Flipping Useless Tawts Bt

[SMEE]

I made the mistake of taking my phone and internet business to BT april 2008. Had to speak to over 100 different people just to become a customer (at one point..they had 8 accounts for me!)

Anyhoo....my gripe lyes with the internet side.

I recieved an email from BT in June, stating they had failed to take payments for the first two months, but they were not looking to recover the money, so they would start billing from june. Turns out (this only came to light yesterday) they went on to repeat the mistake antoher 3 times in the following months.

Unknown to me, this has now resulted in me having 3 months accumulated debt despite me doing everything in my power to accomodate BT to make the payments.

After a few hours on the phone, BT have the cheek to try and lay the blame at my door, suggesting i should have made sure the payments were taken. WHAT THE F**K?? They fail to take the payments on 5 occasions...and its my fault?

What a shocking way to treat customers!

Edited May 27, 2009 by SMEE

[The Fly]

One of my colleagues had similar trouble a couple of years ago - I found the Chief Exec's e-mail address for her, and literally within six hours she had a reply from his office. It then got sorted out straight away, after three months of her getting nowhere.

[Heilandee]

It's not just BT,i've had serious issues with Setanta wrongly billing,but worst was Scottish gas,who phoned me to ask if i would change to them and they would do all the neccesary work to transfer "seamlessly"!!!!! It took over a year to resolve, cost me at least 10 hours on phones,threats from them of baliffs coming to cut off gas over christmas due to their own errors which they accepted and complete incompetance.Once in a computer system that the operators obviously don't understand and cant use yer fooked and it's very,very frustrating

[Caley Mad In Berks]

I had a similar experience with Tiscali a year or so ago, wrong bills, multiple accounts etc etc. I used to have to spend at least an hour on the phone to them every month to get things straight, despite their assurances that it would be all right 'next' month. Eventually I too tracked down the Chief Executive's office address and wrote direct to her. I had a reply from some senior customer relations manager with a full apology and six months free phone/internet charges as compensation. And fair play to them, I didn't get another bill for six months, since when it has been OK. You need to complain at the highest level possible to get things done.

[DALNEIGHCALEY]

Do you not check your bank statements ?

[HumbersideDude]

Back to B(Botched)T(telecoms), Moved house in January. Ordered Line,broadband and told it would be 10-14 days to connect. Fine not moving for 2 weeks. 14 days after order being placed and nothing happening called to check things were ok, No-one had any record of the order being made. So we tried again. Checked every couple of days to be sure everything was ok. Phoned again on around 10th day and they said they didn't have an order.and also that the house doesn't exist. Needless to say went with another company after that.

Word of warning about their BTzone WIFI. I had to book in to a Days Inn on way home on Tuesday as I wasn't well. Booked 24 hours worth of Wifi through BTzone. Used about 4 hours. Went back to it few hours later and it wouldn't let me back on-line. 20 minutes waiting on phone to be told its not their fault and it must be my laptop. I had used FREE wifi at B&B in Inverness with no problems over the weekend. And now using fine now. Seems only BTzone doesn't work.

[absent friend]

My son uses Vodophone for his laptop internet circa ?20 per month, dependent on usage.

March, April, May ?200 per month - no, he did not check his banking - phoned up and they stated that they no longer support skype and it costs ?9.81 per min!!! But that is 1 hour per day on skype! Sorry sir but that is what our records say.

What about contract months 1-14? Don't know sir, but the charge is correct!! Why was I not told about your change in skype support? We don't have to inform you sir!

I went into Vodophone asked for the same service my son has and, guess what? Skype? No problem sir! Lying toads!

Be warned!

[SMEE]

Do you not check your bank statements ?

No DC...i dont. I assume that when i put everything in place, and reach an agreement with a company over the phone (a verbal agreement which is legally binding in Scotland!), that the company concerned acts with due care and skill and proceeds to carry out their half of the agreement!

This has been my experience with EVERY direct debit i have ever set up in my life! What i dont expect...is a company to be aware of making a mistake TWICE, acknowledge it, then go on to repeat it another 3 times, leaving the customer with an accumulated debt. Then..to add insult to injury, for the company concerned to try and lay blame at my door!

There is something wrong, when a comapny has 8 different accounts ofr a single customer. When a customer has to speak to over 100 people, just to become a customer!

However...i sourced the CEO of BTs email address, and have alerted him. The issue is now being dealt with a senior employee...allegedly!

[SMEE]

Well...my email worked. Just had the Chairman of BTs office on the phone. They are going to phone me tomo to discuss suitable compensation. Funny that...as the so called customer service i spoke to prevous, told me that, no matter who i spoke to, the stance would remain the same!

Just goes to show, what a carefully worded, well presented case, via an email to the right person can achieve. :huh:

Ad rather they just stuck to the agreement in the first place tho.

[absent friend]

Well...my email worked. Just had the Chairman of BTs office on the phone. They are going to phone me tomo to discuss suitable compensation. Funny that...as the so called customer service i spoke to prevous, told me that, no matter who i spoke to, the stance would remain the same!

Just goes to show, what a carefully worded, well presented case, via an email to the right person can achieve. :004:

Ad rather they just stuck to the agreement in the first place tho.

Using your strategy I asked my son to again attack Vodophone AND IT WORKED!!

The CEO, I researched for him and I approached his PA, she offered advice on presentation ('escalate it using your approach to my boss') and Hey Ho, it worked - ?600 back into his account and they even assisted him with his contract cancellation.

They are a crowd of chancers but your system paid off - THANKS!

[SMEE]

Thats great news Absent Friend! Its been a fruitful day then, as..i can now reveal....sucsess for me also from BT....to the tune of ?160 in credit to my account. Trust me...if there is one thing i am good at (apart from being a dad) it is tackling these comapanies, IF the need arises! I know exactly how and where to hit them....and more often than not, get a favourable outcome. Too many people allow themselves to be bullied by these companies!

Ad rather they just stuck to the agreement in the first place tho!

[absent friend]

Gings that's a relief, I though you were going to ask for your fee for advice!