NTL...Should have known better

takisawa · 02-08-2005, 09:11

Had cable tv and broadband installed on Sunday. The guy fired up the TV and said it was downloading updates...and left. The channels then came on ok. But the remote will not talk to the set-top box...(yes I tried the batteries etc). My wife noticed the guy was down the street at another house. So he gives me another remote control. That also doesnt work...(yes I tried the batteries etc). By which time the guy has now gone. So a call to helpline and another remote control arrives by post this morning. And......that doesnt work either......(yes I tried the batteries etc). So now I have to wait till I get home and "run through some diagnostics" whilst I sit on the phone to whoever. Hmmmm....quite how I can do this with no remote control I dont know, but the lady on the support line tells me that I have to do it before they will send an engineer out...!!!
So on to the broadband debacle...plugged in my laptop. Went through the install. Gets to where I have to enter my surname, pin and telephone number and it says unable to proceed...
Arrrrrrrrgh...
I am getting some right stick at work for defending NTL.
If they cant get it sorted by the weekend the contract I have ready to sign is going to be torn in half.
Anyone else had problems...?

Nemesis · 02-08-2005, 09:20

Please PM me.

setch · 02-08-2005, 09:28

I have, but nobody from NTL is really interested. They supplied me with a new STB and Card which has never worked and they are unable to get it working. I cancelled my TV, so hopefully from the 17th of this month they should no longer bill me (but we will see). I have had Sky+ now for a week and it is great. I have also had problems with my broadband since December 2004 and they cannot resolve that either. But I can work around the problem, so I will keep that going as I think that the BB is pretty good value.

You may want to seriously consider your options before you get tied into a 12 month contract. At the moment they are unable to provide you a service and you are within your rights to cancel. But don't leave it to long.

Setch

takisawa · 02-08-2005, 09:43

That doesnt bode well for me...???
I have had an NTL phone for a number of years, and had TV and BB at my old house. When its working the service is excellent. But its getting there and staying there thats the problem. It took them 6 months to stop billing me for BB at the old house. Why oh why is a company offering an excellent value service like NTL blighted by such poor customer support ? Its such a shame that it has to be this way. It seems that there are some people at NTL who work very very hard at what they do and they are let down very badly by the company. Its just so frustrating. I wonder if the guy at the top really knows what is going on ? If he does, and doesnt care then shame on him. His company are losing money because a lot of people I have spoken to have gone to sky and BT purely because of NTL's distinct lack of customer support. Me...I wanted to give them the benefit of the doubt but my patience is wearing thin...

**Mick** · 02-08-2005, 09:52

Quote:

Originally Posted by takisawa

I wanted to give them the benefit of the doubt but my patience is wearing thin...

Give them the benefit of the doubt now - Tell them what you think, ntl need to know they have done wrong so they can correct on their mistakes, send them your feedback directly, if you want a reply to your feedback or you want to ntl to investigate your problem, leave an e-mail address. To activate the ntl responsetek tool click on the below link:-

http://www.cableforum.co.uk/board/forumdisplay.php?f=81

Alternatively if you want one of us to escalate this, Send a private message to Simon M with some details and he will forward them to our official ntl contact. Thanks.

setch · 02-08-2005, 10:33

Quote:

Originally Posted by takisawa

I wonder if the guy at the top really knows what is going on ? If he does, and doesnt care then shame on him.

I sent an email to Simon Duffy explaining that I was dissapointed with the level of support that NTL provide. I also offer some constructive information.

He (or is assistant) never responded to or even acknowledged my email.

So I guess he is either a mushroom or does not care.

Setch

Stuart · 02-08-2005, 10:36

Quote:

Originally Posted by setch

Quote:

Originally Posted by takisawa

I wonder if the guy at the top really knows what is going on ? If he does, and doesnt care then shame on him.

I sent an email to Simon Duffy explaining that I was dissapointed with the level of support that NTL provide. I also offer some constructive information.

He (or is assistant) never responded to or even acknowledged my email.

So I guess he is either a mushroom or does not care.

Setch

Did you try the ResponseTek system (as I believe you were advised)? He apparently does listen to whats said on that.

andygrif · 02-08-2005, 10:40

Whilst he may listen to what's said on ResponseTek, he should at least have the courtesy to acknowledge an email from someone who's not happy. If he can't be bothered to deal with a complaint (or at least delegate it effectively) then it's not a very good example for the front line staff.

Nemesis · 02-08-2005, 10:50

Simon Duffy is concerned with Customer problems, and these are put forward to the relevant dept. However, we have a dedicated resource that has the eyes of Simon and peter, and who is dealing with all the requests we put through.

At the same time, incidents like this should be reported through responsetek, and if you wish, through us. The customer experience is paramount now within ntl, so we have their ear so to speak.

setch · 02-08-2005, 10:53

Quote:

Originally Posted by Stuart C

Did you try the ResponseTek system (as I believe you were advised)? He apparently does listen to whats said on that.

I bet he does not actively go and read this stuff himself. He probably only gets to hear what his advisors want him to hear.

I work for huge multinational corporation, and I know that the top people respond to emails sent to them either personally or via one of their executive assistants. It is seen as part of the whole customer experience. Let your client base know that they are important and the key to the success of your company. You will find that they will stay with you and will probably buy future products from you.

From what you read on this forum, people are always looking to move their business to a competitor. That is what the CEO should taking note of.

Neil · 02-08-2005, 10:54

Quote:

Originally Posted by andygrif

Whilst he may listen to what's said on ResponseTek, he should at least have the courtesy to acknowledge an email from someone who's not happy. If he can't be bothered to deal with a complaint (or at least delegate it effectively) then it's not a very good example for the front line staff.

What have I always said about ntl (or indeed any company that offers pathetic service like the OP has received)?

The rot starts at the top......

If the man/woman at the top can't respond to a customer (or even get his PA to), what hope is there?

Nugget · 02-08-2005, 11:12

Quote:

Originally Posted by setch

I sent an email to Simon Duffy explaining that I was dissapointed with the level of support that NTL provide. I also offer some constructive information.

He (or is assistant) never responded to or even acknowledged my email.

So I guess he is either a mushroom or does not care.

Setch

Whe did you send the e-mail? Bearing in mind the time of year, isn't it entirely feasible that people are on holiday (or have just come back), so there may be a slight delay.

The fact that the teamn on here have set up a dedicated response line (having had discussions with Simon Duffy) would suggest that any enquiry / complaint generated throught his site would be investigated.

SMHarman · 02-08-2005, 11:15

A man like Simon Duffy should have an Executive Office team, they are tasked with sending these problems back down the chain, collating the response and responding. Thats certainly how it works at Orange, a company who have been through CS growing pains and come out the other side looking as good as they went in.

setch · 02-08-2005, 11:17

2/3 weeks ago now. It has now got the stage where I neither expect or want a reply. I have a replacement system and am currently happy with it. I just hope that NTL don't try and continue to bill me for a service they have not provided for over a month now.

Neil · 02-08-2005, 11:30

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nugget

Whe did you send the e-mail? Bearing in mind the time of year, isn't it entirely feasible that people are on holiday (or have just come back), so there may be a slight delay.

It's feasible that SD was on holiday, but not that the OP never received a reply from his office, politely explaining that he was away,but that Mr X/Y/Z would be dealing with this matter straight away, & apologising for the fact that the OP had to contact him in the first place.