NTL Tech support is in India

[Florence]

Today at 6am the internet dropped for over 2 hours then it was back online for 4 hours to be dropped again until 12pm lasted for about 20 mins then died again. We called tech support and it was in India... useless is the best discription of our help. they just said it was the modem and would arrange an engineer. They did no tests didn't try interigating the modem!! Then they asked for a security pin number which we have never had then well you will have to call CS on Monday to get the pin number. They are hard to understand and you are forever repeating what you say. Totally out of line after all the redundancies NTL have done..

The modem is woprking again so I can only say its the network breaking up. :rant:

[Nidge]

I had the same the other week but someone on here said they weren't in India. It's a shamble of a tech support at the moment.

[quadplay]

Not all Technical Support is done in India - the Swansea centre is still going, but has been outsourced to IBM - who have also started transferring overflow calls to their centre in India. All tech support on the Langley network on Sundays is now done in India - Bromley areas are still supported in Swansea on Sundays, as India cannot get access to the ICMS system needed for STB support.

[andygrif]

Today at 6am the internet dropped for over 2 hours then it was back online for 4 hours to be dropped again until 12pm lasted for about 20 mins then died again. We called tech support and it was in India... useless is the best discription of our help. they just said it was the modem and would arrange an engineer. They did no tests didn't try interigating the modem!! Then they asked for a security pin number which we have never had then well you will have to call CS on Monday to get the pin number. They are hard to understand and you are forever repeating what you say. Totally out of line after all the redundancies NTL have done..

The modem is woprking again so I can only say its the network breaking up. :rant:

I had the same thing last week with the usual email problems. They wouldn't help me unless I gave them a security word, which I had never set up. It turned out to be my password (clever eh, letting all and sundry loose with my password?)

I have to say that the person I spoke to was very polite and cheery, much better than I have experienced in Swansea - but less helpful - they don't appear able to do over-the-line tests from there.

[BBKing]

jimbo - Kits *is* in a Bromley area, Manchester to be specific. Do you mean STB support isn't outsourced? Get an STB back, then, Kits ;)

I've got internal questions about what India can and can't do, which I'll transfer to other channels...

[quadplay]

jimbo - Kits *is* in a Bromley area, Manchester to be specific. Do you mean STB support isn't outsourced? Get an STB back, then, Kits ;)

I've got internal questions about what India can and can't do, which I'll transfer to other channels...

It is outsourced, but to IBM in Swansea, and STB calls can't be handled in India because they can't get access to ICMS. Indian agents handle Langley calls, and Bromley SACM. There are no Langley agents scheduled to work on Sundays in Swansea anymore, but there are Bromley agents, most of whom take STB and SACM calls. I know this, because I'm about to be transferred from Langley to Bromley!

[Florence]

WEll I have to say I dissaprove of my details ( Data Protection) being flagged across the world to India. I shall be calling Alan Grant to complain and I am now thinking of moving back to BT to get an ISP that does not use India.

Sorry but India Call centers are no good and a waste of money I have two calls as they insisted the person whos name is on the account contact them before they could arrange an engineer. The account is flagged that I am allowed to deal with it and has been for years. Until now I have had no problems talking to tech support about the account. As for the security word he gave it and they said we didn't have the correct one. Is is the only one we have ever had. The security now to use NTL internet is nill with this call center having details and passwords.

To make people over here redundant make assurances that they wouldn't be usomg India call centers except for new business then transfer old customers to an inferior help service shows things are rock bottom and time to consider other options. I was going to move to the 3mb in Jan but if this is my tech support sorry but I I not wasting more money with this company. off line most of the day and to prove them wrong the modem is still working.. Proves it was the network the modem had continualy tried to sync with the internet but if the network is down it can't.

:rant:

[Nidge]

I had the same thing last week with the usual email problems. They wouldn't help me unless I gave them a security word, which I had never set up. It turned out to be my password (clever eh, letting all and sundry loose with my password?)

I have to say that the person I spoke to was very polite and cheery, much better than I have experienced in Swansea - but less helpful - they don't appear able to do over-the-line tests from there.

Me neither.

[Chrysalis]

Kits you feel strongly about it and so do I, when I rang up tech support last time I was speaking to someone with an indian accent but I hoped it wasn't actually india, because NTL going down this route shows they dont give a toss about customers and only their profits, people have lost their jobs which I do care about and it gives customer's a worse experience, and for tech support makes it even worse. If I am reporting a fault I would ideally like to be speaking to someone who is technically minded and knows the network, I somehow doubt this is likely when ringing up india of course like you said it's also bad security wise since it means account details are been transmitted over long distances.

[JohnHorb]

Not looked at the NTL T&Cs, but AFAIK, under the Data Protection Act, you have to explicitly agree to your details being made available outside the EU. If there is no clause anywhere to this effect, aren't IBM in breach of the legislation?

[Florence]

Not looked at the NTL T&Cs, but AFAIK, under the Data Protection Act, you have to explicitly agree to your details being made available outside the EU. If there is no clause anywhere to this effect, aren't IBM in breach of the legislation?
I have the original T&C printed when I first joined all those years ago. I will pull them out again but no doubt they will hastily change them either way the help was nill the are incapeable of helping like our Tech support doesover here. I shall be updating my review on NTL with ISPreview to reflect this state of affairs it vertually leaves you with no tech support on sundays now so a waste of money. Why pay them to work sunday when they can't do anything for us..

[Chrysalis]

when I rang it wasn't a sunday, and I got someone in india. I tried sunday 2 weeks ago and got message saying offices not open sundays.

[Florence]

when I rang it wasn't a sunday, and I got someone in india. I tried sunday 2 weeks ago and got message saying offices not open sundays.

That will make thing even worse so if I phone tomorow to get to the bottom of this I could end up back in INDIA!

[Flubflow]

Someone I knew who had recently had BB installed and had to ring up (for the umpteenth time) to try and get the damn pin number to register the service. They got someone who was presumably based in a foreign land because nobody in their right mind would have employed them in this country for a phone suppot job due to the fact that you could not understand a single word they were saying. My friend apologised to the person for stopping them in their tracks to tell the them, in the nicest way possible, that he basically needs to speak to someone who can speak english properly at which point they gave him an alternative phone number which turned out to be unobtainable.
Go figure.

[Stuartbe]

These call centres are the worst crack pot idea that has been drempt up yet !

As anyone who has worked in tech support will tell you - its hard enough trying to walk a ciustomer over changing tcp/ip settings ect but trying to do it with a language barier in the way is close to imposible.... Thats of corse if you have someone on the end of the phone who does not think that PCI stands for perticulaly clever interface !!!

As most of you know I lost a good job due to the centre being moved to india.... Bad Stupid idea IMHO It makes by blood boil... !!!!

Sadly a lot of companies will keep moving the call centres over to countries like India as it all comes down to one simple fact --- MONEY --- With cash saved by getting rid of decent tech bods in this country ( yes there are some decent ones ) the MD's can have two extra rounds of golf on Monday !!!

When are the busineses in the counrty going to pull there thumbs out of there backsides, stop thinking that we should be greatfull to them for the service and realise that ---- WE PAY THERE WAGES ----

Rant Over :)

[Wakar]

These call centres are the worst crack pot idea that has been drempt up yet !

As anyone who has worked in tech support will tell you - its hard enough trying to walk a ciustomer over changing tcp/ip settings ect but trying to do it with a language barier in the way is close to imposible.... Thats of corse if you have someone on the end of the phone who does not think that PCI stands for perticulaly clever interface !!!

As most of you know I lost a good job due to the centre being moved to india.... Bad Stupid idea IMHO It makes by blood boil... !!!!

Sadly a lot of companies will keep moving the call centres over to countries like India as it all comes down to one simple fact --- MONEY --- With cash saved by getting rid of decent tech bods in this country ( yes there are some decent ones ) the MD's can have two extra rounds of golf on Monday !!!

When are the busineses in the counrty going to pull there thumbs out of there backsides, stop thinking that we should be greatfull to them for the service and realise that ---- WE PAY THERE WAGES ----

Rant Over :)

I totaly agree with StuartBe.. i work in a call center (IT Dept) and the funny thing is that its going to be moved approx 120miles north of where it is now... the only thing is that the people working there dont know about this.. it just says all there after is there PROFIT and not the service they provide. The thing is that the people that work there know the system inside out and if 10% only trvel with the company they'll have to train more people, when they move which means more training to be done and less work will be gained when these new workers start.. Just a point onwards from what stuartbe was saying.. Hope i aint 'threadcrashed' this thread.. ;)

WAKAR

[JohnHorb]

In principle, there is nothing wrong with Tech support being based in India, or anywhere else. We live in a global marketplace. HOWEVER, it does depend on the personnel involved being a) proficient in English and b) having access to the same local information and tools as a local call centre - e.g. Swansea. I've dealt with call centres in India and Malaysia and found the personnel extremely knowledgable and helpful.

[SLM]

As a couple of people have already stated ntl gave the contract to ibm to do the tech support I do not know but would ntl have a say where the call centre is, as its down to ibm where they do buisness?

I do how ever share the same attitude for call centres etc going abroad, when they make alot of British people redundant just to save a couple a quid.

[Florence]

Just a point onwards from what stuartbe was saying.. Hope i aint 'threadcrashed' this thread.. ;)

WAKAR

I have had my :rant: so you are more than welcome to have yours as long as it is about offshore call centers. :)

[poolking]

Oh great another crackpot idea from NTL. No offence to Indians, but what the hell are NTL thinking?

It might cost me a lot to get my BT Master socket fixed, but this on top of the constant over charging due to an IT error, I'm thinking of saying bye bye to NTL. :mad:

[Florence]

Oh great another crackpot idea from NTL. No offence to Indians, but what the hell are NTL thinking?

It might cost me a lot to get my BT Master socket fixed, but this on top of the constant over charging due to an IT error, I'm thinking of saying bye bye to NTL. :mad:
My hubby has said he thinks it could be time to look around
and he never likes to spend money to change when he already has the product supplied.

[Chrysalis]

Government needs to start taxing outsourced jobs to put companies off doing it.

[Flubflow]

In principle, there is nothing wrong with Tech support being based in India, or anywhere else. We live in a global marketplace. HOWEVER, it does depend on the personnel involved being a) proficient in English and b) having access to the same local information and tools as a local call centre - e.g. Swansea. I've dealt with call centres in India and Malaysia and found the personnel extremely knowledgable and helpful.

Yes, thats the other side of the story. In fact there could be times when we ring NTL support, get someone from India and never know it because that particular person happens to be both very fluent in english and extremely helpful & knowlegable.

