Does anyone know the best way to get BT to respond to a complaint ?

Question

Just before Christmas BT cut off my line after I had paid the bill and then charged me a £70 cancellation fee for doing so. They later admitted it was their mistake and promised to refund the charge but so far have only refunded around £50 of it. I have written to Ofcom but they will not get involved and have passed my letter to BT who are ignoring it. I have now been hit with a Virgin Media cancellation fee which I think BT should pay.

Does anyone know the best way to sort this out ? Is it worth writing to the MD of BT ?

Answer 1

Sorry to hear about your troubles with BT.  The truth is that they DON'T listen.  The poor sods in the front-line who could help you are beaten down by their incompetent managers who are only interested in meeting some irrelevant target so they get this year's bonus.  I found BT so useless, I took my phone and broadband contract elsewhere ... and that was disappointing because I used to work for BT and know how many really good people they have working for them.

Letters to the Chief Executive, Ben Verwaayen, usually get dealt with - not by him but he has a few people who keep track of complaints he receives.  That does not guarantee success - it will still probably be referred to the morons who have been ignoring you so far but now they will HAVE to be seen to be dealing with it.

Alternatively, if you really feel you are owed money and BT is not paying-up, the Small Claims Court has a way of focusing attention.

Answer 2

With BT and so many other companies with "Customer Service Lines", we tend to take our frustration out on the people who answer the calls.  What most of us don't take into account is that they must take so much abuse from irate customers, and when you call, probably irate also, the person handling your call is faced with yet another customer that takes it out on them.  

Simple courtesy and politeness goes a long way.  Whenever I need to make these calls, I am polite to them - listen to their name when they answer the call as they usually state their name  - say "hi jo bloggs, my name is......" .  State your problem, and whilst they are checking the system, start chatting to them about "them" - not you or your issues with the company - Let them know that although you are p***ed off, you  are not blaming them, and that you understand what they must go through every day.  

Simply, treat them as you would like to be treated yourself if you were in their position.  "Please, Thank You," goes a long way.  Most often they are not in a position to do more than what they are doing - so ask them, (by name) if they could perhaps give you a contact name/number of the right person that could help you further. Thank them, affirm them "you have been such a star" hope you have a great (evening/weekend) whatever.

After all, they are human, just like the rest of us. Just be nice, polite and friendly.  It can't be much fun being on the other end of the phone dealing with one angry customer after another.  It's the bosses you should reserve your anger/complaints for.

Hope this helps - it's just simple life acknowledgments - and we can all do with those. Agree ???? I'm sure you do !!

Answer 3

I would have said Ofcom, why don't they want anything to do with it? It should be down to them. Maybe try Watchdog

Answer 4

If you find out a way please let me know, they will never commit themselves, in my cases they have been at fault. I rely on my B.T. connection for 'phone and Internet, if i don't have them i can't work,hence loss of income. They don't care.

Answer 5

Yes, go for the highups as they don't need the bother and may OK the payment.  Small Claims court too, but definitely definitely move all your stuff elsewhere.  That is the only real power you have and as I never hear a satisfied customer with BT, sooner or later they will have to address their incompetence.