Force9 / Plusnet problems
SHW
unhappy regarding Force9 / Plusnet, who were refusing to refund my
activation fee and 9 days of "service" charges, after I cancelled my order
with them under the terms of the Consumer Protection (Distance Selling)
Regulations 2000 - Cooling Off Period, I thought you might like to know I
got a full refund from them.
Force9 / Plusnet initially refused to pay back the activation fee they had
paid to BT. They refunded me after they were contacted on my behalf by the
PC Pro magazine Helping Hand advisor, who is publishing an article regarding
my case in the September issue. It transpires that Force9 / Plusnet got the
money back from BT for my activation fee. I am not quite sure at what point
Force9 / Plusnet were refunded by BT and whether it is standard practice to
request such a refund from BT?
Anyway, at the end of the day, I got my money back and learned a valuable
lesson. A lesson which will now be passed on to many others via the
magazine, so hopefully others will learn from my mistake.
All I can say is that if the idea of the Consumer Protection (Distance
Selling) Regulations 2000 and in particular the Seven Day Cooling Off Period
clause, was to allow consumers to change their mind about stuff ordered via
the Internet or Mail Order without suffering financial penalty, then it is
not working!
Paul
·.¸¸.·´¯`Wango´¯`·.¸¸.·
news:3efef...@mk-nntp-2.news.uk.tiscali.com...
-snip-
They refunded me after they were contacted on my behalf by the
> PC Pro magazine Helping Hand advisor, who is publishing an article
regarding
> my case in the September issue.
Ooh, I'll buy that then ;-)
wango
Jaime
But the 7 day is for goods (IANAL, & IIRC) wheras the cooling off period for
services expires once the service has begun. This has been discussed in
previous threads.
Why did you decide you didnt want the service btw? Or did you just change
your mind (in which case I have no sympathy for you).
Jaime
SHW
"Jaime" <use...@jaimem.org.uk> wrote
> But the 7 day is for goods (IANAL, & IIRC) wheras the cooling off period
for
> services expires once the service has begun. This has been discussed in
> previous threads.
>
I am not going to go in to all this again. Buy the September issue of PC
Pro!
> Why did you decide you didn't want the service btw? Or did you just change
> your mind (in which case I have no sympathy for you).
>
Did I say I was looking for your sympathy? What part of "I got a full refund
from them" didn't you understand?
I decided to cancel the order as I was already a Force9 / Plusnet customer
at my previous address, and they gave me so much hassle as a customer then,
and with cancelling the old account, AND with getting the new account set
up, I just decided enough was enough! I should have known better than to go
with them again, but they were cheap. I now realise you get what you pay
for!
Their hard nosed attitude lost them a customer, the good will of many and
brought them much bad publicity.
I will say again that the basic level of service and the tech support of
Force9 / Plusnet are good, but their accounts and administrative staff have
shown themselves to be incompetent in dealings with myself, hard nosed and
arrogant. They let the company down.
Paul
SHW
"·.¸¸.·´¯`Wango´¯`·.¸¸.·" wrote
> > PC Pro magazine Helping Hand advisor, who is publishing an article
> regarding
> > my case in the September issue.
> -snip-
>
> Ooh, I'll buy that then ;-)
>
> wango
>
:0)
Perhaps you could add something to the matters raised in their letters
pages?
Paul
ferg
> I will say again that the basic level of service and the tech support of
> Force9 / Plusnet are good, but their accounts and administrative staff
have
> shown themselves to be incompetent in dealings with myself, hard nosed and
> arrogant. They let the company down.
>
> Paul
>
couldnt resolve my problems hence im glad to be shot of them next week :)
ferg
SHW
"ferg" <> wrote >
> i agree mate with the added mention i found plusnet support useless and
> couldnt resolve my problems hence im glad to be shot of them next week :)
>
> ferg
>
I suppose I should qualify my comment. At one point my 12 year old nephew
solved a problem that had Force9 / Plusnet tech support staff stumped, but
then who hasn't had a smart arse 12 year old out smart them when it comes to
hi tech!?
No, In fact I would say that Force9 / Plusnet has one really good member of
staff who I have encountered, that person being Mike Grice who monitors this
NG. I still feel he has been given the task of monitoring this NG as a
damage limitation effort because he knows his stuff so well. I hope to hear
soon that Mike has moved on to pastures new where his qualities will be
properly appreciated, as I cannot imagine Force9 / Plusnet showing him the
appreciation he deserves.