[ian@huth]

I wonder how many people of Indian origin are employed by NTL in call centres over here. Most countries these days are becoming multi cultural and you can have quite a mix of nationalities in any organisation. The actual nationality of any CSR doesn't really matter, what matters is their ability to do the job both to their employers and customers satisfaction. :)

[Nugget]

That will make thing even worse so if I phone tomorow to get to the bottom of this I could end up back in INDIA!

Would you bring me back an elephant?

;)

[orangebird]

In principle, there is nothing wrong with Tech support being based in India, or anywhere else. We live in a global marketplace. HOWEVER, it does depend on the personnel involved being a) proficient in English and b) having access to the same local information and tools as a local call centre - e.g. Swansea. I've dealt with call centres in India and Malaysia and found the personnel extremely knowledgable and helpful.


:clap:

I'm agreed with that post. I don't care where the calls are directed to, as long as my query can be dealt with.

The opinion that all the money saved is paying for rounds of golf is a little short sighted IMO. The less costs ntl have, the less they can sell their services to the end customer. It's supposed to be a profit making organisation. :shrug:

[Nikko]

Would you bring me back an elephant?

;)

If you had asked me that last week I would have obliged! I have just got back from Goa :)

Interestingly we had a compound of delays on the return flight, meaning I missed any possible train connections home last night & had to stay over at an hotel :mad:

So this morning I had to check train times, and the Central Trains helpline is in India, apparently...............

[Russ]

I have to say I've always found cultural differences to be a huge problem. My car insurance is with Admiral and when I called up for my renewal recently, I had to go through the standard DPA which is fine, however on my policy my name is 'Russell' so when they asked for my details and gave my first name as 'Russ', they refused to help me as they did not realise it was one and the same name. Now I understand their intentions were good but it's problems like this which build up resentment from customers.

As it happens I'm thinking of moving my bank account from HSBC to Natwest just so I can be sure of getting through to a UK callcentre. It's not a racism thing, it's just I've never felt confident in dealing with Bangalore/Bombay callcentres.

So if I needed to call tech support and I ended up speaking to someone in India, off the bat I'm not going to feel very confident.

[Neil]

:clap:

I'm agreed with that post. I don't care where the calls are directed to, as long as my query can be dealt with.

The opinion that all the money saved is paying for rounds of golf is a little short sighted IMO. The less costs ntl have, the less they can sell their services to the end customer. It's supposed to be a profit making organisation. :shrug:

I agree too, but the money saving shouldn't be at the customer's expense, & any moves regarding call centres etc should be done for the customer's benefit, which can only lead to more money for the company involved.

Happy customers=profit for any company.

[scrotnig]

:clap:

I'm agreed with that post. I don't care where the calls are directed to, as long as my query can be dealt with.

The opinion that all the money saved is paying for rounds of golf is a little short sighted IMO. The less costs ntl have, the less they can sell their services to the end customer. It's supposed to be a profit making organisation. :shrug:
You will say that until it's YOUR job that goes down the pan when the jobs move to India.

And people tell me that affected people can get another job. Not if ALL the call centre work ends up in India they can't.

Companies who do most of their business in the UK should have call centres in the UK, end of story.

[Graham F]

Companies who do most of their business in the UK should have call centres in the UK, end of story.

:confused: why should they?

For example football shirts are not made in this country but the main market for Liverpool shirts is in this country, so should they be made in this country?

[orangebird]

You will say that until it's YOUR job that goes down the pan when the jobs move to India.

And people tell me that affected people can get another job. Not if ALL the call centre work ends up in India they can't.

Companies who do most of their business in the UK should have call centres in the UK, end of story.

Soory Mark, but I'm looking at it from an objective point of view. And fyi, I'd love redundancy. :)

[Russ]

:confused: why should they?

For example football shirts are not made in this country but the main market for Liverpool shirts is in this country, so should they be made in this country?

If they were customer facing people then yes they should.

[Graham F]

If they were customer facing people then yes they should.

why?

[Robert Atkins]

Provided that I can understand their English, I have no problem. Globalization is here to stay. But I agree with Russ cultural differences can be a problem too...

[Robert Atkins]

And fyi, I'd love redundancy. :)
Why?

[Graham F]

Why?

a decent payoff i would of thought, would be high on the list :)

[Stuartbe]

You will say that until it's YOUR job that goes down the pan when the jobs move to India.

And people tell me that affected people can get another job. Not if ALL the call centre work ends up in India they can't.

Companies who do most of their business in the UK should have call centres in the UK, end of story.

:tu: I could not agree more....

Its hard finding any kind of call centre work in this country now !

Why should all of our jobs be sent abroad ? How many jobs have India (for example) shipped over here ?

[Russ]

why?

Because people from the UK are more likely to understand cultural difference, as well as the emphasis on certain words or expression if the customer is making a complaint and wants to feel like he/she is being understood and empathised. For example I don't have much faith in a CSE who says "thank you please" after everything he says, as in the case of one of the idiots I spoke to in 3's CS.

[Florence]

My reason for this thread was I have phoned twice to tech support while still offline.

The help was none all he said was unplug the modem which we did and already had before phoning. Then he asked what lights was on steady. pwr was the only one steady the others was flashing then having periods of none on. The modem was definately trying to sync.

WE had to repeat everything we said, Everything!!

If an engineer had come out after this test I would have been charged I know he didn't do the tests I have had done before with Swansea.

We had to call back as he said the account isn't flagged for me to deal with it yet its been flagged for years. I have been dealing with the account for years. It was me that arranged the Bb.. :erm: so how is it I suddenly don't have access to deal with it.. :confused:

When hubby called back he had a woman who during the conversation had him repeat everything he said, didn't know where the mac address was, and then asked if we had moved next door also asked if the computer was turned on and working. She told him she couldn't understand his accent and at the end we was no further on. Still offline with a supposed broken modem that is working now..... I still think it was network not modem.
:rant: My husband says > :2up:

[Bill C]

You will say that until it's YOUR job that goes down the pan when the jobs move to India.

And people tell me that affected people can get another job. Not if ALL the call centre work ends up in India they can't.

Companies who do most of their business in the UK should have call centres in the UK, end of story.
Well said Mark :tu:

[Chrysalis]

I hate it for the following reasons.

1 - It is a uk company and as such uk customers provide them with their profits, so shouldnt we get the benefit of jobs created?

2 - For the reason kit stated communication issues.

3 - Locality, I think someone local is more likely to know issues at hand then someone in an india call centre thousands of miles away, they can communicate between departments much easier and are in the same time zone.

If it is about cost and its the only way NTL claim they can make a profit then they should just increase everyone's bill by £1 a month and move it all back to the uk because I for one think £1 is worth a better service and giving people their jobs back.

Incidently my bank has done this as well and I cant say I am happy about it.

[Graham F]

:tu: I could not agree more....

Its hard finding any kind of call centre work in this country now !

Why should all of our jobs be sent abroad ? How many jobs have India (for example) shipped over here ?

You should see my local paper loads of call centre type jobs every week, infact everyone from ntl that i know easily found other call centre work to do when they got made redundant earlier this year!

Russ fair comment - can't argue with you there!

[andygrif]

why?

I think the question that people need to ask themselves is this:

If the SALES line directed me to India would I be as convinced to buy from them?

If the answer is no, then I don't see why customer services (i.e the bit you get to after you've signed up) should be based there either. I would think that it was hypocritical of the company doing it personally.

[Stuartbe]

You should see my local paper loads of call centre type jobs every week, infact everyone from ntl that i know easily found other call centre work to do when they got made redundant earlier this year!

Russ fair comment - can't argue with you there!


I am not sure where you are in the country but around my area you have nil - didly squat !!!

[Graham F]

Nr Reading in Berkshire so not a million miles from you :)

[scrotnig]

Those of you who support the idea of sacking UK based staff and replacing them with Indian staff sjould be ashamed of yourselves. Either you are too rich and pompous to have a job, or else you think your job is safe and it will never happen to you.

If this is taken to its logical conclusion there will be NO jobs in the UK and the firms selling these products will not have anyone to buy them.

I wouldn't mind if it was being done to stop firms going completely bust, but it isn't, it is done to increase profits that already run into billions of pounds a quarter, it is absolutely obscene and has to be stopped before it's too late.

I repeat, firms should be BOYCOTTED if they sack UK staff for this reason. I closed my Lloyds TSB account earlier in the year because they insist on sacking UK staff and replacing them with Indian staff on a fraction of the wage.

The most obscene thing I heard recently was some pompous Tory prat saying that UK workers who want to protect their jobs should agree to work for the same amount (about £3,000 a year). Well I will do that gladly, just as soon as my council tax alone doesn't amount to half that sum.

I get really fed up when people who struggle to make ends meet get accused of greed, especially by fatcat MPs who can vote themselves massive rises.

[Florence]

For what use the government is we might as well outsource them! its the same thing would they like to feel they have no job coz its outsourced to germany, france anywhere but here.

[Bill C]

For what use the government is we might as well outsource them! its the same thing would they like to feel they have no job coz its outsourced to germany, france anywhere but here.

So true

[poolking]

For what use the government is we might as well outsource them! its the same thing would they like to feel they have no job coz its outsourced to germany, france anywhere but here.
We're already outsourcing the government its called the EU. :D

[Florence]

We're already outsourcing the government its called the EU. :D


NO wrong its only part outsourced they still have a job. All those Tech support that was made redundant recently would still be working if the outsourcing was like the government one you have mentioned.

[Robert Atkins]

Don't we get philipino nurses, indian doctors, aussie bus drivers (located inNorwich), indian C++ programmers etc depriving poor/developing countries of it top minds/resources? even among the refuges we pick medical staff and retrain them....

can't they have few call centers?

[quadplay]

NO wrong its only part outsourced they still have a job. All those Tech support that was made redundant recently would still be working if the outsourcing was like the government one you have mentioned.

What tech support was that? No-one has been made redundant in ntl Broadband Technical Support in Swansea - we've been outsourced (and all the jobs transferred via TUPE legislation) to IBM.

[poolking]

I think wires have crossed here?

[Neil]

Those of you who support the idea of sacking UK based staff and replacing them with Indian staff sjould be ashamed of yourselves. Either you are too rich and pompous to have a job, or else you think your job is safe and it will never happen to you.

If this is taken to its logical conclusion there will be NO jobs in the UK and the firms selling these products will not have anyone to buy them.

I wouldn't mind if it was being done to stop firms going completely bust, but it isn't, it is done to increase profits that already run into billions of pounds a quarter, it is absolutely obscene and has to be stopped before it's too late.

