Npower - final annoyance?

Archi_Bald

I am switching my gas and electricity from nPower because of the obscene 14.6% increase they wanted from me.

I have been with nPower for the last 5 years because they always offered me the best tariff in the industry. There have been issues over those 5 years but none that couldn't eventually be resolved with the help of their Executive Complaints Team who I had to, unfortunately, involve twice because their normal CS were plain useless. I feel I have got value for money from nPower, but only because they paid me hundreds of pounds in compensation for repeated mistakes with my bills. An increase of 14.6%, however, was the proverbial straw, so I decided a couple of weeks ago to switch suppliers.

Today, I had an email to call nPower about my gas supply, because they said they were sorry to hear I wanted to leave. No such email (yet?) about my electricity supply.

As they had given me an 0800 number, I did call. Was kept on hold for over 7 minutes since they were, in their words, exceptionally busy. Customer retention is obviously not top priority at nPower - which in itself speaks volumes.

When did they answer the phone, they never even asked me for my name, not to talk about my address or account number. They just said, in that order, that 1) the switch would go ahead, 2) they just wanted to be sure I really had asked for the switch myself (as opposed to my neighbour, or my cat or something), and 3) they'd like to know why I wanted to switch.

My answers: 1) super, that's what I expect, 2) yes, I have initiated a switch, 3) obvious - the intended extortionate price rise.

I never even got anything like "sorry we can't offer you the best price" or any other "sorry". They also, very obviously, did not collate any really useful customer feedback, in so far as they are unable to link my comments to my account because they never asked for any sort of information about the account involved. Which leads my to believe they care sod all about customer feedback. They probably didn't even record the phone call, or the pertinent points of the phone call. Such disregard to customer feedback is shocking and must eventually lead to their extinction, which will take some time but is inevitable if they continue to treat their customers like dirt.

Overall yet another bizarre phone call with nPower CS, but basically in keeping with phone conversations with them. nPower CS literally always seem to be out of their depth. No idea why they even wanted to talk to me, and, after the event, I sort of regret that I did call them back because it was basically just another waste of time. I must remember that talking to nPower CS is more often than not a waste of time.

They'd better get my final bill right first time.

OTH, if they don't I will get another lot of compensation when I involve their Exec complaints team.

nPower

Archi_Bald wrote: »

I am switching my gas and electricity from nPower because of the obscene 14.6% increase they wanted from me.

I have been with nPower for the last 5 years because they always offered me the best tariff in the industry. There have been issues over those 5 years but none that couldn't eventually be resolved with the help of their Executive Complaints Team who I had to, unfortunately, involve twice because their normal CS were plain useless. I feel I have got value for money from nPower, but only because they paid me hundreds of pounds in compensation for repeated mistakes with my bills. An increase of 14.6%, however, was the proverbial straw, so I decided a couple of weeks ago to switch suppliers.

Today, I had an email to call nPower about my gas supply, because they said they were sorry to hear I wanted to leave. No such email (yet?) about my electricity supply.

As they had given me an 0800 number, I did call. Was kept on hold for over 7 minutes since they were, in their words, exceptionally busy. Customer retention is obviously not top priority at nPower - which in itself speaks volumes.

When did they answer the phone, they never even asked me for my name, not to talk about my address or account number. They just said, in that order, that 1) the switch would go ahead, 2) they just wanted to be sure I really had asked for the switch myself (as opposed to my neighbour, or my cat or something), and 3) they'd like to know why I wanted to switch.

My answers: 1) super, that's what I expect, 2) yes, I have initiated a switch, 3) obvious - the intended extortionate price rise.

I never even got anything like "sorry we can't offer you the best price" or any other "sorry". They also, very obviously, did not collate any really useful customer feedback, in so far as they are unable to link my comments to my account because they never asked for any sort of information about the account involved. Which leads my to believe they care sod all about customer feedback. They probably didn't even record the phone call, or the pertinent points of the phone call. Such disregard to customer feedback is shocking and must eventually lead to their extinction, which will take some time but is inevitable if they continue to treat their customers like dirt.

