BT are unbeliveable

bobonacus

I am posting my conversations with BT to warn others ... this is an email / transcript that I have just sent to several email addresses I have found for BT and through their customer complaints on their web site ...


COMPLAINT
=========

Your order date is: 11 October 2012
Your BT.com reference is: REMOVED BY ME FOR THE FORUM POST

I am a new customer and I am extremely angry with the appalling service that I have received from BT so far! Below is a summary and transcript of my 2 1/2 hours on the phone to BT "Customer service" who were no help whatsoever

I am disgusted with how I have been treated, never before I have had such an appalling experience with a retail company who I am PAYING for a service!

I placed an order for Unlimited Broadband and Evening & Weekend Calls with BT Infinity on October 11th 2012, I was assigned an installation date for November 6th.

On October 15th I received a message from BT asking me to call as November 6th was now unavailable and I had to call in. I was given two new appointments for November 8th which was no problem for me at all, this was confirmed by email on the 15th and confirmed by two separate text messages.

I had a further email on November 6th telling me "BT here. Get ready: our engineer's visiting soon"
From: <bt.comms@bt.com>
Date: Tue, 6 Nov 2012 05:24:09 +0000
Subject: BT here. Get ready: our engineer's visiting soon

About your engineer visit
Phone line engineer 08 Nov 2012 8am to 1pm
BT Infinity engineer 08 Nov 2012 8am to 1pm

I also had another 2 text messages confirming the appointment of both the phone and broadband engineer.

So on November the 8th I had booked a days unpaid leave and waited at home for the engineer's to arrive.

No one turned up. At 13.30 I called 0179 359 6931 as I had to call from a mobile as I have no land line and this was listed as an alternative for 0800 800 150.

08/11/2012 13.30
I was bounced through half a dozen menus, none of which were really what I needed, I put in my reference numbers to be told they were not correct, eventually I got to talk to a human being who then put me through to someone else to find out where engineer was

They told me I had phone engineer appointment on 6th .... I told them that THEY called and changed both appointments to 8th .... I have initial confirmation email stating both appointments are for the 8th and a follow up confirmation email sent 2 days ago

person is going to check ....

on phone for 20 minutes so far and still waiting .....

25 mins in ... told there are 2 appointments associated, one for the 6th and one for 8th

explained again that THEY called me to change the appointments ..... back on hold again

passing 35 minutes .....

They then told me the lines were busy whilst they keep trying to check!!

passing 40 minutes

Came back to me after 45 minutes later telling me the engineer was not coming today as the appointment was for the 6th ... they then told I can get an engineer for 19th between 8-1 and asked if that is ok!!!!!!

Naturally I told them no, that was most definitely NOT ok, that I have taken a day off work and that I want an engineer to come to me today.

back on hold passing 50 minutes .....

they cut me off after 52 minutes!!

I waited 10 minutes in case they called me back as I had already given them my mobile number, I got no call.



Called back 14.35 and took over 5 minutes of menus to talk to a human being, no time on hold included in that, FIVE whole minutes of going through the menu system!!

The told me I need order management (not even an option on the menus) and will be put through ..... 6 minutes and counting

7 minutes and asked for manager ... talking to Shilpa, who I asked repeatedly to put me through to a manager and would not as she said she had to deal with me. I gave her my mobile number.

I gave some details as told them I hope everything discussed already was on my record ..... passing 11 minutes and back on hold again!!

15 minutes .... I was told again the appointment is now changed for the 19th ..... I repeated that was unacceptable and I want an engineer today

16 minutes .... back to the crappy hold music again .....

21 minutes ... still hold music

24 minutes ... they have confirmed the email they sent did say the appointments were for the 8th .... back on hold again .....

26 minutes told that they will get an engineer for the 19th .... explained again that I have an appointment for today and I expect an engineer to be here today ..... back on hold again

31 minutes ... can't get an engineer today, they would really "LIKE" to send an engineer but can't, they understand that I am unhappy and they would feel the same (all clearly read from a script) .... told them they can cancel the order unless they get an engineer to me today, I have taken a days unpaid leave to have this service installed and it will cost me money to take another day off work. You have already admitted fault and I want something sorted out now, I am at home now all day long for my pre-booked, confirmed 4 times appointment.

back on hold again .....

passing 45 minutes ...... finally I am being passed through to a more senior complaints person ....

55 minutes ... Edward, floor supervisor, level 1 .... he will call me back (after asking for my mobile number again)

65 minutes ... I was told again that the 19th is the earliest, I told them that is totally unacceptable, explained again I have taken a days unpaid leave to have this service installed and it will cost me money to take another day off work.

He told me he's have spoken to the engineering team and that is the best they can do .... I told them BT had thousands of engineers, it's not my fault you have messed me around, if you have to pay an engineer overtime then do so.

He told me there was nothing he could do, he understands my frustration, but the 19th is the earliest appointment!

