BT impossible to deal with

[andygo]

Why are Bt so hard to deal with?

1/ Moved house last year. Called up to arrange new phone number and move broadband which I had had with BT for a couple of years. They could sort the phone line out, but siad it would take some 6 weeks to move the Broadband connection.

I was told that I would have to buy a 56k modem in the meantime!!!

In the end it became quicker to set up a new account, which, as my wifes employers paid for the broadband anyway via her company credit card,we did.

2/. Changed bank account in February so rang up BT to get a new DD set up for the monthly payment plan. Told that I had to clear the whole bill before they could set up a new DD. Thanks.

3/. Back to broadband. At last got the free upgrade from 512 to 2mb. Wife noticed that her company c/card hadn't been debited for a couple of months. Next day (coincedentally)

BT sent me a 'new style' bill which had the broadband account changed from my wifes name to mine with me now responsible for paying the phone and broadband. They appparently can't revert back as it was a condition of the 'free' upgrade that all accounts were consolidated.

All of these BT induced nightmares took hours of being on hold and then conversing in pidgin English to Indians called Elvis or Doreen etc to attempt to resolve.

BT just doesn't give a toss, or is it just me?

[silversun]

Nope. They don't give a toss.

[longwool]

Took me 3 weeks and 3 days to get the phone line reinstated after a lorry pulled it down across the road. BT are without doubt the most inept company I have had the misfortune to deal with. I would be pleased to pay an extra charge per quarter to have a "real" customer service unit wher the telephone was answered` by a person who cared and was empowered to make decisions.
I now have a policy to avoid dealing with BT wherever possible. I also beleive that they make their accounts department deliberatelery inaccessible so most people can't be bothered with the hassle of pursuing a complaint or compensation. I have just given in, the last time I phoned up it took 55 minuted to speak to three different muppets who didn't care less and could action anything. The compensation is just not worth my time and the increase in blood pressure while I wait to speak to someeone and then answer the same questions over and over again.
BT............I hate them

[DanBoy]

NTL are just as shite!

[parrot of doom]

Poor service = go elsewhere.

Its so simple.

[surfymark]

It might be very simple to you!

We have no cable in our estate (for some reason) so who do I contact to get a phone line? Only choice is BT isn't it.

Good thing that monopolies commission is doing its job!!

[fallon]

BT are definitely on par with Bexley Council as the most inept and downright useless organisation to deal with.

We are moving offices soon and I'm dreading the inevitable cock-up that will doubtless ensue owing to BT's all-round incompetence (as it has done with the prevous two moves).

Mind you, I've now been on hold to a certain mortgage provider for in excess of 45 minutes just waiting to speak to someone.....luckily it's a freephone number though.

[simpo two]

Yes, BT are complete w*nkers to deal with. A tiny problem that could be solved in a simple 2-minute call grows into a festering mountain because you can never get to talk to anyone. The bills are a masterpiece of incoprehensible over-explanation.

For both reasons I've just moved both lines to One-Tel. I know they're still BT underneath but at least I won't have to deal with them.

PowerGen are running them pretty close however...

[anonymous-user]

I had problems with my original BT connect account and got nowhere with "customer services". I looked up the name of the MD of that part of the business (at that time Pierre Danon) and faxed him. Hey presto some guy from some specialist team in Edinburgh was on the case immediately and sorted everything out.

I've done this several times with BT (and itis my normal modus operandi when I dont get my own way ) and it works. Although the boss never sees your fax/letter/email someone in his office will tell someone else to sort it out.

[trickywoo]

BT recently restrung the lines down my road. After they had gone no phone. 8 days after complaining 'engineer' comes to fix it. Says he is not surprised the phone did not work because when they restrung it they put in too few wires (or something like that).

[lazyitus]

Andy - Its not an illusion. They are shite.

PLEASE READ...

www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?f=95&h=&t=194663

[blindswelledrat]

My dad is a doctor and when the phones lines went to his surgery (serving 25000 patients) BT told them not to worry as surgeries were top priority.
Needless to say they were without phones for just under 5 weeks!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[judas]

parrot of doom said:

Poor service = go elsewhere. Its so simple.

And when the alternatives are just as bad, if not worse?

I've got all this to look forward to in the coming weeks - woo, and indeed, hoo...

[volvos70t5]

unrepentant said:

I've done this several times with BT (and itis my normal modus operandi when I dont get my own way ) and it works. Although the boss never sees your fax/letter/email someone in his office will tell someone else to sort it out.

Same here. I ditched NTL and they were giving me the run around closing the account off. Cue one letter to the MD of NTL and they sorted it.

This was depsite me ending my letter with:

"I understand NTL have been having some issues with their levels of customer satisfaction recently. I cannot imagine why."