NTL Tech support is in India
 

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:

Re: NTL Tech support is in India
 

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.

Re: NTL Tech support is in India
 

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.

Re: NTL Tech support is in India
 

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.

Re: NTL Tech support is in India
 

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...

Re: NTL Tech support is in India
 

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!

Re: NTL Tech support is in India
 

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:

Re: NTL Tech support is in India
 

Me neither.

Re: NTL Tech support is in India
 

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.

Re: NTL Tech support is in India
 

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?

Re: NTL Tech support is in India
 

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..

Re: NTL Tech support is in India
 

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.

Re: NTL Tech support is in India
 

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!

Re: NTL Tech support is in India
 

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.

Re: NTL Tech support is in India
 

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 :)

Re: NTL Tech support is in India
 

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

Re: NTL Tech support is in India
 

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.

Re: NTL Tech support is in India
 

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.

Re: NTL Tech support is in India
 

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

Re: NTL Tech support is in India
 

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:

Re: NTL Tech support is in India
 

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.

Re: NTL Tech support is in India
 

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

Re: NTL Tech support is in India
 

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.

Re: NTL Tech support is in India
 

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. :)

Re: NTL Tech support is in India
 

Would you bring me back an elephant?

;)

Re: NTL Tech support is in India
 

: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:

Re: NTL Tech support is in India
 

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...............

Re: NTL Tech support is in India
 

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.

Re: NTL Tech support is in India
 

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.

Re: NTL Tech support is in India
 

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.

Re: NTL Tech support is in India
 

: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?

Re: NTL Tech support is in India
 

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

Re: NTL Tech support is in India
 

If they were customer facing people then yes they should.

Re: NTL Tech support is in India
 

why?

Re: NTL Tech support is in India
 

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...

Re: NTL Tech support is in India
 

Why?

Re: NTL Tech support is in India
 

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

Re: NTL Tech support is in India
 

: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 ?

Re: NTL Tech support is in India
 

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.

Re: NTL Tech support is in India
 

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:

Re: NTL Tech support is in India
 

Well said Mark :tu:

Re: NTL Tech support is in India
 

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.

Re: NTL Tech support is in India
 

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!

Re: NTL Tech support is in India
 

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.

Re: NTL Tech support is in India
 

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

Re: NTL Tech support is in India
 

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

Re: NTL Tech support is in India
 

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.

Re: NTL Tech support is in India
 

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.

Re: NTL Tech support is in India
 

So true

Re: NTL Tech support is in India
 

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

Re: NTL Tech support is in India
 

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.

Re: NTL Tech support is in India
 

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?

Re: NTL Tech support is in India
 

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.

Re: NTL Tech support is in India
 

I think wires have crossed here?

Re: NTL Tech support is in India
 

Have you cancelled your ntl services?

Re: NTL Tech support is in India
 

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....

Re: NTL Tech support is in India
 

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.

Re: NTL Tech support is in India
 

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:

Re: NTL Tech support is in India
 

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

Re: NTL Tech support is in India
 

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...

Re: NTL Tech support is in India
 

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

Re: NTL Tech support is in India
 

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:

Re: NTL Tech support is in India
 

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

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.

Re: NTL Tech support is in India
 

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)

Re: NTL Tech support is in India
 

Me too! Especially as I've been told I will find out by March if my job is being outsourced. :disturbd:

Re: NTL Tech support is in India
 

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:-

http://www.nationwide.co.uk/mediacen...his.asp?ID=606

Re: NTL Tech support is in India
 

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

Re: NTL Tech support is in India
 

I'm glad to say that they cannot just do that see here 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:

Re: NTL Tech support is in India
 

If thats the case I'd better go to my boss and ask for a 100% pay rise. :D

Re: NTL Tech support is in India
 

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.

Re: NTL Tech support is in India
 

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.

Re: NTL Tech support is in India
 

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.

Re: NTL Tech support is in India
 

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. ;)

Re: NTL Tech support is in India
 

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

Re: NTL Tech support is in India
 

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.

Re: NTL Tech support is in India
 

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!

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

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)

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.

Re: NTL Tech support is in India
 

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?)

Re: NTL Tech support is in India
 

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.

Re: NTL Tech support is in India
 

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.

Re: NTL Tech support is in India
 

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

[thats just a j\k btw] :)

Re: NTL Tech support is in India
 

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.

Re: NTL Tech support is in India
 

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

Re: NTL Tech support is in India
 

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

Re: NTL Tech support is in India
 

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.

Re: NTL Tech support is 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.

Re: NTL Tech support is in India
 

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)

Re: NTL Tech support is in India
 

cost cost cost and ohhhh did i mention cost

Re: NTL Tech support is in India
 

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

Re: NTL Tech support is 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 :)

Re: NTL Tech support is in India
 

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.

Re: NTL Tech support is in India
 

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

Re: NTL Tech support is in India
 

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.

Re: NTL Tech support is in India
 

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

Re: NTL Tech support is in India
 

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.


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.


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"?


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.

Re: NTL Tech support is in India
 

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?

Re: NTL Tech support is in India
 

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)

Re: NTL Tech support is in India
 

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

Re: NTL Tech support is in India
 

As is Har-moan-y software dev
http://www.cableforum.co.uk/board/sh...441#post366441

Re: NTL Tech support is in India
 

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.

Re: NTL Tech support is in India
 

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