I told them I want to cancel the entire order and get a full refund ... back on hold again ...

they hung up on me again!!!

called me back 16.00, at least that saved me the added pain of the automated system

After going round in circles for now 30 minutes all I am being told is the 19th is the best they can do. I asked to speak to someone higher up and all I am being told is that I would have to wait for 24 hours to speak to a higher manager, there was no higher manager available, there was nothing else they can do, I would have to wait 24 hours for a call back!

I asked if he was the most senior manager in the building, No, I asked to speak to a more senior manager, I was told I would have to wait 24 hours for a call back! There is no other option.

I told him I wanted to cancel the entire order and get a full refund for the £136 I have already paid up front, I was told I would have to wait 24 hours for a call back! There is no other option. ... repeat repeat repeat repeat repeat .... this conversation went round in circles for about 10 minutes!!!

I asked for a number so I could make an official complaint, I was told there was no number. I asked how I can make a complaint as I am very unhappy, I was told he was dealing with my complaint! I told him I was not happy with how he was dealing with my complaint and I wanted to escalate it, I was told I had to wait 24 hours for a call back!

I asked the name of his manager, he told me he did not know! I had to wait 24 hours for a call back!

I said I was not ending this call until I was put through to someone higher up than him, I was told I would be on the phone for 24 hours as I had to wait 24 hours!

By this point I have been on the phone for over TWO AND A HALF HOURS!!! I have totally beyond angry and frustrated and getting no where so I relented and said I would wait 24 hours for a call back!

.... Well it is now TWENTY FIVE HOURS since my call and I have had NO CALL BACK!! I am so angry it is ridiculous, something this simple should not cause this much stress, it is beyond belief, this is a bloody phone line and broadband connection, it's hardly life or death nor is it rocket science.






finally got my "24 hour" call back at 10/11/2012 13.40 ... (nearly 48 hours later) ... raghu order management .... what level ? senior first line floor manager .... he told me that they can not do anything, cant arrange compensation till line installed which will be on 19th, cant do it any sooner

I told him why should I have to go out of my way when BT have let me down massively, told me line will be installed on 19th

went round in circles with raghu telling me they cant do anything but wait till after line is installed, cant change appointment date as that is the first date available ...

explained it will cost me 200 pounds to take a day off work .... was told they will not cover that ... told them I want a years free service otherwise I don't want the service .... told me they cant do anything but wait till after line is installed to discuss compensation, I told them I wanted this resolved now, in one call, I am not prepared to be messed around further .... told me they cannot compensate me for my day of work, but billing department can arrange for some kind of compensation after the 19th ..... I repeated again I wanted this resolved today in this phone call, he told me they cant do anything but wait till after line is installed to discuss compensation, I told him that was not acceptable, he told me sorry there was nothing else he could do ....

I told him I want to speak to someone who can deal with my complaint, he said they will only do the same thing

I told him I don't care what they say, I want to speak to the head of UK customer services as I want this resolved now, today, in this one call as I have wasted far too much time on this .... on hold .......

20 minutes and still on hold .....

23.30 minutes ... back with raghu .... told me not able to put me through ..... i want to escalate the call .... told he can not,

repeat I want the head of UK customer .... he said no, cant escalate, they will say the same thing, told him I don't care what they say, I want to speak to someone higher up ..... he said no, cant escalate,

I want to speak to your manager ... he said no, cant escalate, wont escalate

not able to arrange ... asked why, told me sorry .... cant escalate ... can only put me through to customer services

repeated again that I want the head of UK customer services ... not able to arrange ... I asked why, sorry, cant escalate .... repeat, repeat, repeat, repeat, repeat, repeat, we went round in circles for 5 minutes on this point ......

I told him I want to make a complaint about him, he told me sorry .... cant escalate, again, round in more circles telling me nothing he can do,

I said that I must be able to complain to someone higher, told me sorry .... cant escalate .... repeat, repeat .....

back on hold .....

40 minutes in ......

43 minutes in .... now to a bloody advisor, he has put me through to someone lower, told them I want the manager ....

gave account number, name and address .... advisor then told me they will explain the situation on the account to me, completely ignoring my request to speak to a manager!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

told them that 100% was NOT what I want, I have been on the phone 47 minutes today alone and I WANT TO SPEAK TO A MANGER, it is a very simple request so do it please ....

46 minutes and back on hold .......

50 minutes passing .....

55 minutes passing, still on hold .....

.... this is just insane!!!!! It looks to me like you are just trying to string me along until I give up!!!

and that is an hour passed and still on hold ....

1 hour and 5 minutes passing, still on hold ..... I guess you are waiting till my mobile goes flat which will be in about 20 minutes!!

1 hour and 10 minutes passing, still on hold ..... battery at 14% .... I knew I should have charged it overnight!

1 hour and 16 minutes passing, thats 30 minutes on hold since I last spoke to a human ...

