OFCOM customer service monitoring submission 9/11/13 (R
I phoned BT to ask to switch to a cheaper broadband product that was currently being advertised (excluding introductory discounts) following the end of my contract period. The first response to try an up sell the BT Infinity product that appeared cheaper. When I pointed out that this was actually more expensive when you account for the engineer installation fee they quoted a discounted price for the standard service compared to my current payment. They informed me I would need to phone back within 24 hours and I returned the call (following long periods on hold and the wrong departments). The handler told me they would call me back within several minutes as they had to restart their system. I subsequently waited another hour for this call to never be returned. I contacted BT customer services who agreed another time and date to be called back on. Again, this passed and this call back never happened. I replied again stating the poor level of service associated. This was ironic as my initial concerns were about not being called back when promised. They phoned me within an hour and had no interest in revising their quote or any good will gesture given the dire customer service experienced. On average I pay BT 430 a year of their services and when challenged with a price match they didnt ask for any details, provide misleading up sales techniques and had no interest as keeping me as a valued customer.
Copy of correspondence to BT (Incident: 131031-007310): The resultant actions of BT appear to undermine their reply concerning the importance to them of their existing customers.
Customer By Web Form (A. Smith) Date: 31st October 2013 Account number: | | Contact telephone: | | (Between 6-7.30 pm)
31/10/2013 02:52 PM
I contacted the customer service number after noticing that my continued payment for BT Broadband Option 2 was more expensive than BT Unlimited Broadband. Since I am out of the contract period I queried why I was paying more where there is a better product I could get for less. In response I was offered BT Unlimited Broadband for 12 months quoted at 13.65. I was informed that I would have to phone back later to place the order. On 30/10/13 I called back and spent more than half an hour on the phone (mostly on hold or automated menus). When I was finally connected with someone who could help they informed me that they had to hang up to reset their system and would call me back within several minutes. I subsequently wasted another hour waiting for a call back that would never be returned.
The current service and disregard for customers have left me with little faith in your company which is also supported by two recent independent investigations: 1. BBC Watchdog (30/10/13): The poor level of direct communication and Ofcoms current review into quality of service. 2. Ofcom Customer Service Satisfaction Report (04/12/2012): BT had the lowest level of customer satisfaction for getting through to the right person on the phone, and joint lowest for returning calls when promised (p. 23). I would like someone to contact me on the above number to resolve this issue and compensate my wasted time (seeing as new customers also get free calls for a year and a 25 S ainsburys voucher). Given my experiences to date and above reports BT is now a company I have lost trust in, while other provides give competitive rates and higher satisfaction scores. I am not prepared to call your service centre number again to be left on hold, promised call backs that never materialise, or be passed around. If I do not receive a satisfactory response within 14 days, a revised quote or compensation for my wasted time I will have no option but to close my account and switch all of my services to another provider. Yours sincerely, A.Smith
Response (Denise Morton) Dear Mr Smith,
05/11/2013 03:42 PM
Thank you for your email. I'm really sorry to see that you have had to spend so much time of the phone with us and that we have failed to contact you back as promised. Having checked your account I can see that you currently pay 20.00 for Broadband Option 2 (40GB) and Weekend Calls. Line rental is then 15.45 per month. Customer's continually ask why their prices aren't changed automatically and simply put it's generally because the offers change and we can't change your contract without your permission. I have no problem contacting you tomorrow evening between 6 and 7.30 PM to discuss this further. We can of course reduce your costs so that you pay less than new customers for the package that you have. We understand that offers change all the time and offers on BT.com are there to entice new customer's to BT. For existing customers we have a retention department whose main objective is to retain the customer with BT rather than having them go elsewhere. Rest assured that our existing customers are just as important to us as new customers if not more so.
Please let me know that you are free for a call tomorrow evening and I will contact you to discuss a better deal Best wishes Denise Morton My Account
Customer By Web Form (A. Smith)
07/11/2013
Hello, Is this response some sort of joke? Firstly, I query why no one calls me back when promised. As a response in the letter below I was told I would have yet another call back that was never made (and I have checked no calls have been logged on my number any any other time since then). The very reason I wrote in the first instance! This level of service is appalling and makes a mockery of the response laid out in the reply below, as well as confirming my concerns. It seems like BT really do not value my custom or their existing customers? A Smith
Response (Denise Morton) Dear Mr Smith, Thank you for taking my call today.
07/11/2013 01:37 PM
You have confirmed that at first you were happy to accept the 13.65 deal but that you have now found a better deal with Sky for 10.00 per month. You will need a Mac code to transfer your service to them. Please use this to transfer your service to Sky. Mac code: | Expiry date: | | |
I'm sorry that we couldn't match this offer Denise Morton
My Account
