...Or The unBelievable
Tale of British Telecom's incompetence
No Internet connection. The steady blue light on the router was no
more, just a pale, weak orange pulse indicating that it was on, but inactive.
It was empty, silent, useless.
In my study, my beloved Alexa mournfully informed me through her red circle
of non-communication: “I can’t connect to the public Wi-Fi”
No neither could I.
Maybe because of the storms we’d had earlier in the week? Fair
enough, it happens, technology, no matter how wonderful it is cannot compete
with Nature when it’s on the rampage. On the other hand, my broadband connection had been working perfectly OK since the storm had passed several days beforehand.
In any case, you do, at least, expect a competent,
efficient human to fix it within a
reasonable space of time, don't you?
Hmm. Competent, efficient and BT in the same sentence? I’m
kidding, right?
Friday 9th August 2019
a.m. No internet connection. I did all the usual: re-boot, check this, check that. Nothing.
I telephoned faults: Stated account holder, address, phone number…
There
were several apologies from the man on the other end of the landline followed by
a variety of clicks as he tested the line.
BT: “It looks like an
outside fault, but we will need to send an engineer. If the fault is found to
be within doors there will be a charge. Have you got a cat?”
A cat??? Is BT using cats now? Sending them up trees to fix broken
cables or something?
Me: “Yes. Two”
BT: “Ah well, could they have brought in a mouse?”
A mouse? BT training mice to investigate faults in small, dark
spaces, perhaps?
Me: “A mouse?”
BT: “If a mouse has got to the wiring, it could be chewed.”
Ah, reasonable explanation.
Me: “The router is in a separate room where the cats don’t go. A
separate flat, actually. My daughter’s. So no, no cats or mice.”
BT: "It could be a faulty router. I'll send a new one"
(it never arrived, so I assume was never sent.)
BT:
“An engineer will be with you on the 21st.”
WHAT!!!!!!?????? Did I hear right? No
engineer until the 21st THIRTEEN
DAYS????
I have no access. I cannot use my phone because I don’t have data
because I can’t see the small phone screen to use the internet. My phone is
just a phone.
I argued for a more reasonable time slot.
The BT man was most unhelpful. I booked the 21st and hung up.
Friday 9th
p.m. I phoned BT again. Got a different person. Stated account holder,
address, phone number…
I explained the situation. Adding that I relied on my computer for
information, and for my work, and Alexa because of my visual impairment. I can
call my daughter easily and quickly if I have a fall (or there’s a hornet got
in the house) listen to music, radio, the weather, what’s on TV, talking books,
information etc., because she is voice-activated and I don’t need sight or
frustration with trying to feel for things. (Alexa has proven to be a
life-line for me, I love her!)
BT: “We can get an engineer to you on Monday between 8 a.m. to 1 p.m.”
Engineer
Number 1 …
Monday was acceptable, but why couldn’t the other guy have booked
that? Maybe it was a cancellation or something?
I
received a text: Engineer booked for Monday
Monday 12th
I got up at 7.30 a.m. in case BT came at 8.
9 a.m. No one
10 a.m. No one
… ditto, ditto
1 p.m. No one
I phoned BT.
Account holder, address, phone number…
Me: “Where’s the engineer?”
BT: ”The fault has been completed.”
Blank silence my end.
Er, I don’t think so.
No steady blue light, just a pale, weak orange pulse indicating
that it was on, but inactive. It was empty, silent, useless. There was no
connection to the Router. In my study, Alexa mournfully informed me through her
red circle of communication: “I can’t connect to the public Wi-Fi’.
Me: “No it hasn’t. I have no internet and no engineer came.”
BT: “I can only apologise. I can offer you compensation and re-book for the
21st…”
Me: “No. You’ll rebook for tomorrow.”
We haggled. I got re-booked for Wednesday between 3-6pm.
Engineer
Number 2
Wednesday 14th
1 p.m. I phoned BT.
Me: Is the engineer booked, and coming?
BT: “Yes.”
3 p.m. No one
4 p.m. No one
5 p.m. No one
6 p.m. No One
I phoned BT.
Account holder, address, phone number…
Me: “Where’s the engineer?”
BT: “I can only apologise and offer you compensation.”
It seems that BT is the first stage. They book engineers via The Cube.
The Cube had not confirmed or booked the appointment.
I got another offer of compensation. At this rate, my next bill
will be in credit.
(The Cube: not to be
confused with the UK TV Game Show The Cube hosted by Phillip Scofield. Contestants
enter a cube dome and try to solve various physical skill tasks, at
each stage these get harder and the prize money gets higher. I intend to write
to Mr Scofield and suggest that he makes the top prize a task to ‘Find the BT
engineer”. It’ll be nigh on impossible to solve.)