Paul
Jik Ronson
happy and satisfied post back.
Out of curiosity was this fault fixed by a "12 year old" a plusnet issue or
an issue with your own equipment or settings?
"SHW" <sexyhou...@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:3f00a...@mk-nntp-2.news.uk.tiscali.com...
SHW
"Jik Ronson" <boooo...@bounce.com> wrote e9.net...
> I guess for every one that has a problem we don't see the thosands who are
> happy and satisfied post back.
>
> Out of curiosity was this fault fixed by a "12 year old" a plusnet issue
or
> an issue with your own equipment or settings?
>
I've been through all this in long and sometimes very heated exchanges here
on this NG and I am not about to get back into it all again.
All I will say is that for my part, I like to give credit where it is due
and it was for this reason, that the first posts I ever made here regarding
Force9 / Plusnet were positive ones, indeed encouraging people to use them
and giving details of how to do so avoiding the "pitfalls" I had
encountered. Then I got a taste of what Force9 / Plusnet really thought of
it's customers and my attitude towards them changed. Just as I had posted
how happy I was with them, so I posted how unhappy I had become with them.
Indeed, my posts were apologies to those who had taken me up on my
recommendation and signed up with them.
WRT the problem, it was a Force9 / Plusnet problem regarding NG settings.
Paul
Jik Ronson
>
> WRT the problem, it was a Force9 / Plusnet problem regarding NG settings.
In what sense - I am curious. I have had flawless NG feed from Plusnet with
no set up troubles at all. I'd like to know what your issue was and what
plusnet altered on their news server to make it work for you.
Don't think Im saying plusnet are perfect - thier bedside manor could use a
litle polishing. Then place them against people like Fasthosts and the 'I
can read from a troubleshooting script at £1 per minute' type ISP's and I
think on balance I'm quite happy.
Buzz
but I must agree with Jik on this, I have had nothing but first class
service from F9/Plusnet since I joined them. Admittedly there are times
when some of the front line TS bods seem to be reading from a manual of
problems, but overall, I have no complaints. And as for usenet/ng feeds
and settings, is SHW absolutely sure it was a F(/Plusnet problem, not a
problem with a driver? (the driver located 18" in front of the monitor.)
--
Jest Buzzin around!
www.komputers4kids.co.uk recycle old computers for the children
www.goldenagecomputing.co.uk Recycle old copmputers for the seniors
http://free-n-easy.org.uk Fantastic forums with a family feel
http://revdaveb.force9.co.uk/nuke/index.php Trying out on my own server
Old Codger
"Buzz" <Bu...@thehive.com> wrote in message
news:MPG.196d0cff3...@news.force9.net...
> Jest Buzzin around!
Another RHA miscreant migrated to plusnet?
--
Old Codger
e-mail use reply to field
Buzz
runner with all the subs! :)
SHW
"Buzz" > wrote
> SHW absolutely sure it was a F(/Plusnet problem, not a
> problem with a driver? (the driver located 18" in front of the monitor.)
In answer to yourself and Jik, it makes absolutely no difference what the
problem was, nor who caused it. The point is it was a simple enough problem
for a 12 year old to solve, yet it out-foxed Force9 / Plusnet Tech Support.
You are also missing the point that I was making, that being that I feel
Force9 / Plusnet Tech Support id generally good and this was something of a
one off lapse.
WRT your comment 'a problem with a driver? (the driver located 18" in front
of the monitor.)"... Given that I was asking for Tech Support help with the
matter, clearly there was a problem with the 'driver'...what is you point? I
think you are like one of those twats who sit in the audience on daytime TV
chat shows and get up to say something totally irrelevant just to feel
involved! Sad really!
Given the way you put your point, it is also clear you are another of these
lowlife scum who loves to hide away behind his computer and make derogatory
personal comments about people he has never met, and would not have the
courage to say 'boo' to if he did!
Paul
Buzz on Lappy
to read the quote you made properly, you would see that i was asking if
perhaps it could have been user error, and in answer to part of your
unreasoned tirade, of course it makes a difference if it is user or ISP
error. The guys at TS are responding to peoples problems by the hundred,
on a daily if not hourly basis. They depend not only on the knowledge
base they have there, but also the callers description of the problem.
