BS: Cancelling a broadband deal by 'phone!

Subject: BS: Cancelling a broadband deal by 'phone!
From: Will Fly
Date: 02 Sep 10 - 04:57 AM

After a pretty fraught telephone conversation with a telephone/broadband company, I hope 'Catters will allow me to let off steam here...

Yesterday afternoon, I was caught on the hop by a sales rep for a combined telephone line/broadband service opportunity and, in an uncharacteristic fit of stupidity, signed up for what seemed like a good deal. This is something I normally never do and, on reflection and after the rep had gone, I decided - for various reasons - to cancel the deal.

So this morning, I phoned the appropriate number on the back of the contract - 7 days to cancel so I thought I'd do it straight away - and talked to a woman in the Cancellations Department. Fifteen minutes later, after being interrogated, obfuscated, sidetracked, blocked and persistently questioned about motives, reasons, given alternatives if I did X, Y or Z, the contract was cancelled!

Not to put to fine a point on it, what a fucking company! I expected a bit of questioning and some persuasive talk to get me to reconsider - but not the 3rd degree. In the end, after a little fine language on my part (thanks for the lessons, Spaw), I said that I absolutely refused to answer any more questions and that I wanted the contract cancelled there and then, and it was finally done.

As usual, these conversations are recorded "for training purposes" - and I hope they have fun playing it back. I added, before saying goodbye that, as the conversation was being recorded, they might like to know that, in view of their attitude, I would never - not in a million years - ever contemplate using their service in the future. Not even under torture.

What is really shitty about their attitude is that, if I hadn't been an old, obstreperous, foul-mouthed musician, i.e. abnormal, I might just have allowed myself to be browbeaten into not cancelling.

For the benefit of UK readers, the company was Talk Talk.

Subject: RE: BS: Cancelling a broadband deal by 'phone!
From: Wolfhound person
Date: 02 Sep 10 - 05:37 AM

We had the same trouble - same company. We were with tiscali, who were Ok, but when TT took it over the service, such as it was, deteriorated markedly. So we left to go back to BT.

What a shower - it took my other half several irate phone calls and snotty letters to get the overpayment they took, as well.

Paws

Subject: RE: BS: Cancelling a broadband deal by 'phone!
From: G-Force
Date: 02 Sep 10 - 06:50 AM

This is going to be the start of a long and anguished thread!

Our experience was with BT. Our contract is with Pipex (now Opal and, we believe, actually TT) and we have been very happy with the service and the deal we get with them. Unfortunately we live in a wood so our tv reception is appalling so, having seen BT's persuasive ad. for a package offering on-line tv, calls and broadband, we looked into it. It started with one of those on-line conversations with 'Alex' who assured me, twice, that if we switched we could keep our email address (odd, I thought, but gratifying). Then we spent 10 days and umpteen phone calls trying to get our MAC no. from Opal. Eventually, a lovely lad personally expedited it and we were off.

So now it was back to BT to arrange a change-over date. "Just checking", I said, "that we are keeping our email?" "Oh no, who told you that!" So I just cancelled the whole thing (what I said is unrepeatable) and then had to apologise and grovel to Opal to reinstate us.

Basically BT will say anything to get a sale and I will never do business with them again (...and we still have terrible telly!).

Subject: RE: BS: Cancelling a broadband deal by 'phone!
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 02 Sep 10 - 07:00 AM

email and phones are handy for some stuff, but on their own not for anything involving money. Can't beat snail mail, with recorded delivery. They can't argue with that. And if there's a Direct Debit involved, cancel it at the bank, in writing.

And keep a photocopy of what you write.

Subject: RE: BS: Cancelling a broadband deal by 'phone!
From: Richard Bridge
Date: 02 Sep 10 - 07:10 AM

I have a client company that added to its email footer

"Don't join talk-talk. We did. What a mistake".

Subject: RE: BS: Cancelling a broadband deal by 'phone!
From: Anne Lister
Date: 02 Sep 10 - 07:13 AM

I had similar difficulties dealing with Orange (yes, I'm naming names) when I had a faulty Blackberry. I couldn't believe the levels of unhelpfulness ... although at every stage the face-to-face encounters in their shops were fab. But they're outranked by the telephone staff, apparently.
That's why I'm no longer with Orange and won't have another Blackberry.

