PlusNet Callers With Caller ID Withheld.

[#1]

It's really annoying to get phone calls from someone saying they're from PlusNet and asking for your account details when you've no proof of who they are and they even withhold their caller ID. We're forever being told to protect our details from this kind of approach.

Why can't PlusNet provide proof of who they are (eg disclosing a minor detail about my account). I always end up wondering if I've missed something wonderful (but it's not worth hanging on the phone forever to find out ).

[#2]

Although I do appreciate where you're coming from, we wouldn't be doing a very good job of protecting your details if we were to give out minor details from your account. You'd be surprised at the amount of times I've called a customer only to find that the number they provided at signup was incorrect and not actually the customer.

What you could do, is ask the advisor to raise a ticket on your account, at which point you'd be able to log in online and see the ticket, or simply just ask them to leave a ticket on the account advising what the reason for the call was and once you've had chance to view the ticket you could give us a call back

[#3]

As it happens the caller WAS from PN and DID leave a 'question' - it said this:

<<<

Dear Mr ****,

Following my call today, if you would like to discuss your package please contact us.

Kind regards,

[CSA Removed]

>>>

So I still don't know what caused the phone call and I'm not too inclined to join the endless queue to see if anyone in CS knows what it's about . Why not (for instance) use the email system to tell me to expect a call from someone? I can think of lots of ways to break the deadlock. Anyway I've replied to the 'question' but, as you may have heard, they tend to have quite a latency.

Moderator's note by Dick (Strat) CSA name removed as per Forum rules

[#4]

Well anybody calling me from a withheld number gets blocked no exceptions.
If they want to talk to me they can call from a REAL number.

[#5]

So what happens when it is the doctor's surgery as that is the case with mine

[#6]

I also reject all witheld numbers ,, Oldjim my doctor dont use a witheld number strange why any would ?

[#7]

@OJ My surgery & dentist both know I reject withheld numbers, so they prefix my call if they need to call me. Been done before now.

[#8]

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@quelquod wrote:
I'm not too inclined to join the endless queue to see if anyone in CS knows what it's about . Why not (for instance) use the email system to tell me to expect a call from someone? I can think of lots of ways to break the deadlock. Anyway I've replied to the 'question' but, as you may have heard, they tend to have quite a latency.

Moderator's note by Dick (Strat) CSA name removed as per Forum rules

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We wouldn't put a ticket on to the account prior to the call as it may not necessarily have been read when we do call following this. We would then still have to put another ticket on the account following the attempted call.

In regards to the endless queue to get through to Customer Service. The queues haven't been too bad recently, http://csc.plus.net/ (Currently no calls waiting )

@HairyMcbiker If customers have Anonymous call reject and calls from our auto-withheld number is rejected, we would then add the prefix to call without withholding the number, it's just not something we'd do for every single call we make.

[#9]

@HarryB, Surley if you have option to show number, this should be the default.

I can see no advantage in with holding the number, if anything this could just increase the amount of time staff are on the phone.

Regards
Mike

[#10]

@HarryB I don't have any options on the phone, just a cpr call blocker, a LOT cheaper in the long term, paid for itself about 2 years ago now.

[#11]

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@rongtw wrote:

Oldjim my doctor dont use a witheld number strange why any would ?

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What if person visits the doctor and doesn't want other family members / housemates to know that they have a health problem?

[#12]

Normally the doc/surgery will not disclose any details.
The fact they phoned is of no instance is it unless you check your call logs.

[#13]

I say if someone is with holding their number ,,,,, they must have something to hide !!

[#14]

I have a BT8500 phone with BT Call Guardian (TruCall technology) built in. It is set up to reject witheld and other type calls but if the caller is genuine e.g. G.P., bank, dentist etc., and they operate a witheld system, the caller has the opportunity to get through using a  voice message and I can then either accept or reject after listening to that message.