I repeat, firms should be BOYCOTTED if they sack UK staff for this reason. I closed my Lloyds TSB account earlier in the year because they insist on sacking UK staff and replacing them with Indian staff on a fraction of the wage.

The most obscene thing I heard recently was some pompous Tory prat saying that UK workers who want to protect their jobs should agree to work for the same amount (about £3,000 a year). Well I will do that gladly, just as soon as my council tax alone doesn't amount to half that sum.

I get really fed up when people who struggle to make ends meet get accused of greed, especially by fatcat MPs who can vote themselves massive rises.

Have you cancelled your ntl services?

[Ignition]

Sorry but ntl are the most recent in a long list to do this.

If you want to blame someone for this blame our successive Governments for allowing the cost of living (and therefore salaries) to get so obscene in this overpriced, overtaxed, underserviced, depressing, erm, poop hole of a country by taxing the backside of everyone in every way possible making everything expensive and meaning employers have to pay so much more just to give people a half decent living wage (and I'm not even going to mention housing, 200 grand for a ground floor flat in Southampton, ffs).

The end result being a country that's not competitive internationally hence domestic qualified labour pool takes the training here then buggers off somewhere else where they can have a higher quality of life (really who can blame them, I'm one of them in the near future), and wholesale importation of labour to do the jobs residents don't want to, along with exportation of jobs to where they can be done for a cost that isn't obscene.

Comes down to 3 words often heard - 'off rip Britain' arrange as necessary....

[scrotnig]

Have you cancelled your ntl services?
No. As yet no staff have actually been sacked and replaced by Indian call centre staff.

When that happens the chances are I'd be on my way anyhow.

[Raistlin]

What tech support was that? No-one has been made redundant in ntl Broadband Technical Support in Swansea - we've been outsourced (and all the jobs transferred via TUPE legislation) to IBM.
One of our departments is about to get outsourced (and jobs transferred via TUPE). The people working there have been told that their new employers only have to honour their current contracts for 24 hours to comply with the requirements of TUPE and that after that their contracts will be changed - if they don't like the new contracts they are (of course) free to leave the company :mad:

[Raistlin]

<Snip>.....allowing the cost of living (and therefore salaries) to get so obscene.....<Snip>
Agree on the cost of living point, but which queue do I have to join to get an "obscene" salary? :D

[Stuartbe]

Don't we get philipino nurses, indian doctors, aussie bus drivers (located inNorwich), indian C++ programmers etc depriving poor/developing countries of it top minds/resources? even among the refuges we pick medical staff and retrain them....

can't they have few call centers?

Yep we do get them .......... !!!!!! EXEPT !!!!!!

These people are taking jobs not creating them !

I have no problem with usefull constructive people emigrating to this country. What I do have a problem with is people who have lived here all there lives being unable to get a job as some of these imigrants accept minumum wage and price skilled uk workers out of the market...

Its all about more fat profic margins :mad:

Some may say that this is done to reduce costs, and if that is the case -- How is it that in holland you can get a 10Mbit fibre connection for what someone in this country pays for a 512kb connection ????? AND Holand dont ship there technical support out to other countries !

The goverment should look after the people who live here first and imigrants second IMHO...

[Ignition]

Agree on the cost of living point, but which queue do I have to join to get an "obscene" salary? :D

As of April last year average adult UK fulltime worker wage before tax was £27928 according to Government stats.

[orangebird]

Those of you who support the idea of sacking UK based staff and replacing them with Indian staff sjould be ashamed of yourselves. Either you are too rich and pompous to have a job, or else you think your job is safe and it will never happen to you.

If this is taken to its logical conclusion there will be NO jobs in the UK and the firms selling these products will not have anyone to buy them.

I wouldn't mind if it was being done to stop firms going completely bust, but it isn't, it is done to increase profits that already run into billions of pounds a quarter, it is absolutely obscene and has to be stopped before it's too late.

I repeat, firms should be BOYCOTTED if they sack UK staff for this reason. I closed my Lloyds TSB account earlier in the year because they insist on sacking UK staff and replacing them with Indian staff on a fraction of the wage.

The most obscene thing I heard recently was some pompous Tory prat saying that UK workers who want to protect their jobs should agree to work for the same amount (about £3,000 a year). Well I will do that gladly, just as soon as my council tax alone doesn't amount to half that sum.

I get really fed up when people who struggle to make ends meet get accused of greed, especially by fatcat MPs who can vote themselves massive rises.

Mark - I really don't think anyone actually supports 'sacking UK staff in favour of Idian call centres etc. I certainly don't. But I do understand it from a business point of view. It's cheaper to run, services can be sold for less to the customer and more profit can be made. End of. :shrug:

[Russ]

As of April last year average adult UK fulltime worker wage before tax was £27928 according to Government stats.

Wow, I wish I had an 'average' wage then....

Mark - I really don't think anyone actually supports 'sacking UK staff in favour of Idian call centres etc. I certainly don't. But I do understand it from a business point of view. It's cheaper to run, services can be sold for less to the customer and more profit can be made. End of.

Just as long as said companies then don't wonder why there's little employee loyalty going and why people are reluctant to work for them.

[SOSAGES]

I dont mind who i talk to on tech support and im always calling as stuff always goes wrong :) but when im talking to india they have no idea what i am on about and seem to repeat stuff over and over again its all very scripted this isnt a one of either ive called a lot of people in india none have helped or even have a clue what im on about cant say ive had issues with other countries but only called norway denmark and spain and they all seemed ok (danish lads could speak better english then me)

[Enterian]

Wow, I wish I had an 'average' wage then....
Me too! Especially as I've been told I will find out by March if my job is being outsourced. :disturbd:

[etccarmageddon]

Those of you who support the idea of sacking UK based staff and replacing them with Indian staff should be ashamed of yourselves. Either you are too rich and pompous to have a job, or else you think your job is safe and it will never happen to you.

If this is taken to its logical conclusion there will be NO jobs in the UK and the firms selling these products will not have anyone to buy them.

I wouldn't mind if it was being done to stop firms going completely bust, but it isn't, it is done to increase profits that already run into billions of pounds a quarter, it is absolutely obscene and has to be stopped before it's too late.

I repeat, firms should be BOYCOTTED if they sack UK staff for this reason. I closed my Lloyds TSB account earlier in the year because they insist on sacking UK staff and replacing them with Indian staff on a fraction of the wage.

respect! shame on those people who export jobs or support it.

and anyone who has problems with their bank exporting jobs should support UK call centres by relocating their funds:-

www.nationwide.co.uk/mediacentre/PressRelease_this.asp?ID=606

[gary_580]

respect! shame on those people who export jobs or support it.

and anyone who has problems with their bank exporting jobs should support UK call centres by relocating their funds:-

www.nationwide.co.uk/mediacentre/PressRelease_this.asp?ID=606

wtf!! Nationwide use Offshore resources for project work like many other companies. Their call centre might not be offshore but it doesnt mean the whole of their business is

[Scarlett]

One of our departments is about to get outsourced (and jobs transferred via TUPE). The people working there have been told that their new employers only have to honour their current contracts for 24 hours to comply with the requirements of TUPE and that after that their contracts will be changed - if they don't like the new contracts they are (of course) free to leave the company :mad:

I'm glad to say that they cannot just do that see here (http://www.dti.gov.uk/er/individual/tupe-pl699a.htm#employees) for details. Also I personally do not believe the 24 hours claim either.. I'm sure its at least a month, may be longer (maybe even 6 month).

I did get the here is your new contract agree or walk but then I'm a contractor so they can do that :grind:

[poolking]

As of April last year average adult UK fulltime worker wage before tax was £27928 according to Government stats.
If thats the case I'd better go to my boss and ask for a 100% pay rise. :D

[danielf]

As of April last year average adult UK fulltime worker wage before tax was £27928 according to Government stats.

Averages are pretty meaningless when it comes to salaries, as the distribution of salaries is skewed. A few high earners will dispoportionately influence the mean. The modal or most common salary is a more meaningful indicator of how much people earn. This is quite a bit lower than the average.

[daxx]

I'm glad to say that they cannot just do that see here (http://www.dti.gov.uk/er/individual/tupe-pl699a.htm#employees)fordetails.Also I personally do not believe the 24 hours claimeither..I'm sure itsat least a month, may be longer (maybe even 6month).

I did get the here is your new contract agree or walk but then I'm a contractor so they can do that :grind:From TUPE regs:

Employees employed by the previous employer when the undertaking changes hands automatically become employees of the new employer on the same terms and conditions.It is as if their contracts of employment had originally been made with the new employer. Thus employees' continuity of employment is preserved, as are their terms and conditions of employment under their contracts of employment (except for certain occupational pension rights).

The way I read this is that your existing contract applies, and if a new contract is issued then that would come under the seperate exixting contractual legislation. Without digging too deeply I imagine that http://www.dti.gov.uk/er/pay/contracts-pl810a.htm#4 and associated print around this area would suffice.

[Chrysalis]

I said it before, outsourcing jobs needs to be taxed at a level which will offset savings made, hopefully keeping jobs in this country.

The average salary of 27k is far off reality I think the most common salary is more like 14-18k without overtime.(outside london)

The most worrying this is that when cheap labour is used, it affects the most vulnerable people in the country, years ago call centre's were opened in job deprived area's and now the same group of people suffer again as their work goes to india. Here in Leicester there is call centre's for British Gas and Powergen but I am guessing its only for a matter of time before they outsourced. The thing is tho, losing jobs will have a long term effect, the companies think they increasing profits but as people lose their income then they won't have so much money to spend and in turn will stop spending this will of course bring on a recession.

[Rone]

I wouldnt care if it was on Mars, as long as they can do the job, and do what needs doing properly.
Thats the crunch. ;)

[xtopher]

Swansea? I had a problem and was routed to Swansea only to be told we only DO broadband!
Lowly dialup user xtopher

[DieDieMyDarling]

I think this all comes down to something that's been wrong with ntl (and a lot of other companies in the uk) for a long time. The so called 'tech support' is usually made up of people who don't have a clue, sat in front of a computer screen with a list of Q&A type help sheets, and a list of phone numbers if they get stuck, that they can 'transfer' you to.

I've phoned tech support a few times, with various problems, and each time the person i get through to has gone through a list of simple questions, and if my problem doesn't fit into those problems i get 'transferred' - then the next person does the same thing, with a set of more complicated questions, and finally if all else fails, they put you through to tech support in Swansea (well, they're welsh, i think it's swansea), who really know their stuff, and have always had the answer for me.

