How on earth do TalkTalk get away with it?

sacha28

I'd like to share my very recent experience of TalkTalk then ask some advice........

I signed up to TalkTalk phone and broadband and my "go live" date was 1/6/11. I booked the day off work for the engineer to come and install a phone line. The night before I received a text saying the engineer wasn't needed (fantastic, unplanned day off :j) and I could start using my services as planned. The next day I phoned our new phone number........it didn't work. I set up the modem.......it didn't work. I phoned the technical help desk and, after an hour on the phone, told me an engineer Would need to come after all but it wouldn't be for 5-7 WORKING days. "Not good enough" I said "I don't want to wait for that length of time for a service that I was supposed to have today, can I speak to somebody more senior please?". With this the rep started sniggering down the phone, put me on hold for a further 15 minutes then told me there was nobody available at that moment and they would call me in 48 hours!!! I told him I wanted to cancel, this level of customer service is apalling. At this point I got (conveniently) cut off. I spoke to 3 more people over the next half an hour, kept getting cut off when I said I wanted to cancel but eventually managed to speak to Melissa a (:mad:) member of the cancellations team who told me that I was bound to a 12 month contract and would be liable to a disconnection fee :eek:. She told me she was a senior member of staff and that the fact I am entitled to canel within 14 days wasn't correct!!

Eventually. after speaking to 6 different people who all told me wrong and differing information and nearly 3 hours on the phone (whilst trying to figure out a painless way of ending my life!) I was finally told by what seems to be the only sensible person within the company that he will send me an envelope to return all the equipment.
The advice I need is this..........the envelope hasn't arrived and my account is still showing as active so should I risk another endurance on the phone or is there an easier way to get a result?

Sorry the post is so long, I just thought you'd all like to hear of the horror I had to go through and pass it on to other consumers!!

macman

Do you already have a line installed? If so, why did you ask for a new line and not a reconnection? In the latter case, an OR engineer visit is not always necessary, though they will ask you to be present in case access is needed to correct any fault.
The appointments are made by BT OR, not TT, so berating TT won't really get you anywhere-they are in the hands of OR, who frequently fail to keep appointments or notify the retail side.
If you now choose another provider, you will simply have to repeat the process and deal with the same potential problems with OR again.
Many have found that leaving TT is a much harder experience than joining them...

sacha28

I feel I may've been misunderstood........I didn't request a new line, they told me I would need one due to Virgin being my current provider and the line wasn't compatible. I'm not an engineer, nor do I work in the telecomms business, so I do as I am told. The 'non attendence' of OR isn't the issue here, it's the dreadful, appalling level of customer service I faced when trying to sort the issue out. It was only after over an hour of talking to the first rep that I was told I did need the engineer after all and 7 working days would have taken me to the 13th June (not an option as I'm working) or the 14th June (also not an option as I am going away for a week). Is this length of time acceptable? No not at all. Bear in mind I spoke to 6 people, the second person I spoke to told me the information I was given was incorrect and it would only be 2 working days, had I not got disconnected I probably would have stuck it out!
The 3rd person said that neither of the 2 people I had already spoken to had made any notes on the account, so I had to go through it all again. As soon as I said I wanted to cancel, I get disconnected again!! The 4th person also needed the whole story again, said she didn't know what was going on then put me through to another person.............who then said I was under contract so would have to pay a disconnection fee. Having the terms and conditions in front of me, and my reading them to her to reitterate that I had 14 days from my 'go live' date to cancel with no hassle didn't really seem to make a difference.

It is for the above reasons that I berate TT, not the cancelled engineer.

I have moved to another provider (I called them as soon as I had finished with TT) and my new phone line is up and running, along with my internet and tv. It took a total of 4 working days from phone call to services so all in all I would say that is better service!!

macman

So let us know who the new provider is?
If you were previously on VM cable service, then you did need a new line connecting, as you cannot get any other provider on a VM cable line. If you were with Virgin National (BT line), then you didn't.
What you appear to have had is a reconnection-you would not get a new line install from OR in 4 days.

sacha28

It appears you are wrong mr macman!! I had everything installed today and I did need a new line due to the whole virgin thing. Perhaps I was lucky and had a cancellation, I guess I'll never know, but Sky really pulled it out of the bag and as first impressions go.........it's a beauty lol!

Linda-alb

sacha28 wrote: »

It appears you are wrong mr macman!! I had everything installed today and I did need a new line due to the whole virgin thing. Perhaps I was lucky and had a cancellation, I guess I'll never know, but Sky really pulled it out of the bag and as first impressions go.........it's a beauty lol!

Can you tell me how much did they charge you for the new line? i need a new line for my new office and not sure which Phone & BB to choose yet.
Thanks

sacha28

They haven't charged me a penny!! I was originally signed up for just their TV services but when I phoned to cancel (because it was easier to stay with virgin) they bent over backwards to keep my custom. I was absolutely amazed at the lengths they went to.....ok so it was another hour on the phone but she spent that amount of time hunting down all of the offers and discounts she could apply to my account.

Heinz

sacha28 wrote: »

They haven't charged me a penny!!

How can you be sure of that? It's only 3 days since the installation - billing usually takes at least 2 weeks (sometimes much longer).

trinity_enigma

I had exactly the same problem with Talk Talk. Any time you speak to them on the phone they give you different info and will basically lie through their teeth to get you off the phone. I can only assume it's because they have a list of answers to questions and if you ask a tricky one they just find one with the highest number of similar words and read it off to you.

They also cut me off frequently and it took about an extra month for them to connect me than what they said it would. I believe it was due to a lack of cables or connections ? at the exchange although when a TalkTalk door to door salesman appeared one day while we were waiting said there was plenty so someone was also lying then.

Anywho now with Sky and I agree- they are far far better (so far as nothing has gone wrong- touch wood).

sacha28

Heinz wrote: »

How can you be sure of that? It's only 3 days since the installation - billing usually takes at least 2 weeks (sometimes much longer).

Everything was laid out on the phone by the advisor, which was then replicated in the confirmation letter I received (plus the email). I paid £10 towards my first bill to instigate the installation (which is the new deal on offer I believe) but other than that there was no charge. I know it's early days but so far so good :T