BT Customer Services...

Unless you REALLY need it....
Sometimes, things happen that make you realise just how totally out of touch are the great British companies.

Here's a lovely attempt by BT to take away my father's confidence for a while. Which at ninety three is a blow and a half.

I bought him a special phone from the BT Shop. He has poor eyesight and is hard of hearing - and BT supply a phone with large clear buttons and a special loudspeaker option.

Dad lives alone. His independence is very important to him, for as long as he can manage, and we are helping him as much as we can to stay independent.

Lovely phone. Arrived quickly. And developed a fault quickly within less than a year. It flashes to let him know there is a message, when there is none. A rather cruel fault; he answers the phone thinking there's one of us on the other end, and it is blank.

Just an imperious 'You have no messages'.

The loudspeaker doesnt work properly. Intermittently. So he doesn't know if it's his hearing aid at fault, or the phone. Another cruel fault.

I contacted BT to ask them if they can mend it. It is still under warranty.

'Yes, package it up and send it to us, and we will send it to the manufacturer, and they will mend it, and send it back to us, and we will send it back to your father."

"Oh. And how long will that take?"

"Oh about six to eight weeks."

"OK. Thanks. I will package it up... meanwhile, he is 93, hard of hearing...(etc etc) please may he borrow a spare while his is mended?"

"No"


"Sorry?"

(I rang customer services - was passed from pillar to post while they pretended to know what to do, or not - making money out of me holding the line for yonks.)

"No. Buy another one." (the gist of the final reply)



I have just had it in writing from the customer services people.

Makes you proud to be British, doesnt it??

Here's a suggested sales line for them: "Are you one of our customers? Are you elderly, need a specialised phone? ....Bugger off!"




.


here are the emails: the first one just received:


Dear Vanessa,

I regret we do not provide temporary replacements, sorry for the inconvenience this causes you and your father.

Regards,

Anna

Customer Services
BT Shop

British Telecommunications plc (BT), Registered in England: 1800000. Registered Office: 81 Newgate Street, London, EC1A 7AJ. Contact the BT Shop at assistance@shop.bt.com.
-----Original Message-----
From: Vrgebbie@aol.com
Sent: 17-Sep-2008 12:28:58
Subject: Re: Query (#8744-111231171-7099)


In a message dated 17/09/2008 12:24:14 GMT Standard Time,
IS5944_18981@is.instantservice.com writes:

Dear Vanessa,

Your product return details i.e. your RMA 'returns number' will follow
shortly. If you've not received your RMA by the end of today, please let us know.
Please note the RMA is valid for 14 days only.

Note: If you purchased a bundle, then all items of this bundle would need
returning. (example of this would be if we advertised a router coming with a
network card).

Thank you and regards,
Andy




Dear Andy...

this will leave my elderly father (93) with no phone.. He lives alone.. do
you supply temporary replacements?