The people in india probably know just as much, if not more, than the every day tech support for ntl in the UK, and are no doubt following the same Q&A help sheets, and have the same list of phone numbers to transfer you to, if they can't help, just takes a little longer now, if they don't understand your accent, or vice versa.

As long as ntl don't get rid of the guys in Swansea i don't really care, as they are the people i rely on when something goes wrong, the everyday phone monkey's can be from where they like, they're never any help anyway.

[Florence]

I think this all comes down to something that's been wrong with ntl (and a lot of other companies in the uk) for a long time. The so called 'tech support' is usually made up of people who don't have a clue, sat in front of a computer screen with a list of Q&A type help sheets, and a list of phone numbers if they get stuck, that they can 'transfer' you to.

Have to disagree I have called Swansea over the last 4/5 years and always had the problem sorted by the first person I spoke to unless the problem was network, Modem or cable to my house from the box. Have to say I have had great help with my problems until recently!


I've phoned tech support a few times, with various problems, and each time the person i get through to has gone through a list of simple questions, and if my problem doesn't fit into those problems i get 'transferred' - then the next person does the same thing, with a set of more complicated questions, and finally if all else fails, they put you through to tech support in Swansea (well, they're welsh, i think it's swansea), who really know their stuff, and have always had the answer for me.

The Tech support number would always take you to the Swansea only if you dial CS on the free number then that would happen


The people in india probably know just as much, if not more, than the every day tech support for ntl in the UK, and are no doubt following the same Q&A help sheets, and have the same list of phone numbers to transfer you to, if they can't help, just takes a little longer now, if they don't understand your accent, or vice versa.

Wrong the guys over here can interrogate the modems send information to them and sometimes get them working again. The Indian Callcentre didn't attempt this at all didn't even try. Fewer questions than normal and less important details then the Dead modem remark. (The modem is still working)


As long as ntl don't get rid of the guys in Swansea i don't really care, as they are the people i rely on when something goes wrong, the everyday phone monkey's can be from where they like, they're never any help anyway.

I called the 0845 number that should have taken me to these guys on a Sunday and ended up in India you are losing these guys they are working you over if we don't stand up now and fight for the Tech support to stay at Swansea it will disappear overseas with the loss of jobs of these very guys who have helped all customers over the years

Check the lists of Companies that use overseas callcentres
http://www.antioffshore.co.uk/
This website might be the way to protest and show we will not accept this.

[Chrysalis]

Well I am a bit confused how to go straight through to swansea bypassing india etc.?

I dialed 150 and chose tech support option (NOT CS) this took me to india on a week day, the same option on a sunday gives me a message saying office only open monday-saturday (how do you get service on sunday and I dont, region dependant?)

[Florence]

Well I am a bit confused how to go straight through to swansea bypassing india etc.?

I dialed 150 and chose tech support option (NOT CS) this took me to india on a week day, the same option on a sunday gives me a message saying office only open monday-saturday (how do you get service on sunday and I dont, region dependant?)
I use the 0845 650 0925 and this always got me to Swansea but the las time I know for sure it was India and now I think the time they blamed my modem when it wasn't was India as it was someone who did speak good english but wasnt english.

[threadbare]

The Tech support number would always take you to the Swansea only if you dial CS on the free number then that would happen

This no longer true. When you call TS you will go to the next available agent whether he is in India or Swansea

Wrong the guys over here can interrogate the modems send information to them and sometimes get them working again. The Indian Callcentre didn't attempt this at all didn't even try. Fewer questions than normal and less important details then the Dead modem remark. (The modem is still working)The TS guys in India also have this capability. The only thing they cannot deal with atm is STB connectivity calls as they do not have access to the necessary tools yet.

[Rone]

At least one thing, i bet they dont take the threat of physical violence too seriously.

[thats just a j\k btw] :)

[Florence]

This no longer true. When you call TS you will go to the next available agent whether he is in India or Swansea
The TS guys in India also have this capability. The only thing they cannot deal with atm is STB connectivity calls as they do not have access to the necessary tools yet.
I don't have a STB and they did nothing I had two questions then he said itâ₠¬ÃƒÂ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¾Ã‚¢s the modem.

1. Have we disconnected the modem?
2 what lights are on steady

As I am online now with the modem without an engineer coming out.. Then it is either:-

1. The tech support in India knows nothing
2. They blame the modem send an engineer and this poor souls sorts it

The second call to Tech support we had a female who asked us to give her the mac number she was onto my husband as they had insisted the account wasn't flagged for me to deal with it yet it is and has for years. He didn't know where the mac address was so asked her she didn't know herself. Not a very encouraging message when customers are given wrong details to find the mac!
It is annoying having to keep repeating yourself as they are unable to understand...... after all we are paying the phone bill and the longer you are on trying to get help from someone who hasn't the knowledge of the English language or the understanding of the British accents the more they rip the customer off for.

[threadbare]

I don't have a STB and they did nothing I had two questions then he said itâ₠¬ÃƒÂ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¾Ã‚¢s the modem.

1. Have we disconnected the modem?
2 what lights are on steady

As I am online now with the modem without an engineer coming out.. Then it is either:-

1. The tech support in India knows nothing
2. They blame the modem send an engineer and this poor souls sorts it

The second call to Tech support we had a female who asked us to give her the mac number she was onto my husband as they had insisted the account wasn't flagged for me to deal with it yet it is and has for years. He didn't know where the mac address was so asked her she didn't know herself. Not a very encouraging message when customers are given wrong details to find the mac!
It is annoying having to keep repeating yourself as they are unable to understand...... after all we are paying the phone bill and the longer you are on trying to get help from someone who hasn't the knowledge of the English language or the understanding of the British accents the more they rip the customer off for.
I don't think its fair to blame tech support in India as whole. I think it is however fair to say that the first agent you spoke to may need a little more training in order to their job effectively.

As for the second agent, they are more stringent in they way the enforce dpa over there. Technically they do not have to deal with anyone other than the account holder, and although you may be flagged as an authorised account holder on customer services systems this is not necessarily the case with the systems used in tech support

[quadplay]

Hi all,

Just thought you might like a couple of addresses where you can express your dislike of Tech Support being outsourced:

The first is head office:
ntl Group Ltd
Bartley Wood Business Park
Bartley Way
Hook
Hampshire
RG27 9UP

The second is for the head of ntl technical support at IBM:

Customer Care Team
ntl Technical Support
Matrix Court
LLansamlet
SWANSEA
SA7 9BB

[Chrysalis]

jimbo thanks for the details, will be sending recorded delivery lwetter's to both after christmas.

I can't see how india works, because customer's dont like it, the people who lose their job's dont like it, and people need to ring back more often as it is obvious from reading this thread the guys in india cannot fix the problems efficiently like the guys in swansea can, so why not just expand the swansea call centre and sack everyone in india.

[threadbare]

jimbo thanks for the details, will be sending recorded delivery lwetter's to both after christmas.

I can't see how india works, because customer's dont like it, the people who lose their job's dont like it, and people need to ring back more often as it is obvious from reading this thread the guys in india cannot fix the problems efficiently like the guys in swansea can, so why not just expand the swansea call centre and sack everyone in india.
The indian call centre has a broad spectrum of abilities within it's agents in the same way as Swansea has, some are good at their jobs others aren't. That's just life. No tech's in Swansea have lost their jobs.

[Nugget]

<snip>was India as it was someone who did speak good english but wasnt english.

But in all fairness Kits, that doesn't actually mean that it was in India - I'm not saying that it definitely wasn't, but the fact that the person you spoke to had a strong accent doesn't actually mean that they aren't sitting in Swansea (for the sake of an example)

[gary_580]

so why not just expand the swansea call centre and sack everyone in india.


cost cost cost and ohhhh did i mention cost

[gary_580]

But in all fairness Kits, that doesn't actually mean that it was in India - I'm not saying that it definitely wasn't, but the fact that the person you spoke to had a strong accent doesn't actually mean that they aren't sitting in Swansea (for the sake of an example)


if they had a strong accent they probably were sitting in swansea :D

[Chris W]

so why not just expand the swansea call centre and sack everyone in india.

because the new starters in swansea would have the same "training issues" as the new starters in india.

oh and btw there was a group of new starters in swansea a couple of weeks back ;)

I speak to the agents in India every day in work and there is as much of a mix of abilities in India as there is in Swansea.

Oh and lastly, the techs in India are more highly qualified than most in Swansea- firstly they are all fluent in two languages, and secondly a degree is a pre-requisite to employment in an Indian call centre :)

[Lee]

Just had to speak to tech support twice, got through to the Indian call center twice and to be honest, its rediculous. I could barely understand what they were saying and I had to constantly repeat myself to make myself understood!

I cant see how this helps anyone (other than cost obviously) - it certainly doesnt help the paying customer.

[gary_580]

Oh and lastly, the techs in India are more highly qualified than most in Swansea- firstly they are all fluent in two languages, and secondly a degree is a pre-requisite to employment in an Indian call centre :)

but they only need to speak English if those are the only customers they're serving. Also if you dont speak there version of english the the whole thing is pointless. I work with a lot of Indians who do a lot of our IT work and some of them its almost impossible to understand, and theyve been here 4 years!!

Need a degree to work on a call centre!! yes thats true but i dont thing a degree in archeology or History is of any use, oooppsss i forgot, were talking about NTL so probably the degree is of some use :D

[threadbare]

but they only need to speak English if those are the only customers they're serving. Also if you dont speak there version of english the the whole thing is pointless. I work with a lot of Indians who do a lot of our IT work and some of them its almost impossible to understand, and theyve been here 4 years!!

Need a degree to work on a call centre!! yes thats true but i dont thing a degree in archeology or History is of any use, oooppsss i forgot, were talking about NTL so probably the degree is of some use :DA lot of the techs in India have more than one IT degree, a lot have many Microsoft qualifications. They are very, very highly educated and a lot of them have coaching in language and accents.

[gary_580]

A lot of the techs in India have more than one IT degree, a lot have many Microsoft qualifications. They are very, very highly educated and a lot of them have coaching in language and accents.

An IT degree isnt a pre requisite to work on an Indian Call Centre :confused:

[Florence]

Hi all,

Just thought you might like a couple of addresses where you can express your dislike of Tech Support being outsourced:

The first is head office:
ntl Group Ltd
Bartley Wood Business Park
Bartley Way
Hook
Hampshire
RG27 9UP

The second is for the head of ntl technical support at IBM:
Customer Care Team
ntl Technical Support
Matrix Court
LLansamlet
SWANSEA
SA7 9BB

Thank you Jimbo I will be sending letters to them might see if I can fine email address aswell.

