bt reach a new low (RE: mac codes)

[marc2003]

<rant warning>

i rang up today to get mac and i feel sick to the stomach with the conversation i've just had. i asked for my mac code. so the representative started to go through the motions as to why i want to leave. and so i complain about the shocking service. she says they can count the complaints they have had on one hand and they are voted top isp for service according to bbc's watchdog....

at this point i said "stop right now. just give me my mac code". and she said she needed the details of my new isp. i refused to give them to her. she said that mac codes were not to be given to customers and that they had to process it. i called her a liar. she says "why i would i lie". i then told her i know exactly how mac codes work and that i have 30 days to sign up with a new isp. at this point she said i could have my mac, but BT reserve the right to cut me off within 48 hours......

i again tell her she is not being honest with me. she says "one moment" and puts me on hold....... i get some music for a few minutes and then the line goes dead. i refuse to hang up and for the next few minutes i can hear background office noises. then i hear a distant voice "hello........" and so i reply but no answer.at this point i lose my rag and start swearing down the phone (not big or clever but i was getting angry at this point). i said "i'm not ********** hanging up. if you want to cut me off go ahead but i'm not putting this phone down. then mysteriously a few moments later she's back on pretending she didn't hear me?

"sorry sir, i thought we had lost you there." i said "stop messing me around. i know exactly what you're doing". at this point she says "your mac code is" and then the line goes dead.

well what a kick in the teeth that was. never in my life have i been so disgusted with my treatment from a company that i pay for a service.

i can't believe what she did was company policy. either way i'm truly disgusted with BT right now........

 

[marc2003]

just tried to request my mac online and i fill out the form, click submit and get this......

nice one BT.

i think a complaint to the regulatory body (i'm hoping such a thing exists ) who deals with mac codes is next. oh joy....

 

[marc2003]

<snip>

absolute *****.

just tried ringing the "complaints" number. except it's the generic bombay telecom* service number. i get through to a nice enough indian lady. i want to complain but she doesn't even know what a mac code is. i say how you can handle mac code complaints when you don't even know what a mac code is. "i work in billing sir". ok that's fair enough, she was polite and honest but why the **** are complaints being dealt with by her. i kindly thank her for her time and put the phone down.



*shamelessly stolen from another forum

 

[marc2003]

At least you can switch.

No LLU in my exchange.

eh?

you with BT and want to leave too? then pick another one of the adsl/adsl max suppliers out there. zen and the entanet suppliers seem to be the best out there at the moment. with an entanet supplier, you're only contracted for a month so you have nothing to lose. and the supplier has everything to lose if they don't treat you right. so it's a win-win as far as i can see.

 

[marc2003]

At least that was what I was told when I phoned them.

more lies. there are literally dozens of isps you can switch too.

edit: oops i might be wrong. see below.

 

[marc2003]

i saw the email address for the CEO of BT retail on adsl guide so i fired off a complaint to him (probably a junk email box for the call centre staff to sift through). it will be "looked into" he says. classic fob off but i don't care so long as i get my mac code asap.

 

[marc2003]

Actually, Ben's office have a good track record of actually responding and sorting genuine problems.

well the guy i wrote to name is ian. i've checked his name and he is indeed the CEO of bt retail...

http://www.btplc.com/Thegroup/Theboard/TheBTboard.htm

i'm just hoping the call was recorded earlier so this can be dealt with.

 

[marc2003]

well i got 2 separate phone calls from bt this morning both apologising for the way i was treated and my mac code is in my inbox. i'm a happy chappy now.

 

[marc2003]

Classic call centre trick there.

well i've worked in a call centre myself and i would never contemplate such a thing. yes it can be stressful dealing with irate customers and repetitive calls on 12 hour shifts.... but i'd never speak down or lie to a customer. there were even times where i was out of my depth and couldn't answer their query so i would apologise to the customer, put them on hold and get someone who could handle the call. nothing wrong with that......

but to spit out complete lies like she did even though i was quoting the bt website back at her...... well that is something else entirely......

 

[marc2003]

marc2003, just a thought but have you tried requesting to talk to someone in the UK when getting through to India? Although i haven't tried this myself, a friend of mine recently did so and not only was he able to understand what they were saying he says they were very helpful lol

you've missed my post a few posts above yours....

well i got 2 separate phone calls from bt this morning both apologising for the way i was treated and my mac code is in my inbox. i'm a happy chappy now.

i've actually had a 3rd phonecall this evening from someone claiming to represent the CEO's office and got yet another apology. as far i'm concerned it's a closed case now. they say they are going to find out who spoke to me to make sure it doesn't happen again. they say they never want a bt customer to leave on bad terms as people will never go back to them. well they're damn right about that.

it's adsl24 next for me. i've already made a few enquiries about joining them and the support is pretty much instant. and with monthly contract i have nothing to lose. i've also found a firmware online to unlock my bt 2500v router so it works with them. can't wait to get off bt now.