If, on phoning you launched into them as you launched into me, then it
seems pretty clear that they could not resolve the problem because they
has difficulty actually understanding the problem.
And as a final point, before I drop the topic as it is clearly a waste
of time discussing it with you, and slightly tongue in cheek, if as you
say a 12 year old could resolve what was a moderately simple problem,
and TS could not, thus gaining your anger, why the hell couldn't YOU
solve it? or are you now claiming to be a user with no skills in the
problem solving area?
As a matter of interest, I was told by someone on a tech support
service, (not F9/Plusnet) that 88% are actually problems that were
caused by or could be resolved by users actually reading/following the
documentation/instructions.
I am now leaving this discussion, it has reached its logical conclusion.
Although I am sure you will attempt to continue it so that you can have
another go at me and also run down the TS bods, who on the whole, do an
excellent job!
--
For Fun, Friends, fishwives, Tarts and a couple of Revs
http://www.free-n-easy.org.uk
For those that use the PC as a lifeline and contact point
http://revdaveb.force9.co.uk/forums/index.php
Old Codger
> When I buzzed out of the hive I heard
oldc...@anywhere.net say...
> >
> > "Buzz" <Bu...@thehive.com> wrote in message
> > news:MPG.196d0cff3...@news.force9.net...
> >
> > > Jest Buzzin around!
> >
> > Another RHA miscreant migrated to plusnet?
> >
> > --
> > Old Codger
> > e-mail use reply to field
> >
> >
> >
> well spotted sir, but this time I didnt join an ISP only
for it to do a
> runner with all the subs! :)
You buzzed around a few dodgy ones on the way here though,
didn't you
Old Codger
I think you are jumping to conclusions too quickly and
thereby being unfair to Buzz. Although he is new to this
group he has been around for quite some time, our paths
crossed some time ago. If he thought he could help he would
be amongst the first to offer. A sensible response to his
comment might have given you a different opinion of him.
Buzz
> didn't you
>
from AOL, They are still going suprisingly enough)
Jonathan Buzzard
Buzz on Lappy <da...@nospam.revdave.force9.co.uk> writes:
[SNIP]
>
> As a matter of interest, I was told by someone on a tech support
> service, (not F9/Plusnet) that 88% are actually problems that were
> caused by or could be resolved by users actually reading/following the
> documentation/instructions.
Only 88%, I would have thought it would be higher.
JAB.
--
Jonathan A. Buzzard Email: jonathan at buzzard.me.uk
Northumberland, United Kingdom. Tel: +44 1661-832195
SHW
"Buzz on Lappy" wrote
> oh dear! could someone pick up his rattle for him? I think if you were
> to read the quote you made properly, you would see that i was asking if
> perhaps it could have been user error, and in answer to part of your
> unreasoned tirade,
Fair comment..please accept my apology, it was on the whole uncalled for.
> of course it makes a difference if it is user or ISP
> error. The guys at TS are responding to peoples
> problems by the hundred,
> on a daily if not hourly basis.
I disagree. Any ISP worth it's salt should have tech support staff who can
help their users with the setup of such essentials as Email clients.
They depend not only on the knowledge
> base they have there, but also the callers description of the problem. If,
on phoning you launched into them as you launched into me, then it
> seems pretty clear that they could not resolve the problem because they
> has difficulty actually understanding the problem.
>
I did not phone, I used the online portal to paste the problem in text
including error message / error number and what I did up to the error
occuring.
> And as a final point, before I drop the topic as it is clearly a waste
> of time discussing it with you,
I completely agree. If you read my reply above to Jaime on 30/06/03 you will
see I have been trying to drop the issue since then, hence my shortness with
you, for which I once again apologise.
> and slightly tongue in cheek, if as you
> say a 12 year old could resolve what was a moderately simple problem,
> and TS could not, thus gaining your anger, why the hell couldn't YOU
> solve it?
I did make that quite clear. I do not pretend to be an expert in any way,
shape or form. I agreed with you in my reply above in that I said it clearly
was a "driver" problem. It was that rather patronising description which
caused me to react more than anything.
> or are you now claiming to be a user with no skills in the
> problem solving area?
