Re: NTL Not interested in long standing customers
 

OB - for once I think that this is quite a level headed discussion on customer service and not NTL bashing (though this does go on here far to frequently).

Personally I have had nothing but good service (and pretty prompt call answering times) in the last 18 months or so.

That said I don't really use them as an ISP, more of a connection. All the ISP stuff is i-web :) .

Re: NTL Not interested in long standing customers
 

Depends on what services you have, and how long you've been a customer...

I agree entirely. But IMO, the starter of this thread didn't receive 'notoriously bad custoner service' - they had their bluff called.

I still don't see anywhere where the customer was treated without decency?

In your experience, which is of course not acceptable. I have had two issues regarding my ntl service, one for dial up, which the tech couldn't help me with, one with my phone line which they did. Both times, the fact there was a fault with the service, was acknowledged even though they couldn't pin point it there and then, and an engineer then came out and fixed it:shrug:

I'm assuming you're an ntl: Business customer - do you have any issues you want to pass to me to send on for you?

Again, it's wrong to generalise. My issues were fixed OK, my services have not failed since and IMO, it was all dealt with OK.

I am very acceptong of threads where ntl have done wrong, and they deserve a bashing. I am NOT accepting of 'bashing' threads because of nothing more than a customer having a whine because they didn't get what they wanted.

<snip the rest>

Re: NTL Not interested in long standing customers
 

I have seen both sides of the coin on this one.

Yes, ntl like most large companies treat long term customers like s**t when it comes to special offers and deals, I think ntl has gone a complete cycle on this issue.

In the past ntl used to bend over backwards giving away free service to grumbling customers, that couldn't go on and CS were eventually stopped from giving out free service willy nilly to any joe public who complained, after word got around that it was easy to get something for nothing out of ntl.

The ones that suffer now are honest customers who have a real problem!

Too much money was thrown away by CS to customers they had on the end of the phone complaining, rather than listen to technicians/engineers who had visited the customer and found no fault. ;)

Re: NTL Not interested in long standing customers
 

Neil, every company has good and bad employees. A good employee in this case will fight to keep a customer. A bad one won't.

A friend of mine is seriously considering leaving T-Mobile. He is a long term customer (he joined One-2-One as it was then 1 day after it launched), but is considering leaving as he changed tarrifs a year ago, and where as he was getting 300 minutes a month free, they cut it to 200 and told him the extra 100 minutes a month was a year long bonus. His complaint is that he was never told that when he was sold the new tarrif.

Now, when he phoned, T-Mobile didn't offer any kind of retention package, and basically told him to go to another mobile company.

When he left NTL two years ago, the retentions department fought tooth and nail to keep him, even offering free TV & Phone for 3 months. This was worth a hell of a lot of money, as he had the complete TV package, and had all Sky Sports/Movie channels, and all the Channel 4 film channels, basically every every non-premium channel, and most of the premium ones). Sadly, they couldn't offer the one thing he wanted, broadband, as it was not available in Lewisham then (that was actually the reason he was leaving).

True, NTL doesn't always offer packages like this, and also true, it does make financial sense for them to do so (after all, it costs a lot less to offer someone free BB/Tv/Phone for three months than it does to lose them as customers), but the grass isn't always greener. Other companies do fall short too..

Re: NTL Not interested in long standing customers
 

Orangebird, I think you inhabit an alternative universe to many of the rest of us living here in NTLworld. It may be wrong to generalise but why do you think NTL has such a bad reputation for customer service? Is it just a figment of our collective imagination? And the problems I suffer with the email system are not unique to me. I think you'll find very many of us have the same issues (check the Service Status archive)

No I'm not an NTL: Business customer. I have two phone lines, TV and broadband through Home. So the profit should be tidy. I've considered switching to Business so I can at least have a service guarantee but they refused to waive the installation fee. They offered to reduce it but, given I'd be paying an extra £5 a month, why should I also pay for installation in the hope of getting the service that Home should be delivering anyway?

I should point out that I really don't have an issue with Tech Support who are usually very helpful and often disarmingly honest (one once admitted to me they'd told mngmt not to launch a system because it was full of bugs and lo, it repeatedly failed). But CS is appalling - has been since day one of my becoming an NTL customer (many years ago incidentally) when I enjoyed a 1 hour plus wait to be put through to a stroppy advisor who failed to get my my new digital TV service working.

I take your point that enticing marketing deals are targeted at new and not existing customers and that, in normal circumstances, this is a legitimate tactic. But when you're failing to deliver good service to existing customers, taking on new ones is not necessarily a good move. It can be plain bl**dy stupid. If you check the number of registration faults on the Service Status page you'll see that new customers are getting swiftly inducted into the NTL way. Resources being used to build the client base would be better targeted at retaining the existing one. They should get the servers functioning properly before they try to increase traffic with new custom. And while service is poor, existing customers are quite right to question why funds are being focused on potential customers.

Re: NTL Not interested in long standing customers
 

No, just a universe that I know doesn't revolve around me.....

It is wrong to generalise. Email has been completely rubbish and ntl have acknowledged that, so I'm not sure what your point is?

Depends how long you've been a customer really.

If you're really that unhappy, and can't get resolution with ntl - why do you stay with them? And no, before anyone jumps on that comment, that's not a rhetorical question accompanied by attitude, it's a genuine question.

It's all down to personal experience. I have never had to wait an hour to get through to CS, and I've never encountered a stroppy CSR. And I'm aware that other customers don't have that experience. But the difference is, I acknowledge that, and others don't, and frankly, that's what really p1sses me off.

