Then put me through to someone who can!

How many times do we have to say that?

There seem to be an increasing number of companies who try not to sort a problem you may have in the first instance. They sometimes just try to fob you off with a "my system won't let me do it" excuse.

I had a problem with my bank over some money they'd failed to transfer to a savings account. So I asked to speak to someone else.
I think the; "Do I have to take the Santander shilling?" (they're offering £100 if you switch your account to them, but I think you'd lose your free banking very quickly) had a very rapid effect and the problem got sorted by the guy to whom the young lady (who I didn't blame or shout at) put me through.

 

Well, at least you got through Doghouse.

BT recently had a big problem with their Broadband connection. Mine was off for 2 days, got it back on, then it wnr off for another day.

Throughout the whole performance it wasn't possible to get anyone on their helpline numbers. The phones just rang interminably and at one poit said, sorry, this service is not available :(

Eventually I got through to someone in Madras ! But I do have to say that person was excellent and helped me get my broadband reconnected. He really couldn't have been more helpful.
Thank you Madras - but the situation shouldn't have arisen.

 

When my bank failed to transfer a, not inconsiderable, sum into a savings account not only did I lose 3 months interest, but also the opportunity for the higher interest rate being offered (for a limited time), which that particular account attracted. According to my branch manager, the paperwork had been '... inexplicably delayed' and not only that, for 2 months they'd managed to 'lose' my money!

I was very polite but made it abundantly clear to the Manager that I was not best pleased, especially when he said he had ' .. no authority' to do anything other than open a different account with a lower rate. Since the fault lay with the bank (and despite his protestations to the contrary), I suggested that he obtain the authority and that sooner rather than immediately would be 'helpful' - I may also have mentioned one or two other high street banks nearby!

Quelle surprise - within 24 hours not only did I have the account at the original interest rate but the Manager actually came to my house with a large food hamper, bouquet of flowers and a letter of apology. Never did get that 3 months 'missing' interest though.

 

I think I shared those problems Alice. The first outage was due to an exchange fault in Edinburgh - it took out all internet connections, not just BT's, in Scotland, parts of north of England and Ireland. It took me 30 mins to get through to India.
What really, really annoys me is that unlike many utility companies BT seem unable to put on a recorded message to the effect that 'there is a known fault at x and that engineers are working on it....' Pretty disgraceful for a company whose business is communications!
It also worries me that a single fault at just one point in the network can take out vast swathes of the country. BT lines carry the backbone of all internet traffic. It just goes to illustrate how vulnerable the system is to malicious attack!

 

We're with Virgin, there's rarely a problem, but if your internet connection fails, when you phone (free) you hear a recording of a list of the post codes affected by any "outage" before they talk to you.