TV Drive Pre-Installation Fun!

[HDFootyMan]

There are times when CS scare me.

I'm getting TV Drive fitted tomorrow (I hope!). I thought I'd ring CS via the 150 number and confirm that their engineer is coming out with a HDMI lead for my HDTV.

First I get told that there's no record of my installation booking . Then I get passed onto Sales. I'm telling the guy about the HDMI lead and before I get to saying "...and please confirm the appointment I made a week ago", I'm transferred to the 'pre-installation customer menu.'

That menu gives you 2 choices - one for existing customers and two for new customers. I, being an existing customer, press one - and then I'm told to ring 150. WTF?!? I just did!!

I ring 150 again, ask to be put through to Sales. The guy I talk to has no idea of my TV Drive installation and insists that TV Drive is only available to Glasgow and Teeside. When I mention that forums like CF, Digital Spy and AV are full of TV Drive owners outside those areas, I get put on hold for a few minutes. The guy comes back and tells me that "the problem is-"

And then, he's cut off.

So I ring 150, again. I talk to a very nice lady about my previous attempts to confirm the appointment AND the expected arrival of a HDMI lead. This lady finds and confirms my TV Drive installation details (including arrival of HDMI lead) within 15 seconds. I say to her, "I wish I could have talked to you 15 minutes ago."

I really hope NTL/Virgin improve Customer Services for the TV Drive (and that the engineer actually arrives tomorrow), too often, NTL's left hand doesn't know what its right hand is doing. I wonder how many customers interested in TV Drive have been told 'sorry, not available yet', when its actually available right now.

[relegationmateri]

Can't NTL put these people through some kind of test that weeds out the idiots who can't do things like, use a computer? Not like you had some big technical query or anything. Just basic stuff like getting your info on screen.

And before someone with NTL tinted glasses tries to defend this sort of thing, there is no excuse for shoddy CS. I don't want to ring CS and hope that I get to talk to someone with a brain. I want to know that I'll get a decent CS.

[poolking]

Originally Posted by relegationmateri

Can't NTL put these people through some kind of test that weeds out the idiots who can't do things like, use a computer? Not like you had some big technical query or anything. Just basic stuff like getting your info on screen.

And before someone with NTL tinted glasses tries to defend this sort of thing, there is no excuse for shoddy CS. I don't want to ring CS and hope that I get to talk to someone with a brain. I want to know that I'll get a decent CS.

You leave your brain at the door thats the only way you can meet targets, I've never worked for NTL, but have worked in call centres before and they're all the same, best sometimes to keep your intelligence securely locked away.

[oval73]

Originally Posted by Chris Howell

I ring 150 again, ask to be put through to Sales. The guy I talk to has no idea of my TV Drive installation and insists that TV Drive is only available to Glasgow and Teeside. When I mention that forums like CF, Digital Spy and AV are full of TV Drive owners outside those areas, I get put on hold for a few minutes. The guy comes back and tells me that "the problem is-"

I've had the same problem - tried to book installation for a TvDrive. A very nice lady answers and after confirming my details and postcode says "Yes it's available now, I'll just open your account to arrange a date".
Great, I thought - then the line disconnected!
Rang again, got put through to a different operative who said exactly the same, it's only available in Glasgow etc.
Told him that I knew it had definitely been installed in the Northampton area (where I am) & in loads of places that are miles away from Glasgow or Teeside and got a very terse reply to the effect that I was lying.
Given up for today and try again tomorrow.

[enigmatic2]

Originally Posted by oval73

got a very terse reply to the effect that I was lying. Given up for today and try again tomorrow.

I had to ring four or five times before I got somebody who knew what he was talking about and could arrange installation; everyone else either hadn't a clue or got very cross when I told them that the TVdrive *was* available.

It's surely a simple enough matter for NTL to make sure all their CS staff are on the same page with regard to TVdrive availability. Send them all the URL for one of these threads, maybe? No joking, it would be an eye opener for many of them I suspect