NTL Indian support centres - a plea to NTL - Page 10

Florence · 19-11-2005, 20:50

Welcome to my world,, oh how I wish Igni was still working at NTL he found the problem last time and got it fixed but now I am back to random cut offs.

I was told that they can't find the problem if its working and if it drops tehinternet its back up before you get through to tech support.

Ignition · 19-11-2005, 23:04

Quote:

Originally Posted by Florence

Welcome to my world,, oh how I wish Igni was still working at NTL he found the problem last time and got it fixed but now I am back to random cut offs.

I was told that they can't find the problem if its working and if it drops tehinternet its back up before you get through to tech support.

Sadly not everyone can have people ranging from a network engineer (in the field) to one working centrally to diagnose their faults, otherwise your bills would be a tad higher each month

Florence · 20-11-2005, 00:38

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ignition

Sadly not everyone can have people ranging from a network engineer (in the field) to one working centrally to diagnose their faults, otherwise your bills would be a tad higher each month

possibly true sadly things have slipped since you left. How is your new job?

Perhaps if NTL gave teh network loving care the dropouts wouldnt be as bad or regular.

I have these daily and am only told to not worry about them yet most tally up with dropped connections,

Quote:

Sat Nov 19 19:59:57 2005 Sat Nov 19 19:59:57 2005
16

Critical(3)

82000500
Started Unicast Maintenance Ranging - No Response received - ...
Fri Nov 18 23:14:11 2005 Fri Nov 18 23:14:11 2005
1

Warning(5)

68010300
DHCP RENEW WARNING - Field invalid in response
Fri Nov 18 21:36:38 2005 Fri Nov 18 21:36:38 2005
62

Critical(3)

82000500
Started Unicast Maintenance Ranging - No Response received - ...

20-11-2005, 08:29

Quote:

Originally Posted by Russ D

I just rang tech support to report a problem of random intermittant connection. It's only been happening since this morning.

The agent I got through to was of course in India and claimed her name was 'rachel'.

What annoyed me originally was she simply could not understand my postcode and 3 times she had to confirm my name.

She told me (in that script-reading way) that we had to reboot the pc and modem.

I asked her what good that would do, she told me it sometimes corrects the fault. When I told her I'd already done that each time my connection dropped, she told me we could not proceed any further until we'd done that.

I complied, she asked me if that had solved the problem.

How would I know!!! The problem is a random intmermittant connection!!

She then told me to switch my firewall and antivirus off (that old chestnut

) and asked if my connection was ok then.

I reminded her a third time that the problem was 'random' ie it could happen at anytime.

She then told me to reboot the machine and start up in safe mode with networking which I did. She asked me if I was able to browse like that, to which I answered I could.

She then proceeded to tell me that the fault could only be with my firewall.

I tried to tell her for a fourth time that that it was RANDOM - ie just because I boot up in safe mode and can browse does NOT mean the problem is identified!! It just means that the problem (which is random) just had not occured!

All I had in return to this was "Sorry Mr David but what we have done so far has indicated to me that the firewall is the problem"

I told her I found very unhelpful and ended the call. I rang straight back.

Got through to a 'Sudhir'.

He seemed to get my postcode and house number the first time, which was encouraging. But he ended up going through the same script and blamed my firewall. When I told him about the fact that browsing in safe mode did not prove anything, he proceeded to tell me what a firewall is.

I asked him to stop as I know what it is and how it works and he then told me "Well this is where I think your problem is".

I've lost the will to live......

I think that someone in the upper echelons of NTL who decided to source out this kind of support needs a kick up the backside.
Do they have any idea of the difficulties faced by cusomers when they get through to these call centres in india? I would hazard a guess that they do not.
As if NTL do not have an image problem already, they are only feeding it by having these overseas call centres.

th'engineer · 20-11-2005, 10:29

Quote:

Originally Posted by Russ D

I just rang tech support to report a problem of random intermittant connection. It's only been happening since this morning.

The agent I got through to was of course in India and claimed her name was 'rachel'.

What annoyed me originally was she simply could not understand my postcode and 3 times she had to confirm my name.

She told me (in that script-reading way) that we had to reboot the pc and modem.

I asked her what good that would do, she told me it sometimes corrects the fault. When I told her I'd already done that each time my connection dropped, she told me we could not proceed any further until we'd done that.

I complied, she asked me if that had solved the problem.

How would I know!!! The problem is a random intmermittant connection!!

She then told me to switch my firewall and antivirus off (that old chestnut

) and asked if my connection was ok then.

I reminded her a third time that the problem was 'random' ie it could happen at anytime.

She then told me to reboot the machine and start up in safe mode with networking which I did. She asked me if I was able to browse like that, to which I answered I could.

She then proceeded to tell me that the fault could only be with my firewall.

I tried to tell her for a fourth time that that it was RANDOM - ie just because I boot up in safe mode and can browse does NOT mean the problem is identified!! It just means that the problem (which is random) just had not occured!

