Bell Canada Customer Service
by Marie
(Ontario, Canada)
Where do I start!!!!
I have been a customer service rep for over 35 years, and how funny it may be I was trained by Bell. I have also been on many courses since then.
It is sad to say that I have not received good customer service myself since 1986.
I have high standards and since I was trained at a time the customers were never wrong and when companies did anything to keep customers happy and for them to stay with them. Nowadays in this throw away world, companies throw away customers too.
Alot of companies just think that they will replace them with new. I am a person who is stuck with Bell Canada, I live in the country so I have to use expressVu for Tv, cell and telephone line because I must use dial up. I dread anytime I have to call them but since August 4-2007 I have spent over 12 hours on calls, spoke to 8 different reps, 1 supervisor, 2 second level, 3 3rd level and who knows who else and guess what--I GET NO WHERE!!!
This all stared when I need to hook up my second receiver for my TV. I was told that all I had to do was hook it up and call in to activate. This took 8 hours in two days and me in tears.
When I called in I got a rep who was new and should have not been on his own. I told him that I wanted to have my 3100 receiver activated so he took the information, put me on hold and then came back and asked me again what I wanted... again I explained. I knew he was new because he did not understand what I was saying and all he did was repeat something like this...
"Ok, please plug it in..." (already done)
"Please push power to turn on..." (already done)
I told him that all this was done when I first called all I need was to give the system info for him to activate, but he kept reading off the hook-up requirements, one by one. Finally he said to turn off the unit and wait two hours. Six hours later still not done, so I called again and of course got someone else who then I had to explain everything again and then listen to them read the hook-up procedures, one by one...
They do not care if this is done already they want you to start from the beginning and they do not listen to what you say. They then told me to go into menu and do this do that and now they tell me to leave the receiver on, which the last rep said it must be off. They said this is why it does not work and it should in two hours.
I hang up and notice that now my other receiver is not working so I call again, wait in the queue, speak to another rep, who tell me again he will fix my problem. I explained what I called in for, explained that my other receiver was now not working and then he said "is it plugged in?", "Try another outlet", "Check the dish", and on and on.
I tried to tell him that this receiver was fine till they changed something in the programming. They then said that they did not do anything which is correct because they had me do it. I laughed and re-worded it for them. Then it was back to "is it plugged in..."
Needless to say I was not inpressed that I had to again explain everything to another rep. So it was again: in two hours it would work.
Guess what? It did not.
When all this had started I had asked if I needed anything else to have this work, like maybe a cable for the dish they said time and time again NO. Eight hours later, two receivers are not working, I have explained this to I don't know how may reps to get the same do this, do that...
I HAD enough and asked for a supervisor... Hold for another 20 minutes, explained to another person who again made me go step by step though their troubleshooting procures, put on hold and then cut off. Was I mad! Called back and started over from the beginning of my name is, my number is and I will fix your problem. Told them I was speaking to a supervisor by the name of S---, and he cut me off and that he was dealing with my problem and I wanted to be reconnected.
His answer: "I will help you lady", my response: "Just let me speak to S---." Guess what? They cannot get me back to S--- because he works in another office in India... This time I told him to just get this fixed and I want both my receivers to work NOW.
I was mad and I do mean MAD, I started to cry. I had never had to go though anything like this and it was insulting. I have been in the telecommunication industry for 25 years and I am A CSR, which means I deal with customers on the phone and on site, I do all end user training, programming and yes, I can install a system if requried. So please do not speak to me like I am a woman who knows nothing... I knew more then any of the reps I had spoken to.
I found out that the supervisor was the person longest in that department with only 8(!) months of know how.
I have now had enough, just send a Tech out. Which they did and he took one look and said I need a cable, just like I had mentioned to them from the start.
So..... lets look at this--First when I bought the unit I was miss informed, when I called in and after it did not work and I asked if there was anything I needed and they said No, they were wrong again! They have no idea what they are servicing, how it works and they can only read the paper in front of them and they cannot do this correct either.
Now--at the same time I was doing this hook-up I had to get the remote exchanged because the munber 1 was not working
Conversation with Bell rep
- (Me) The "1" on my remote does not work.
- (rep) Are the batteries in right or are they in crooked, open back to check.
- (me) Explained again all other digits work, the "1" does not light up.
- (Rep) Are there batteries in the remote?
- (me) Yes, how could I check them to see if they were in right if there were no batteries in the first place? You are reading your script wrong.
- (rep) Remove batteries and put in new ones.
- (me) The batteries are fine, only the "1" does not work
This kept going on untill 20 minutes later they said I needed a new one, I knew that from the first. Now I have been paying for dish care which means they replace it no charge.
Now another department, explain again. Over an hour later they are going to send me a new one. Of courde when I get it the cover for the batteries are missing. I took the old one off before sending back to them with a note because I cannot deal with them AGAIN!
Now it is Oct. 3rd and guess what, my receiver is dead and I have to call ExpressVu to get a replacement. Called and get a rep and explained the problem and the nightmsre stared again with me explaining the problem and then the said that I was to unplug the unit and hold the power button which of course was wrong because if you unplug it of course holding the button does nothing because it is unplugged but try to tell them this because I am wrong.
Finally they put me through to a 3rd level maintance person who said that my phone number was wrong, that I did not have a contract and they would have to look into it and then I would have to call them back. I had the bill in my hand and it gave the number and shows that I have the contract and I pay for it, do they listen? Of course not!
I am not in the system.
Called again and got someone else, in this time Toronto, who pulled up my file and they can see the number and that I have a contract so they send me over to someone else who then says I am not in the system and they have to look into if I have a contract before they can do anything.
What has happened to customer service?
Why do a Canadian company like Bell have call centers in India?
Why are their employees not trained better and have the knowledge before they answer calls?
Why do we has customers not treated better and have to go through this evey time we call.
It is insulting to be talked to like you know nothing and be called a liar. When you ask to speak to someone's manager and they come back saying that their Manager does not want to take your call and that is just what they told me, what do you do?
Bell Canada is the worst company to deal with and you cannot get anyone who cares to listen to you, There is no one to talk to, send emails to and trust me I have sent many with no response.
I have tried to make this short but there is much, much more then what I have written. I have no idea when and if I will get this issue fixed, but they go on billing me for services that they do not provide. Don't you be late on a payment because they will just cut your service.
Isn't it funny that they have no problem finding your acct. to bill you but can't fnd you in the system to fix your problem. Alexander Bell must be turning in his grave for what has happened to his company.
Companies should not be allowed to have call centers in India because it is cheap labour for them, we don't get a cut in our bill. Greed, greed, greed at the cost to us the ones who pay for sevices.
Marie (One very un happy customer in a who cares world).
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