless governments ...?
Jump on the Greedy Gravy Train ...
+5
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La La Luton Land - 29-Nov-09 13:22
Hmmm. Interesting reading.
I too have experienced many of the problems mentioned here. A previously working BT broadband service that now disconnects so frequently on some days that it is essentially unusable. Reduced to 1Mb (to solve the problem - but doesn't) - told its a long line problem (but its only 1 mile from the exchange and worked fine before) - finally replaced a damaged section of external line (still doesn't work) - eventually replaced the hub (still doesn't work) - refuse to increase the line speed (they say the line can't carry more - nonsense, I've seen line test results for 3.6 Mb) - call me at any time of the day and expect me to answer the phone within 4 or 5 rings or they hang up (they don't answer so fast - takes more than 20 mins sometimes) - put me on hold for minutes on end - refuse to put me through to a UK help centre (you have to contact BT head Office if you want some UK help) and all in all provide the lousiest Communications Customer Support Service I have ever come accross. I don't blame the overseas help desk operatives - they are just "following orders" - but I DO blame the people who designed and put in place such a terrible system. I will be voting with my feet and going elsewhere for my Internet Service in the future.
I too have experienced many of the problems mentioned here. A previously working BT broadband service that now disconnects so frequently on some days that it is essentially unusable. Reduced to 1Mb (to solve the problem - but doesn't) - told its a long line problem (but its only 1 mile from the exchange and worked fine before) - finally replaced a damaged section of external line (still doesn't work) - eventually replaced the hub (still doesn't work) - refuse to increase the line speed (they say the line can't carry more - nonsense, I've seen line test results for 3.6 Mb) - call me at any time of the day and expect me to answer the phone within 4 or 5 rings or they hang up (they don't answer so fast - takes more than 20 mins sometimes) - put me on hold for minutes on end - refuse to put me through to a UK help centre (you have to contact BT head Office if you want some UK help) and all in all provide the lousiest Communications Customer Support Service I have ever come accross. I don't blame the overseas help desk operatives - they are just "following orders" - but I DO blame the people who designed and put in place such a terrible system. I will be voting with my feet and going elsewhere for my Internet Service in the future.
+6
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I work for BT Retail and feel I need to point out that Up to 8Mg, is exactly that. It means we will provide the best speed your line is capable of supporting up to 8Mg. The longer your line has to take to the exchange, the more the line stability will degrade and in order to avoid you having a dropping connection problem, the speeds need to be reduced.
If you have had technical problems, I advise that you contact the technical helpdesk again. Tell them that billing have asked for a technical advisor to call billing and authorise the credit to your account for technical problems. They should then do this for you and if billing do place a credit, they will provide a reference number which you should quote to billing if you still do not get the credit.
Since the call will come from another advisor, it will carry more weight in getting billing to actually credit your account.
If you have had technical problems, I advise that you contact the technical helpdesk again. Tell them that billing have asked for a technical advisor to call billing and authorise the credit to your account for technical problems. They should then do this for you and if billing do place a credit, they will provide a reference number which you should quote to billing if you still do not get the credit.
Since the call will come from another advisor, it will carry more weight in getting billing to actually credit your account.
+8
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BT Retail Business Broadband T - 27-Oct-09 22:35
I work for BT Retail and feel I need to point out that Up to 8Mg, is exactly that. It means we will provide the best speed your line is capable of supporting up to 8Mg. The longer your line has to take to the exchange, the more the line stability will degrade and in order to avoid you having a dropping connection problem, the speeds need to be reduced.
If you have had technical problems, I advise that you contact the technical helpdesk again. Tell them that billing have asked for a technical advisor to call billing and authorise the credit to your account for technical problems. They should then do this for you and if billing do place a credit, they will provide a reference number which you should quote to billing if you still do not get the credit.
Since the call will come from another advisor, it will carry more weight in getting billing to actually credit your account.
If you have had technical problems, I advise that you contact the technical helpdesk again. Tell them that billing have asked for a technical advisor to call billing and authorise the credit to your account for technical problems. They should then do this for you and if billing do place a credit, they will provide a reference number which you should quote to billing if you still do not get the credit.
Since the call will come from another advisor, it will carry more weight in getting billing to actually credit your account.
+9
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BT Retail Business Broadband T - 27-Oct-09 21:50
omg I belived I was the only one . do bt surfpervisers excist are they wired to the moom? not my number!
-6
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