All I had in return to this was "Sorry Mr David but what we have done so far has indicated to me that the firewall is the problem"

I told her I found very unhelpful and ended the call. I rang straight back.

Got through to a 'Sudhir'.

He seemed to get my postcode and house number the first time, which was encouraging. But he ended up going through the same script and blamed my firewall. When I told him about the fact that browsing in safe mode did not prove anything, he proceeded to tell me what a firewall is.

I asked him to stop as I know what it is and how it works and he then told me "Well this is where I think your problem is".

I've lost the will to live......

Russ its not only indian call centres that you get the script even the UK ones where keeping to the script

Russ · 20-11-2005, 10:58

Quote:

Originally Posted by th'engineer

Russ its not only indian call centres that you get the script even the UK ones where keeping to the script

I've not spoken to tech support much in the last 2 years but when I get through to Swansea, either they're not using a script or they hide it very well.

Angua · 20-11-2005, 11:02

Quote:

Originally Posted by Russ D

I've not spoken to tech support much in the last 2 years but when I get through to Swansea, either they're not using a script or they hide it very well.

Agree! Whenever I have spoken to someone in Swansea they have been very helpful. (I always have problems with the Indian call centres because I am not the named person on the account).

Russ · 20-11-2005, 11:09

Quote:

Originally Posted by Angua

Agree! Whenever I have spoken to someone in Swansea they have been very helpful. (I always have problems with the Indian call centres because I am not the named person on the account).

Actually by doing that they're following correct procedure - they are only to deal with the account holder unless written permission has been expressed.

By the way, I'm not saying the indian people only ever use scripts - I've spoken to a few who don't sound like they are - but the Swansea guys seem to either hide it well or are much more confident to use their own initiative.

Angua · 20-11-2005, 11:11

Quote:

Originally Posted by Russ D

Actually by doing that they're following correct procedure - they are only to deal with the account holder unless written permission has been expressed.

By the way, I'm not saying the indian people only ever use scripts - I've spoken to a few who don't sound like they are - but the Swansea guys seem to either hide it well or are much more confident to use their own initiative.

What I should have added was the Swansea people will accept the password system originally set up by NTL the Indian call centre wont.

Chrysalis · 20-11-2005, 15:09

Its what I said before, if you get swansea they use their initiative and common sense whilst the indian folk follow the rule book to the letter which can be very frustrating.

Ignition · 21-11-2005, 08:34

Quote:

Originally Posted by Florence

possibly true sadly things have slipped since you left. How is your new job?

Flattered as I am by that I don't think that's true

I wasn't really that big a fish in the grand scheme of things. No possibly about it either, premium standard tech support requires premium standard costs, in ntl I was a lot more expensive than a tech support agent, and knowing Indian salaries you could probably employ a footy team of them for what I cost.

New job is good, and there's also no way on God's green Earth that I would go back to working for ntl thanks

Quote:

Perhaps if NTL gave teh network loving care the dropouts wouldnt be as bad or regular.

Last I heard network in Manchester as a whole was excellent, as it was the entire time I was there, perhaps there are issues in your area more locally?

Quote:

I have these daily and am only told to not worry about them yet most tally up with dropped connections,

That's a failing in tech support, not much that anyone else can do with it. It's impossible to monitor each and every street cabinet I'm afraid.

Regarding the rest of it until the metric for call handling measurement is changed from the quantity of calls to the quality and 1st time resolution rates (IE no-one should ever have to call about the same thing twice) you're stuck with things as is.

If it's such a major issue there is always the choice to take your business elsewhere. If your connection is as plagued with faults constantly as you suggest perhaps ADSL would be a better option for you.

handyman · 21-11-2005, 09:50

Quote:

Originally Posted by Russ D

Russ did you not work for ntl tech support? Would you not have been able to run sufficient diagnostics to be able to call faults and not tech support?

Russ · 21-11-2005, 10:38

That's the second time in a week that you've reminded me that I used to work for them - wow, you certainly like to keep my history close to your heart don't you!

I called tech support as it was a tech support issue......

handyman · 21-11-2005, 12:01

Quote:

Originally Posted by Russ D

That's the second time in a week that you've reminded me that I used to work for them - wow, you certainly like to keep my history close to your heart don't you!

I called tech support as it was a tech support issue......

Just thought I'd mention it as when I had cause to call tech support/cs I mearly mentioned I used to work there and they cut the rubbish out.

22-11-2005, 09:46

Amidst the gloom.... today woke up to no BB access at all. Rebooted the cable modem and PCs. No joy. So called support and got throuigh to India. Certainly a hint of scripting initially but an exceptionally polite and patient woman diagnosed and resolved my problem (router) and then explained how the fault occurred (bit of a 'whooosh' noise as it flew over my head but she certainly seemed to know her onions).