Abdabz

Many moons ago, I worked for a mobile phone service provider that was swallowed up by BT Cellnet which later became O2. I had a staff mobile with them from back in 1998 (nearly as old as Pslewis virgin contract).

Today after 9 and a half years with the same company, enough is enough, Pac code requested, and I am off

What a bungling bunch of incompetent buffoons

Their online help function is a comedy of self help screens. Their automated responses a hilarity of half hearted attempts at triaging your problem in the hope you might give up. They seem to be using false names on email replies too. The shop staff are rude, techy geekazoids and the "retention" staff couldnt hold their own water!

The standards of service have consistently dropped over the last 12 months and I have been appalled on the 3 occasions I have had cause to contact them this year.

I'm sure people can tell me similar problems with the other main providers, but, well it's time to try one of them out!

Any recommendations welcome!

Rant over (oooo I'm so vexed oooo)

STi wanna Subaru

iTrader: (1)

BT aint it. Biggest pile of **** service on this planet. Gupta...sorry Gary in India may be a nice chap but he's about as helpful as a chocolate fireguard. As for even getting to speak to somebody that is a task in itself.

press 1 to speak to random ********, press 2 to speak to nice woman who tells you that you should have pressed 3, press 3 if you meant to press 2, press 4 if you wish to hear the options again.

davegtt

Guess what type of machine I install and configure for a job?

STi wanna Subaru

iTrader: (1)

I'm just glad you didn't give me fekking options numbered 1 to 5!

Abdabz

Nooo theyre nothing to do with BT - they were in the early days, although I did have to press 2 to speak to rent a 'tard this afternoon

Drunken Bungle Whore

Have to say I've had a contract with O2 for a couple of years now and I've had no problems with the serice whatsoever. Whenever I've called up or popped into a shop I've always had excellent service. All large organisations are going to have weak spots - they're generally not all bad.

Luminous

iTrader: (3)

Which scoobie meeting are you going to be at next?

davegtt

Sorry mate, Im not a geek

Abdabz

As an ex member of staff I can promise you that you have been very very lucky

I watched the levels of service decimate a few years back when they began bringing in temps from Kellys who treated every working day like a holiday, then they started outsourcing to India (back office support), then they started outsourcing contact centre work to Vertex (or the equivalent) and worse of all they moved to bigger premises in Leeds and started to increase their Yorkshire workforce!!?

Spoon

It's about time everyone realised the service of all the providers is at best patchy. No one provider gets full marks all of the time and certainly some providers are dire at times when somebody else may well get great service from the same provider, minutes later.

My money would be on Vodafone but then I've never needed to speak to customer service.

Orange get a hammering on here most of the time and I did need to speak to them once. The girl was superb and sorted the problem out as promised. Plus she rang my mobile later that night to make sure I was happy. She even credited the account £20 for the fun of it I think.

Just buy a PAYG sim on every network, sorted.

dpb

ive jus joined 02 after several years on p as u go - and before that t-mobile

- i sincerely hpe im not going to be dissappointed

GaryCat

Lately, I haven't heard any complaints about 3. Have they got their act together, or is no one with them?

Bodgit

I think if you were to start poll on which provider had caused you the most grief then you find it would be even across all provders, they are all bad but in diffferent ways.

Overall the general level of customer service has declined over the years anyway. No one wants to work anymore and no one cares. it is no wonder call centres are moving overseas when a lot are leaving school being propped up by mummy and daddy and given the cars to drive etc. Whilst others leave school and go straight on the dole as it is more financially benficial for them because the government hands out too much money for nothing. I have seen this as I work down the road from the DSS offices and they can be there bang on 9am to sign on a get their money for nothing but wont get out of bed any other day for less than £40k because they honestly feel that is what they are worth/deserve.

We have created our own culture of poor customer service. This will not change until attitudes do.

Jaybird-UK

Ive just switched 60 handsets from Orange to o2, so far found them pretty good.

Chimple

I'd also like to point out that, as far as I know, 02 are the only company that include 08 numbers in their inclusive minutes each month.

I found that out the hard way after switching to orange, I think I'll be going back to 02 once the long 18 month contract is up.

Also, after being with 02 for 3 years, there were times when I had to call customer services. There were a few dodgy times, long waits on hold (at least it wasn't costing me anything extra!) but other times they were prompt and helpful. As orange have been, so far!

The only reason I left 02 was because of their retentions department. I got used to being offered stupid amounts of minutes (500 mins, 500 texts, 15 quid a month) to being offered stupid amounts of minutes (paying MORE for the handsets compared to new customers, plus the same tariffs. After arguing, they offered a £5 month discount).

girl-in-a-scoob

Im with 3... no complaints here. Network coverage is great. Was with O2 and T-Mobile reviously and left both after an argument with half trained (no offence to anyone here) staff making mistakes and being very unhelpful

Abdabz

Well, after a lot of messing about, O2 have resolved the key issue that was to lead to my leaving.
I now have in writing from them what I requested and will now give them a second chance...
I guess it's like any utility to a point. You dont say a bad word when their bills are right every month and your dd pulls when it should, but have a problem and need customer service and it is a gauntlett...
Thanks guys.

Shark Man

The disconnections/contract termination department is always the most helpful in getting what you want

Had to do it a few times when they refused to replace my mobile with a half decent equivelent come renewal time.

jaytc2003

iTrader: (1)

did you used to work for martin dawes telecomms?

Leslie

My phone-which is also very old was initially with a company which then reverted to O2 as you said. I am on "pay as you go" and so far have not had a problem with them. I probably don't use my mobile as much as you perhap's, that could be a good enough reason I suppose.

Les

windyboy

I was with O2 for years and changed to 3 just over a year ago (3 cold called me and caught me off guard one day) and after much pleading from O2 to try and get me to stay they transfered by PAC code to 3 and all was well but I had to request the PAC code in writing for some reason ! (yes, I had to type up a letter and post it to them - how old fashioned )

I also still have an old O2 phone from years ago that I was going to cancel but they keep giving me free line rental on it so I just keep it in a drawer as the phone has since died.

Windyboy.

Spoon

Now there's a blast from the past!!! I think in the early 1980's they were the main player. My first contract was something like £35/month and all calls were paid for, no free anythings!! Something like 35p/minute. My first transportable phone was £1200 and my first portable phone, shortly after in about 1983, was approximately £1800 from memory!