>
Yes.
> As a matter of interest, I was told by someone on a tech support
> service, (not F9/Plusnet) that 88% are actually problems that were
> caused by or could be resolved by users actually reading/following the
> documentation/instructions.
>
Frankly, that sounds like a wild statical claim for which you have given no
real evidence, and which sounds rather on the high side to me, but I won't
challenge it for the sake of brevity.
> I am now leaving this discussion, it has reached its logical conclusion.
Thank God for that! ;0)
> Although I am sure you will attempt to continue it so that you can have
> another go at me and also run down the TS bods, who on the whole, do an
> excellent job!
> --
Again, please READ my posts and you will see I agree whole heartedly with
you on that. As I said, that incident was just an aside and I made it clear
this was an exception to the rule.
SHW
"Old Codger" wrote
A sensible response to his
> comment might have given you a different opinion of him.
And perhaps a sensible response to my comments instead of that patronising
'driver' problem mularky might have given me a different opinion of him. I
have apologised for the way I responded and hopefuly Buzz and I can get off
to a better start in the future!
Paul
Buzz
> Again, please READ my posts and you will see I agree whole heartedly with
> you on that. As I said, that incident was just an aside and I made it clear
> this was an exception to the rule.
>
Hi Paul, I am Buzz :)
Old Codger
You probably will, I don't think he holds a grudge. I see
he has responded to your last post.
SHW
"Buzz" wrote
> Hi Paul, I am Buzz :)
> --
Hi Buzz, nice to meet you mate! ;0)
Off to Tenerife for a week so won't be able to reply for a while. Look
forward to 'chatting' when I return.
;0)
Cheers
Paul
Graham Murray
> I disagree. Any ISP worth it's salt should have tech support staff who can
> help their users with the setup of such essentials as Email clients.
They may have staff who *can* help users set up an email client, but
*should* they be doing so? You would not expect BT customer service
to help a customer set up their answering machine or the BBC to help
you set up your VCR, so why should people expect an ISP to help set
up PC applications?
Jik Ronson
run by people who ain't perfect.
Ive had minor problems with plusnet - but in fairness, the 3 minor problems
were all my own doing. I think the tech guys - who if you speak to them on
the phone seem reasonable and helpful enough, assume all the basic kid-proof
errors are checked as per all the FAQ guides etc, and it must be frustrating
to have to weed out lots of calls for help that actually bothering to read
the documentation would cure.
I'm no stranger to rude, angry customers. I work for BT. (OK son - put the
gun down). Some times they have good cause to be rude and angry - yet Ive
never found a customer who my firm have actually cocked around, to be rude
and angry. On the other hand, Ive found plenty who scream and shout loud
when the fault has been user error.
What makes people like this? I don't know. Today - for example (a bit off
track perhaps) I encountered>
1) "Your fucking firm is useless - what centurary do you call this. I bet
you go to work with a paper bag on your head working for BT. When are we
actually going to get broadband here?"
- Answer "Both of your neighbours have it - have you actually tried ordering
it?"
....SILENCE...."You're still a bunch of wankers, look at the state of the
pavement here where you've had it dug up."
-Answer - That was so we could get the broadband to your neighbours"
.....SILENCE 'Oh fuck off, I'll switch to NTL if they ever get cables here"
Answer - "They have". Door slams in face......
Customer charged £55.00 for visit - job complete, "Customer refused Access".
2) Customer has been waiting since February for 2 lines - has NO phone
service. Arrived today to find still not complete. ME:> "It's been a few
months and still nothing?"
ANSWER> "No, it's been very difficult to get by - but I've read the stuff
you left me last time and I understand why it has taken so long - they say
another 2 weeks to close the road to lay a new cable".
Customer nice, pleasant although obviously been messed around. Result:
"I notice the waterboard have the road closed this weekend to dig in a
pipe - I'll nip in and pull a cable in to get you working tommorow"
-1- You catch more bee's with honey than you do vinegar
-2- If the answer is nearby that resolves your troubles don't blame someone
else for pointing it out.
Im sad that the chap felt let down by Plusnet. I've used their online FAQ
for setting up newsreader software and had no trouble. It would be much more
useful to let them know where you had trouble or how they could improve
their guide - not just slate them for being unhelpful when the answer was
always already there.