BT Engineers think they are a law unto themselves - won't discuss a fault

Smithers37

TurnUpForTheBooks wrote: »

I thought I was going to be making a vent about Talktalk today but actually it is some arrogant insular little working man from BT who sets himself above communicating properly with customers.

On Monday I had ordered a new router from Talktalk because I wanted to experiment with a friend's NAS based VPN (for those who aren't sure about those fairly recent internet world acronyms, don't worry, they are irrelevant to the vent!). My old router was of a type which I discovered did not support VPN protocols.

After a bit of persuasion (because apparently I am "out of commitment" with Talktalk) they agreed to send a more up to date router free of charge.

I did then also ask about and agree to be put through to the sales team regarding possible upgrading to their Youview TV package, but they failed to convince me it was of any benefit so no changes made.

So I carried on with what I'd got and I think I was even on MSE Monday evening. Then Tuesday morning no internet. No phone either. Dead !

So I reported the fault - somewhat eventually after struggling with the computer system generated lady who asks "in a few words can you tell us the problem you are having?" - my first attempt was "Nothing works" and she didn't bite !

Anyway she (the Talktalk automated system) automatically diverted my calls to my mobile (that was useful) and sent me a few texts with rather uninspiring and non-committal "updates" throughout the day yesterday. The last one first thing this morning before I was up and at 'em was that an engineer was dispatched and an update would be provided within 48 hours. My reaction was "Oh great (not!)"

Being a disbelieving type, I switched on my router and pleasantly noted I had an extra green light, then picked up the phone and discovered I had a dialing tone.

Within 5 seconds of putting down the receiver the phone rang and it was a kind of cockney "keep me 'ed down and no-one will bovver me voice" who started off with "Sorry mate, I'm the telephone engineer ... " I am not his mate, but I don't mind him calling me that if he proceeds to act like one.


So I bounced in with "Oh right - I just thought I'd try the line this morning and switched on my router a few minutes ago, saw it seemed to be working and then found I got a dial tone on the line too! Then bingo you called as soon as I put the phone back down!"

"Yes I am calling to say I fixed your line less than half an hour ago."

"Thanks for that. What was the problem?"

"The connection was broken at the exchange"

"How do you mean?"

"The wire was broken"

"Oh that's very odd - I have barely ever had a problem with the line, then I spoke with Talktalk on Monday about a new router for VPN use, they tried to sell me a new contract but I said no, and Tuesday morning I'm cut off proper!"

"I'm nothing to do with Talktalk"

"Oh, you must be BT Openreach or something I guess?"

"Yeah. If you've got issues {always a big word for a little man I think} with Talktalk, you'll have to talk to them."

"Oh right. Before you go I just wanted to ask ..."{I thought he might be a good person to ask how soon he thought our long awaited fibre cabinet (and already installed in the street but not powered up) might be working}

"OK then? Thank you very much."

"But if you just have a mo ..."

"OK. Thank you. Bye."

Quite deliberate - you're just someone's customer - I have to call you to to tell you your line is now working but I don't have to tell you properly what was wrong with it and I don't have to talk to you about anything else. I can pretend I don't realise you want to ask me something else and just talk over you and say goodbye and hang up.

Well sorry Mr BT engineer, you can't and just simply get away with it. Because I am now on the internet voting that your government taxpayer subsidised pension scheme is wound up before you get near retirement because blokes like you don't deserve it.

Sorry and all that, but I know your type ...

OK? Thank you. Goodbye.

Phew, isn't it marvellous the relief one can get down an internet line when it isn't broken? :rotfl:

You, sir, are a pollrumptious daffock.

LilElvis

LilElvis wrote: »

It would have been doing a kindness to us all had they left your line disconnected.

REPEAT the above.

LilElvis

At least 'illegal signs at Shell' and 'irresponsible pub landlord' were pretty entertaining fakes.

How sad that you are for real.

honeybean

It's a shame that they fixed your internet , it would of been better if they left it alone at least we would not have to read your posts !!!

ThumbRemote

TurnUpForTheBooks wrote: »

I know how stuff works, I know how to protect myself from silly upsets like the disconnected line. Did you see me complaining about the disconnected line? Nope. Because it didn't affect me. I just fired up my hotspot on my mobile and used a better connection! But I do have a reason to keep a landline.

My complaint was about the odious little man who decided he was above answering any questions. I was friendly and chatty. He was extremely rude. That was what my vent was about. But you don't want to see that.

Maybe you don't have anything like the depth of knowledge you think you have.

Maybe the skilled, trained engineer didn't want to discuss technical matters with an self-proclaimed expert who has no idea what he's on about.

Indeed, maybe it was more polite for the engineer to hang up than to point out how little you knew. After all, he's now left you thinking that the customer is always right. Exemplary customer service, perhaps?

ripplyuk

I feel sorry for the OP. Reading this thread sounds really mean! If this is the venting section, then I think they should be allowed to do just that.

PILES

TurnUpForTheBooks wrote: »

Why? My mobile broadband is actually faster and less problematic (when I have an active SIM!).

laineybird, maybe you don't much have a clue about how things work I guess, so the odious little man who was the engineer would have had your eternal thanks when he said "it was broken - now it is fixed" because you know nothing about how it might have broken, got fixed, what the chances of it failing again are, or the price of eggs perhaps? You are happy under your mushroom. I don't live under one!

I know how stuff works, I know how to protect myself from silly upsets like the disconnected line. Did you see me complaining about the disconnected line? Nope. Because it didn't affect me. I just fired up my hotspot on my mobile and used a better connection! But I do have a reason to keep a landline.

My complaint was about the odious little man who decided he was above answering any questions. I was friendly and chatty. He was extremely rude. That was what my vent was about. But you don't want to see that.

Ask no questions, get told no lies, eh? Be happy that we just have little men who can fix things in a complex world. Is that it? I appreciate that some people with that outlook can often survive without getting taken for a ride. However, if you don't know what questions to ask about things like your car, your phone, tv and other household appliances, internet, plumbing, insurance, banking etc. you are I think more likely to lose or at least fail to save money in the long run cf. those of us that can effectively question things.

If you always take the first answer, you'll rarely get the best deal or the whole truth (depending on which it is you seek).

To be fair, the engineer probably realised this as soon as you opened your mouth. Like me, he worked you out as an intellectual colossus and he may have thought, this guy knows stuff, he must know how his line works. Do you shop at ASda or Subway by any chance, or use premier inns?.

Money-Saving-King

LilElvis wrote: »

The title of the thread is inaccurate.

Yeah it should be this:

TurnUpForTheBooks thinks he is a law unto himself.

I've noticed his complaints before, complete and utter rubbish!

TurnUpForTheBooks_2

TurnUpForTheBooks has strong opinions, MSK. He cometh here to a quiet place where chunter is invited, and venteth forth and true the pigeons do scatter, but luckily for the world, the sky does not actually fall in.

I do most wheckerly beg all your pardons , and especially Smithers37 who talks whiff-whaff I think :T

meer53

"Odious little man" !!! Ironic or what ?