nPower - I blame Mark A

[Steve Maskery]

I have a long-running dispute with nPower that dates back to when I moved in, 19 months ago. I have phoned about it before. Many times before. Many, many times before.

So when the latest correspondence dropped through the door this morning I psyched myself up and decided to have another go.

After about 30 mins or so of what was actually a fairly productive conversation, I was transferred to a "colleague".

"I'll just pop you on hold"

1h 36m 5s and counting.

And the "music" is too loud and doing my head in.

"Thanks for waiting. We haven't forgotten about you and we'll help you as fast as we can".

At least it's an 0800 number to a UK call centre, so I suppose I should be grateful for that.

 

[Random Orbital Bob]

Time to threaten to write to the regulator Steve. I've had 3 similar disputes all with Utilities (different ones) over the years. In each case they had wronged my household to my cost but wouldn't own up to it. In the end I wrote first to the CEO (name garnered from their website) and on 2 occasions that elicited the resolution, on one occasion I wrote to their complaints process folks threatening the ombudsman if I didn't get a resolution. That drove out the third. So I never actually had to go to the ombudsman in the end. The Utilities definitely don't like regulator level complaints and you should use that as a lever to your advantage.

 

[Steve Maskery]

I've rung off, I just couldn't stand it any more.

That's 2h of my life I'll never get back.

 

[SPSlick]

Had problems with them myself. If you want to go straight to the top

NPower

Mr Paul Massara Chief Executive

Email [email protected]
Telephone 01793 877777
Switchboard 01793 877777
Fax 01793 892525

 

[Mark A]

Hi Steve,

Do you have a smartphone?

If so, download an app called WEQ4U. It's fantastic.

It requires WiFi/mobile internet (H+ or 4G) to work.

Dial any 08** number using the app, proceed through the call options as usual and when you hear the dreaded words 'all our agents are busy' press 9* (star). The call disconnects your end but the app is still queuing for you.

When the call centre is available the phone reconnects automatically and you can hear the person on the other end saying 'hello?...hello?'

Apart from sparing you the torture of listening to crappy crackly music, the app searches its database for alternative numbers so the calls are completely free.

It's saved me about £35 just this past week alone.

One little point to note - once you have used the 9* queing option it isn't available again during the call, so if you're transferred it doesn't work.


HTH

Mark A :lol:

 

[Steve Maskery]

Hi Mark
Thanks for that. In this particular case the cost of the call is not the issue, it's an 0800 and I'm using my landline, but what does my time cost? 2h is a quarter of a day, £50 of any tradesman's time and £100 for many.
And as for the "music" it's musak and the same 16 bars in a loop. Torture.

 

[RogerS]

nPower are at the top of the list of cr*p Customer Service. They garner more complaints than any other electric company. You have my sympathies. Write to the CEO. It will get passed to a dedicated team that deal with letters sent to the board re complaints.