For help, advice and discussion about stuff not related to aviation. Play nice: no religion, no politics and no axe grinding please.
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By Propped-up
FLYER Club Member  FLYER Club Member
#227975
Talk about call centres I spoke to about 6 different BTones in one afternoon trying to get my line put in for my new property. Spend at least 5 hours on the phone trying to sort it out. In the old days you used to call BT and they would connect you that same day. Now its going to take just over a month. Great. Wish I could get cable.
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By Indigo
#227978
Propped-up wrote:Wish I could get cable.


No you dont... last time i called my cable company i was put on hold for 45 minutes before i even got to the automated menu, I selected the service i wanted at which point a recording told me that department was closed for the day and to leave a message, it then redirected me to an answering phone that told me again the department was closed and to leave a message, before dropping me without having the chance to leave a message :roll:
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By mancpilot
#228155
Flyin'Dutch' wrote:Guy called the other day to offer me to switch to TalkTalk for a better deal.

Last year, I went into the Carphone Whorehouse to buy an
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By eyestotheskies
#228180
Indigo wrote:
Propped-up wrote:Wish I could get cable.


No you dont... last time i called my cable company i was put on hold for 45 minutes ......:roll:


If it's the certain national three letter acronym cable supplier, then I've recently dumped them and gone to Sky. I know Murdoch has his critics, but the increased features, (same price) and really helpful people on the end of the phone when I ring up has convinced me that I should have switched years ago. I dropped their cable broadband service because they screwed me around, but expected me to carry on paying (when I didn't have a service :evil: ). Now we're down to the phone only, and it's only a matter of time before that gets switched as well. I'll even get broadband back as well :lol:
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By David Williams
#228218
eyestotheskies wrote:Sky...... really helpful people on the end of the phone

I had no idea there were two companies called "Sky". I appear to be with the one that doesn't have the helpful people on the phone. :roll:
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By David Williams
#228240
rustle wrote:Ah. It sounds like someone has received the super software "upgrade" that has totally rooted live pause and instant replay ;)

Strangely, I don't get that problem. But I'm truly hacked off entering my PIN to view 12- or 15-rated films before 8 o'clock (despite having turned the parental control stuff off). I even have to enter it to listen to old recordings of I'm Sorry I Haven't a Clue. :roll:


But stop press! It appears Sky may actually have listened to the chorus of complaints. Let's hope they get it right this time! :pray:
By Colonel Panic
#1530883
The fixed price tariff on one of my electricity accounts is due to expire shortly so armed with the info provided by the current supplier (nPower) I headed off to the uSwitch website. Both are as clear as mud :evil: :evil: :evil:

The "savings" heralded by uSwitch are pure fantasy, and the letter from nPower was full of guff but failed to give me the key data that I needed to make a valid choice. The whole thing is not fit for purpose... :roll:
By cockney steve
FLYER Club Member  FLYER Club Member
#1530909
Gas billed by BG (yes, I know I should switch!-inertia! ) I make them wait for payment. Invariably a call from an Indian call-centre,claiming to be BG.


Oh! what jolly japes , trying to get them to find a method of verifying who they are, which they quickly realise is impossible........finally they get a choice...."I've been with BG since 1975.....close the account, which, if you're really, really BG, you can do !!!!
If BG really want to contact me, they have my address, they can write, not make unsolicited call centre phone -calls, claiming to be BG,with no proof"

Usually leaves them totally confused. :)
By riverrock
FLYER Club Member  FLYER Club Member
#1530940
Colonel Panic wrote:The fixed price tariff on one of my electricity accounts is due to expire shortly so armed with the info provided by the current supplier (nPower) I headed off to the uSwitch website. Both are as clear as mud :evil: :evil: :evil:

The "savings" heralded by uSwitch are pure fantasy, and the letter from nPower was full of guff but failed to give me the key data that I needed to make a valid choice. The whole thing is not fit for purpose... :roll:

NPower (as do all suppliers) will give you a yearly statement showing you your energy use for the year in kWh.
You should know your post code.
You plug those two pieces of information into the website and it gives you the cheapest tariff available.

What info were you missing?

BTW - uSwitch is owned by the property website Zoopla (which is a PLC on the LSE)
By riverrock
FLYER Club Member  FLYER Club Member
#1530941
Flyin'Dutch' wrote:Uswitch is paid by a few of the big 6 innit?

uSwitch has switching contracts with some suppliers, so get money which you switch to them - can't remember if that gives them a higher rank on the comparison list - but it has to be obvious if it does (as per OFGEM rules).
By Colonel Panic
#1530942
I know my postcode (its been the same for 26 years).
I know my use (977 KWh pa, recorded each month).
I know what I have been paying.

But uSwitch seem pre-destined to muddy the waters re: comparing future deals with Standard Variable Rates (SVRs) rather than comparing them to what I have been paying. For example, if I have been paying £14 pcm on a fixed tarif and if I do nothing I would roll over to a SVR of (say) £20 pcm, then the new mega deal offered at £18 pcm is NOT a £2 pcm saving, it is a £4 pcm rise!!! :roll:


It was extremely difficult to find what the /KWh rates or the daily standing charges are. All they want to give is a TCR which for the life of me seems as useful as a chocolate teapot.

Anyhow, I ditched uSwitch and used MoneySavingExpert's Cheap Energy Club & I have now signed up with Octopus Energy - never heard of them, but the deal seems OK.
By riverrock
FLYER Club Member  FLYER Club Member
#1530944
You should select your current tariff during the start of the process on the website. If it isn't active any more (so your already on SVR tariff) then you would be saving from what you are currently on - but I'm sure you're able to do the "per month" maths yourself anyway.

TCR is useful as it combines standing charge (per day) and per unit charges. But its only useful if you are an entirely average customer. If you have your actual usage you should ignore TCRs as you've done. Personally - I think they are pointless and confuse people - as pretty much noone is truly "average". Apparently OFGEM feel differently, so are now supposed to be prominent on bills. Unfortunately - its the government to blame rather than the energy companies on this one.

The standard charge / ppu will be in the costs section of your bill. Remember to add the VAT.