Title edited, issue resolved

[#1]

**actual problem RESOLVED, issues with call centre/s may remain?**
Joined PN over a year ago - was attracted by UK call centres and the flexibility of Broadband Your Way. After changing bank accounts a few months ago I set up a new PlusNet direct debit on 27th May this year and also switched BB products.
Last month I go back to my old account to make sure all of my DDs are migrating and I find that PN are still taking the DD's out of it! So I call what I expected to be someone in the UK to discuss my bank details and end up getting very frustrated at trying to get the person taking the call in India to understand that I already changed accounts and that PN was going to push me into an unauthorised overdraft and the associated penalties on my old account.
I have a DD reference provided by the new bank; yet still I'm getting requests to bring my payments up to date by cheque as payments still aren't being collected. I called my bank this morning to confirm, and yes the new direct debit WAS set up on the 27th May but no payments have been taken - I have a direct debit reference to prove this.
Today I call AGAIN, and end up putting the phone down on some guy in India who stonewalls me and refuses to accept that I've set up a direct debit and it's PN who aren't collecting payments.
What's worse is that I've only just persuaded someone important to me to switch to PN because of the supposed UK call centres and the former quality of service and value of PlusNet.
Why have you reduced your levels of service as well as your prices? And why is it that, if we have a problem that we want to raise on the forum, then it must be listed as a 'Rant / Rave' rather than a title as credible as 'Testimonials'? In many cases people only 'rant' after issues are ignored or are persistently unresolved.
Incidentally, in case it's not clear I have been happy with PN up until this point - but now it seems like PN has levels of service in line with most of the other providers. Perhaps you can restore my confidence by promptly addressing the ticket which I've raised (29370573 ).

[#2]

If your getting an Indian call centre your dialing the wrong ISP. PlusNet do not have an Idian call centre.

[#3]

If you are talking to Plusnet's foreign call centre it will be in South Africa.
If you want to talk to their UK centre contact them on 0114 2965198

[#4]

Plusnet have two call centres, one in Sheffield and one in Durban South Africa, You will have been talking to someone with an Indian accent at one or the other.
If you call 0114 296 5198 this should be picked up at the Sheffield call centre.
Edit: Artmo beat me to it!

[#5]

@markoos
Which account is showing under your payment details found here?

[#6]

Hi Mark,
Thanks for your time on the phone.
I hope I've managed to clear up some of the confusion surrounding the direct debit.  It looks like something along the lines of our not receiving any confirmation of your direct debit instruction having been setup and as such the DDI failed to activate at our end.  You'll be fine to cancel it at your banks end.
Glad everything is all sorted now.

[#7]

Hi all, thanks for the pointers re: UK landline numbers etc.
And I can confirm that this issue was resolved within 30 mins. Confidence restored!
Many thanks, James

[#8]

The OP problem with the direct debit has been resolved but the problem with the Durban call centre remains. I have seen  a mixture of compliments and complaints about it and wonder about the impact of this inconsistency on Plusnet's long term customer service levels.

[#9]

I've seen plenty of reference to UK staff spending time in SA, but do staff from there come to Sheffield. OK - I realise that PN couldn't afford for it to be a general thing, but having a few over for a month or so would give them a good insite into British culture and would go a long way to helping.

[#10]

Yep, we've had a few guys come over from Durban to spend some time with us.

[#11]

Good - I used to work for a huge British but international company - and we did just that - had a few in UK working with us. It helped us as much as I'm sure it helped them.

[#12]

Quote from: Jameseh

Yep, we've had a few guys come over from Durban to spend some time with us.

If you have the resources for more staff, why not employ some more UK personnel on a permanent basis.
There must be quite a few redundant Northerners who'd be glad of a job.

[#13]

I'm sure there are loads of people in the Sheffield area who have been made redundant and who would be delighted to have a job. The question is, how many of them would have the required skills and/or aptitude?
I'd prefer to wait in a queue for someone who knew what they were talking about rather than get an immediate answer from a clueless numpty!

[#14]

I'm sure the good folks of Sheffield will resent being described in such terms.
Investment in training will always pay dividends.

[#15]

But then again half of them support Sheffield <fill in your own answer>