Auditel Consultant:
Simon Beechinor

Do they think we’ll just give up and go away?

05 Mar 2010 | Filed under: Poor Service

I have a new client who takes his electricity from British Gas. Unhappily at the beginning of the year he was rolled over on to a new contract without his being aware that the contract was up for renewal…(don’t ask … that is another story). The client has asked me to get the new terms and conditions along with details of the rates he is required to pay from British Gas.

So far I have made four, perhaps five, phone calls and sent one email. The automatic responder from the email told me I would have to wait 12 working days for a reply, but if we had an account manager we would have a reply within 10 working days….we have not had a reply from either. Twelve working days to reply to an email…?

The four phone calls have resulted in my talking with several nice people who assured me that everything is in hand and (eventually) that the client would definitely hear within 15 days …. why so long, and why could they not deal with the issue themselves? Ah, well that is because it is a different department that deals with these things…

Well, the 15 days were up a little while ago and still the client has heard nothing – this is not just customer service, this must be British Gas customer service … and remember too, this is customer service from a company that (apparently) operates in a competitive environment – which perhaps says something about the industry they operate in…

My client is muttering about moving to North Korea…but my point is, will I look silly if I should recommend to my client in the future that they take their supply from British Gas? It puts me in a very difficult spot doesn’t it?