Why does Plusnet insist on telephone contact when they already know I'm deaf?

[#1]

I want to email plusnet about my existing out-of-contract package but each time I go round the merry-go-round loop of automated Q&A's, I am then given a telephone number but I am deaf and do not use the phone. Plusnet already know this from earlier communications.
I wouldn't mind so much but Plus net are trying so hard for least human contact. While that may be cost-effective, it's not very friendly. It's not the Plusnet way!
I'm also put out because I have already disclosed that I am deaf and I should have been given a (private) email address to contact Plusnet with - one which disabled people like me can use. How hard can that be?
Come on, Plusnet, and sort yourselves out. I'm now out of contract with you and want to talk about upgrading or moving my account. Give me an email address to communicate you with.
Kevin Hannan on behalf of my Dad, Peter349 (as per our agreement that I can act on his behalf.)

[#2]

Hi Kevin,
I'm sorry this is causing your frustration. We can sometimes arrange ways round this. However, you are an authorised user on the account so any discussion of new contracts/discounts etc. need to be arranged with the account holder specifically.
Being an authorised user allows most things, but contract discussions and engineer booking are things reserved to the account holder. Apologies for any inconvenience this may cause.

[#3]

This is rubbish as I have already agreed with your colleagues at the start of our contract that I will act on behalf of my elderly father.
It's amazing that just right now the News at Lunchtime is saying it is the 20th Anniversary of the Disability Discrimination Act - and PlusNet still haven't offered me a private way of contacting them but only through this public, open forum.
If you think I'm going to put my elderly father's contact details online, here on this forum, then I would suggest you are in the wrong job.
if you have his details, then call him and see that this agreement is so.
Why have you changed your mind about my ability to discuss the account? You were okay with this arrangement when we were signing up with you.
Why haven't you got a means for deaf people to contact you?
It really shouldn't be this hard to be a customer with you.

(e2a: Can you also confirm the prices current today you are charging for our cable (non-fibre) internet now the contract has finished, please? Many thanks. 😉  )

[#4]

is your dad also deaf?

[#5]

He is elderly and lacks the confidence to deal with people and businesses like PlusNet. It is often the case that older people have this issue.
dick:quote

[#6]

I am hard of hearing and find the phone difficult, though the Doro mobile one I have is not too bad, I too prefer not to use phone, but have found Live Chat useful and so that is an alternative way of contacting Plusnet. 
I like the fact that you can get an email with a transcript of the conversation too which was not available with my previous ISP.

[#7]

That's good news. I haven't seen the live chat anywhere, so I wonder what happened there?
I know Plusnet try their best and they do well, so I'm hoping for a quick resolution in this case. I'd hate to move, but I need a good reason to stay with so many good offers out there.
I'll check out the doro thingy you said. thanks!

[#8]

Unfortunately you can't discuss that sort of thing (recontracting or cancelling) on Live Chat so a waste of time

[#9]

Hi Kevin,
I am sorry about any inconvenience this causes you or your father, but the process is authorised users are able to raise faults, get order updates and get general information on the account. Any contract changes or booking engineers is reserved specifically to the account holder.
We would not contact him directly (and I certainly don't want you to post his details in an open forum), he needs to contact us. Our Customer Options Team is available on 0800 013 2632 or on 0330 123 9197
08:00 - 20:00 Monday to Friday
09:00 - 19:00 Saturday
09:00 - 18:00 Sunday
In terms of you being deaf, we can arrange for people to review the account and email on some occasions or there is always the options of Typetalk, but this is not an issue of you being deaf but about what powers authorised users get in terms of account. I apologise that this is not what you want to hear but this is the process for all of our customers.
I can confirm that the price of the broadband now the discounts have expired is £9.99 per month (plus Line Rental). Thank you for your understanding.

[#10]

When assisting my frail and very hard of hearing elderly in-laws (in the past, now both deceased)  we have got around such problems, largely with financial institutions, as follows:
Make the calls ourselves, explain the situation, pass the phone to elderly person to get through security and assent to us doing the talking, return handset back to us and continue, relaying messages both ways as appropriate.
On most occasions we have done this together, but on some occasions we have had a 3-way phone call with someone else assisting at the in-laws end.
We have found NO organisation that could not cope with this.
At times we've had to put the phone in loudspeaker mode and do a fair bit of shouting!  

[#11]

Quote from: peter349

This is rubbish as I have already agreed with your colleagues at the start of our contract that I will act on behalf of my elderly father.

@MelRocks - which bit of this do you not understand?

[#12]

@Nedludd
No need to be rude. We do not allow non-account holders to make contractual or billing related changes to an account.

[#13]

Quote from: NedLudd

@MelRocks - which bit of this do you not understand?

the OP could be talking rubbish, or has totally misunderstood what they were told

[#14]

The OP has made his position quite clear!

Quote

Why have you changed your mind about my ability to discuss the account? You were okay with this arrangement when we were signing up with you.

Rather than taking pot shots at me you would be better addressing the OP's statement above!
We have an old guy who can't handle the telephone situation and his son who is deaf. You would be better sorting out a way that the son can contact you rather then falling back on a clause that is of no help! Recognise that you have a unique situation and gear up to handle it!

[#15]

Wow. what a mess this is. So much for being a Plusnet customer.
@Plusnet/Mel Rocks - so my 'delay' in contacting you (actually this is a matter of a few hours between receiving the email and putting a request on this forum) has meant this offer has expired. What great service.
Right from the start I said that deaf people should have automatic email access. Period. No arguments. This is 2015 - a whole 20 years from the inception of the Disability Discrimination Act. Plusnet do not allow deaf people equal opportunity of access to contact them.
How can I receive an email of an offer and a few hours later this 'offer' is expired? Stunning!
I still haven't heard from Plusnet if the charges have changed since my contract has expired. More great service. Why don't Plusnet want me to know? Have they changed the rules again?
@MelRocks - great choice of words - I quote " I apologise that this is not what you want to hear but... " - are you being funny and clever? And "Thank you for your understanding." Not only do I not understand but your arrogance in expecting me to simply accept what you say is jolly rude.
If Plusnet had the decency and allowed a disability email contact address then the likes of Chencks76 would not have the opportunity to 'troll' and for others to invite themselves in what I wanted to be a private matter between me and Plusnet.
I will be copying this whole email thread and passing it onto some relevant Internet/service authority.
Kevin