Overall yet another bizarre phone call with nPower CS, but basically in keeping with phone conversations with them. nPower CS literally always seem to be out of their depth. No idea why they even wanted to talk to me, and, after the event, I sort of regret that I did call them back because it was basically just another waste of time. I must remember that talking to nPower CS is more often than not a waste of time.

They'd better get my final bill right first time.

OTH, if they don't I will get another lot of compensation when I involve their Exec complaints team.

Hi Archi Bald,

Thanks for your comments. We're sad you're leaving :sad: and thank you for your custom over the last number of years. Hopefully we'll be re-united one day in the future.

Thanks

David

The_Pixi

nPower_company_representative wrote: »

Hi Archi Bald,

Thanks for your comments. We're sad you're leaving :sad: and thank you for your custom over the last number of years. Hopefully we'll be re-united one day in the future.

Thanks

David

Really, are you taking the p***? Really?

I_have_spoken

they paid me hundreds of pounds in compensation

So why would the company want to retain your business??

Bluebirdman_of_Alcathays

The_Pixi wrote: »

Really, are you taking the p***? Really?

Gallows humour perhaps? :T

superbigal36

I love it
David the voice that everyone thinks but is too scared to say.

mark_nwales

Hi guys. Im new to this forum so be gentle with me...lol.

I have had a similar problem with Npower with incorrect billing, etc. I have complained but get ignored - the written complaint to the exec complaints dept didn't even get a reply!

Not to worry as I now have the nice debt collectors from Richburns at my door threatening to cut me off.......am I worried.......not a bit.

I am fortunate (you might not agree) to have worked for over 6 years as a utility debt collector/warrant officer and have applied for hundreds of warrants of entry to enable a ppm to be fitted or cut the supply. I know the procedure inside out and can mention a breach of the DPA and issues which would keep the financial services ombudsman busy for some time.

If I can be of help to anyone else then please let me know.

joncombe

mark_nwales wrote: »

Hi guys. Im new to this forum so be gentle with me...lol.

I have had a similar problem with Npower with incorrect billing, etc. I have complained but get ignored - the written complaint to the exec complaints dept didn't even get a reply!

My experience too is Npower ignore complaints. I sent a letter records delivery and proof of postage, but they still claimed not to have got it! I suggest you do this and you can then go to the Ombudsman with proof a letter was sent, arrived at it's destination and no response was received.

onthehill

joncombe wrote: »

My experience too is Npower ignore complaints. I sent a letter records delivery and proof of postage, but they still claimed not to have got it! I suggest you do this and you can then go to the Ombudsman with proof a letter was sent, arrived at it's destination and no response was received.

My experience also.

They claim never to have had letters, emails, the works.

Agree with the OP about the general uselessness of customer service - not saying that the individuals are bad or poor - they are clearly not empowered to do anything even if they as individuals want to.

A recent call of mine was about what should have been a very simple issue - the first person said they could not do anything so I asked for the call to be passed up, stressing that the first thing I would say to the "manager" was that I had no complaint about that person - I hadn't, they were clearly hamstrung by npower.

So, to the "manager" - it turns out that they gloried in the official title of "floorwalker" and they too admitted that they were not empowered to do anything.

So, I took it up a level and the next person, who sounded like a perfectly nice person when not stuck in npower, confessed that their role was "telesales" and that the simple issue would have to go to executive complaints.

Who then sorted it after a few days. But I only had access to executive complaints because they had been involved in sorting an appalling billing mess a few months before which ha taken me many many solid days of calling and letter and email writing to sort out. The executive complaints chap is excellent but it shouldn't have to go that far.

The "npower representative" above clearly does have an individual sense of humour as some have pointed out.

sniggings

nPower_company_representative wrote: »

Hi Archi Bald,

Thanks for your comments. We're sad you're leaving :sad: and thank you for your custom over the last number of years. Hopefully we'll be re-united one day in the future.

Thanks

David

hard to say whether this is meant sarcastically or is just another example of the robotic responses these people seem to think is acceptable customer service these days, either way OP looks like you have made the correct choice and moved.

undercover_peon

As an aside whomever you spoke to broke company and other rules (CEAR act) by not recording your disatisfaction. As their role is to flog you stuff they probably dont care.

The lack of empowerment referred to here is totally true. Therefore the people who care about doing a good job usually either have it beaten out of them or leave.