I have another great example British customer service. My phone. Mind you, I have lived in my new place for four weeks and I don't have a phone. Allegedly, the line is on and in somebody else's name, but I can't get it to work. This has me cut off from Broadband, which is all I really care about.
I called on 3 November to transfer my line-rental-only account with British Telephone [BT] to my new address in Wimbledon. The guy that I talked to on the phone said that the line was still active, probably with the previous tenant, could I get them to cancel the account. I said I'd check, but to start the process anyway. He said it would take 5 days to transfer my account if the line was available and 15 days to transfer my account if I couldn't get the previous tenant to cancel the account. There is no new line having to be installed. The number doesn't even change, but this is the way it is. I know perfectly well that I won't have a phone on 18 November, but there doesn't seem to be a way around it.
Then life gets in the way. I don't dare call BT from my house because I would only have my cell phone. It's a charge call from your mobile AND I would likely have to spend half of the day on hold means I had best attack this from a land line. So on Friday of this week [the 28th] a full 25 days since my first attempt, I call BT.
Call #1: I call 0800 800 150 and my phone number. "Our records show that we have sent your recent bill. If you're calling about your bill, press 1; if not, press 2" I found the number on web site about 12 pages into the site. I can't, of course, request the account change on line. I have to call. I got lost in the Options and ended up in some place that wanted me to buy telephone equipments. I hung up.
Call #2: I call 0800 800 150 and my phone number. "Our records show that we have sent your recent bill. If you're calling about your bill, press 1; if not, press 2" ... I followed the options until I got to one that told me I could hold for a customer service rep. I told him that I was trying to follow up on a an order to transfer my account. This did not translate. I told him that I moved recently from Bristol to Wimbledon and I wanted to transfer my account. He told me I needed to speak the moving house team and I should call them at 0800 800 150. I told him I just called that number and that's how I found him. Right. Okay, he'll transfer me. Then he says, "there will be silence then a que, am I okay with that?" I said, "Am I okay with what?" He repeats, "I will transfer you to the moving house team and there will be silence then a que, am I okay with that?" Sure. Whatever, I just want to get this completed.
I was "in the que" [on hold] for nearly two minutes and there were sounds of several transfers in the meantime, and then the line went dead.
Call #3: I call 0800 800 150 and my phone number. "Our records show that we have sent your recent bill. If you're calling about your bill, press 1; if not, press 2" ... and I try to follow options until I get one for a customer service rep. This rep tells me he can't help me and that I need to speak to the Moving House team and their number is 0800 800 150. And I say, "yes, I've called that number now three times and I found you." He says, "Right, well it's the options that are important. You want Opt. 1, then Opt. 2." The line goes dead.
Call #4: I call 0800 800 150 and my phone number. "Our records show that we have sent your recent bill. If you're calling about your bill, press 1; if not, press 2". I follow the instructions as the rep gave me, and I got lost because after Opt. 1 then Opt. 2, you're given another 4 options. I try Opt 1. Wrong. I hang up.
Call #5: I call 0800 800 150 and my phone number. "Our records show that we have sent your recent bill. If you're calling about your bill, press 1; if not, press 2". I follow the instructions as the rep gave me, and I got lost because after Opt. 1 then Opt. 2, you're given another 4 options. I try Opt 2. Wrong. I hang up.
Call #6: I call 0800 800 150 and my phone number. "Our records show that we have sent your recent bill. If you're calling about your bill, press 1; if not, press 2". I follow the instructions as the rep gave me, and I got lost because after Opt. 1 then Opt. 2, you're given another 4 options. I try Opt 3. Wrong. I hang up.
Call #7: I call 0800 800 150 and my phone number. "Our records show that we have sent your recent bill. If you're calling about your bill, press 1; if not, press 2". I decide that the rep did not know what he was talking about, so after Opt. 2, I listened to the next four options:
Opt.1 products
Opt.2 bill
Opt. 3 moving home
Opt.4 help w/service
Hmmm... don't recall being told there was a moving home option anywhere. So I dial 3 and I get a moving home rep. And I have to give my home number, again. And I tell them I want to check on an order to move my account. "Do you have an order number?" No. "Okay, let me check," and I'm put on hold. The rep comes back and tells me the order was never placed. "Okay, well what do I have to do to place the order?"
"Let me check," and I'm put on hold.
"Right. Well the previous tenant still has their name on the account. Can you get them to cancel?"
"No, you told me that on 3 November and I told you that I do not own the property."
"Right. Well, if you can't get the previous occupant to cancel the account, then it will take three weeks before we can transfer the account in your name."
"Yes, you told me that on 3 November, just put the order in so that I can have a phone."
"Right. Please hold."
Then the rep comes back, "Right, well, I've place the order, but I'm afraid it won't be until 12 Dec when you have a phone."
"Okay, tell me, if the phone is currently active and we are just trying to transfer my name to the account, why doesn't the line work?"
"Oh, well that could be for a number of reasons. I could transfer you to submit a work order."
I say, "no".
"Okay. Is there anything else that I can do for you today?"
"Yes, can you please give me the work order number?"
And the rep says [and I am not lying], "do you really think you'll need it?"
