Shocking, service from BT - Trying to upgrade to f...

Question

Probably the worst service I have ever received, and half wish I hadn't got involved with BT; again! 
So 5 months ago, we moved house and started a broadband contract with BT for ADSL broadband. We had problems. I waited in from 1-6pm for an engineer to turn up. No show. Not surprised. Had to then spend ages on the phone to get another appointment booked. I can't fully remember how long this took but it wasn't quick. Anyway, long story short, we got it sorted eventually and have been impressed with the actual broadband service. It has been very reliable and consistent.
Oh no, I forget, we did have a problem with a big drop in speed, this resulted in a lot of phone calls, and was not easy to get sorted, but we did in the end. So… 8/10 for service so far.
It starts here; worst mistake, we decide to upgrade to infinity (which we have to have) to received BT sport through their TV package, incl. ESPN, HD, Eurosport and some documentary channels. Basically all the channels I used to watch on sky before we cancelled their service. Sounded good.
17th Sept 2013 1-6pm - Engineer appointment. 
Guess what? Yep you guessed it… No show. (Just Google BT engineer didn't turn up; a healthy number of hits)! Not surprised, at 5.45PM I called BT to check if the appointment was still booked.
I was assured, a number of times, that they will be with me by 6PM. 15m left, I didn't think so!
I was right, no one turned up; again!
Then it starts… Call after call after call to BT. No one knows what is happening. Admittedly, my partner has been doing the majority of the ringing. We get promised that BT will call back on a certain date. That day comes and we hear nothing. So we call; again! This person then may try and help, but leads us up the garden path and round the block. We are going in circles. They tell us there has been a problem with the exchange. We speak to another person. They say there is no record of this on 'the system'. They tell us someone will call ANOTHER day. No one calls. Honestly, this is going on an on. We have been put through to supervisors, after getting some ridiculous excuses, but still no one is taking hold of our problem/order/situation.
Anyway, we get some good news and all looks hopeful...
Yeah right… we follow the instructions and end up back at step one.
So today I call. I've yet to lose my temper as I don't actually know who to lose it too! But I am getting so fed up with this I'm going to ring the complaints line. Well, there isn't really one, you have to choose technical problems or order problems or whatever to log a complaint.
Before I ring, I look up the number on the internet and that's when I realise the internet has stopped working. The Broadband light is flashing. Here we go!
So I call, she looks at our order and, just like everyone else, doesn't have a clue with what's going on. I explain again and she starts to work out what the problem is. Hurray I'm thinking, we're getting somewhere. She puts me on hold while she speaks to a different dept. Lots of holding. Lots of checking. She come back to me and says someone has prematurely closed the order, this is why the internet has gone off. After 45mins on the phone with her, this one was from the UK, she says that she has put an official stop to it. I have to wait 24hrs, for 'the system' to update and then call another BT number. Excuse me! I HAVE TO CALL. Yes, I do. 
Ok, so are we get somewhere now? I'm hoping so. Anyway, because of 'all the 'load of complete b******' I keep receiving, I decide to call this other number now, just to check the information. This number is for 'Technical support'. Mmmm. Doesn't sound right.
After ages on hold, again, I get through to another BT guy. Takes him a while to get to grips with the situation and then works out what is supposed to be happening. On 'the system' the account is open. So I said, she said it is closed but will take 24hrs to update. He understands this and confirms that this is correct. Good, so I ask him if I have to call him again tomorrow to get this engineer booked out.
He says "NO". I have to call another number and he said guess what? Yes, it is the number from the lady I just spoke to: 'Order management'. 
What the hell?!?!?!?! 
He seems nice and helpful and seems to know what he's talking about so at the moment I'm going with this. Tomorrow I will call and see what happens. If, as he said, the date is too far in advance, then push to speak to a manager to make it happen. Now I appreciate his advice indeed, but come on, why should I even have to call in the first place!!! But, rest assured, I will want an early appointment and I definitely want someone to turn up!
I know I'm rambling on, but this is what the whole scenario is, constant holding, constantly going in circles and I'm writing this to show how bad BT's full service is. People are pleasant on the phone, but not efficient. Nothing is getting done. For christ sake this is a simple upgrade, just send me the modem and the new master phone point and I'll install it my end. I'm an electrician so isn't a problem.
Can anyone tell me why there isn't one person that can take control of my order, liaise with all dept's of BT and sort it out for me? The fact that I have to call another dept is ridiculous after all this palaver!
I'm not happy at all with the level of service from BT, very disappointed and would cancel if I knew it was going to be straightforward!
My rant is ongoing, so we will see what happens tomorrow. No doubt on 'the system' it will say that an engineer turned up but couldn't get in!
Hang on! My partner has just called up from her end! The person she spoke to says what we have been told is half wrong! They are going to call us tomorrow and book an engineer from their dept. What ever dept that is?! 
This is terrible. We deserve some compensation from BT for this. But at the very least, some help! We just need someone to help us!
We are waiting for a call tomorrow. I will keep you updated. My hopes aren't high!
So I tried to post…Of course, I can't because the internet is not working! I'll find another way to get it on. Tethering!
Solved!
Go to Solution.

