My BT experience...

[supermac008]

A short account of my abysmal experience as a BT customer.

 

I became a BT customer in mid-May. Phone and internet services worked. Despite 19 phone calls taking up hours and hours BT could not get my Vision service working. The services were bought as a package so I cancelled them as a package, as per OfCom’s advice.

 

What followed then were another 20ish calls (I’ve now phoned BT in excess of 40 times) and approximately 20 hours on the phone. Assurances of “full refunds” and “cancellation fees waived” were granted only to be retracted on subsequent phone calls. I asked for explicit notes to be kept on my account. These were apparently made (even read out to me), only for me to find that they hadn’t. I’ve lost count of how many times I’ve fought the same battle over and over again. I asked for written confirmation (email), of my discussions with customer “service” operators, but was told it wasn’t possible. I asked for the address of the complaints department but was told there wasn’t a dedicated complaints department.

 

I’m 35 and have just endured the most shocking customer experience in my life. BT are plagued by a pathetic customer service ethos, total ineffectiveness and are, most shockingly, devoid of any will to respect or honour its customers’ rights.

 

I’ve emailed the CEO with a lengthy complaint communicating my disgust at my treatment and seeking assurances that my credit history will not be adversely affected as a result of BT’s billing and account inefficiencies (I am still receiving bills by email and post despite cancelling the account and returning the equipment to them months ago).

 

To date they still owe me £265.46. I have been promised this several times only to have to fight for it again on the next phone call.

 

I should’ve known better. I was warned not to go with BT but was lured by the high speed internet. Hopefully it’s nearly over now. Advice for anyone considering using BT… ask yourself if you value being treated with fairness and respect. I’m not prone to complaining or writing snotty letters, but I’ve been really disgusted by them. I’m ashamed they’re British and can’t wait to sever ties with them. I will never again knowingly pay BT for a service where an alternative exists. I’ve now moved to Sky, of whom I can’t speak highly enough so far (I know they have their detractors too). They’ve been in a whole different league to BT in terms of their customer care. Had a slight issue with broadband, but one 10 minute phone call and it was resolved. Turned out the BT Outreach engineer connected up the microfilter in the wrong place… (sigh).

 

I will update this post with BT’s response, should I even get one…