Sheffield-based Help & Support

[#1]

Quote from: TicnTac

I dread to think what 150 newbies will do to customer support?

This might give you a bit of an insight
Since we started ramping up the numbers and bringing work flows back to Sheffield, we've seen some promising trends. Please don't take this the wrong way as I'm certainly not belittling the good work that was done by the guys out in Durban, but it should hopefully give you some confidence that the influx in new staff isn't having too much of a detrimental impact on service levels.
The top line is customer satisfaction levels taken from the surveys we send to people who have recently had a need to contact the support centre (the bottom line is dissatisfaction):

This graph represents the 'first time fix' rate of support calls/tickets:

And this one shows the recent increase in the efficiency across three of our main work streams:

[#2]

This made Google news today - http://www.itproportal.com/2010/11/18/plusnet-brings-call-centre-back-uk/.
Note the following: 

Quote

Up to 250 jobs will be created up north with the financial backing of the regional development agency Yorkshire Forward.

[#3]

Why do Plusnet need special grants from Yorkshire Forward to employ UK workers?

[#4]

Surprised those news stories are only coming to light now. Expected them to start surfacing a day or two ago TBH.

[#5]

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Why do Plusnet need special grants from Yorkshire Forward to employ UK workers?

If a grant was made available, then you'd take it? My wife has been offered similar golden carrots, if you employ x number of employees you could get this that and the other.............so why not, plus, they have to scrimp and scrape to pay their new BT CEO so all the other working employees we tend to see on this forum get paid a pittence, yes, they pay above average, but no where near what they deserve, but then as customers, would we want to be charged a few squid extra per month to pay for it?   
Wonder if the Christmas bonus will be lowered this year? 
Thing is, good support or not, it is nice to see jobs being created and people from the UK being employed by a company from the UK, even if it is in Sheffield
However, you do get what you pay for with this service, and you can't complain it is expensive, after all, it is BT, so you can't expect too much!  A working line, and speed, and not an 8 month long problem would be nice  Hey ho, it is after all, BT 

[#6]

I can see a better use of £1.8m supporting British businesses than pushing it towards one of the countries largest enterprises!

[#7]

How much was the grant a factor in scrapping Durban?
If not at all it was a total and utter waste of Yorkshire Forward's money.
If it was a factor it calls in to question Plusnet's motives, how much was it to give a better service to the users and how much was it a financial decision?

[#8]

Quote from: Liam

I can see a better use of £1.8m supporting British businesses than pushing it towards one of the countries largest enterprises!

That equates to roughly a full years pay (at minimum wage) for your 150 extra staff.
What happens in 12 months time?
At least we now know the reason for the recent advertising campaign.

[#9]

As a former PN customer, I said I'd consider returning. This sounds like a good step forward. I'll be counting Adam Walker's postings, apologising for shortcomings. If the number falls, I'll accept it as improvement and will reconsider returning.
Adam, this in no way is a criticism of your postings, I simply wish to express sympathy that you seem to need to do it so often! That said, I'm also certain that the percentage of customers with problems must be extremely low.

[#10]

Morning guys,
Those following us on Twitter have probably already seen it, but we uploaded the latest TV ad to our YouTube stream last night.

[#11]

What are you trying to sell in these adds PlusNet or Yorkshire? Once again the opportunity has been lost to sell the best of PlusNet.

[#12]

Well after watching you could be mistaken for thinking it was an advert for the band  "Heaven 17"  from Yorkshire::)

Quote from: glloyd

Once again the opportunity has been lost to sell the best of PlusNet.

Could not agree more.
That ad seems a total waste of money to me, as glloyd pointed out, its not clear what you are trying to sell.
Regards
Mike

[#13]

Love it ;D.......but I would say that wouldn't I

[#14]

Being that Yorkshire Forward is involved in bringing jobs back to Sheffield it is hardly surprising that the advertisement so strongly emphasizes the connection.  Also it makes good marketing sense as many companies are now bowing to consumer pressure and bringing call centre jobs back to the UK - they are even promoting this in their advertising.
Not sure if I am correct here but there seems to be a bit of a swing towards regional accents too - wonder if anyone else has noticed how many television continuity announcers have very pronounced northern tones?  Maybe we are becoming trendy!
Just wondering why they chose Heaven 17 though - I had the impression that the Human League were more popular and they are all Sheffield folk (except that Phil was not born here).
Not sure about the wording of some of the ads though, e.g. the 'chuffin' bit.  Not all northerners use this sort of language - it's a bit stereotypical IMO, but not always true.

[#15]

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Maybe we are becoming trendy!

IIRC in the last few years the BBC caused controversy for having no newsreaders which had 'regional accents' .. they since changed this - afterall they are promoting being an 'equal opportunities employer'
It is quite possible that the money would pay for the extra 150PN staff for 1 year, but that assumes that PN werent paying for the staff in SA... The major issue with moving back to the UK would be:
a) any charges incurred with the removal of SA staff
b) infrastructure changes (no longer needing the telephone system to direct to SA!)
c)Training and hiring of new staff
if said money helped pay for any of those, the motives are completely irrelevant. i always got the feeling PN didnt really 'want' the JLP to be bundled with the PN group - but it was another aquisition from BT - so not much they could do about that.

Most of the people here wanted the return of support to Sheffield... if someone else helped to pay for that, whats the problem? you've got both the support back you wanted, AND the people giving the money have got what they wanted (extra jobs being created) - i dont understand why this is another "complain about issue" .. i see it as Win - Win. (and having had to put up with Durban several times (when having a new phoneline put in) i personally, wont be missing their support)