[Merged] Tech Support to be charged at 0871 rate from 8 May

Originally Posted by perfect-bliss

...Charging for the calls will mean less ppl call in therefore ppl who have a genuine query can get an answer quicker. Doin that will improve customer service

Hmm...if I was a cynic, I would say that when the number of calls start to drop, ntl will start making CS staff redundant, saving money & keeping the waiting times at their present level.

I would be a bit worried if I were you.

[perfect-bliss]

lol i dont really mind if they were to lay me off. Ill be leaving in september anyway

[grahamm]

I have a suggestion regarding the broadband support line call charges. Currently NTL are looking for feedback on www.ntlworld.com. Go fill in the feedback form stating that you'll provide feedback for a fee.

Alternatively write to OFCOM and complain that it shouldn't cost a domestic subscriber money to report faults on a providers service such as NTL broadband. We are already paying through the nose for a working service, we shouldn't have to pay more to report faults on a broken service.

G.

[Chris W]

I very much doubt that OFCOM would be at all interested...

most broadband ISPs charge for calling their support lines....

Ok today I was unable to connect from about 4pm until about 20 mins ago.AS I need the BB this weekend(son has research to do for an essay) I phoned up.Now according to the info I got in my bill TODAY I shouldn't be using the new phone numbers until 8/5/06 but guess what, I was redirected to use the NEW 0871 number.

I did this and got a full 5 minutes of gabble about this,that and the other before I was informed that there were 50 people in the queue ahead of me at which point I gave up.IF I'm going to be making phone calls to tech for sorting out problems then I do not want all the crap that I usually have to listen to until I'm allowed to even join the queue.I don't want to be wasting my money that way.

I just wish I could find a way of making money in a similar vein...

[helterskelter]

If this has allready been said then...sorry, I jumped straight in from page 1.

Theres something bothering me about this charging to use a help line, If we are PAYING for a service then what are we doing PAYING to get it fixed???
Surely there is some clause or other in law that says a service that doesnt work is not a service,therefore how can payment be demanded for a service that doesnt exist??
If the service isnt working the way it should be then the service provider should be paying US for informing them of a problem with THEIR service??

What would happen if I contacted the accounts dept. and asked for the service to be terminated because it wasnt functioning correctly, what would be the outcome.......... would they just say 'fine' and pull the plug??

Eddie

[Derek]

Originally Posted by helterskelter

Theres something bothering me about this charging to use a help line, If we are PAYING for a service then what are we doing PAYING to get it fixed???

Probably if the fault was found to be with Ntl equipment etc. then you could get them to refund the cost of the call. TBH its probably a way of trying to force customers into other methods of troubleshooting and contact before calling tech support.

[Chrysalis]

ofcom wont touch ntl, the only way a regulator might possibly do something is someone can prove ntl have excessive faults and ntl get ordered to reimburse for fault reports (not tech support) or to provide a freecall number for it.

[Bob]

Originally Posted by Incognitas

I just wish I could find a way of making money in a similar vein...

Make a deliberate mistake in a piece of homework that makes it impossible. Set up an 0871 number for the kids to call you if they get stuck (which they will) and rake the money in lol Then technically they are paying for a fault you have made lol!

[scrotnig]

Or....

Get an 0906 number, then put it on the back of your car on a sticker that reads "How's my driving? Call 0906 XXXXXX".

Then drive round town like an idiot, and watch the cash roll in!

---------- Post added at 23:51 ---------- Previous post was at 23:48 ----------

Although I'm against these changes, I have to say I know the real reason companies do this. It isn't just about revenue. It's the fact that people use tech support like a free PC tuition service. They want to be shown how to use Outlook Express, Internet Explorer, and goodness knows what else. Tech support isn't there for that.

The thing is it's all very well putting BB outages on the server status page provided one has an alternative method of connecting and viewing the status page.If you don't, how do you know if it is something that is being fixed or needs fixing.Some outages last days.

Here's a novel idea..why not have a voice announcement about the areas affected as soon as you get connected by phone.That way you don't need to waste anyone's time or your money to just be told that your area has a 'problem' and then the tech service can be utilised by those that have a problem that does need sorting.

[King Of Fools]

Originally Posted by Incognitas

Here's a novel idea..why not have a voice announcement about the areas affected as soon as you get connected by phone.That way you don't need to waste anyone's time or your money to just be told that your area has a 'problem' and then the tech service can be utilised by those that have a problem that does need sorting.

They have set up a new freephone number for just that!

Originally Posted by King Of Fools

They have set up a new freephone number for just that!

Don't suppose you have the number?

[Chrysalis]

yes but that number is for seeing current reported faults not for reporting faults.

Originally Posted by Chrysalis

yes but that number is for seeing current reported faults not for reporting faults.

Errr I'm not actually that thick you know despite popular belief.I did understand the previous post.