I have emailed Alan Grant and recieved a call back about the problem. He did say that they need feedback from customers on these things.


The indian call centre has a broad spectrum of abilities within it's agents in the same way as Swansea has, some are good at their jobs others aren't. That's just life. No tech's in Swansea have lost their jobs.

For now but what happens when all the calls go to India it started with just Sundays now its 50% you don't need a degree to see what is going to happen.


but they only need to speak English if those are the only customers they're serving. Also if you dont speak there version of english the the whole thing is pointless. I work with a lot of Indians who do a lot of our IT work and some of them its almost impossible to understand, and theyve been here 4 years!!

Need a degree to work on a call centre!! yes thats true but i dont thing a degree in archeology or History is of any use, oooppsss i forgot, were talking about NTL so probably the degree is of some use :D

Think you might be right then again friends at Uni said "would these Indian degree students be the same ones that struggle to use excell and word"?


A lot of the techs in India have more than one IT degree, a lot have many Microsoft qualifications. They are very, very highly educated and a lot of them have coaching in language and accents.

Sorry but this isn't working and many feel strongly at the Data being accessed outside the country. Some have been bribed before for card details. Personal Data should stay in the country of origin. It comes down to trust and if we was let down by a british employed person and our accounts fraudulantly used we would have some redress. While in India we would have none different views and outlook on life. I have no faith in their ability after my calls and this helps to fuel my distrust.

[Russ]

OK so if they have degrees in IT then they are well trained in technical matters but do they have any qualifications in customer service?

[Robert Atkins]

OK so if they have degrees in IT then they are well trained in technical matters but do they have any qualifications in customer service? What sort of qualifications are you talking about? Isn't it few days training and that's it?

Mind you, I agree with you cultural differences can be a problem but training? nope. I call Netgear in France, o-la-la and va- va-voom is not my style, charming might be, but it will not fix my router (it works fine btw)

[Russ]

What sort of qualifications are you talking about? Isn't it few days training and that's it?

Mind you, I agree with you cultural differences can be a problem but training? nope. I call Netgear in France, o-la-la and va- va-voom is not my style, charming might be, but it will not fix my router (it works fine btw)

There are GNVC qualifications available in Customer Services here. My point was they should concentrate more on employing people with CS abilities as well.

[icanadvise]

"NTL Tech support is in India"
As is Har-moan-y software dev
http://www.cableforum.co.uk/board/showthread.php?p=366441#post366441

[Stuart]

You will say that until it's YOUR job that goes down the pan when the jobs move to India.

And people tell me that affected people can get another job. Not if ALL the call centre work ends up in India they can't.

Companies who do most of their business in the UK should have call centres in the UK, end of story.


Agreed.

Anyone who agrees with Call Centres (and other services) being outsourced should look at it this way. Previous governments have encouraged companies in this country to outsource all their manufacturing to other countries, and left the services (billing, tech support etc) in this country.

Now, while our economy is quite healthy at the moment with some companies outsourcing these services to other countries, exactly how healthy will it remain when ALL large companies have outsourced these services to other countries? What jobs are there going to be for people in this country?

In the meantime, the people who lose their jobs as a result of the actions of companies will have to claim benefits, and will therefore will not only stop paying taxes, but will be a drain on the resources of the DSS.

And, far from trying to stop companies doing it, our beloved Government is actively encouraging them. In my personal opinion, the government should actually BAN companies from outsourcing jobs to other countries.

[poolking]

Agreed.

Anyone who agrees with Call Centres (and other services) being outsourced should look at it this way. Previous governments have encouraged companies in this country to outsource all their manufacturing to other countries, and left the services (billing, tech support etc) in this country.

Now, while our economy is quite healthy at the moment with some companies outsourcing these services to other countries, exactly how healthy will it remain when ALL large companies have outsourced these services to other countries? What jobs are there going to be for people in this country?

In the meantime, the people who lose their jobs as a result of the actions of companies will have to claim benefits, and will therefore will not only stop paying taxes, but will be a drain on the resources of the DSS.

And, far from trying to stop companies doing it, our beloved Government is actively encouraging them. In my personal opinion, the government should actually BAN companies from outsourcing jobs to other countries.
I bet this will soon change if Tony has to use one of the offshore call centres if he has a problem and can't get any assistance from them. :D

[Florence]

The whole out sourcing to India is false economy Cheaper is not always best.

Since I joined NTL I have been happy with the tech support I had recieved.

While Tech support was in Swansea I sometimes had to wait for the call to be answered but I always recieved the help required.

In India i might have been answered immediately but the help was of no use, wrongly diagnosed and I had to keep repeating myself. Very unsatisfactory..

[Florence]

As NTL customers are not allowed to voice their fears and the way they have been helped in the other India thread Perhaps a passing mod can stick this one so its easier for Customers to find and post in.

Personally I think its time NTL listened and understood that customers will only take so much. It was the reliability of Cable that kept most here but without the network having the tender care all the time its now not as reliable. Customers like myself do not call tech support anymore as its a waste of time and you get nothing done. Also if BT seem to be getting their act together and could end up taking customers away from NTL. If these customers don't move house and NTL: are not laying new cables they will soon run out of ways to replace those leaving.

[Chrysalis]

Have to agree, I havent been with NTL that long, I think around 18 months now, and the quality of customer services was a big difference between now and August 2003.

[Nidge]

Over the last few days I've had a problem with my modem, I've been onto Tech support about 5 times everytime I've been put through to India, everytime they havent dealt with my problem, they are working from a crib sheet telling me to do this and do that, I've already done it I say. Anyway after the 5th time of being on the phone to India I phoned Compaq who made my machine I told them what my problem was and they sorted it out there and then, it was my modem that was the problem NTL's so called Tech support in India couldn't sort it. :rolleyes: :rolleyes: :rolleyes: :rolleyes: I've been lambasted on here over the last few days for saying NTL's tech support is in India I've had replies saying all tech support is in Wales.

[absl]

What turned out to be the solution to your problem, in the end ?

[Crivens]

Give it another couple of years, and unless something drastic happens, then all IT support will be done from another country. Probably India because of the amazingly low wages. I can tell you the service desk where I work is sh*tting bricks right now.

Personally I have no problem with it as long as the people can do their job. Some support desks are a shambles in this country, let alone in India. NTL in <hidden> for example is a complete pile of sh*te. Half an hour waits until someone answers, playing department tennis (sorry wrong dept, let me put you through) back and fore between the *same* departments for 10 minutes is also fun. And sheer level of stupidity can take the biscuit at times.

But what I do have a problem is the fact that jobs get outsourced to another country. Not got a problem with people from another country living here and doing the job (pay their taxes etc), but when it goes out to another country we are losing jobs and getting nothing back (I don't see NTL lowering their prices for example). If I went to another country and brought back, say, a TV for £1000, then declared it. I would pay a sizeable amount of tax to bring the TV here. Basically the same amount or more in total of what the TV would have cost in this country. Basically they don't want you taking away what they would have made in the UK. Ok, so how come this isn't the case here? They provide a service, surely the company should pay in the tax the difference in wages. Same idea. If it isn't about profit then shouldn't be a problem. Hell, the government probably won't go for that one because of the amazing amount of backhander bribes they get I bet.

And from there it just goes on in IT. A couple of years ago one IT project in our company was outsourced to contracters (spit), half of which came from India. They were paid peanuts by their agent company, but our company paid nowhere near the amount of UK contracters (spit again). Still, no-one really lost, apart from us hard working programmers on the normal system, who at the same time were told we had to do 2 hours overtime per day for nothing. Didn't effect contracters (rain of spit) of course, who needed the extra time to count their money.

So give it 5 years at this rate, and probably most of the programming side of IT goes out the window too.

Grrr. Angry...

Cheers

[Rone]

IF they can do the job is the right question. I was on the phone to BTs billing for my phone, and basically he couldnt give me the time of day at the other end, never mind deal with a minor problem, if you know what i mean. Yet i've spoken to other Indian call centres and been impressed, luck of the draw it seems, and yes , its going to be the way forward, or backward depending on the outcome of your call. :(

[Chrysalis]

I have never ever got india ringing BT.

[Derek]

I have never ever got india ringing BT.

And I have never, ever got India when calling Ntl (as a customer) ;)

[Nidge]

What turned out to be the solution to your problem, in the end ?

Something to do with Local area connections tab I had 2 that were active and only 1 was supposed to be active India were telling me I needed to format my machine in order for it to work again :confused: :confused: :confused: :confused: Anyway thanks to Compaq I'm sorted now. Got a flyer throught the door this morning from BT, all UK calls anytime of the day +1.5meg BB all for £31.99. Looking good to me.

[scrotnig]

People who say it doesn't matter who does the job as long as it's done right probably, or that it's a good idea to put jobs in India because it helps their economy, almost certainly haven't had to go through the experience told they are unemployed because someone in India is going to do their job and they'll have to have their house repossesed and live in the gutter.

When it happens to you, you'll feel differently, I guarantee it.

If companies based in the UK and doing business mainly in the UK want to operate here, they should be prepared to employ UK staff. If they aren't, they should be taxed at a level equivalent to the difference in wages, and that money used to promote job creation here in the UK.

This is the UK. We should be interested in preserving jobs in the UK. Only when every single person in this country has a job should we be even remotely concerned about the job prospects and living standards of people in India or any other foreign country.

Those who think this is racist....I'll do you a deal. When it happens to you and you have no job, agree now that you won't claim UK unemployment benefit and will instead clear off to India and ask them to pay it for you.

[Florence]

People who say it doesn't matter who does the job as long as it's done right probably, or that it's a good idea to put jobs in India because it helps their economy, almost certainly haven't had to go through the experience told they are unemployed because someone in India is going to do their job and they'll have to have their house repossesed and live in the gutter.

When it happens to you, you'll feel differently, I guarantee it.

If companies based in the UK and doing business mainly in the UK want to operate here, they should be prepared to employ UK staff. If they aren't, they should be taxed at a level equivalent to the difference in wages, and that money used to promote job creation here in the UK.

This is the UK. We should be interested in preserving jobs in the UK. Only when every single person in this country has a job should we be even remotely concerned about the job prospects and living standards of people in India or any other foreign country.

Those who think this is racist....I'll do you a deal. When it happens to you and you have no job, agree now that you won't claim UK unemployment benefit and will instead clear off to India and ask them to pay it for you.


:clap: :clap: :clap: well said http://homepage.ntlworld.com/a.stanfield/images%20/smillies/4_17_11%5b1%5d.gif

[Chrysalis]

People who say it doesn't matter who does the job as long as it's done right probably, or that it's a good idea to put jobs in India because it helps their economy, almost certainly haven't had to go through the experience told they are unemployed because someone in India is going to do their job and they'll have to have their house repossesed and live in the gutter.

