We’d like to remind Forumites to please avoid political debate on the Forum.
This is to keep it a safe and useful space for MoneySaving discussions. Threads that are – or become – political in nature may be removed in line with the Forum’s rules. Thank you for your understanding.
📨 Have you signed up to the Forum's new Email Digest yet? Get a selection of trending threads sent straight to your inbox daily, weekly or monthly!
The Forum now has a brand new text editor, adding a bunch of handy features to use when creating posts. Read more in our how-to guide
Dishonest Profiteering from British Gas
Today I rec'd a letter from BG service reminding me that my boiler service was due and would I please phone an 0845 number to book an appointment.
The cheek of it. I already paid over 130 quid for the service now I gorra pay for the phone call to get the job done.
It should be an 0800 number at their expense.
But MUCH MUCH worse is to come.
I call the number and am informed that for security purposes the call may be recorded and would I press No 1 for service dept bookings.
Three minutes later a human voice offers assistance but not after spending another minute verifying my identity.
Whats the point of that, I already know who I am and I know who they are and we are not discussing money or anything sensitive, just servicing a gas boiler for Christ's sake? Its not the CIA!
And all this time I am paying for the call.
So a date is agreed and I say "goodbye".
But hold on!!! We are not finished yet!
The guy on the other end now wants to ask me if I want BG to look after my household appliances? - "No thankyou" says I.
What about my water pipes? - "No thankyou" says I.
And what about my drains? - "No thankyou" says I.
Did I realise that BG can do all these things for a modest additional sum? - "No thankyou" says I.
Jesus - this guy is persistant, 'cos he now wants to know who covers these thing for me at present? "No thankyou" says I.
This chap is now becoming quite perceptive because he realises that he will not be earning much sales commission from this FREE (to BG) telephone call.
But he does not give up.
He tries a different approach by asking me if I realise just how expensive repairing underground pipes can be.
I tell him I've lived here for 41 years and never had one break yet so paying a fortune to BG is not an economical solution. so once more, - "No thankyou" says I.
Still he persists and now I'm angry, so I cut him dead by asking him what part of "No Thankyou" did he not understand?
So "thankyou and goodbye"!!
Now I am a pretty tolerant and polite bloke, but tell me this?
By what immoral act of parliament do BG think they have the right to get me to pay for a 10 minute telphone call for their own cold calling sales and marketing campaign?
What they are doing is downright disgusting and deceitful profiteering.
Just do the math?
Lets say they got 5,000,000 gas service customers. That 5,000,000 phone calls at (say) 20 pence per call they dont have to pay for, say 1.0 million quid, and they get their cold calling telephone calls paid for them to boot!
In addition they probably also get a portion of the telehone call cost refunded to them by BT for being such a clever and resourceful customer.
What a dishonest shower?? Flagrant and dishonest profiteering.
Yes I know its possible to try search the net for an 0800 number for BG, but thats not the point! Why should we? These peeps are are charlatans of the worst kind!
Ramon.
The cheek of it. I already paid over 130 quid for the service now I gorra pay for the phone call to get the job done.
It should be an 0800 number at their expense.
But MUCH MUCH worse is to come.
I call the number and am informed that for security purposes the call may be recorded and would I press No 1 for service dept bookings.
Three minutes later a human voice offers assistance but not after spending another minute verifying my identity.
Whats the point of that, I already know who I am and I know who they are and we are not discussing money or anything sensitive, just servicing a gas boiler for Christ's sake? Its not the CIA!
And all this time I am paying for the call.
So a date is agreed and I say "goodbye".
But hold on!!! We are not finished yet!
The guy on the other end now wants to ask me if I want BG to look after my household appliances? - "No thankyou" says I.
What about my water pipes? - "No thankyou" says I.
And what about my drains? - "No thankyou" says I.
Did I realise that BG can do all these things for a modest additional sum? - "No thankyou" says I.
Jesus - this guy is persistant, 'cos he now wants to know who covers these thing for me at present? "No thankyou" says I.
This chap is now becoming quite perceptive because he realises that he will not be earning much sales commission from this FREE (to BG) telephone call.
But he does not give up.
He tries a different approach by asking me if I realise just how expensive repairing underground pipes can be.
I tell him I've lived here for 41 years and never had one break yet so paying a fortune to BG is not an economical solution. so once more, - "No thankyou" says I.
Still he persists and now I'm angry, so I cut him dead by asking him what part of "No Thankyou" did he not understand?
So "thankyou and goodbye"!!
Now I am a pretty tolerant and polite bloke, but tell me this?
By what immoral act of parliament do BG think they have the right to get me to pay for a 10 minute telphone call for their own cold calling sales and marketing campaign?
What they are doing is downright disgusting and deceitful profiteering.
Just do the math?
Lets say they got 5,000,000 gas service customers. That 5,000,000 phone calls at (say) 20 pence per call they dont have to pay for, say 1.0 million quid, and they get their cold calling telephone calls paid for them to boot!
In addition they probably also get a portion of the telehone call cost refunded to them by BT for being such a clever and resourceful customer.
What a dishonest shower?? Flagrant and dishonest profiteering.
Yes I know its possible to try search the net for an 0800 number for BG, but thats not the point! Why should we? These peeps are are charlatans of the worst kind!
Ramon.
0
Comments
-
Unfortunately these phone centre people are more sales people than anything else working to targets and comission based on sales. Because of this reason they will be persistent in trying to sell you something. You see it everywhere in city centres. I'm yet to say "yeah I'd be happy to sign up if it was free and you'd give me the comission you get from the deal, but I doubt either's going to happen so goodbye" - but I really wanna try lol.0
-
A local plumber will charge about £60.
Due to increased competition (Polish plumbers!!) in my town, this has dropped to £35. Corgi registered too.0 -
Thats true, but I dont mind paying the 130 quid for heating system service and free labour + parts for the whole system to be covered for one year.
My beef is "why do I have to pay for their sales telephone calls?"
Ramon0 -
Most people would rather have something mentioneas part on a conversation when you are already speaking to them rather that be cold called at me. However that agent was excessively persistent - he must have been having a bad day!
Next time you speak to BG, ask to 'Opt Out'. This means they can't cold call you or send y junk mail, and are much more limited in what they can promote if you do call in.
Personally I don't see the need for freephone numbers as the cost would simply be passed on in another way, provided calls are answered quickly and dealt with effeciently. Unfortunately this doesn't always happen.0
This discussion has been closed.
Confirm your email address to Create Threads and Reply
Categories
- All Categories
- 353.7K Banking & Borrowing
- 254.2K Reduce Debt & Boost Income
- 455.1K Spending & Discounts
- 246.8K Work, Benefits & Business
- 603.3K Mortgages, Homes & Bills
- 178.2K Life & Family
- 260.8K Travel & Transport
- 1.5M Hobbies & Leisure
- 16K Discuss & Feedback
- 37.7K Read-Only Boards