Plusnet - unacceptable support for people with disabilities in 2021

[#1]

Why is Plusnet ONLY offering a telephone number for reaching out to support??  I can't use telephones which is usually fine because businesses generally also offer email and chat support, but Plusnet is ONLY offering a telephone line???  Where is the chat option?  Or an email address?  I'm on the contact us page and there is just one phone number.

This is totally unacceptable in 2021.  I have two contracts with you and I was hoping to upgrade one today, but I'm only being offered combined internet/call packages.  I do NOT want to switch call provider.  I just wanted to upgrade my mother's internet.  At this point I'm looking for a disability-friendly supplier as this is unforgiveable.  I'm not even interested in upgrading with you if you cannot offer other alternatives to telephone.

[#2]

We're happy to help over Twitter (@Plusnet) which is given on our Contact Us page Here and Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/plusnet) as well as here on our Community Forums. 

For renewing a contract or upgrading, you should be able to do this online by going Here but if you need to call us for this, depending on the disability, if you're hard of hearing, you can call us on 0800 013 2632 using a text relay service. We'll make sure you don't pay anything for the call.

I hope this helps.

[#3]

@badwhippet 

If you do not want to change call provider then your choices are either to continue to pay the out of contract broadband price or go to an ISP who offers this service, not many do these days.

You will probably find it much cheaper to move the broadband service to a combined contract with your call provider.

[#4]

@Gandalf 

I'm trying to use Twitter but no message window will pop up.  I can select Plusnet as the contact, click NEXT and then nothing - there is no message window, so it doesn't look like that is currently enabled as an option.

Relay UK (the text relay service) is a nightmare of its own.  Relay UK have not been able to get their service working with my Plusnet number nor my devices and have no idea how we can fix that (it's a historic problem)  This has never mattered before because all my other utility companies offer alternative contact methods.  Only Plusnet fails in this regard.

Providing access through a third party site or organisation is not a reason to NOT provide a basic online chat or an email option for support as a MINIMUM.  I head up an international site with good customer support and it's inexcusable to shove these basic facilities onto third parties that might or might not work.

[#5]

@Baldrick1 

Thanks - I already have my calls set up through Plusnet (not much longer at this rate), but my mother wants to keep her phone service with BT and just increase her broadband speed on her existing broadband only contract (we'd chosen the most basic when we set her up years ago).  The stupid thing is, as a NEW customer, she could!  Plusnet DOES offer that!  But we can't sign her up because Plusnet recognises her as an existing customer.  And as an existing customer, the ONLY upgrade options include calls too - which she doesn't want!  It's ridiculous.  I assume it's a site error, but can never know this.

This is why I want to contact Plusnet on her behalf - to upgrade her.  But I'm being penalised for having autism because, if I have no phone, I'm SoL for support here, and that's unacceptable.

[#6]

And I'm sorry - I don't mean to sound mad but I just cannot understand why the customer service options are so lacking.  I'm upset because I've LOVED being at Plusnet for many years.  I have recommended and arranged contracts for family members too.  But now it looks like I need to go elsewhere, and I need to take my mother's account elsewhere too.

[#7]

@badwhippet 

Are you sure that Plusnet offer a broadband only connection to new customers?

If you do the sums I am pretty confident that your mother will pay considerably less if she transfers her broadband to BT. She will also get a better hub.

[#8]

@badwhippet 

Firstly we do absolutely appreciate the difficulties those have with disabilities or special needs. I’d recommend filling out our additional support form here https://www.plus.net/my.html?action=additionalsupport so we can make sure we’re offering the best support we can.

I’m sorry to see you’re having issues using Twitter and text relay. Lots of people use these to contact us so I know they definitely work. Feel free to post up screenshots showing what you see so we can have a closer look.

You can also private message any of us that says ‘Help Team’ by our names here on our own forums, there’s a list Here and we’ll get back to you as soon as we can. 

We can’t though discuss our offers via private message but you can do that online through your account though as @Baldrick1 has pointed out we don’t offer broadband only packages anymore so if your mother has one, to upgrade she’ll need to move her phone across. 

Let me know if you’ve got further queries or concerns.