When it happens to you, you'll feel differently, I guarantee it.

If companies based in the UK and doing business mainly in the UK want to operate here, they should be prepared to employ UK staff. If they aren't, they should be taxed at a level equivalent to the difference in wages, and that money used to promote job creation here in the UK.

This is the UK. We should be interested in preserving jobs in the UK. Only when every single person in this country has a job should we be even remotely concerned about the job prospects and living standards of people in India or any other foreign country.

Those who think this is racist....I'll do you a deal. When it happens to you and you have no job, agree now that you won't claim UK unemployment benefit and will instead clear off to India and ask them to pay it for you.


Fully agree.

:Yes:

[DJ Dave]

Just called NTL and was asked for my Pin Number and i was like no have not got one, he was like oh er ok and this was picked up in India (i think) anyway to cut a long story short he could do no modem tests as he kept chaning the story when i said it may be a problem with the modem and he said like they said last time " No, It's your firewall".

[AdamD]

I have to agree, I don't like Indian call centres either
I have nothing against the indian people, but I honestly can't understand what they say half the time and it just leaves me frustrated.
__________________

when i said it may be a problem with the modem and he said like they said last time " No, It's your firewall".

My mother and I had that problem consistently when trying to fix our modem crashing out (Modem inside the STB), so we gave up in the end

[Chris W]

I have to agree, I don't like Indian call centres either
I have nothing against the indian people, but I honestly can't understand what they say half the time and it just leaves me frustrated.
__________________



My mother and I had that problem consistently when trying to fix our modem crashing out (Modem inside the STB), so we gave up in the end

If you called 0845 650 0125 (the STB support number) and chose anything apart from the email option, then you were not speaking to someone in India- these calls are all dealt with in Swansea ;)

[AdamD]

If you called 0845 650 0125 (the STB support number) and chose anything apart from the email option, then you were not speaking to someone in India- these calls are all dealt with in Swansea ;)

Nah I know, but i've dealt with indian call centres from other companies, namely EA Games
We did have problems getting the technicians to help us at NTL, we called twice and both times were fobbed off with excuses and stuff which wasn't true
I.E our firewall was causing our internet to freeze.

[Russ]

Just had to call ntl tech support for my parents because their browsing drops a few minutes after booting up, whilst msn and email remain fine.

Got through to some guy in India.

He asked me to reboot the pc and modem. Told him I'd already tried that, he replied he could not help me until I did it again (why??) so I did.

Still the same.

He told me it was my firewall.

I told him there was no firewall on the computer (they'd been using a router and at the moment I'd taken it out of line). He asked me if I was sure.

Russ resisted the urge to headbutt the desk.

He then told me to disable the XP SP2 firewall.

Russ really resisted the urge to headbutt the desk, instead I chose to inform him again there was no firewall on the machine.

He put me on hold.

He came back and told me he could not ping me so I will need to either lower or uninstall my firewall.

Russ actually headbutted the desk at this point.

He put me on hold again, this time without telling me. He put me on hold for so long I had time to download the freebie Zone Alarm, configure it, reboot and watch it work.

And lo and behold, connection is now fine. I'm not interested in what the problem was as it now seems to be fixed. I then hung up.

But the idiot in India would NOT listen to me and was obssessed with the idea that I MUST have had a firewall, even though I told him there was none 3 times. It's callcentre idiots like that who just won't listen which give them a bad name.

</rant over>

[badnbusy]

Just had to call ntl tech support for my parents because their browsing drops a few minutes after booting up, whilst msn and email remain fine.

Got through to some guy in India.

He asked me to reboot the pc and modem. Told him I'd already tried that, he replied he could not help me until I did it again (why??) so I did.

Still the same.

He told me it was my firewall.

I told him there was no firewall on the computer (they'd been using a router and at the moment I'd taken it out of line). He asked me if I was sure.

Russ resisted the urge to headbutt the desk.

He then told me to disable the XP SP2 firewall.

Russ really resisted the urge to headbutt the desk, instead I chose to inform him again there was no firewall on the machine.

He put me on hold.

He came back and told me he could not ping me so I will need to either lower or uninstall my firewall.

Russ actually headbutted the desk at this point.

He put me on hold again, this time without telling me. He put me on hold for so long I had time to download the freebie Zone Alarm, configure it, reboot and watch it work.

And lo and behold, connection is now fine. I'm not interested in what the problem was as it now seems to be fixed. I then hung up.

But the idiot in India would NOT listen to me and was obssessed with the idea that I MUST have had a firewall, even though I told him there was none 3 times. It's callcentre idiots like that who just won't listen which give them a bad name.

</rant over>

Out of interest, why didn't you have a firewall? I wouldn't like my connection completely open...

(unless it's built into your router of course)

[AdamD]

I have a firewall running all the time, both on the computer and built into the router, but when I have an issue like i'm having all the time lately, I remove both of those elements before contacting support.

[poolking]

Out of interest, why didn't you have a firewall? I wouldn't like my connection completely open...

(unless it's built into your router of course)

All routers nowadays have built in firewalls and Russ did state in his post that he'd removed the router before ringing support.

[Russ]

Spot on ;)

[mcmanic]

People who say it doesn't matter who does the job as long as it's done right probably, or that it's a good idea to put jobs in India because it helps their economy, almost certainly haven't had to go through the experience told they are unemployed because someone in India is going to do their job and they'll have to have their house repossesed and live in the gutter.

When it happens to you, you'll feel differently, I guarantee it.

If companies based in the UK and doing business mainly in the UK want to operate here, they should be prepared to employ UK staff. If they aren't, they should be taxed at a level equivalent to the difference in wages, and that money used to promote job creation here in the UK.

This is the UK. We should be interested in preserving jobs in the UK. Only when every single person in this country has a job should we be even remotely concerned about the job prospects and living standards of people in India or any other foreign country.

Those who think this is racist....I'll do you a deal. When it happens to you and you have no job, agree now that you won't claim UK unemployment benefit and will instead clear off to India and ask them to pay it for you.

100% - my wife worked in customer support for 10years (nymex,cable&wireless to NTL) - Brighton area which was one of the top call centers performace wise, off course they closed that side of it down make her redundent and all her friends and she was sooooo upset about it too even though the moral at these places isn't great do to NTL short commings lol.

I will never phone a Indian call center EVER whatever comapny, i refuse too by sheer principle of the matter and how it effected us and the support from them is generally lower than back here it seems

[scrotnig]

100% - my wife worked in customer support for 10years (nymex,cable&wireless to NTL) - Brighton area which was one of the top call centers performace wise, off course they closed that side of it down make her redundent and all her friends and she was sooooo upset about it too even though the moral at these places isn't great do to NTL short commings lol.

I will never phone a Indian call center EVER whatever comapny, i refuse too by sheer principle of the matter and how it effected us and the support from them is generally lower than back here it seems

I sympathise and you're 100% right, I have been through redundancy with ntl twice now, luckily I was redeployed but it's sould destroying nonetheless.

I should point out though that none of the Brighton jobs went to India, I believe it was mainly Manchester and Teesside.

[mcmanic]

yes thats correct, but at the time they said that customer services would never be moved to India, and guess wot -they have,

[scrotnig]

yes thats correct, but at the time they said that customer services would never be moved to India, and guess wot -they have,
Er, no they haven't.

Customer services is based in Manchester, Glasgow and Swansea.

[Chrysalis]

If you called 0845 650 0125 (the STB support number) and chose anything apart from the email option, then you were not speaking to someone in India- these calls are all dealt with in Swansea ;)

If I did this for SACM would they refuse to provide me support?
__________________

Er, no they haven't.

Customer services is based in Manchester, Glasgow and Swansea.

When I ring customer services why do I get india?

its not just tech support.

[Bill C]

If I did this for SACM would they refuse to provide me support?
__________________



When I ring customer services why do I get india?

its not just tech support.




There is no customer support in India

Only Tech support

[Derek]

When I ring customer services why do I get india?


You wont get India. You may however get to speak to one of the people in Swansea, Manchester or Bellshill who have parents/grandparents etc. from India/Pakistan/Bangladesh.

Some of them have a strong accent and some don't. The same way some of the Scottish or Welsh agents might have strong Scots or Welsh accents and be hard to understand for some people.

[scrotnig]

When I ring customer services why do I get india?

its not just tech support.

You don't, it's as simple as that.

PLEASE don't tell me this is going to be another stupid thread like the unbundling one, where people with no facts argue black is white with people who do know.

I work for ntl. I went through part of the redundancy process that reorganised where customer services are going. I deal with customer services every day. THEY ARE NOT IN INDIA!

WTF is the point of ntl staff posting help and advice on here when half the posters simply dispute every bloody word we say?

Why on Earth are you suddenly insisting that customer services is in India, despite several ntl staff telling you it's rubbish? Is it perhaps because you've spoken to someone with an Indian accent? Believe it or not, there are people of Indian origin living right here in the UK.

[Bill C]

Why on Earth are you suddenly insisting that customer services is in India, despite several ntl staff telling you it's rubbish? Is it perhaps because you've spoken to someone with an Indian accent? Believe it or not, there are people of Indian origin living right here in the UK.

Dont worry i know all to well where this will go. Just read my sig for more info :)


At least it's only the one or two that seem to have it in for us. I bet this will
go on and on and on with no proof to back it up.

[Chris W]

If I did this for SACM would they refuse to provide me support?

you would be directed to the SACM support number- it is not a matter of "refusing" to provide support, more that they will be unable to help you. stbs and sacms have their details held on different databases and use different diagnostic tools. Most staff in the STB department will not have access to these.

[Chrysalis]

right now I am very confused, if I dial 150 and choose billing/customer service NOT tech support I get india, either the phone system is b0rked or someone is telling porkies.

[scrotnig]

right now I am very confused, if I dial 150 and choose billing/customer service NOT tech support I get india, either the phone system is b0rked or someone is telling porkies.
How do you know for certain that you get India?

The reason I ask is that for on-net customers there are definitely no customer services staff in India. Freedom (off net) customers, that's a totally different 'cup of fish'.

[Chris W]

right now I am very confused, if I dial 150 and choose billing/customer service NOT tech support I get india, either the phone system is b0rked or someone is telling porkies.

No you do not.

There is no customer service in india.
There is billing deparment in india.
There is no customer care in india.
There is no retentions department in india.
When you dial 150 the only thing that will connect you with india is broadband faults.

