That quivering wreck in the corner? Yep, that's me.

[caz963]

At last - Tuesday 15th. The day I get my broadband back!

Well, you remember how I said I wasn't going to hold my breath? It's just as well I didn't.

No broadband because yesterday BT told Sky not to activate it for some reason that they (BT) have chosen to keep to themselves.

I really do feel as though I'm banging my head against a brick wall. I've lost count of all the phonecalls I've made, although I do have a load of complaining emails that I've sent. Thing is, every call, every email comes from a different person and tells a different story. I've asked to speak to supervisors and/or managers, I've asked for people's names so that I can contact them again - but all to no avail.

The saga is continuing however, because BT has given a new activation date of 23rd, but I don't believe that either. Mr Caz spoke to BT at lunchtime and then they started talking about the 28th - I have no idea where the hell that came from!! When I spoke to Sky, they still tell me 23rd. I have basically BEGGED Sky to get in touch with BT so that I can get back online.
I've been promised a call back from Sky tomorrow, but I'm not going to hold my breath for that either.

But, mighty and knowledgeable f-list, I have a question for you.

I've had a look around BT's website and there isn't even a postal address for complaints any more - all there is is an email facility via the site.

I've not been able to get a name of someone that I can write to, either.

Can anyone out there suggest where I might be able to find out who and where I can write to? Short of just addressing an envelope to "The Chief Executive, British Telecom plc", I'm coming up a blank. And if anyone has any other ideas of who the hell I can complain to, I'd be delighted to hear them!

Comments

[zommbie1.livejournal.com]

I would complain to the CEO who's name is Ian Livingston. My dad has had no end of problems with BT when it comes to getting the company he works for connected to the broadband. The more people that complain the better. I have worked in retail and if a letter goes addressed to the CEO himself (or herself for that matter) things are taken much much more seriously.

[caz963.livejournal.com]

I know that when I worked in "the real world" (!) letters that were sent to the CEO got passed on to the relevant department, but that's really what I want in this case. There has to be someone in charge of customer service who's based in the UK rather than on another continent!

[zommbie1.livejournal.com]

Yeah we always got the letters sent on to us, but usually there would be a follow up phone call from the CEO's office prodding us along. And if we got a letter that had been through the CEO's office we took it a lot more serious.

[amycurl.livejournal.com]

Caz, I have *so* been there....not with BT and Sky, of course, but with BellSouth and Sprint and TimeWarnerCable, when we were trying to transfer our number to our new house...what. a. hassle. :-P

In that case, we ended up contacting the VP of Marketing at Sprint (who was our final company to harass) and threatened to contact the State Attorney General's office here in NC. We have an activist AG, and, you know, that VP of Marketing got *right back* to us in a jiffy!

Is there some governmental entity that has official oversight over consumer affairs or the telecom industry in particular? I'd start talking to that person, and then start dropping their name into conversations with BT....

My two cents. Of course, things could work entirely differently in your neck of the woods....

[caz963.livejournal.com]

It's just so... beyond stupid! And the trouble is, that for all the deregulation of the telecoms market, BT still own all the lines, so every other company has to go through them anyway. And they just seem to be getting worse, and worse.

We do have an ombudsman, which is a body that oversees the workings of various industries, so I'll complain to the relevant one of them, and then see if I can get any names etc. at BT.

This is just so bloody frustrating. And even more so because I can't go anywhere else!!

[foreverdreaming.livejournal.com]

Do OFCOM regulate BT? They could be an option...

Good luck!

PS. Do you post your fic friends only? I only ask because i accidentally defriended myself from everyone when I changed username and don't want to miss good ficcage!

[caz963.livejournal.com]

I thought it was OFCOM - I'll check it out when I can.

And no, I post fic publically, but I haven't finished anything for a while. The last things I posted were for sorkin_fest - I think you saw the first one, but the other is here (http://caz963.livejournal.com/153641.html), if you missed it.

[hockeyvaughnfan.livejournal.com]

Others have suggested exactly what I thought - complain to Ofcom and cc a copy to the boss of BT too. Sure it may not get you anywhere, but it might.

I'd also think about contacting Watchdog (does the Beeb still do that show?)

ETA: My mum has also mentioned that there is a website that has the proper numbers for contacting companies (rather than the customer service numbers) at the head offices. She will try and find it and I'll pass it on if we do.

[caz963.livejournal.com]

Oh, that would be great, thanks. Feel free to email me - caz963@livejournal.com.

[hooloovoo_42]

I haven't got one to hand, but there used to be a bit in the front of the phone book about how to complain. But, as others have said, just write to OFCOM and if you feel like CCing the CEO of BT, then that's up to you.

I'll give SiL a ring and see if she has any ideas. She used to work for BT. This is one of the many reasons why she left!

[flippet.livejournal.com]

Oh, I hear you with the crappy customer service, and no contact information to be found at any price. Hello, Wal*Mart? Grr.


Anyway, I just did a quick Google skim, and found this address--you may have it already, or it might not be what you need.

BT "Support Forums"...yes, I'm rolling on the floor laughing...

[kathyh]

As others have said go straight to OFCOM. Hubby says there's an address or number to complain to on your phone bill. I think you've given BT a good enough chance to sort things out.

I know it's a different situation but when we had a problem with a water company the regulator sorted it all out for us very quickly so I do recommend using them so they know how badly BT are failing with this.

[ozzyols.livejournal.com]

Caz

Here in Australia if you were to experience this sort of cock up, we have the telecommunications obudsman who we can apply to. They are the oversight of all telecomm stuff here in Oz.

When I had a billing issue with Telstra (our BT) I spoke to them and they raised a case for me. They will act as liaison between Telstra and the client to resolve it in the quickest possible time.

I am not sure if you have something like that over there. You could also threaten them with the big five letter word... Media! That sometimes works.

Just on the off chance I did a google for you....

Here is the link to Telo - the telecommunications ombudsman for the UK...

http://www.otelo.org.uk/

[teresadivicenzo.livejournal.com]

I'm in Karlovy Vary so can't find my paperwork obviously, but I had to write to them about something like this once. When I get back, I'll try and find the letters. OFCOM are useless - Broadband complaints are a massive proportion of the moans about telecoms and they do nothing apart from log your complaint for stats purposes. The quickest thing to do, and I kid you not, is to cancel your contracts with everyone and then reconnect as a new customer. That may have some additional costs, but then at least you can start to recoup those costs but having a service.

[caz963.livejournal.com]

Thing is, cancellation of my original account is what's actually happened, and is why I had to change my phone number. Because they screwed up and didn't transfer my account from the old provider, I opened a new account because it would be quicker. Hah!

So I've given Sky my new number - but for some reason BT then decided not to "validate" my BB service. And the techno guy I spoke to at Sky yesterday has absolutely no idea what that means either.

There may be a large number of service providers in the marketplace, but they're still all at the mercy of BT. Which is fucking stupid.

[loreley-se.livejournal.com]

Yeah, they really don't exactly encourage you to complain, do they. I would try the CEO but also send your story to Ofcom...and to every newspaper and consumer magazine/website you can think of.