1 hour and 25 minutes passing, still on hold ..... I'm going to keep this on speakerphone and plug the phone in ......

1 hour and 35 minutes passing, still on hold .....

1 hour and 46 minutes passing, I have been on hold for ONE WHOLE HOUR NOW .....

1 hour 47 minutes and I have been cut off by BT! I guess there is a one hour time out from BT systems to be on hold!!

I was clearly left on hold so I would give up and leave the call, I did not, BT hung up on me!





I want to make an official complaint about your services, your engineers not turning up, your clearly very flawed appointments system, your total lack of any ability of your customer services staff to deal with a complaint, the blatant lie that someone higher would call me back, the lack of ability to talk to someone in a senior role that can actually make a decision.

I am only changing from BT because you offer a faster connection than my current Virgin Media connection. As I was booked and confirmed for the appointment I have cancelled my Virgin Media connection with ceases tomorrow, Saturday 9th November.


sent to btcare@bt.com and ian.livingston@bt.com

macman

I think you fail to grasp that BT Retail and BT OR are completely separate entities. The latter is a law unto itself, and BTR are no more able to get accurate info out of OR than is any other ISP.
You will not get consequential loss on a residential contract, as there is no SLA in place. And certainly not a year's free provision! All you can get is a small sum for a missed appointment.
If you want FTTC, use on of the BT resellers, who can provide the same service better and cheaper than BTR.

GooliesOfFire

OP's post gives me shivers and brings back bad memories. A dreadful customer service and every time you ring regarding the same issue you have to repeat yourself and go through the script again and again.. I cancelled BT services 3 years ago, had to pay 130 quid cancellation charges, which I didn't mind I just wanted to get out. I will never ever again have any dealings with BT.

Do yourself a favour and don't get anything form BT.

Cardew

You should have sent it to Olivia Garfield head of Open Reach

Gordon_Hose

GooliesOfFire wrote: »

OP's post gives me shivers and brings back bad memories. A dreadful customer service and every time you ring regarding the same issue you have to repeat yourself and go through the script again and again.. I cancelled BT services 3 years ago, had to pay 130 quid cancellation charges, which I didn't mind I just wanted to get out. I will never ever again have any dealings with BT.

Do yourself a favour and don't get anything form BT.

Problem is, even if you take another operators services, it's BT Openreach who do all the work at the exchange and are the "Engineers" these providers talk about. So either way, they have us over a barrel.

.meh.

bobonacus wrote: »

BLAH BLAH BLAH!

Would it not of been easier to accept the appointment for the 19th from the 1st person that offered it and save yourself the time you have wasted on trying to get it earlier.

Your lucky you were offered an appointment in the same month let alone within 2 weeks.

I hope you realise now that repeatedly asking for manager was pointless, you would be surprised how little more they could do for you than the original person could.

On a final note, GET OVER IT!

Gordon_Hose

.meh. wrote: »

Would it not of been easier to accept the appointment for the 19th from the 1st person that offered it and save yourself the time you have wasted on trying to get it earlier.

Your lucky you were offered an appointment in the same month let alone within 2 weeks.

I hope you realise now that repeatedly asking for manager was pointless, you would be surprised how little more they could do for you than the original person could.

On a final note, GET OVER IT!

Talk about completely missing the point.

For your first post, I give you 0/10. Must try harder.

smjxm09

The engineers get one job at a time and so many appointments to do each day. If one appointment takes longer than the planned time then the last am or pm appointment might not get done.

There is no reserve of engineers waiting around for failed appointments so some customers do suffer.

brewerdave

Gordon_Hose wrote: »

Problem is, even if you take another operators services, it's BT Openreach who do all the work at the exchange and are the "Engineers" these providers talk about. So either way, they have us over a barrel.

....but if you use someone else eg Plusnet -1. their Customer Services generally DO read the notes on the account & 2. Its lot easier to get some form of comp. for the c*ckup -I've found them to be a million times easier to deal with than BT Mumbai!!!!!:)

rachel30_2

Reading these posts, I'm glad we're not alone. Can anyone help? My mum is at her wits end, she moved to BT (god knows why) a few months back and has now been without internet and a phone for over a month. She has called and called and in the end, they sent a technician round. He said that he couldn’t understand why it wasn’t working and left. She has been calling and calling and no one is helping her and keep insisting that they will call her back on her mobile which they never do. She has spent so much money on her mobile phone calling them on 08 numbers which hasn’t helped. To top it all off, they sent her a bill for the past month which she refused to pay (obviously) and they sent a threatening letter saying that they would cut her off. SHE ALREADY IS!! I’m going to attempt to call them myself tomorrow but wondered if anyone has had a similar experience and what the solution was?

Thanks in advance.

BT_company_representative

Hi bobonacus

I can look into this for you, just checkout my profile section were you will find my contact details.

Regards David