[mwtb]

Well, as expected, the call resulted in the usual NTL hassle.

1/ On asking to be put through to the advisor I spoke to earlier, I was treated like I'd asked for the alarm codes for NTL's headquarters. When the guy I was speaking to "tried to put me through" he came back on the phone within a second and told me the person I had spoke to earlier and who had told me he was available until 7 wasn't in work... ho hum.

2/ The extensive testing of my STB problem consisted of getting me to turn it off and then on. I have to wonder why they didn't believe I had tried this already.

3/ The usual shenanigans with the guy on the other end following a script and refusing to answer questions in the middle of it. What's the point of having a human if they're forced to act like computers?

4/ After failing to get across my point about an engineer visit during work hours being only workable if they did a first call or last call, I asked to be put through to cancellations. What followed was a quite remarkably poor example of customer service:

"Sir, you have been speaking to my colleague."

"Yes."

"He has offered to get an engineer to you tomorrow." <very angry tone>

"Are you okay, you sound a little upset."

"You asked to be put through to cancellations and he has offered an engineer tomorrow." <bile, venom>

"Yes, but that isn't the problem. The problem is that I can't be in during the day, which is why I asked to be put through to cancellations."

"Sir, what you are asking is unreasonable." <still angry>

"I don't think it is, and it has been done before."

<This goes on, I should note that I felt I was very calm during this conversation despite the tone I was receiving. Eventually, I decided I wasn't happy about this at all>

"Can I ask who I am speaking to?"

"You are speaking to me."

"Sorry, who is me?"

"My name is <>"

"And your surname?"

"We don't give out surnames." <she's practically spitting down the phone at this point>

"And your position?"

"Why do you want all this information?"

"So I know how to identify who I am speaking to."

"I gave you my name, I work in faults."

Anyway, to cut a long story short. After this it transpired that a Saturday call could be done. I questioned why I hadn't been offered a Saturday seeing as my conversation had been about unavailability during work hours and was told words to the effect "We just give out the next availability."

I am honestly quite shocked at how I was spoken to considering how normal this conversation must be, and I'm in two minds about whether to complain or not. Does anyone know where the place to send a complaint would be (a letter, not an email, too easy to ignore).