No, not really. I've never let a customer services operative get my knickers in a twist though, because i'm a real man. Interpret that sentence as you will.
Of course, what i should have said earlier is 'Boys don't cry, with the exception of Andy Williams'.
In fairness, if you're that devoted to boo-hoo rock, what are the alternatives?
Yup, customer support should be free - at least if the issue is directly related to a service the ISP claims to offer, ie that you're paying for, that's not working as it should or is unavailable. If you're calling about your CD drive not being the right size to hold your cofee cup then perhaps the operator could expect you to pay them to listen.
I imagine that in the States the idea of paying to call a company to fix something they've supplied would be laughable. In the UK we've such a name for not wanting to complain - it's good that that's changing, even if it's only because we're subject to such dire levels of customer service with most companies. I don't even know why they call it service really.
I think 'UK complaining culture' is definitely shifting on its axis, especially as ISPs raise people's expectations through snazzy advertising campaigns only to deliver very little.
Thanks for that mentalist. I'm going to start a database of where all the customer services for the ISPs are based (because I'm sad like that). Be Broadband is based in Bulgaria...
In simple YES to both questions. Dan, I am by no means racialist in anyway way shape or form however, I do find it very difficult to understand some of the support staff with Virgin. When you telephone support 99% of the time its because you have an issue that needs some form of support. Normally people have tried to resolve issues themselves but have had no joy so you start slightly agitated because you know exactly whats coming. Ring, Ring. "This is Virgin your call is important to use however our lines are very busy at the moment support staff will be with you shortly" It dosn't matter what time of day you ring you always get the same response even at 2am. If its that busy employ more staff and get some better response times. Then when you get through you cant understand what is being said to you because of the language barrier, in some cases. Then all they do is read from a script that by now you know off by heart and have done it yourself no end of times. Then you are spoken to like your a Muppet and as if you don't know a darn thing about PCs or how they work. Yes, I understand that maybe there are some out there who do phone and probably don't know that much about PCs but you would have thought that the support team may ask what your level is or what you have checked rather than running what is 99% of the time is a pointless script because you've already done it and to top it off are expected to pay for this privilege.
I don't believe ISPs should earn the right to charge for any of these calls they already make huge profits and charge extortionate prices for services and on top of this what is a crap support service. Give some of it back to the customer.
Hanging on the Telephone
Posted - 16/06/2008 : 15:22:27
