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Let's start with the fact I'm starting a new business. This is obviously stressful enough without the additional and to be frank, quite definitely unwanted problems that come with dealing with BT!
I am currently renting the property, and the phone number that was previously there has been reserved by the owner ( a very good phone number). I arranged with the landlord to get the phone number re-connected 15 days before we opened (we've set up pretty quick, so couldn't really be done sooner).
Anyway, he phoned BT and the confirmed that our phone number would be live at 10am on the 1st of August. Now on the 5th of August I decided to check the number so that I could divert it to my mobile until we actually open. I dialed the number and got a "Sorry you have dialed an incorrect number" message.
First thing Monday morning I went to talk to the owner who seemed quite confused as he tried the number himself and got the same response about dialing an incorrect number.
We decided to physically go to the phone and check it out for ourselves. Well it worked okay, but it was the wrong bleeding phone number! This really wasn't a good thing as all our advertising, menus, car vinyl etc. has OUR phone number on it.
He decided to phone BT and get it sorted out. After two phone calls, they promised to ring back within the hour. Nothing. On the Tuesday he rang back again and was assured by the operator at the other end that the phone number has been changed and would be live within 24 hours.
At 2pm on the Wednesday and 24 hours later the phone number still hadn't been sorted out. At least another three phone calls of being promised a call back - no surprises, we didn't get a call back. The owner called their complaints department and the person he spoke to can see that the job is on there to be done, but nothing IS being done about it. Once again, 'its not his department', so he couldn't fix it and told us somebody would ring us back... again!
On Thursday, he got a letter from BT confirming the phone number has been changed, but of course it hadn't. More phone calls to BT and the operators tell us its a 30 second job, but its not their department so they can't do it. They can see it all on their monitors and we get another promise of a ring back - then nothing.
Friday, more phone calls and I suggested to the property owner that they refuse to get off the phone until the problem is sorted (has worked for me a few times in the past). Taking my advice, they get passed onto another department. The lady here says 'sorry I can't help you, somebody will ring you back'. This time he digs his heels in and explains that nobody EVER rings back and that this has to be sorted right away.
Apparently the operator he spoke to then physically went to the correct department that should have dealt with our problem. When she came back she said that the phone number has been sold by BT and no longer belongs to them. Well, this is impossible because it was reserved by BT themselves and they sent out a letter of confirmation stating the number is theirs, so after a bit more perseverance we are then told that we CAN have the number back, but they can't promise when.
Well, it's now 3 days until we open, and BT have still got our phone number... What a great start to our new business! Thanks BT!
By: Siquo
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Just wanted to post that BT:
1) Lie
2) Say whatever to get you off the phone
3) Are in a sorry state of affairs
I requested some itemized billing from BT on 15 October. Subsequently I found out that they were sent on the 15th. On the 25th I was informed that the case had been closed as it was put in the wrong queue. No mention of this to me of course. A new request was made and confirmation that on the 27th the bills were sent out. Today, 4th November, nothing.
Phoning BT they just repeat, sent out on the 27th...
They are unable to talk to departments on the phone.
They are incapable of customer support.
They don't care about their customers.
Surely BT is already making enough profits without building and selling phones that will become unusable after just 2 or 3 years? Or, at the very least, we should be told upfront by BT, before we buy, that there is a chance that the product may become useless within a relatively short timescale.
Regards
kiwi