Aggressive sales <strike>and potential violation of DPA</strike>

[#1]

I was astounded this morning to learn that PlusNet can find resources to "chase" people who used the "What service is available to you" tool but did not proceed to complete an order ... yet cannot find the resources to adequately cover these forums.  Sorry but this really is not good enough.

It all rather seems to support the growing perception that PlusNet only cares about getting new customers by any means possible and then forgets about them when they have problems. 

I have been looking at migrating our Church phone and internet services away from BT Retail and had checked the services available from PlusNet on their phone lines.  All I did was run the service availability checker using  a phone number - nothing more.  I was somewhat horrified and taken aback to learn this morning that PlusNet had called them up saying that the ordering process had not been completed.  Not only does this look bad 'on me' implying that I had started an order to migrate services, but it is also an inappropriate use of PlusNet resources, when there is such a dire need for more resources here and elsewhere within the group.  The focus needs to be placed on the customers Plusnet already has, not those just window shopping.

Further the service availability checker does not warn that the information entered might be used for further sales or marketing purposes by PlusNet, which I suggest is a contravention of the DPA.

PS: I forgot to add that Plusnet having gone through the effort of following-up this window shopping, the sales agent advised that PlusNet does not do FTTP - which is not correct - so a total waste of effort all round!  Given the desperation to gain new customers by any means at any cost, one would have thought that by now Plusnet would have FTTP packages available on the website for both residential and business users, for where BTw supply FTTP, there is no alternative FTTC to 'fall back' on.

[#2]

The availability checker does have a consent box as part of it.

"We may call you about our services. If you'd rather we didn't, please untick the box."

[#3]

@ScottStorey,

Thanks for pointing that out.  Was at Boots opticians on Friday last (after I'd used the availability checker) need I say more? 

That said, best practice suggests such matters should be opt-in not opt-out and I standby the argument that the allocation of resources should be prioritised towards existing customers, not window shoppers.