Has it not crossed your mind that you could be speaking to an English person in the UK?? Perhaps next time ask them where they are based, and i guarantee they will not say india.

But then of course they could be lying as well :rolleyes:

[Nikko]

This Indian call centre thing is getting epedemic. I rang up the local take-away for a Curry last night, and I am sure the person who took the order was Indian.

[poolking]

This Indian call centre thing is getting epedemic. I rang up the local take-away for a Curry last night, and I am sure the person who took the order was Indian.

:rofl:

[Chrysalis]

I knew was india because they told me they were unable to do something to my cable modem to rebalance it due to their call centre not been in the uk. I rang up billing to try and bypass india :)

So I am putting it down to the call system been faulty and routing me wrong.

Ok here is a new question, is there any SACM support still based in uk?

[scrotnig]

I knew was india because they told me they were unable to do something to my cable modem to rebalance it due to their call centre not been in the uk. I rang up billing to try and bypass india :)

So I am putting it down to the call system been faulty and routing me wrong.


Then you were speaking to technical support in India, not billing, regardless of what option you pressed.

There are NO on-net staff in India, other than technical support teams. Period.

[Chris W]

Ok here is a new question, is there any SACM support still based in uk?

yes. in Swansea.

[BarFly]

Ok here is a new question, is there any SACM support still based in uk?

ok just to follow up on what monkey has said with regard to on net calls :

Langley = Swansea + India ( 0845 650 0121 )
Bromley SACM = Swansea + India ( 08450 650 0925 )
Bromley STB = Swansea ( 0845 650 0125 )

Soon this will change as india have icms up & running & they have staff in swansea being trained on STB BB, so soon you could end up in either swansea or india when phoning tech support. which dont forgot is no longer run by NTL, but by IBM.

No other on net Dept ( ie Faults , Billing , CS, Installs ) have been moved to India, though unsure on off-net, as some was in india & some was in newport, unsure where it all is now.

[Florence]

ok just to follow up on what monkey has said with regard to on net calls :

Langley = Swansea + India ( 0845 650 0121 )
Bromley SACM = Swansea + India ( 08450 650 0925 )
Bromley STB = Swansea ( 0845 650 0125 )

Soon this will change as india have icms up & running & they have staff in swansea being trained on STB BB, so soon you could end up in either swansea or india when phoning tech support. which dont forgot is no longer run by NTL, but by IBM.

No other on net Dept ( ie Faults , Billing , CS, Installs ) have been moved to India, though unsure on off-net, as some was in india & some was in newport, unsure where it all is now.

I had phone calls back from NTL and they said that customers need to give NTL feedback on how they find the callcentres and if the outcome was successful. I have given them my views on the India callcentre and they admited the system failed me. I wasn't asked trelevent questions and tests wasn't carried out. This will happen many times and in the end NTL will have to admit its false economy.


How many Top bosses bonuses would pay to have the callcentres in the UK as if the only way they can reach their targets to get the bonuses then they should lose the bonus due to their failure, they have failed the company, customers and the UK.

[Chris W]

I'm quite liking this india callcentre lark, it means none of the moaning about Tech Support is directed at Swansea anymore; everyone immediately assumes that the new staff in India and worse trained than new starters in Swansea, but ho hum...

India can take the blame as far as i'm concerned :p:

[Neil]

How many Top bosses bonuses would pay to have the callcentres in the UK as if the only way they can reach their targets to get the bonuses then they should lose the bonus due to their failure, they have failed the company, customers and the UK.

Bonuses??....

Hussain et all should lose their sodding jobs for the way they have contuinued to treat their customers, & all the BS they have spouted.

Let me tell you something-I have met Aizad on several occaisions, & at first I thought he was a genuine, caring guy that was capable of turning ntl's abysmal customer care reputation around.....then I woke up & realised I'd been sucked in by his BS. :dozey:

He is one of the worst offenders IMO. :monkey:

[Florence]

Bonuses??....

Hussain et all should lose their sodding jobs for the way they have contuinued to treat their customers, & all the BS they have spouted.

Let me tell you something-I have met Aizad on several occaisions, & at first I thought he was a genuine, caring guy that was capable of turning ntl's abysmal customer care reputation around.....then I woke up & realised I'd been sucked in by his BS. :dozey:

He is one of the worst offenders IMO. :monkey:

You think he will hang around if he isnt getting a bonus! mm well yes perhaps you are right he will hang aroudn as he can't move on

[Chris W]

hmm... remind me how the MD of one company is responsible for another company outsourcing their call centre offshore??

Broadband Tech Support is managed by IBM- not ntl. So it is IBM that make the business decisions. They have a minimum five year contract in Swansea under TUPE regulations, so Swansea support will definately remain for another 4.5 years at least.

[Florence]

hmm... remind me how the MD of one company is responsible for another company outsourcing their call centre offshore??

Broadband Tech Support is managed by IBM- not ntl. So it is IBM that make the business decisions. They have a minimum five year contract in Swansea under TUPE regulations, so Swansea support will definately remain for another 4.5 years at least.

If they have to keep swansea support then the need for India is nill. I will personally not deal anymore with India they had their chance and blew it.

AS for the MD well who had this brilliant brain wave in the first place to falsly claim to save money.. If it wasn't him he had to accept the missguided idea for it to be implemented. The worst Idea NTL have ever come up with.

Don't see anyone suggesting to outsource Aizad's job to India now that would save NTL a fortune. outsource one job his.

[BarFly]

If they have to keep swansea support then the need for India is nill. I will personally not deal anymore with India they had their chance and blew it.

AS for the MD well who had this brilliant brain wave in the first place to falsly claim to save money.. If it wasn't him he had to accept the missguided idea for it to be implemented. The worst Idea NTL have ever come up with.

Don't see anyone suggesting to outsource Aizad's job to India now that would save NTL a fortune. outsource one job his.

No one has outsourced Aizads job, as has been pointed out before because NTL have not sent the jobs to india, IBM has, perhaps aiming a few comments there way aswell as NTL's might not go amiss. All NTL has done is outsource to IBM ( rightly or wrongly is another arguement )

Is there a need for the india call centre? it has its good points & bad points, from someone who now works along side the india call centre...they make my standard of life better as i now have reduced anti social working hours due to them covering more & more shifts, & they will eventually, from my understanding, take all the anti-social hours, leaving swansea to cover 8-8 mon - fri :).

There are bad points aswell, but il leave them go for now.

[Florence]

No one has outsourced Aizads job, as has been pointed out before because NTL have not sent the jobs to india, IBM has, perhaps aiming a few comments there way aswell as NTL's might not go amiss. All NTL has done is outsource to IBM ( rightly or wrongly is another arguement )

Is there a need for the india call centre? it has its good points & bad points, from someone who now works along side the india call centre...they make my standard of life better as i now have reduced anti social working hours due to them covering more & more shifts, & they will eventually, from my understanding, take all the anti-social hours, leaving swansea to cover 8-8 mon - fri :).

There are bad points aswell, but il leave them go for now.

So technically the customers are screwed from 8pm every night until 8am and all weekend. as India couldn't arrange an engineer for me just told me to phone CS on monday to arrange the engineer. and this from a company that has now stopped maintaining the network only doing repairs when it fails. Reason for that they made most of the engineers redundant.

Great move forward. :td:

[BarFly]

So technically the customers are screwed from 8pm every night until 8am and all weekend. as India couldn't arrange an engineer for me just told me to phone CS on monday to arrange the engineer. and this from a company that has now stopped maintaining the network only doing repairs when it fails. Reason for that they made most of the engineers redundant.

Great move forward. :td:

no as i said in my posts Kits,

from my understanding.

Please dont read into something i havent said Kits, also india will have the ability to raise fault tickets & deal with fully without passing to Swansea, probably after the next batch of harmony upgrades or maybe sooner. ;)

If any agent has told you to phone Cs to raise a fault ticket then there was / is a problem there, because at present, swansea is open till midnight every night & all the agent would have done was raise a fault request & fwd it to swansea.

Just looked back: you were advised to speak to Cs as you couldnt pass Dpa & needed a pin no. this is a training issue not a problem where the support wasnt dealt with, if you would have had the pin no. a fault would have been raised for you, but this a now turning into a hypothetical<sp> situation so il stop there.

they make my standard of life better as i now have reduced anti social working hours due to them covering more & more shifts, & they will eventually, from my understanding, take all the anti-social hours, leaving swansea to cover 8-8 mon - fri :).

please be aware my comments are regarding moving to 8-8 mon -fri are personal, as i said, my standard of life better, nothing is mentioned regarding to level of support or how it affects customer level of support, that is not for me to decide upon

[carlingman]

The naivety of staff posting in this thread is nothing more than laughable.

Ok so at the end of the day they pay your wages and therefore you in return offer some kind of loyalty.

At the end of the day of like many and most organisations you have to remember you are nothing more than a figure (debit) on their books.

Please do not swallow all this respected employee crap any longer.

I like many have been there done that and got the t-shirt.

Example being in the NTL Newport days when being told by a Director of NTL that Cable Modem Support was the hub of the Business and the Future.

Then they brought guys in from Swansea saying they are not here to take your Jobs but to be trained by you so they can take overflow.

What happened, well yes you guessed it 90 techs from Newport were made redundant and the support routed to Swansea.

Same way happening now, which it will eventually be outsourced to India.

Outsourcing to Manpower/IBM is just the start so NTL can wash their hands and deny having any part of it.

Not quite so convenient and obvious with this where they can bring them in and sit next to you and poach your skills so they adopt a behind the scenes approach and route the calls thinking people wont cotton on etc.

I am now currently working on a consultancy basis for an unnamed company offering advice on how their call routing software will work and advising on its functionality and answering too many questions from their senior management to know which way this is going.

Does not take a genius to work out they are looking for ways to route their calls elsewhere without the current workforce knowing.

Sorry for the wake up call people but luckily for some the Network in this case cannot be managed remotely but the tech support side and billing side unfortunately can as in the case of many organisations.

Wake up and smell the coffee and be warned.

:D

[scrotnig]

Carlingman you are 100% right in all you say.

I have seen this sort of thing too many times, but still when I issue warnings of impending doom people laugh at me or call me 'negative'. Boy do I HATE that word. But I digress.

I predicted my last two redundancies, and in fact the more recent one I predicted last February and it wasn't announced until April. I even correctly predicted which office the jobs would go to. I have predicted again that my current job is headed for redundancy, not immediately but within 12 months. Again I am derided as negative, we shall see. The signs are all there. And again, I know which office it's going to go to.

