NTL Customer Services: Your personal experience

[handyman]

Originally Posted by bexy

of course they did you worked there :p

so hm who was bottom of the table?

Not sure we only got told we where top and that Celtic where close behind. and knowing Jill from celtic I can see why, they are very focused over there, don't always go by the 'ntl book' which is why they like Teesside are able to offer better CS. If somthing was wrong we put in immediate measures to get it resolved. We always pressured other depts like tech and The broadcast head end when we had issues we wanted resolved for out franchise. This quite often got good results.

That said things at Teesside could use many improvements. There is just too many poor practices for faults and some poor management decisions. This does not deter the good agents however from giving good CS. It is sometimes used by the bad agents as a excuse 'sorry sir we dont support that' - 'its coming soon'. I always found it best to be honest with customers and give them realistic timescales for things based on the fact I used to read all the tech updates etc.

If Teesside could actually get behind the agents of the front-line and offer correct diagnosis tools and information then they could wipe the floor with any CS dept. BBking was starting to discuss some of the ways this could be inplemented with me but unfortunatly this can't be done now I no longer work for ntl. Shame really as I was looking forward to a natter over a pint, I have some great ideas and so does he. Plus he's one of the guys that would have been abel to devolp them too.

[Bex]

thanks for that mark

interesting to see things from the perspective of an ex ntl employee

Originally Posted by Undisputedtruth

Let me compare to two supermarkets, Tescos and Sainsburys. Sainsbury used to be the biggest grocers in the UK before Tescos overtook them. Now I've always shopped inside Sainsburys because I think their food is so much better than Tescos. I'm talking about meat, fish, fresh milk and produce. Over the years I notice a slide in Sainsbury CS at the same time I've notice Tescos CS getting better and better, so much so it is not so difficult to understand why Tescos are now the biggest grocers in the UK. I'm sure each retailers have its fair share of good/bad employees but Tescos have a better reputation than Sainsburys. So the point is customers knows best when judging CS.

I have some issue with "biggest grocer in the UK" - it depends on what categories you include - the Co-op has all categories in the UK - at the moment - that ssl & tesco have - and the dairy and farming interests - hmmm

[Undisputedtruth]

Originally Posted by homealone

I have some issue with "biggest grocer in the UK" - it depends on what categories you include - the Co-op has all categories in the UK - at the moment - that ssl & tesco have - and the dairy and farming interests - hmmm

I can see your point and I can see where all of this could lead to.

With the top grocers having a stranglehold of the market, I can never understand why food in the United States are so much cheaper than here. Also h, have you seen the new Sainsburys format called Market? I recently visited one of their stores in Pimilico and I was very impressed. Even the CS was very good. It must be the best supermarket I have ever visited.

Originally Posted by Undisputedtruth

I can see your point and I can see where all of this could lead to.

With the top grocers having a stranglehold of the market, I can never understand why food in the United States are so much cheaper than here. Also h, have you seen the new Sainsburys format called Market? I recently visited one of their stores in Pimilico and I was very impressed. Even the CS was very good. It must be the best supermarket I have ever visited.

maybe a new topic? - you make some good points so far?

[Undisputedtruth]

Originally Posted by homealone

maybe a new topic? - you make some good points so far?

Perhaps, a new topic. But Tescos were almost bankrupt in the seventies and changed their business plan to copy Sainsburys in the late eighties. Could NTL be the same in twenty or thirty years time? Though Londoners will probably get sick to death in hearing "broadband coming soon"!

Originally Posted by Undisputedtruth

Perhaps, a new topic. But Tescos were almost bankrupt in the seventies and changed their business plan to copy Sainsburys in the late eighties. Could NTL be the same in twenty or thirty years time? Though Londoners will probably get sick to death in hearing "broadband coming soon"!

you may not believe me, but I genuinely sympathise with the London situation - Woolwich was recently turned on via Lewisham, so it is happening slowly....

Supermarkets current business plan includes getting their suppliers to pay for all their costs - can this be sustained?

[Undisputedtruth]

Originally Posted by homealone

you may not believe me, but I genuinely sympathise with the London situation - Woolwich was recently turned on via Lewisham, so it is happening slowly....

Supermarkets current business plan includes getting their suppliers to pay for all their costs - can this be sustained?

Apparently bb was meant to be in my area. I also happen to be part of the Lewisham district.

With the supermarkets, I would imagine they be looking for new opportunities. As the EEC will be expanding soon, I can see them taking advantage of the rural areas of Eastern europe.

Originally Posted by Undisputedtruth

Apparently bb was meant to be in my area. I also happen to be part of the Lewisham district.

With the supermarkets, I would imagine they be looking for new opportunities. As the EEC will be expanding soon, I can see them taking advantage of the rural areas of Eastern europe.

I hope they don't "take advantage" - but I think I know what you mean.

I used to live in Deptford then Brockley - my mate who has just got connected is in Plumstead Common - me & my wife met in Bermondsey, just off Jamaica Road - where do we "bury the hatchet"?

[Undisputedtruth]

Originally Posted by homealone

I hope they don't "take advantage" - but I think I know what you mean.

I used to live in Deptford then Brockley - my mate who has just got connected is in Plumstead Common - me & my wife met in Bermondsey, just off Jamaica Road - where do we "bury the hatchet"?

I used to go to school in Brockley, I've also worked in Bermondsey and played football at Charlton Park.

[Stuart]

Originally Posted by homealone

I used to live in Deptford then Brockley - my mate who has just got connected is in Plumstead Common - me & my wife met in Bermondsey, just off Jamaica Road - where do we "bury the hatchet"?

I used to work in Bermondsey. In Leathermarket Street (just off Borough High Street).

The sad thing is, homealone and Undisputedtruth, that the Supermarkets probably will take advantage of Eastern Europe. Especially if one company can get in there and create a monopoly.

It does seem to be a fact of life nowdays.

[Undisputedtruth]

Originally Posted by scastle

I used to work in Bermondsey. In Leathermarket Street (just off Borough High Street).

The sad thing is, homealone and Undisputedtruth, that the Supermarkets probably will take advantage of Eastern Europe. Especially if one company can get in there and create a monopoly.

It does seem to be a fact of life nowdays.

I think Tescos have already made headway into Eastern Europe.

[Undisputedtruth]

Originally Posted by bexy

<snip>what makes them a good service?

[poolking]

The times I've had to call they've solved my issues and been very courteous, my only bone of contention, is sometimes the length of time you are left on hold, I'm glad it's a freephone number.

[Bex]

Originally Posted by poolking

The times I've had to call they've solved my issues and been very courteous, my only bone of contention, is sometimes the length of time you are left on hold, I'm glad it's a freephone number.

tbh though i found i have waited just as long, if not longer on offer services