Again, I ask you, if your service with ntl is so hellish, why have you persevered for so many years? :confused:

Re: NTL Not interested in long standing customers
 

Orangebird

Email is rubbish and NTL have acknowledged that? Not to me they haven't. And even if they did, when are they going to do something about it (I did say other companies acknowledge and fix). As I said before, why put additional strain on the servers by trying to attract new custom when they can't deal with existing traffic?

A universe that doesn't revolve around you? But it's about personal experience and as you're all right Jack everything's hunky dory? I acknowledge that you're happy with CS. Good for you. But very, very many of us are not. The fact that the collective personal experience is not a good one is more telling than your own seemingly remarkable good fortune.

If you'd read my previous posts properly you'd see I've been an NTL customer for many years and my assumption that they make a tidy profit from me is based on the fact that they must have recovered their capital expenditure some time ago. Why am I still with them? Well, if you'd read my previous posts properly you'd know; it's a real hassle to change because - and I admit this was foolish - I get so many services through them. Perhaps you'd like to give your opinion on whether I should pay for the privilege of getting a service guarantee by switching to Business (and therefore presumably a decent level of service).

So, as you say you can pass on messages to NTL: Business for me can I take it you work for them? Could this and your happy CS experience be in any way connected (see Bill C's post)? If you are on the NTL payroll why not take on board the legitimate criticisms being raised in what was rightly described previously as a level headed discussion. Nobody's having a go at you personally (beyond suggesting your experience may not be shared by many of us) so chill out mate.

Re: NTL Not interested in long standing customers
 

No, they won't acknowledge to you personally, but they do publish service status etc.

They bring on new customers because email is not intended to be the main attraction of their products.

I could out the same back to you - 'I've had problems so it must all be crap for everyone?

No, I don't think you should pay, purely because you're a resi customer, not a business customer. I think if you're that unhappy, you should bite the bullet and change provider. With companies falling over themselves to gain new business, I'm sure most of the leg work and hassle would be taken away from you by the companies you choose to change to? :shrug:

I work for ntl, but not for the Business Unit.

Not at all - employees do not have any priviledges or quick routes over non-employee customers, from install of services (which can take between 6-8 weeks), and I certainly don't know of any magical phone numbers to get me to the front of the CS phone queue.

Heed your own advice. I do take on legitimate critism, every day on this forum. I also try and help out where ever I can is a customer needs help because of bad service. What I don't accept is p1ssing and moaning because someone couldn't get what they wanted and their threats to leave made to look foolishly empty. Yes, my experience of ntl CS maynit be so common, but think about it, we're on a website that was created for p1ssed off customers, (nthellworld) not those who are actually happy. I do not like you insinuating that just because I work for ntl that I q-jump over full paying customers, or that I accept sub standard service and let the little things go by, because I don't. :td:

Re: NTL Not interested in long standing customers
 

To right sky refuse to budge on this and the best advise they offer is to cancel your existing account and open a new one in a different name otherwise it will cost £199

Re: NTL Not interested in long standing customers
 

They recently sent me an e-mail Advertising the need to increase speed!

After reading through I notice its the same price but includes a 5gb cap, I asked why as a customer of over a year I cant have an uncapped service for the same price, if they are so keen for me to upgrade.

They have taken 3 months payment because I pay Quarterly via credit card in advance, which they claim the 'cant' refund :confused: ummmmmmmmm likely story :rolleyes:

Re: NTL Not interested in long standing customers
 

Fact of the matter is though........

Will BT be any better............mostly likely not.

In my experience and the discovery of a survey from a trusted independant source they have the worst customer service EVEN worse than ntl. The BT Connect mail servers certainally used to be (a year ago anyway) more shakey than ntls!

Will Sky be better?? Possibly not? Certainally they are as pathetic as anything I have ever experienced right up to senior level.

Freeview........well theres noone to complain to on that so who would all the moaners cry to.

Re: NTL Not interested in long standing customers
 

But that's not "not budging", it's offering an alternative way so that the customer can get what he/she has asked for.....

Re: NTL Not interested in long standing customers
 

And it is still present in every damn customer service centre in this godforsaken country including you precious BT and Sky lest we not forget :rolleyes:

The thing you are missing is this is NOT just and ntl problem its an industry problem.

Every company I have every dealt with (except the small local ones) have had some excellent staff who go out of their way to assist you, and some utterley pathetic staff who have absolutely no intention of helping you.

ntl are not alone.........its not ntl that arent interested in long standing customers its every big company.

(If I was unfortuante to once again be a Sky Customer) If I rang up Sky Customer 'Disservice National 0870' trying to get a cheaper offer on my TV, or a cheap installation when I moved (of a acceptable quality) It would cost, Sky would not budge even if I subscribed to every package and was giving something like £50 a month........wheres the difference? It would all end in cancellation! And trying to blag it by siging up under my mrs or dogs name to get a free install :rolleyes:

Try ringing the majority of ISPs and they will do nothing.........if you can get it cheaper elsewhere theyll let you.........and BT again wont care, they will try and delay your exit (in the hope you get bored) passing you pillar to post (every regional call cetre with a dodgy accent in the UK) but wont offer 'deals'

So the fact that ntl 'do' offer rentention offers to some makes them better than most of their competitors.

Re: NTL Not interested in long standing customers
 

Surely you could do that with NTL?

Re: NTL Not interested in long standing customers
 

You'd like to think so.