Answer 1

Wow! What can I say?! Ridiculous!
I am going to keep the commentary flowing on my order, on this post, to let anyone thinking of joining BT, know exactly what they will have to go through when things go wrong. Oh yes, and things certainly can go wrong...
So, I got a call back, 3hrs later than promised, but at least I got a call back!
"What seems to be the problem, Sir?"
WHAT!!!!!!!!!!! You are supposed to be finding out and telling me?!
Yes, it was someone completely different who called me back and I had to go through the whole Sarga again. Dont worry, Im getting used to it!
Why couldn't the same person call me back? Anyway, So back to step one. I get put on hold for 20mins listening to morning mood over and over. He then comes back to me and says "So you have infinity installed but you can't get on the Internet?"
Seriously, 20mins on hold for him to come back and say that! We,ve already been through this 20 mins ago. I talks over me as I start again, in baby language. Off on hold again...
Transfers me to someone else after a colleague has a look with him.
On hold....
Morning mood... Again...
Hello Sir, we seem to have a problem with your order and I'm just reading the notes. Can you hold for a bit?
More than happy too...
45mins so far (at least I'm not paying for this one, as I have been using my mobile previously to call, and 0800 isn't free- No landline phone available)
He comes back on the line....
Yes there is defiantly a problem with your order, he says. (By the way, we,re back in the UK, up north somewhere)
He asks me for the best number to contact me on, again, and says that he is passing it over to a specialist team, called the Akrington team, I think he will take a detailed look through my order with a fine tooth Combe, and DEFINITELY get back to me WITHIN 24 hrs.
Naturally, as you would if you were me, you,ve heard it all before and are taking it with a pinch of salt.
Well I say, this is the last chance. If BT do not get back to me, I will not believe anything else they have to say. I am upgrading from broadband to infinity, seriously, how hard can this be????
If there is a problem with the order, and there are multiple orders open on my account, then find my original upgrade request, with the details of what I ordered, close everything and start afresh!!!! Obviously logic can't be used with "The system"!
So today, again, I have wasted the best part of an afternoon of my life dealing with this rubbish and going in circles.
PEOPLE, PLEASE BEWARE AND THINK TWICE BEFORE JOINING BT. I have never complained on an open forum, I'm the type of person who can't be bothered to, but in this case, I feel I have to otherwise I'm not going to get anywhere.
I'm just hoping the moderators on this forum, who've I've heard good things about, can help me sort this out in the next few days. I know it takes a few days for them to investigate and get back to me, (oh, I wonder why they are so busy? Lol) but I think that's what I'm now relying on, the moderators of this forum.
Rest assured, I will keep this post updated, with good or bad news. I just want to show someone else who hasn't joined BT yet, what they might have to go through...