Appeal to BT. Please Let Us Know!

Aeneas

In recent weeks I have directly experienced or know someone who has experienced the following in trying to get service from BT
- loss of Internet order for Broadband
-failure to reply to e-mails notifying them of this
-total impossibility of getting through on the 1904 helpline
-refusal to call back when name and number given
-difficulty installing the new Voyager modum because of some kind of incompatibility with Eircom's system, or so I am told
-in recent weeks repeated connectivity difficulties, to the point that the system is unreliable. I consider a system unreliable when everytime you switch on you fear that you will not connect, or when you need to do something urgently the system lets you down. I have described my difficulties in another thread.
These problems seem institutional and systemic across the entire company - sales, customer service and technical support.
I know that there are some on the technical side in BT who are concerned; and there are even some who check this site. Maybe they could let us know first if the company recognises the poor service they are giving us, and second what they are doing about it, particularly recent connectivity problems.

Misc Chic

I’ve had ridiculous trouble with BT. I originally placed an order for Broadband back in November however cancelled it after they took an inordinate amount of time to set up my account. Now they’ve made the process of getting my 125 Euro deposit back excessively difficult. It has been over 2 months since I cancelled my order and they still haven’t repaid the deposit. I’ve called customer service multiple times. They have no idea when it will be repaid. The last time I called I requested a manager’s call-back, which was supposed to be complete within 24 to 48 hours, but no one has called (it’s been over 2 weeks now). I’ve also tried to email them for an update with no response. I have previously been put on hold once for 48 minutes, and another time for 124 minutes without a human answer. I’m going to try and call again in another week, but frankly I’m exhausted. I have never been so frustrated dealing with a company.

kmick

Small claims court - It only costs something like a tenner - but you have to take a day off work and make sure you have all the evidence emails, diary with all phone calls and people you talked to etc. When you pay your tenner over ring them and tell them. I would expect it never to go to court.

surveys

No good appealing to BT. ! Not unless you can put your appeal on the TV ! I am a little surpised that the Boads 'guru's have not descended on this post. ? :-)
Just do a search for 'BT' or 'BT Ireland' and you will undoubtedly get 100's of results. 90% of them criticism and bad postings about BT. ! You will see a lot from me too, mostly where I tried to help Boards members with their BT problems but even I had to give up in the end. !
To be sure almost 100% of service companies in our Country are the same. Just varying degrees of bad. ! Until we as a Nation get up and complain and do something about it ,en mass, then they are not going to even try to improve on their services. I have no idea who is the 'least worst' in the Telecoms Industry so I cannot really offer any advice, other than to say 'stay away from BT' !
Others will say "Oh, but there are only a few complaints on here compared to the large volume of BT users, but how many of non-boards members also have trouble with BT. ? A large % I would say.
Until we have an independent organisation prepared to investigate the horrors of the Service companies, nothing will improve. !

Jumpy

They do have a complaints department, make every effort to get in contact, keep a log of it, if you get no satisfaction then call Comreg and mention you have followed the correct complaints procedure to no avail and can they please take up your case.

surveys

Jumpy wrote:

They do have a complaints department, make every effort to get in contact, keep a log of it, if you get no satisfaction then call Comreg and mention you have followed the correct complaints procedure to no avail and can they please take up your case.

Unfortunately 'many' have tried that before = total frustration. !
[EDIT]! If you don't succeed with her then you have 'no' chance. !

Stargal

Mine has been going down almost every evening for the past week or two - sometimes just for a couple of minutes but other times for up to an hour. I'll email their customer support to tell them - really couldn't face an hour on hold waiting for one of their useless minions to bother their arses to pick up the phone to actually (gasp!) deal with a customer.

Aside from the atrocious customer service (or lack thereof) when I was trying to set up the account though, this is the first time I've had a problem with BT in the 4/5 months I've been with them. Here's hoping it's temporary and fixable...

eth0_

surveys wrote:

Unfortunately 'many' have tried that before = total frustration. !
Try this email: [EDIT]

Ha, is she still in BT? I remember a few years ago she got into trouble with the boss for posing on boards.ie as a happy EsatBT customer. tee hee.

dub45

Misc Chic wrote:

I’ve had ridiculous trouble with BT. I originally placed an order for Broadband back in November however cancelled it after they took an inordinate amount of time to set up my account. Now they’ve made the ...................................I have never been so frustrated dealing with a company.

I have probably driven regular boards people mad with my obsession with BT's appalling behaviour over the deposit but this is a perfect example of where it was bound to lead.

The outrageous and very basic problem here is that they have money belong to and there is no will on anyones part to give it back to you:eek: In other words they dont give a flying f**k!

Imagine a multinational company that is supposedly reputable making it virtually impossible for a customer to get their own money back - well thats BT!
(And in spite of what Surveys says above while other companies are bad there is no one as bad over such a long period as BT.)

If I was you I would do the following: email BT and tell them that as far as you are concerend that you now regard the money they have belong to you as stolen and that you will be contacting the Gardai within 5 days if it is not returned to you.

And it is stolen it is as simple as that - you have requested that they return it and they have frustrated all your perfectly reasonable efforts to get it.

Contact Comreg and dont let them fob you off that its not an issue for them.

Email the joe duffy show. (and cc your emal to BT)

And open up a claim in the small claims court.

http://www.odca.ie/cfmdocs/c_query/claim.cfm

If you had the money for the depost deducted via direct debit you could contact your bank and ipso (www.ipso.ie for details)

Boardsies are not the only ones to complain about BT either:

http://www.askaboutmoney.com/showthread.php?t=17811&highlight=esat

It makes me smile sometimes when I read about the CEO of BT attacking Eircom when his own organisation are so mindbogglingly incompetent!!!

Cabaal

surveys, unbanned as proof given that BT staff member is aware of details being posted,

Have a nice day

Misc Chic

Thanks for all the advice on next steps with BT. I feel much better knowing I’m not the only one who’s banged their head against the wall dealing with them. Out of principal I’m going to fight this thing to the end…

I have to say, I would never EVER recommend signing-up for BT. When it goes smoothly, you’re fine but heaven forbid if anything goes wrong along the way. I read about BT’s infamous customer service on these boards before signing up but signed-up anyway. I’ve paid for my mistake.

Richard Dower

Don't get me started on BT and the overbilling i endured for over a year!
Thankfully my last four bills have been ok, i watch them like a hawk!