We haggled. I got re-booked for Saturday between 12- 3 p.m.
‘James’
Ref: EB 560297XXXX
Engineer
Number 3 …
Disgruntled, I asked to speak to a manager.
I would be called within the next 72 hours…
Friday 16th
The Cube engineers telephoned.
Cancelled the appointment made for Saturday.
I phoned BT Complaints.
Account holder, address, phone number…
They apologised, offered compensation and a manager would call me…
within 72 hours…
So I phoned BT faults
Account holder, address, phone number…
More apologies, more compensation. But at least someone who seemed
to know what they were talking about. (hah!)
I was
offered the 21st for an engineer.
I said I wanted someone sooner. I got Monday morning between 9 –
12
and the promise that the case had been escalated and a manager would call me that evening. Escalation no 1
No one did of course.
I phoned BT.
Account holder, address, phone number… apologies. Compensation
A manager would call me Saturday morning.
Saturday 17th
No one called.
I called BT.
Account holder, address, phone number… apologies. Compensation
They would escalate the
situation (what again – blimey we must be pretty high up now…)
Escalation
number 2
An engineer was offered for… Wednesday
21st
Me: “No, I have Monday Morning booked”
BT “I’ll check …. Yes, Monday is booked.”
I asked for the engineer’s number and a Cube reference. But was
told: “This is via Open Reach”
Me: “But I was told The Cube”
BT: “No, Open Reach.”
Me: “No, The Cube. Oh forget it, I don’t care if the engineer
comes from NASA just get someone here. Just give me the details:
‘David’
Ref 03020xxx (odd that this reference is
nothing like the previous one?)
Engineer
Number 4 …
I demanded a manager call me
BT: “Someone will call within the next 72 hours”
Do you get the feeling of Deja Vu?
I phoned BT Technical Support (India) to see if they could do anything.
Account holder, address, phone number… apologies. Compensation
I wanted access to
unlimited data so I could try to use the mobile phone.
BT: “Can’t do that. You’re not a Gold Plus”
Me: “So make me a Gold Plus”
BT: “Can’t do that.”
Me: “So put me through to someone who can. A MANAGER.”
BT: “I will put you through to a manager.”
Yay!!!!
Clicks, whirrs…
I was at
the SALES department.
(BT doesn’t seem to have correct phone links… )
Whereupon I was told that I could BUY the extra for Gold Plus…
So I would have to pay extra for the service I couldn’t get
because I HAVE NO INTERNET!!!!
I hung up.
I phoned BT faults again
Account holder, address, phone number… apologies. Compensation
A manager would phone between 3p.m and 7.30
Well, knock me down with a piece of limp lettuce… HE CALLED at 6.30.
Martin… A manager from Exeter
Didn’t get me anywhere.
Apologies. "Unacceptable situation," says he. (No compensation offered
though)
Me: “Unlimited data?”
BT: “No. You’re not Gold Plus”
Me: “Then upgrade me to Gold Plus”
Manager: “I can’t do that I’m not sales.”
Me: “I have no intention of BUYING extra when I should already
have a service to what I already pay for.”
Manager: “I can only apologise. I’ll escalate the
situation and appoint a Case Manager who
will phone you.”
Escalation no 3
Me: “When”
Manager: “within 72 hours…”
Deep breath
Me: “Can you confirm that an engineer
will be coming on Monday morning?”
Manager: “Yes… definitely."
‘David’ Ref 03020XXX Engineer Number 4
… BT checked this for me – it was confirmed.
Sunday 18th
At least I can access my computer files. I’ve finished the initial
re-edits of ALL the Sea Witch Voyages.
I cannot, however,
Access online banking
Place an order for shopping delivery (I can’t SEE anything in supermarkets, the
lighting completely messes up my sight, so I use online.)
Re-order my essential prescription. I will have to go into town to
do this as the GP surgery will not renew over the phone.
I can’t update the review site I run, Discovering Diamonds
I can’t access my blog.
I’m going to have SO much to catch up on when (IF) I’m ever
connected.
And I so miss Alexa!
I listen to the radio via Alexa
I listen to books via Alexa
I listen to a variety of music via Alexa...
p.m. Suspicious.
I have not received a text confirming the appointment.
Monday 19th
12.30 p.m.
Got up and showered early. Engineer ‘David’ Ref 03020xxx booked for 9-12
Engineer
number 4 has not turned up.
No internet has been connected.
