I never thought even BT could be this bad!

RichardHowells

Wednesday 11th September

I rang BT and discussed some options about my Broadbandpackage – including the possibility of switching from Business toResidential. I was not aware of actually asking for any changes althoughI did say that I no longer needed the static IP address I have on theaccount. The full conversation required several calls to differentnumbers. One number was 0800 800 152 – which I was assured was BusinessBroadband.

In the afternoon I received an email saying that the changesI had been made. I was surprised I didn’t think I had asked for changes.

I followed the link in the email. It led me to a page mentioningDSLInitial charge. I was more surprised to see that I’m charged £10.

I called 0800 800 152 – I’ve been assured that’s businessbroadband. The automated system is horrific. There is a voicerecognition system that does not seem to recognize anything. Thenmultiple layers of menu. At various layers I am nagged repeatedly to goto a self-service number, or to the web site. I already know that theywill not help. I am nagged to see if I want to know my account balance. Tell me once and then PLEASE STOP! This system clearly has NO respect formy time. It is full of repeated messages. BT believes I havenothing better to do than listen to it. Or is it purely designed to keepme away? It feels that way.

A person answers. Takes my account number. Eventually tells me they cannot help. That’s a business account numberand they only do residential. How stupid is that? I’m supposed toget better support because I am paying extra for a business service. Theautomated system sends me to someone guaranteed unable to help. That ismassively incompetent.

I eventually speak to someone in Business Billing. Heis completely useless. I want to know why I have been sent thischarge. He says he cannot see the charge on my bill so I should justignore it. He is not answering the question, and it does not sound likegood advice. After half an hour, when I’ve been on hold for most of itwhile he consults other people, it’s going nowhere. He says he willtransfer me to his manager. I cannot prove he hung up on me, but the calljust vanished.

I go through the loop again. This time the agent isless useless, but still no help. After 25 minutes he promises tocall back later. I still have no answer. I missed a calllater. It may have been him but I cannot tell as he didn’t leave amessage. 1471 tells me that BT tried to call and if they still need totalk to me will try again. They haven’t. Yet again zero customerservice.


Thursday 12th September

Today – I cannot face the phone. I try the chatfacility “Recommended” says the bt web site. That was useless too. The first handler says she cannot help but offers to pass me direct to thebusiness customer help team queue. I am fourth in the queue. Thesystem says the average wait is about 10 minutes. After an hour I havemoved up to 1. Then the window says “ Status: Cancelled. There areno agents available to chat to you at the moment. Please try againlater”. I didn’t believe it could be worse than the phone, but it was.

I try the round trip on the phone again. This time Ispeak to Erica – she’s very sorry about my experience. Everyone is sorrybut they NEVER DO ANYTHING. Erica also cannot see the order number andswears it does not exist. I try to walk her though getting to the OrderTracking page which I can see in front of me. The BT web page will notload it on her machine. Only another 20 minutes in. She offers methe BT Business phone number 0800 800 152. Wait!!! How can that be anyuse? That’s the number I am already talking to her on! She gives meanother number 01793 593711. There I *finally* speak to someonewho can help me.

She can see the order; and who placed it; and talk to theagent who placed it. It seems she thought I did want to cancel the staticIP address. That was the change on the account. It seems it was amistake to charge to have something removed and that will be corrected.

This experience is so awful that I email the CEO, Gavin Patterson,with a complaint.

I get a reply from Mr Patterson. He will ask the service team to investigate.

RichardHowells

Friday 13 September

I get email from a lady in the ‘Chairmanand CEO Business Complaints team’

I had a call from another lady in the complaintsteam. She was very sweet,but it’s clear her role is limited to logging what happened so that it may bemysteriously analysed later. From myperspective that feels like a synonym for ignoring it.

I feel worried that BT has to have a wholeteam dedicated to complaints to the Chairman/CEO.

I also had a call from a gentleman. He identified as a ’senior manager’, and at least promised me some usableinformation. We agreed an appointment –11:30-12:00 Monday when one of his technical staff would call me, equipped to have a properconversation about BT Sport and line speeds. He also promised to call back on Thursday – it seems he’s out of theoffice until then.

Monday 16 September

I put off other activity to be available at11:30.

11:30 came and 12:00 went. No call.

On the bright side – there was a missedcall on my mobile at 13:54. Was that him? No – there is no bright side. Yet again someone from BT called and chosenot to leave a message. It is hard tounderstand the value of the BT’s 1471 footprint (0800 028 5085). “BT tried to call you. If we still need to call you we’ll call back.” It appears to be a lie. As far as I can tell they never do. Of the many BT staff, who have given me a miserableexperience over the last few days, I don’t even know who called or why.

More later!

VisionMan

This isn't a diary, you know. Do you want help or not?

RichardHowells

It's a cautionary tale.

I am interested to know if BT Sport is any good via an internet connection that gives no better than 3-4Mbps download.

VisionMan

On which box Richard?

RichardHowells

I have no box. It's a standard Windows 7 computer.

AIUI if you have a Sky box (which I don't) then you get it as a channel on the Sky box at TV quality.

I'm concerned that it'll be no better than a YouTube video. Brick sized pixels and frequent pauses for buffering.

VisionMan

Yes it will work. But if your on a business account I don't know if you'll have access to it. So just try it and see.

[Deleted User]

VisionMan wrote: »

if your on a business account I don't know if you'll have access to it.

I think it's only available on domestic tariffs.

RichardHowells

This bit I know. It's free on a residential broadband account. It's an extra £12/month on business.

What I really want to know is - "Is BT Sport, viewed on a normal laptop monitor, a realistic replacement for traditional decent size TV screens? As mentioned above, YouTube is pretty poor, is it like watching a YouTube video?

My thing is MotoGP. A BT Sport exclusive for next season. Am I going to find it unsatisfying on the laptop screen.

VisionMan

Unfortunately Richard I can't answer that question. It all depends upon a users individual circumstances/set up. But if you've got a good connection, yes, its far better than Youtube. And HD(ish) too, if your line can cope with it.

And my son and his friends rave about it (the picture quality, I mean). But whatever you want to watch, log on early, as the demand is high.

RichardHowells

It's the connection bit I'm concerned about. I can get a 3-4Mbps connection on a good day. I'm thinking of switching back from business to residential. The business account gives 'priority' and a 'better contention ratio'. No-one in BT has given a useful answer to what real-life degradation that would have.

In essence I am being told that for my extra 40 quid per month I have something better. No-one knows what that better actually means. It's just hope!