Perhaps this is the real reason large companies seem to always be keen to ditch experienced staff in redundancy programmes. They know too much and are too long in the tooth to have the wool pulled over their eyes, they can see through everything that's done.

[BBKing]

Perhaps this is the real reason large companies seem to always be keen to ditch experienced staff in redundancy programmes.

Nah - much simpler than that - experience isn't included in the calculations of the cost of outsourcing (because it isn't quantifiable in financial terms), except inasmuch as experienced staff tend to cost more. Hence experience counts *against* you instead of for you. That's what you get with bean counters, I'm afraid.

BTW scrotnig, I don't find you negative at all - realistic would be a more appropriate adjective.

[Chrysalis]

"Does not take a genius to work out they are looking for ways to route their calls elsewhere without the current workforce knowing."

could this be why my customer service call got routed to india?

[Derek]

could this be why my customer service call got routed to india?

No. The reason your call was routed to India was that either you chose the wrong option in the IVR (doubtful), the system had a dozy moment and randomly routed your call to India (even more doubtful) or you got through to somewhere in the UK with an employee who may not have English as a first language and with the current problems is poorly trained and will say anything to get people off the phone (more likely than option A or B)

Now repeat after me.

Customer Service calls are not going to India,
Customer Service calls are not going to India,
Customer Service calls are not going to India,

And repeat until it sinks in. ;)

[scrotnig]

"Does not take a genius to work out they are looking for ways to route their calls elsewhere without the current workforce knowing."

Could this be why my customer service call got routed to india?
There's nobody in India taking customer service calls, as you've been told dozens of times by people who know.

Some people on this site are really starting to pee me off, arguing black is white all the time and refusing to listen to reason.

[Chrysalis]

well its just been said they working on routing calls without the STAFF knowledge. Work that one out.

[scrotnig]

well its just been said they working on routing calls without the STAFF knowledge. Work that one out.
You will need to take my word for it then. I am in a position where I would know. There are NO customer service calls being handled in India at present. 100% guaranteed.

Now I'm not saying they won't be in the future. Who knows? Nothing is impossible. But at this point in time, definitely, inarguably, 110%, not.

[Nidge]

You will need to take my word for it then. I am in a position where I would know. There are NO customer service calls being handled in India at present. 100% guaranteed.

Now I'm not saying they won't be in the future. Who knows? Nothing is impossible. But at this point in time, definitely, inarguably, 110%, not.


Why are calls being transfered to India then if there are no tech suppport in India?? I've had the unfortunate task of calling tech support over the last few weeks, everytime I've been put through to India, you keep on saying it's not in India when we all know it is.

[Derek]

Oh FFS :mad: does no-one actually read what is posted before jumping in with a daft comment.

Tech Support = Swansea/India
Customer Service = UK

Clear enough?

[BarFly]

Why are calls being transfered to India then if there are no tech suppport in India?? I've had the unfortunate task of calling tech support over the last few weeks, everytime I've been put through to India, you keep on saying it's not in India when we all know it is.

No one has said tech support is not in india, it is, CS is not in india

As has been said umpteen times before, at present only tech support calls should be routed to india. IBM implemented this change & not NTL, the calls are routed to a subsidery(sp) of IBM called Daksh, who at present only deal with Cable Modem support in conjuction with Swansea.

[Russ]

OK peeps, have a breather before you post please. Nothing wrong with a heated debate but I don't want to have to lock this one for people to cool down.

[Bill C]

well its just been said they working on routing calls without the STAFF knowledge. Work that one out.

Why will you just admit you are wrong or are we to have another Centrica thread. :mad:

You are still saying they control NTL

Why o why do some have it in there head that Customer service is in India.

Tell you what prove to me that customer service's is in india, Tech support is there but NOT i repeat NOT customer service. If you can prove that customer service is in india i will give £50.00 to a charity of your choice

But you will not. You will carry on with your constant moaning at NTL and its service.

[Chrysalis]

I will not prove anything, get a grip this is no competition I am not trying to earn brownie points.

scrotnig I will take your word for it, I will put it down to either me pressing the wrong option somewhere or a short glitch in the system.

[scrotnig]

I will not prove anything, get a grip this is no competition I am not trying to earn brownie points.

scrotnig I will take your word for it, I will put it down to either me pressing the wrong option somewhere or a short glitch in the system.
More likely the latter I daresay.

[carlingman]

Carlingman you are 100% right in all you say.

I have seen this sort of thing too many times, but still when I issue warnings of impending doom people laugh at me or call me 'negative'. Boy do I HATE that word. But I digress.

I predicted my last two redundancies, and in fact the more recent one I predicted last February and it wasn't announced until April. I even correctly predicted which office the jobs would go to. I have predicted again that my current job is headed for redundancy, not immediately but within 12 months. Again I am derided as negative, we shall see. The signs are all there. And again, I know which office it's going to go to.

Perhaps this is the real reason large companies seem to always be keen to ditch experienced staff in redundancy programmes. They know too much and are too long in the tooth to have the wool pulled over their eyes, they can see through everything that's done.

Na negative is not the word for yourself - clued up and educated is more nearer the mark - no pun intended there.

Saving grace maybe a merger with Telewest to stop the poaching of jobs to India.

:D

[JohnHorb]

Anyone know whether Telewest out-source to IBM?

[Florence]

Telewest do not outsource their support is in the UK. I know someone who works there - they even have regular talks with the CEO to see what can be done to keep improving.


He talks to them all over the intranet once a week what dedication to improving customer / CS relations.

[BarFly]

I think telewest have outsourced there Tech support to Fujitsu, i think its based in manchester.

though i am prepared to be wrong with this, though pretty certain it is the case

on a side note, telewest still use icms as there main database, so if a merger goes ahead, this could leave the Harmony project up in the air, with no where to go.....

[scrotnig]

Rumours abound that Harmony will not now replace ICMS at ntl and the company will stick with two systems, Harmony for one part of the company and ICMS for the rest.

This is still a significant improvement on what went before.

[Florence]

Rumours abound that Harmony will not now replace ICMS at ntl and the company will stick with two systems, Harmony for one part of the company and ICMS for the rest.

This is still a significant improvement on what went before.

How much did they waste on Harmony for it to now not go ahead and who authorised the project. This person now needs being made reundant for wasting so much money.

[Bill C]

How much did they waste on Harmony for it to now not go ahead and who authorised the project. This person now needs being made reundant for wasting so much money.


You used Harmony then Kits. You must have to be able to be sooooo critical of something that you demand that someone should lose there job over . I have used it and therefor cam make an informed statement about it. It has issues but it works.

Why o why do we have users making statements about stuff on here that

A. They have not had first hand knowledge of something unless they have worked for NTL.
B. Make complete and utter bull**** up and know it is just to make a statement."you know who you are"

Gee i am realy starting to see my arse over this. If i say anything like half of what is said on here without any proof i would be accused of NTL bull****, But anyone else can say what they want.:mad:

[scrotnig]

How much did they waste on Harmony for it to now not go ahead and who authorised the project. This person now needs being made reundant for wasting so much money.
It's only a rumour, nothing definite. The next stage of the migration, SMS, is still going ahead in April.

The thing is, ICMS is the biggest database out of all of them by a few thousand miles. It's a whole different kettle of fish to the comparitively small migrations done so far (although they are big in themselves).

As I say, this is not definite, but it's a rumour that's persisted for some months now and I keep hearing it from different people.
__________________

Harmony does indeed largely work, it isn't perfect but it's got a lot better recently.

It's also user friendly. It doesn't take new staff fourteen years to learn how to use it properly, which was the case with most of the older systems.

The company can also add bits in and alter things themselves in house without having to pay a fortune for custom modifications, as they do with things like ICMS.

[goldoni]

After reading this thread I was dreading calling Tech support last night and listening to the recorded voice saying they are very busy and the wait could be long, but within two minutes my call was answered by a person who had a slight Indian accent.

He dealt with my little problem that was about another persons email account that was not working; this was quickly sorted after a few checks I was authorised to change settings on another persons account. Total time on phone 6 minutes, problem sorted :tu:

[Paul]

Lets have a little calm in here please.

I have to agree that Bill does have a point - unless you have first hand knowledge of ntl's internal systems, then you are not really in a position to pass judgement on them.

The same with Customer Services - it has been made quite plain by those who work for ntl that these are not in India, so unless someone has proof that everyone in ntl is wrong, let's have no more accusations which just seem to be aimed at winding people up. Stick to the facts people. :)

[Russ]

Some people are getting worked up in this thread and it seems like the cause is misinformation and rumour.

So let's consider what we know to be true so far.

ntl's Customer Service is not in India.

Customer Service are the people who you speak to about billing, changing your tv package, adding features to your phone account.

The overspill of ntl's Technical Support can sometimes go to India.

These are the people you speak to if there's a problem with your internet connection, email or webspace.

Please can people bear this in mind.

[Bill C]

Some people are getting worked up in this thread and it seems like the cause is misinformation and rumour.

So let's consider what we know to be true so far.

ntl's Customer Service is not in India.

Customer Service are the people who you speak to about billing, changing your tv package, adding features to your phone account.

The overspill of ntl's Technical Support can sometimes go to India.

These are the people you speak to if there's a problem with your internet connection, email or webspace.

Please can people bear this in mind.

Thank you :clap:

[Russ]

Don't forget as well that ntl probably have some Indian people working in their UK callcentres so just because the person you speak to sounds Indian or has an Indian name does not mean the call has been outsourced.

I mean, you could always ASK them if they're in India....

[scrotnig]

Some people are getting worked up in this thread and it seems like the cause is misinformation and rumour.

So let's consider what we know to be true so far.

ntl's Customer Service is not in India.

Customer Service are the people who you speak to about billing, changing your tv package, adding features to your phone account.

The overspill of ntl's Technical Support can sometimes go to India.

These are the people you speak to if there's a problem with your internet connection, email or webspace.

Please can people bear this in mind.
Additionally, it's worth clarifying that all technical support staff now work for an outsourcing company, and it is that company who took the decision to overspill the calls to India. ntl themselves didn't take this decision, ntl just pay the outsourcing company to handle the calls and it's up to them what they do with them.

[Bill C]

Don't forget as well that ntl probably have some Indian people working in their UK callcentres so just because the person you speak to sounds Indian or has an Indian name does not mean the call has been outsourced.

I mean, you could always ASK them if they're in India....

And that means you have to phone them, NOT refuse to like some have stated they will do, In that case you will never get your faults fixed. This site is here to help users but its not a i cannot be botherd or will not phone Tech support site. Certainly let NTL staff know in here about your fault but you must report it to NTL to get it fixed.

[absl]

:clap: couldn't agree more