British Gas customer service

[TimberWolf]

I phoned British Gas this morning to order some info about their HomeCare package for my Mothers new Gas boiler. I got the HomeCare telephone number from the Internet and then proceeded to listen to their music/advertising for over half an hour. Guy on the other end said they "we don't really send out details in the post" and tried to give the prices over the phone. [Wanting commission?] I said we'd like printed details please. He [Abdul] said he couldn't find her address details but will pass the request on. Unconvinced I said, OK please do so and left it at that wondering whether she'd ever get them. 1 minute later he phones back to say he has found her address after all and will send out the details. I say thanks again. 10 minutes later he phones back and asks for Mr Barker (that's not me). I recognise his voice and say, is that you Abdul. He says yes and apologises, he says he is using ring back and the last callers number wasn't stored. He says he will send out the information.

Customer service really is top-notch in the UK.

[DiscoStu]

Can we get an oxymoron smiley? I think British Gas customer service would be the perfect opportunity to use it.

[Moscow Mule]

Customer service really is top-notch in the UK.

Bangalore

[DimPrawn]

I phoned British Gas this morning to order some info about their HomeCare package for my Mothers new Gas boiler. I got the HomeCare telephone number from the Internet and then proceeded to listen to their music/advertising for over half an hour. Guy on the other end said they "we don't really send out details in the post" and tried to give the prices over the phone. [Wanting commission?] I said we'd like printed details please. He [Abdul] said he couldn't find her address details but will pass the request on. Unconvinced I said, OK please do so and left it at that wondering whether she'd ever get them. 1 minute later he phones back to say he has found her address after all and will send out the details. I say thanks again. 10 minutes later he phones back and asks for Mr Barker (that's not me). I recognise his voice and say, is that you Abdul. He says yes and apologises, he says he is using ring back and the last callers number wasn't stored. He says he will send out the information.

Customer service really is top-notch in the UK.

Are you going to sign up?

I'd suggest just sticking the money in a high interest account and then paying for a heating engineer IF you ever need one.

[TimberWolf]

Are you going to sign up?

I'd suggest just sticking the money in a high interest account and then paying for a heating engineer IF you ever need one.

It's not me, it me Mother. I don't have my gas boiler serviced at all She wants the peace of mind and the new boiler is plumbed into some ancient pipework. She had a lot of trouble with it directly after it was installed (a water leak) and air was getting into the system for some time too. They (BG) failed to diagnose or rectify this fault in three visits (the competence levels of people supposedly experts in their field beggars belief, considering this is what they do it day in day out), until I phoned them to tell them to sort it out.

[chicane]

Are you going to sign up?

I'd suggest just sticking the money in a high interest account and then paying for a heating engineer IF you ever need one.

It's pretty good if you have a crap boiler - we get British Gas out every 3-4 months to sort out our boiler. I'm sure it's significantly cheaper than it would have been without the insurance.

[DaveB]

Are you going to sign up?

I'd suggest just sticking the money in a high interest account and then paying for a heating engineer IF you ever need one.

IF you can get one when you need them. I belive part of the package is a guarentee to turn up the next day regardless.

Corgi registered fitters are far harder to get than you average Polish plimber.

[lilelvis2000]

[snip]
Customer service really is top-notch in the UK.

You've had customer service in the UK? Well I never...

[foritisme]

We nearly signed up for a maintenance package with British Gas a few years ago. A guy came own to do the first inspection. Found a few faults - turned the gas off and was about to leave. Asked why he wasn't fixing the faults - not his job, he just does the inspection. Had to sort our own repairs out before they would swithc the gas back on, then British Gas would then be happy to sign us up and maintain it !!!

Sorted the problems out with a local plumber - and have him around once a year to give it a quick look over. Much cheaper than British Gas too !

Still get British Gas ringing up opening to sign us up

[Ardesco]

It's not me, it me Mother. I don't have my gas boiler serviced at all She wants the peace of mind and the new boiler is plumbed into some ancient pipework. She had a lot of trouble with it directly after it was installed (a water leak) and air was getting into the system for some time too. They (BG) failed to diagnose or rectify this fault in three visits (the competence levels of people supposedly experts in their field beggars belief, considering this is what they do it day in day out), until I phoned them to tell them to sort it out.

Bear in mind that CORGI do not check British Gas installers quality of work, British Gas do it internally themselves due to a sweet little deal they set up with CORGI when gas installer accreditation started.

This means that your average british gas installer has not had CORGI vet him before he has been given all his credentials and will not be vetted by CORGI unless a customer complains to CORGI about the standard of work he has given them.

I would suggest that British Gas' internal procedures are not quite as rigorous as CORGI's and I wouldn't have a guy in a british gas van come round and work on my boiler. Thankfully British gas subcontract quite a lot of work out to local CORGI registered people and they are generally tulip hot. You just have to hope the guy turning up isn't driving a British Gas van......