[Merged] Letter from NTL

Florence · 23-10-2004, 12:00

I would presume all have recieved the letter with their bills about calling CS.
It starts with

Quote:

You may have noticed that since the beginning of September there have been some delays getting through to our Customer Service teams. This is because we've started a programme of service improvements to help us give you a better level of customer service next year. The programme is underway and will be completed early in 2005.

Is this all the redundancies then relocating staff to a few places.

Quote:

With all these improvments we're making, our Customer Service help lines are very busy at the moment. To save you time, we encourage you to try these alternative ways of answering any queries you may have.

* You can access our new customer support features on our website at www.ntl.com These services include "Broadband Medic" a brand new self help tool that will allow you to diagnose the cure many internet and email problems without the need to call a technical support helpdesk.

* We have also launched "my ntl:home," a new customer service TV channel which ia available on digital channel 119. Here you will find customer support information on all of ntl's products and services.

The introduction of enhanced systems will bring significant service improvements but as we make these changes there may be some delay in answering customer calls. We wish to assure you that we are taking every step to ensure that any delays are kept to a minimum and would ask you to bear with us whilst we complete the work.

Delays in answering phones isn't a new complaint its more or less always been slow at certain times of the day so nothing new there.
The TV channel is of no use to those using SACM's and BBmedic even though I trialed it and found it very good for new people it was only benificial if you use IE and Outlook Express unless they have changed it. I use Mozilla like many others so this route is out.

Well further details early next year so its wait and see.

andygrif · 23-10-2004, 20:21

Thanks Kits.

Isn't the first part somewhat of a contradiction in terms? You may have noticed that it takes longer to get through becuase we're improving? Huh?

a1970man · 24-10-2004, 13:37

I had a chuckle whe I read that letter as well.

I've never been able to get through to NTL quickly in 3 years of using them. I dont mean to sound callous, but does it really take that long to recruit and train staff to work in CS. There are many call centers around and most can get staff on the phone and working to a basic level in 2-3 weeks !

Probably to NTL longer to 'proactively sinergise the cenric customer response metrics' or some other crappy management speak .....

Why dont we turn the tables on them ?
Stop paying your bill and when the call say "I'm sorry I'm experiencing technical difficulties and I dont have a fix date, if you'd like to call back in a week I'll put you on to the missus who'll promise a call back and hang up if you like ?"

Florence · 24-10-2004, 13:59

Quote:

Originally Posted by a1970man

I had a chuckle whe I read that letter as well.

I've never been able to get through to NTL quickly in 3 years of using them. I dont mean to sound callous, but does it really take that long to recruit and train staff to work in CS. There are many call centers around and most can get staff on the phone and working to a basic level in 2-3 weeks !

Probably to NTL longer to 'proactively sinergise the cenric customer response metrics' or some other crappy management speak .....

Why dont we turn the tables on them ?
Stop paying your bill and when the call say "I'm sorry I'm experiencing technical difficulties and I dont have a fix date, if you'd like to call back in a week I'll put you on to the missus who'll promise a call back and hang up if you like ?"

Not being able to get a quick answer on the phones isn't a good enough reason to to withhold payment.

I find it depends on the time of day as to the speed the call is answered.

alferret · 24-10-2004, 16:59

Quote:

I find it depends on the time of day as to the speed the call is answered.

In my experiance it doesnt matter what time of the day I call, I have never ever got through in less than 40 minutes and the longest I have had to wait is 1hr 15. I have phoned at 8am and at various times (virtually every hour'ish) up to 8pm and never have been answered in anything like a reasonable time. I think it would be a great idea to do what a1970man said and with hold payments due to technical difficulties.

a1970man · 24-10-2004, 22:02

Kits ?

Do you have the answer and your not telling ?

What time of day do you call to get a quick response ? We've been trying for months and haven't found it yet.

Florence · 24-10-2004, 23:32

but if I post it in here everyone will move to those times and I will have to queue....

ZrByte · 25-10-2004, 01:31

Quote:

Originally Posted by a1970man

Probably to NTL longer to 'proactively sinergise the cenric customer response metrics' or some other crappy management speak .....

Did that line remind anybody else of Guss from Drop The Dead Donkey?

Theodoric · 06-11-2004, 17:20

An interesting letter came with this month's ntl bill promising abundant jam tomorrow; to be precise, improved customer service starting early next year (no specific date given).

The first line reads, "You may may have noticed that since the beginning of September there have been delays getting through to our Customer Service teams." Ah, yes, those happy pre-September days when you got through straight away. At which point the thought occurs to me that if there were no delays before September how can they improve on this?

Further on it says, "With all these improvements we're making, our Customer Service help lines are very busy at the moment." Eh, hold on a minute. How can making improvements suddenly make the help lines very busy? Are thousands of customers suddenly phoning in to ask how the improvements are getting on? Are hundreds of ntl staff testing the lines?

All in all, the level of ntl explanations is enough to cause permanent bemusement.

Russ · 06-11-2004, 17:22

Let's face it, as a company has ntl ever made sense when it comes to customer service?

**Maggy** · 06-11-2004, 17:42

If you want a real laugh then read Terry Pratchett's lastest offering 'Going Postal'.

I would like to draw your attention to page 264(bottom of page) to page 273 (top of).I would swear that either TP had attended a few ntl board meetings or had been hanging out in these forums.

Incog.

Russ · 06-11-2004, 17:47

The thing with ntl is there always seem to be 'improvements', 'updates' etc to their customer service but they miss the point totally - I've said it elsewhere and I'll say it again, customers aren't interested in 'improvements to our service', 'upgrades' or any other David Brent-esque expressions - we simply want a customer service we can rely on.

BBKing · 07-11-2004, 06:05

Quote:

we simply want a customer service we can rely on.

Are you an ntl customer again, then?

Ignition · 07-11-2004, 13:01

Complaints for not keeping customers informed, complaints for keeping customers informed. Lose:lose?

andrew_wallasey · 08-11-2004, 09:46

Quote:

Originally Posted by a1970man

I had a chuckle whe I read that letter as well.

I've never been able to get through to NTL quickly in 3 years of using them. I dont mean to sound callous, but does it really take that long to recruit and train staff to work in CS. There are many call centers around and most can get staff on the phone and working to a basic level in 2-3 weeks !

Probably to NTL longer to 'proactively sinergise the cenric customer response metrics' or some other crappy management speak .....

Why dont we turn the tables on them ?
Stop paying your bill and when the call say "I'm sorry I'm experiencing technical difficulties and I dont have a fix date, if you'd like to call back in a week I'll put you on to the missus who'll promise a call back and hang up if you like ?"

The call centre I worked for had me on the telephones the next day accepting incoming calls.