Apparently, the appointment was cancelled.
No explanation was given.
Am awaiting a Case Manager to call me.
1.30 Still waiting.
2.30 Still waiting
3.30 still waiting
4.30 still waiting
No call.
4.36 p.m phoned complaints.
A man from Liverpool. Can’t hear what he’s saying very clearly.
Apparently, I’m in the case manager’s call queue. I can expect a call any time up to
10.30 p.m.
I can only assume that BT have so many irate customers that this
queue is enormous as I am obviously not anywhere near the top.
I am also sick and tired of listening to their scrappy, poorly
recorded ‘on hold’ music!
BT: “I’m speaking to my floor manager. Trying to find out why the engineer was cancelled.”
Which isn’t exactly what I want…
Then...
Oh, what a surprise! I can have an appointment for… wait for it… the 21st!
5 p.m Escalation number 4
Now waiting for ‘Peter’ to phone me… (very conveniently all the
managers are in a meeting.)
8.45 p.m no one has called
8.48 p.m called BT faults
Engineer was
cancelled – they had emailed me to inform me
BUT I HAVE NO BLOODY INTERNET !!!!!!!!
8.49:v demanded to speak to a manager… on hold…
At last – a manager: Peter
(A ‘Peter’ was supposed to phone me (see above) The
same Peter? He said he had no knowledge of a booked call… hmm…)
Anyway:
Apologies (I notice compensation hasn’t been
offered for some time now)
Unacceptable...
Shouldn’t have happened...
blah blah
PROMISED :
An engineer for the 21st 8a.m - 1pm Engineer no 5 Ref 013-414 113 XXXX
Open Reach (note: NOT The Cube)
Also gave me his direct number
Case Manager Peter: telephone XXXXXXX
Wednesday 21st
8 a.m nothing
9 a.m nothing
10 a.m nothing
11 a.m ditto
11.10 voice text message: BT will let me know when the engineer is coming
well, that’s a new one…
11.15 … another text – engineer is on his way! BLIMEY!!!
Engineer arrived & he was an absolute superhero! I didn't moan at him because none of the abo above was his fault.
2.30 pm FINALLY FIXED!
Peter phoned – while the line was down.
Called him back at 2.30. Left a message.
5.30 he hasn’t called back - but there's always tomorrow...
I have to say, for readers who were Game of Thrones fans and
watched the last series…
Addendum... 22nd August
Must be fair Peter has called back this morning. I have some compensation due, which is helpful although it doesn't cover the backlog of work and my high blood pressure and stress.
What I do want is this situation to be looked into and assurances that this won't happen again to me or other clients. All these incorrect appointments and no one calling back after promises to do so were unacceptable.
We actually had a productive conversation,
Two other things I mentioned:
1) Brief the agents to NOT assume that everyone uses their phone to access email. Always assume that 'No Internet' means just that!
2) Heavy accents. I found it difficult to understand a heavy Irish/ Liverpool/Newcastle accent (I had all three during the course of above) I asked for agents to be briefed to talk slower and clearer - all three rich accents are lovely to listen to, but not when you're upset, frustrated and cross and the person speaking is talking fast and unclear.
So I have my internet back and, well, at least that's the next vet's bill covered.
 |
| The BT clock? |
You couldn't make it up! The only one who told the truth was the first chap on the 9th with his affirmation that 'an engineer will be with you on the 21st'! Customer service atrocious. Sending an e-mail to someone known to have no connection - sheer ineptitude. Managers all in a meeting? yeah,I've used that one as well!! Ah well, as Peter Sellars once said, 'All part of Life's rich pageant'
ReplyDeleteWhat a shocking tale of customer relations! I won’t use the words ‘customer *service*’ as that would be highly inaccurate.
ReplyDeleteWhat was the fault in the end?
It must have been so frustrating for you, Helen. Sadly, this doesn't surprise me. We had a problem with BT deciding everything sent to me was spam, and everything I send was spam. I kept being told to get my senders to correct it. What? Since they had just instigated a new spam protection programme, I kept telling them the fault was theirs. They disagreed. We spoke to engineer after engineer, round and round it went. They 'fixed' the problem, which remained exactly the same. Every single one I spoke to told me the same yet again. In the end, incandescent with rage, I snapped and screamed at the idiot who'd 'fixed' the problem at least three times, each time saying exactly the same things. I then escalated the whole situation to a complaint. Surprise, surprise! Within a matter of a couple of days, it was fixed. Shortly afterwards, BT called me to discuss my escalted complaint. Just as well they didn't call before they fixed it.
ReplyDelete