 

[marc2003]

This is the point where you went wrong. I understand you didn't want to hear all the usual excuses for you to stay with BT BB but being rude didn't help you out.

hardly justification for the way i was treated.....

 

[marc2003]

You could have been the straw that broke the camel's back mate.

you what?

what about being professional and doing the job you are paid to do? like i said above, i've worked in a call centre myself and i would never bully a customer no matter what they said to me. besides i wasn't as blunt as it looks from the way i've written it. all i said was the reason for me leaving wasn't up for discussion and that i wanted my mac code. is that too much to ask from the number specifically given on bt's website for mac code requests?

 

[marc2003]

Any moron can annoy everyone and cause customers to leave, but taking a furious customer, calming them down, sorting their problem, and cheering them up whilst still looking after company interests and remaining within the rules of what we are allowed to say can be very difficult. i'm ashamed to say a lot of my colleagues cannot do this, i am always hearing them arguing and shouting and getting frustrated with customers - its always the same people. I'd never do that, in fact some customers have commented on how calm,and serene i sound for a call centre operative. To which i usually reply "yeah, why be stressed and shouty, all that does is stress you up, then you stress me up, then i stress you up and nothing gets done." - i am perhaps not as formal as some of my colleagues but it works.

these colleagues of yours are obviously in the wrong job if they cannot keep their cool under pressure. admittedly my call centre experience is very limited as i only worked in one for 3 months. but some of the people had been there for years and not once did i ever hear anyone lose their temper or raise their voice. and by gum did we get some angry customers. i worked for dyson and it was not uncommon for people to ring up having just had their vacuum cleaner go bang with a nice cloud of smoke or had an electric shock from it.

maybe a training issue? i was trained solidly for 2 weeks before i was even allowed to go on the spare parts hotline....

and back to bt, the mac code department was most definitely english. no language barriers at all.

 

[marc2003]

**Edit**
marc2003, I'm in no way implying that you an arrogant, rude or annoying person.

well it's quite obvious this woman was a loose cannon. i've had 3 separate phone calls now apologising for her behaviour. regardless of what i'm like there simply is no excuse to lie like she did. i was throwing everything she said back in her face by quoting the BT website back at her yet she still persisted. why?

if i was rude/arrogant/obnoxious why didn't she just refuse to deal with me? that's what i used to do with abusive customers. there simply is no excuse for lying through your backteeth.

 

[marc2003]

Probably that time of the month for her.

either that or she isn't getting any....

 

[marc2003]

i couldn't care less what she said about watchdog. given the millions of customers bt have she may well have been telling the truth. however the following lies are what got me

1) she could count the number of complaints bt have had on one hand (ok this doesn't bother me as it has no effect on me but it's still crap all the same)

2) i can't have a mac code. she need the the details of my new isp and bt will handle the migration. you know as well as i do this is not how migration works. imagine i was gullible enough to belive her, handed over my details and put the phone down? what now....

3) i persist and demand my mac code. ok she says, but if i give it to you now, bt reserve the right to cease my broadband connection within 48 hours.

please don't tell me you can defend this behaviour?

 

[marc2003]

Note the 5 working days line.

oh definitely. i knew that and would have been fully satisfied if i was told my mac was going to be with me within 5 working days. i wasn't demanding it on the spot.

anyway, we're kind of going round in circles here. i've had my apology (x3) and i've got my mac code. as much as i despise bt at this moment in time, i realise the majority of the support staff are doing the best they can. infact i'd hate to be doing that job right now. because i'm pretty certain most of them haven't a clue what's going on through no fault of their own.....

 

[marc2003]

just signed up with ukfsn.

i'm just gutted i still have to pay line rental to bt but what can you do.

edit: just opened a letter with yet another apology and £50 M&S vouchers.

 

[marc2003]

I moved to Entanet and it's sooo much better.

yup, that's pretty much the only option unless you can get cable/llu. zen is just too expensive....

i've got my activation date set for next thursday on ukfsn. so i will an enta-netter also.

and looking back, i'm now glad i was abused. £50 worth of food/drink is not to be sniffed at.