Subject: RE: BS: Cancelling a broadband deal by 'phone!
From: MikeL2
Date: 02 Sep 10 - 10:33 AM

hi

I was with Talk Talk......that's all the y do....talk talk.

I finally it over to them that I was certain that I wanted out.

I joined BT and I have been with them for several years and I have had nothing but co-operation from from. Mind you the service has been so good and consistent that I really haven't needed to talk to them very often.

Fairly recently I converted to wireless with BT and they did everything for me on time and everthing worked ( and still does) great.

Maybe I am just lucky but I can only speak as I find.

cheers

MikeL2

Subject: RE: BS: Cancelling a broadband deal by 'phone!
From: Will Fly
Date: 02 Sep 10 - 10:49 AM

As a precaution this morning - just in case Talk Talk secretly reneged on the cancellation, I followed it up with a letter confirming the cancellation. I also put in an email to BT explaining the situation. BT called me up and were incredibly helpful, giving me a procedure to follow in case, as sometimes apparently happens, Talk Talk continue to press the contract illegally. In his words, "It's a mire out there."

I also contacted my bank, instructing them to return any Direct Debit requests that might arrive in the near future from Talk Talk.

What's slightly galling in all this is that my current Broadband provider is Nildram, who were a highly-rated outfit when I took out the contract - and they still are good. But Nildram has been taken over by a firm called Opal. And who now owns Opal? Talk Talk! So I'm watching the market very carefully at the moment...

Subject: RE: BS: Cancelling a broadband deal by 'phone!
From: catspaw49
Date: 02 Sep 10 - 10:59 AM

I am happy to be of help Will!

Spaw

Subject: RE: BS: Cancelling a broadband deal by 'phone!
From: Arthur_itus
Date: 02 Sep 10 - 11:37 AM

I use Zen and have to say that in all departments they are briliant. We pay a bit more for the service, but we get what we pay for. They are just excellent.

Subject: RE: BS: Cancelling a broadband deal by 'phone!
From: VirginiaTam
Date: 02 Sep 10 - 03:11 PM

The other day, shile swiping our Nectar card in the machine that holds the scanners for scan and shop at Sainsburys, a little old gentleman was trying to get me to take a flier for replacement windows. He had a notebook for taking down names and phone numbers. He pressed me 3 times even though I told him I live in a flat and that the windows were all recently replaced. "Oh you never no, you might need a new windows." He really needed names and numbers. I guess they are paid on a quota of how many they collect. It was sad, but i did not want constant calls from this window replacement co. sale office.

On that note, we still get calls from the company we used to replace the windows. The did a shit job, I told them so and have told them over and over to take our name off the list. But we get at least 5 to 7 calls a year from them.

We have been very happy with BT broadband (only down for a day once in 3 years). But they do have the occasional pushy salesman as do other companies. We just say we are on BT telephone preference. That means no sales calls. Then they apologise and usually don't call back.

I would not blame the company for the behaviour of their sales force. Most very pushy. They all need to make a living and it's a scary new world out there currently. Very scary. More difficult for them to earn, people are not spending and there are more sales people because what the hell else is there for people to do. Sales and Service is about it, unless you are a professional, in medical, legal, education, etc. fields.

All one can do is politely say no, repeatedly if it comes to it.

Subject: RE: BS: Cancelling a broadband deal by 'phone!
From: katlaughing
Date: 02 Sep 10 - 03:36 PM

...an old, obstreperous, foul-mouthed musician, i.e. abnormal... Not around these parts!**bg**

Subject: RE: BS: Cancelling a broadband deal by 'phone!
From: GUEST,bonzo3legs
Date: 02 Sep 10 - 03:41 PM

Been with BT for years, very fast for general surfing but max of 285Kbps for bittorrent compared with up to 1275kbps from another "unsecured" network. Other than having to talk to India when something goes wrong - not the easiest accent to follow, although infinitely more polite than your average South London oik!!!!!

Subject: RE: BS: Cancelling a broadband deal by 'phone!
From: GUEST,Bonzo3legs
Date: 02 Sep 10 - 03:44 PM

More than I can say for 6th floor wifi reception from Telefonica at €12 per day in our Playa San Juan hotel in Spain!

Subject: RE: BS: Cancelling a broadband deal by 'phone!
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 02 Sep 10 - 07:20 PM

He really needed names and numbers.

You could have made up a name and number - he'd have got his bit towards his quota, and the company would have been screwed. A win win situation.