Advising broadband activation to new customers

[#1]

When I originally signed up for broadband with Plusnet some years ago, I already had Internet access via a dial-up connection, (and could therefore read emails sent to me) so didn't undergo the recent experience of two friends whom I had recommended to sign up with PN.  This is the text of a message I sent to the PN Support Team: -
"On Monday 10/05/10 I recommended two friends (sisters living in adjacent houses) to sign up to Plusnet Value, and as neither of them had Internet access the sign up was done over the telephone. When the first lady was told that an email would be sent to her when her broadband had been activated she, understandably, asked how she would be able to read it (or even know it had arrived) when she had no Internet access. Your sales assistant replied that she would receive a telephone call from you when broadband had been activated. The same conversation occurred when her sister signed up.
Yesterday I returned from a few days holiday and both my friends informed me they had not received the promised call. When I phoned your sales team I was told that my friends had been misinformed as you did not call new customers and only sent them an email. Their broadband was apparently activated on 17/05/10.
I consider this to be a ridiculous situation. Just how long does it take or cost for one of your staff to call a new customer with the good news that they now have Internet access? I had extolled to my friends the virtues of signing up with Plusnet, including the helpfulness of your staff, but this experience has somewhat negated that.
Another thing that I found strange was that neither friend was ASKED what user name they wished to adopt, but was INFORMED what it would be. For the first lady it was surnamefirstname and for her sister it was firstnamesurname. Why the switch-around and why could they not choose a user name?
I look forward to receiving your observations."
I hope that someone like Adam Walker or Mand or Matt Taylor will read this post and then follow the exchange of messages I have had.  The Question No is 33459913 on 21/05/10.  I really cannot believe the replies and reasons given for not calling a new customer.  It is like living in Alice in Wonderland, and I am wondering who is the Mad Hatter who devised the idea of sending an email to someone who is not yet connected.
The last reply to me included a copy of two emails sent to one of the friends, the first the day after she signed up giving an estimated date when broadband would be activated, and the second to tell her that "Broadband has been activiated and it's time to get connected" followed by references to the setup guide included with the router!!!  Incidentally that guide states "Wait until your broadband is ready before starting."
As I said earlier it's like Alice in Wonderland!  Nothing has been said about the allocation of Username instead of asking the customer to choose one.

[#2]

Hi there,
I'll pick this up after speaking to our sales team tomorrow, and report back.

[#3]

Hi Mand
Thanks for your message.  Have you managed to speak to your sales colleagues yet?

[#4]

Hi there,
I've spoken to our sales manager at length about this one.
The agent who signed up both accounts is one of our best performers in terms of quality, so I can only assume that it was an error with these sales. He is aware of the policy regarding emailing customers with information (we'll also text you with order updates if we have your mobile number), and username choice (we'll often suggest usernames for you, but you can always choose your own assuming no one else is using it already).
We do make 'welcome calls' to new customers when resource and time allow, but if we're busy then actual support requests will always take priority.

[#5]

Hi Mand
Many thanks for your reply.  I can assure you that neither lady was asked if she had a preferred username, but was told what that name would be.  Rather strangely one was surnamefirstname and her sister was firsatnamesurname which I feel is a little inconsistent.
On the subject of emailing new customers, I really cannot understand how you expect customers to even know if they have any emails, let alone read them, if they DO NOT HAVE ANY INTERNET ACCESS.  In my opinion that is just crazy.  If the new customer is transferring to you from another ISP they they are likely to have Internet access, and are also likely to be knowledgeable about the subject.  I think you should bear in mind that customers signing up for broadband for the very first time are very likely to be not very computer literate, and grateful for any assistance they receive.  Hence I think you should consider amending your policy about calling them, so they will then know when to start installing their router and doing whatever else is necessary to gain Internet access.
I have now helped both friends set up their routers, and to their (and my) surprise they each had some 13 emails to download once they were connected, none of which they knew about or could read BEFORE they were connected.  I am sure that a brief phone call to tell them their broadband was activated would do wonders for customer satisfaction and generate much goodwill towards PN.
Edit to clarify - ALL 13 emails were from PN

[#6]

I completely understand the issue you've had here, and to be honest if a customer advises that there is no way they can monitor updates on line (at work, a friends, via dialup etc), then there are things we can do such as raise a ticket to our provisioning team to make sure a call is made when the order completes.
As I said, I've passed feedback on to the sales manager, and she will make sure it's addressed with the agent concerned.
I'm sorry that the experience wasn't good to date, and will make sure we reiterate the issues you've raised.