Plusnet has the most appalling customer service I have ever seen!!!

[#1]

 
A month ago, I made the unfortunate mistake of moving from O2 broadband to Plusnet. Boy do i regret this decision.
First of all, I was never informed of the exact date the service will activated (I received an sms informing me that "Broadband will become active on the following date: " and they left date blank 🙂 Then on 22-Nov  at 4pm, my broadband was disconnected by O2. I called O2 and was told I'm being moved to Plusnet. I called Plusnet and was told that they're working on the switch and I'll be moved in a matter of hours.
Sure enough, nothing happened. I called next day and was told to do some tests on my end and call back with the results. I did that and reported that all is well on my side. I was told that a ticket has been opened and will take 48-72 hrs for Plusnet to do their checks. 72 hours later and I haven't heard anything from them. I had to chase them all the time. Then they told after 4 days, that they're escalating the issue to BT. And again it could take 48-72 hours. Long story short, I wasn't connected until 30-November. Connection was OK for 11 days. Then on 12-Dec, broadband was again disconnected and has not been restored util now!!!!!!!!
Plusnet customer support is the worst I have ever dealt with. It is appalling. They never call to update the client and they never abide by their own 48-72 hours deadlines. I have spent hours on the phone (costing me money on top of everything) and still gotten nowhere!!!
I haven't even heard a single word of apology during this whole debacle.
Everyone stay away from this company!!!!

[#2]

Welcome to the forum procup.
Sorry to hear you've had a rough ride so far.

[#3]

I thought it was only TalTalk LLU that did that

[#4]

Sorry to see you're having troubles, but at least you have an active forum, populated by PN staff and interwebz sages alike.

Quote from: procup

. .. ... that they're escalating the issue to BT.

Nail on the head time, right there, PN are hamstrung by BT and, their responses, BT are renowned for dragging their heels, who else wouldn't, it's not in their best interests.
Having moved from AOHell, with no forum, queueing calls for half an hour at 7p per minute abroad, to be told 'turn it off and on again' then 'call back in an hour if it doesn't work', rinse and repeat, ad infinitum.
Chin up, you are in good hands, despite your initial take on things, have a good look around

[#5]

Hi procup,
I'm really sorry to see that things seem to get off to a bad start. I've checked your account and can see that Matt has been dealing with you. I've just had a word with him and he says he'll give you a call soon.
Adam.

[#6]

Hi, sorry to hear you had a bad experience, I've been with force9/plusnet since they started as a dial up customer and now as a broadband user. I had some problems configuring my router at the start but had fantastic service, I was called most days over the course of a week and had the problem resolved within 5 days. In my eyes this was exceptional customer service!!!

[#7]

Welcome to the forum mypics Where have you been

[#8]

Thanks a lot mypics

[#9]

I have been with Plusnet since 2007, when my  previous supplier V21, was "swallowed" down by a company called "biskit" or something similar.... V21 provided a very good service to me, and I had no complaints... I somehow got wind of the "swallow up" by a "crumby" firm with a "broken"  reputation, (and many more similar punny comments). so I chose Plusnet...
I have had a couple of major issues which have been expounded on this forum, but even so, I reckon that PlusNet customer service is really TOP NOTCH... whenever I have phoned up with a problem, (apart from one major issue as previously mentioned regarding waiting times). the phone staff have dealt with it in a polite and courteous manner, and managed to solve it for me... some connection issues I had, were dealt with by asking for help on the forums, and also by the use of the ticket system.... the latter needs to be overhauled, and was another issue that I have raised.
Some connection issues can only be rectified by using the (slow down version) of customer service called "the ticket system".... but that is the way of things, and one has to be patient, despite the frustration the slowness causes... it is not "personal".... it is "the system"...

[#10]

Thanks for your comments shutter.

Quote

despite the frustration the slowness causes... it is not "personal".... it is "the system"...

I doubt the ticket system will ever be a way of achieving very quick responses to support queries. I would as usual urge customers to use that method to raise non-urgent queries and call through with any urgent ones.
Adam.

[#11]

I think Plusnet's customer service representatives are great.
I think Plusnet's team and systems that handle issues that are posted on the forum are great.
I think that Plusnets internal systems for handling complains, tickets and general sign up of new customers is pretty badly broken, sometimes this is due to error, other times I think this is due to customer number growth and systems (not just physical systems, but the procedures used by staff etc) not being upgraded/overhauled to cope.
To me it seems the Plusnet team here on the forum are a huge and largely effective sticking plaster, which oddly maybe part of the problem, as it helps to cover the failures of the underlying systems.

[#12]

Quote

I think that Plusnets internal systems for handling complains, tickets and general sign up of new customers is pretty badly broken

I'm not aware of any major issues causing set-backs with these systems is there anything specific you've seen that we haven't?
Adam

[#13]

Just my own experience.
DD's when first setup didn't get charged causing my account sign up to fail, then get charged twice, I had to give you guys my details multiple time.
Your links with Gradwells billing system are broken, refusing to accept DD's, their credit system stopping your credit system from allowing calls
Failure of customer services to be able to actually resolve the above issue without lots of prompting by me
Raising tickets sometimes results in no reply needing a note here to get a response
There's more, I've forgotten the details of what seems like loads of issues here and there
When I've made specific complaints or suggestions about handling a procedure, disappointed to learn that customer service reps are either unwilling or unable to pass my comments onto someone who might actually be able to use what I say constructively.
From my perspective, most of the processes I've come up against are broken, needing much manual intervention by customer service reps who whilst pleasant, friendly and seemingly helpful, but whom contradict each other and don't actually solve the problem until the 3rd or more time around.
Jason

[#14]

Thanks for your honest feedback Jason.
re Gradwell I'm not aware that we currently have probelms this this, I do know there has been issues in the past and can only urge you to let me know if you start seeing problems again.

Quote

disappointed to learn that customer service reps are either unwilling or unable to pass my comments onto someone who might actually be able to use what I say constructively.

In the majority of cases agents are empowered to make a difference themselves rather than have to do this. Let me know if there's anything that you haven't covered that you would like us to look at.

Quote

but whom contradict each other and don't actually solve the problem until the 3rd or more time around.

We are targeted towards providing resolution (where its possible) on the first point of contact, feedback will be given from me for any instances where we've failed to achieve this for you.

[#15]

Quote from: _Adam_Walker_

re Gradwell I'm not aware that we currently have probelms this this, I do know there has been issues in the past and can only urge you to let me know if you start seeing problems again.

I have today, for the first time in about 3 months been able to make an outbound call on my VoIP anytime package, in truth I gave up trying to get it resolved, and then I tried again today, the advisor promised its been fixed permanently this time, but that's what I was told last time it was fixed too, only it broke again at the start of the new billing period.

Quote from: _Adam_Walker_

In the majority of cases agents are empowered to make a difference themselves rather than have to do this. Let me know if there's anything that you haven't covered that you would like us to look at.

Indeed, but where this seems to let you down is where when its an issue being looked at by some team or other, or where the agent can correct it for me, but not for everyone, asking them to take the larger view and pass on to a manager etc what I think are possibly valuable insights the customer service reps sit there almost dumbfounded and at a loss what to do with what I'm saying apart from be nice to me and get rid of me off the phone.

Quote from: _Adam_Walker_

We are targeted towards providing resolution (where its possible) on the first point of contact, feedback will be given from me for any instances where we've failed to achieve this for you.

Well the DD fiasco was one of them, the VoIP anytime package has been another, I'm sure there have been more, but those are the two that spring to mind.