Comments on: Technical headache http://www.irishtimes.com/blogs/pricewatch/2008/02/19/technical-headache/ Just another irishtimes.com weblog Thu, 08 Jan 2009 11:49:14 +0000 By: Mike http://www.irishtimes.com/blogs/pricewatch/2008/02/19/technical-headache/#comment-2399 Mike Tue, 19 Feb 2008 21:59:11 +0000 http://www.irishtimes.com/blogs/pricewatch/2008/02/19/technical-headache/#comment-2399 Wow. I'm looking into who to get as my phone'n'broadband provider at the moment, and this has really changed my view of BT. It just goes to show, if you treat customers badly, it can and will come back to you in the form of lost business. The sad part is that ultimately this is the cost of privatisation, where cheaper costs and more choice also mean distributed and very demarcated areas of responsibility, and little accountability! I hate to say it but I might be forced to go with Eircom, just as they're more likely to have access to the physical infrastructure if something goes wrong - unless that's likely to separate out? Anyone know? Wow. I’m looking into who to get as my phone’n'broadband provider at the moment, and this has really changed my view of BT. It just goes to show, if you treat customers badly, it can and will come back to you in the form of lost business. The sad part is that ultimately this is the cost of privatisation, where cheaper costs and more choice also mean distributed and very demarcated areas of responsibility, and little accountability! I hate to say it but I might be forced to go with Eircom, just as they’re more likely to have access to the physical infrastructure if something goes wrong - unless that’s likely to separate out? Anyone know?

]]> By: Conor http://www.irishtimes.com/blogs/pricewatch/2008/02/19/technical-headache/#comment-2395 Conor Tue, 19 Feb 2008 16:36:13 +0000 http://www.irishtimes.com/blogs/pricewatch/2008/02/19/technical-headache/#comment-2395 David, it always amazes me how quickly and easily most of these problems are to resolve when the will is there. I will never understand why so many companies - and not just BT and Smart - seem totally incapable of resolving so many problems until someone from the press comes calling. It's bonkers. David, it always amazes me how quickly and easily most of these problems are to resolve when the will is there. I will never understand why so many companies - and not just BT and Smart - seem totally incapable of resolving so many problems until someone from the press comes calling. It’s bonkers.

]]> By: David Greene http://www.irishtimes.com/blogs/pricewatch/2008/02/19/technical-headache/#comment-2394 David Greene Tue, 19 Feb 2008 15:38:23 +0000 http://www.irishtimes.com/blogs/pricewatch/2008/02/19/technical-headache/#comment-2394 Its a sad state of affairs when relatively simple issues like this require the intervention of comreg. Considering all the time wasted (by both parties) surely it cant be in the interest of companies like BT to keep fobbing people off? They'll still need to address the issue at some point but rather then getting it sorted at the start by spending 30mins looking into the issue they instead bounce around departments wasting staff and customer time. In the long term they've probably lost numerous man hours and a potential customer. I had an issue last year with trying to get a phone line released from Smart (it was in the name of an existing tenant). Took six months, many phone calls, and a comreg intervention to sort out. In the end a brief 5min call from a 'manager' in smart sorted out the whole thing. Amusingly enough smart kept sending bills to the existing tenant for a few months afterwards and now have sent debt collection letters. Even though I've told them numerous times that the previous owner has left the country. Baffling. Its a sad state of affairs when relatively simple issues like this require the intervention of comreg. Considering all the time wasted (by both parties) surely it cant be in the interest of companies like BT to keep fobbing people off? They’ll still need to address the issue at some point but rather then getting it sorted at the start by spending 30mins looking into the issue they instead bounce around departments wasting staff and customer time. In the long term they’ve probably lost numerous man hours and a potential customer.

I had an issue last year with trying to get a phone line released from Smart (it was in the name of an existing tenant). Took six months, many phone calls, and a comreg intervention to sort out. In the end a brief 5min call from a ‘manager’ in smart sorted out the whole thing.

Amusingly enough smart kept sending bills to the existing tenant for a few months afterwards and now have sent debt collection letters. Even though I’ve told them numerous times that the previous owner has left the country.
Baffling.

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