Engineer no show

[#1]

Quote from: AlaricAdair

I've just submitted UKTUG's response to Ofcom on the Digital Future.

What is the current number of members in UKTUG represented in this submission?

[#2]

That is confidential to the membership. 

[#3]

So, not many then...
Maybe just you.

[#4]

Getting back to the original poster's problem...  Newagetraveller's approach is probably the best in the short term, but it is important that people register formal complaint about the no-shows. It will maybe give PN the opportunity to raise the issue with their counterparts in the sibling company.

[#5]

Quote from: AndyH

Quote from: AlaricAdair I was able to work in OpenReach's notoriety for "Engineer No Shows" to consumers as an example of why OpenReach should be moved away from BT's direct control. Do you have statistics of this 'notoriety'? I would assume you dispute OR's own figures?

I've had 4 engineer no shows or delays without notice from openreach in the last 3 months, thats pretty impressive.
Infact the only time they did do any work on time was when they disconnected my line when they realised they were not getting any more money from me, on that instance the work was done at 8am on the day.

[#6]

Sky reckon they get on average 500 appointment "No shows" by OpenReach every month and OpenReach fail to complete 4000 jobs per month. Unfortunately they don't what percentage of jobs that represents. It would be fascinating to know how the situation with PlusNet compares, but I'm guessing that would be "commercial in confidence." However that is at least 500 people each month wasting a day's holiday.
I tackled an OpenReach engineer about the no-shows and he told me his boss/administrator allocates the calls at the start of day with no consideration of the travel time between jobs or the complexity of individual calls. Often the list of jobs is changed during the day. As a consequence the individual engineer cannot plan their own day or select jobs located close together. I don't know if that is representative of the broader picture.

[#7]

It exactly matches my experience and discussions with engineers.  A couple of years ago when I had protracted issues at my business (not too far from the site of my recent debacle) - BTOR engineers were for ever out to my or nearby premises.  They'd fix one person's problem and create a new one for someone else.
One Saturday morning I was expecting BTOR and was pleased to see a BTOR pull into my car park and start poking around poles and sub-surface chambers.  Expecting that he was there for my problem I pointed out to him that my service came in from the pole on the other side of the road.  He then advised he was there for a problem on the neighbour's line.  I asked if I was on his list, he looked and said no.
After doing whatever for the neighbour's line he finished and left.  An hour and a half later he returned to deal with my issue.  A total absence of efficient planning! 
I suppose that if you've had little contact with BTOR, they turned up on time and fixed your problem first time, you'll think they are all great.  However if you've had protracted contact then you are likely to have been exposed to the fragility of their operational planning and management, which is quite unfair to the majority of the front line guys n galls trying to do a good job.

[#8]

Quote from: AlaricAdair

Getting back to the original poster's problem...  Newagetraveller's approach is probably the best in the short term, but it is important that people register formal complaint about the no-shows. It will maybe give PN the opportunity to raise the issue with their counterparts in the sibling company.

Have you even read the thread in detail?
What is the point in registering a formal complaint blaming Openreach about an engineer no show when it was Plusnet who screwed up the order (which was rejected and not communicated to the OP)?

[#9]

@AndyH Yup, I agree you should read the thread.

[#10]

So please explain to us all then how OR messed up for the OP? To me, it has nothing to do with a failed/missed appointment by OR, but a mistake and communication failure from Plusnet.

[#11]

My Dear Chap, I know you like to be pedantic and play the self appointed policeman of the threads, but do pay attention at the back there. I've not contested MattyC's information. I was commenting on the general issue of OpenReach's unreliability for which you then demanded statistics, which I provided as a courtesy, but you appear to have missed otherwise you'd be demanding a certified URL.
Even PlusNet admit OpenReach has problems with their engineers failing to attend as is indicated by the second sticky thread at the head of this forum section. Please continue to be an apologist for the OpenReach Status Quo as I welcome the repeated opportunities you provide for me to raise the counter argument. Things will only change if enough people complain about the poor service. I've helped coordinate an Ofcom response and in the process gained some very well informed support outside of the PlusNet forums. I quite like PN, but recently they do seem to be giving themselves self-inflicted problems, such as MattyC has explained in this case. As I've posted before I'm happy to help PN Pro Bono to resolve their issues with support, but as yet the phone hasn't rung.

[#12]

And alternatively we have people who seem to want to turn every thread into a tirade against Openreach, as if it's important to be constantly blaming someone else to make Plusnet look good. Wait, no, it's not to make Plusnet look good, it's important that people know where the problem is, it just always happens to be somewhere other than Plusnet.
What would happen if I chipped in on every thread with "Plusnet are rubbish"? (or something along those lines but worded more impressively)
What would happen if I chipped in on every thread with "Openreach are rubbish"?

Quote from: AlaricAdair

However that is at least 500 people each month wasting a day's holiday.

So every single one of those 500 people have jobs, none are retired or would be at home anyway? Does the rest of your analysis make assumptions like that?

[#13]

Quote from: ejs

... are retired or would be at home anyway ...

So you are content it is perfectly acceptable for OpenReach to force "the retired/at home anyway" to wait around for a No Show? Do you think they are second class citizens?
Personally I'd be content for OpenReach to sort their act out, and in this case for PN to start doing some effective Route Cause Analysis to remove the underlying problems and hence reduce their support load.

[#14]

OK it's only my personal experience, but I have not found Openreach to be the weak link.  At work within our customer base OR do not stand out as screwing up any more than other parts of the supply chain.  Back at home our phone line is always getting damaged on the first 1/2 mile before the public road, so maybe 10 or 12 OR call outs in the last four years, and none have been no-shows.

[#15]

Quote from: AlaricAdair

My Dear Chap, I know you like to be pedantic and play the self appointed policeman of the threads, but do pay attention at the back there. I've not contested MattyC's information. I was commenting on the general issue of OpenReach's unreliability for which you then demanded statistics, which I provided as a courtesy, but you appear to have missed otherwise you'd be demanding a certified URL.

Erm, nope - you've advised the OP to raise this as a formal complaint about the no-show because you seem to think it was the fault of Openreach:

Quote from: AlaricAdair

Getting back to the original poster's problem...  Newagetraveller's approach is probably the best in the short term, but it is important that people register formal complaint about the no-shows. It will maybe give PN the opportunity to raise the issue with their counterparts in the sibling company.

On your statistics, could you confirm what percentage of those 500 missed appointments were as a result of MBORCs or end users not being present?