I was contacted recently by BT Local Business (Bedford) Home Counties as regards upgrade to digital line at my home and office. I understood from Adam Sayers at BT Local Business that the upgrade was required due to the existing analogue lines been disconnected. The installation of the digital line went okay with equipment delivered in time for the engineers visit to install. However the installation at my office has been a complete farce in that a new router was not ordered and sent out for the engineer to install!
My Agreement in placing the order for the service upgrade to digital line was with BT Local Business and this was arranged by Adam Sayers acting, as I now understand, on behalf of BT Business. I would have hoped that the name BT Local Business would mean that the upgrade would be handled by the local Bedford office, but oh no!
Apparently, as I have now found out, once the business has been signed-up by the BT Local Business agent (Adam Sayers) the job is then 'handed off' to an overseas call centre based in India for them to arrange delivery of the equipment and arrange installation of the equipment! The persons in India clearly try their best, however unfortunately the new router required to complete the installation was not ordered and sent out ready for the engineers visit to my office.
The engineer turned up at my office to install the equipment as arranged and once he had connected his tester equipment to the line, he disappeared down the road to the 'exchange box' to do the line change-over. On his return he set up the new telephone, connecting it to the existing BT router which he found did not work. He called 'technical assistance' to be told there should have been a new router for the digital upgrade! Having spoken to someone else the engineer confirmed with me that a new router had not been ordered! The person on the telephone with the engineer confirmed that he had now placed the order and a new router would be sent out to my home address.
The engineer then went back to the 'exchange box' to re-instate the old line. On his return to my office he then re-connect the old telephone and to say that a second visit by an engineer would be required to complete the installation !
When I received the new router, I confirmed this with Molly Foster at BT Local Business for them to arrange for the second engineers visit, however I was then informed that I would be charged for the engineers second visit!
Further to e-mail exchange with Molly Foster at BT Local Business I made a Complaint as to how the installation has been mis-handled by BT Local Business to be told it was not down to them to order the equipment and arrange the engineers visit!
It is all well and good BT Local Business 'wiping their hands of the situation' and 'passing the buck' to the persons at the BT overseas call centre by saying it is their mistake however my Agreement is with BT Local Business.
Following further of exchange of e-mails and texts from persons at the BT call centre, I had a call from Daniel Joseph at the overseas call centre (Complaint manager) and following a discussion with his manger, he confirmed there will be no charge for the second visit. However, I did explain to him there was still the matter of my 'counter-charge' for my time (two and half hours to date) spent in e-mails, telephone calls etc in trying to resolve the problems associated with the upgrade to digital line and none-delivery of the new router.
I have e-mailed BT Local Business to ask them what they are to do as regards the counter-charge in respect of my time spent in following up on the '**bleep**-up' and mis-handling of the installation of the digital line, something over which I have had no say or control.
Please could someone at BT Business Forum provide advice as to how to pursue the claim for Compensation.
Best regards
John Thornton
