Contacting BT

[Snowman1950]

Simple question, why can't I email BT with queries?    In an age where email has mostly replaced other forms of communication, if you go to any 'Contact BT' page you have a choice of a telephone number or a land mail address.   I suspect that the mail address is there to put you off since that involves printing (or handwriting) a letter, getting an envelope, going to the post office and paying an extortionate cost of a postage stamp and then waiting weeks for a response.   A telephone call results in what amounts to a sales/marketing exercise rather than any attempt to understand the issues, which again seems to be a means of wearing  you down so you'll put the phone down.

Then suddenly, when you decide to change providers you get plenty of emails and phone calls.   They want to talk to you then.

[chrisjp]

BT seems to be like an increasing number of businesses who are scrapping their secure "contact us" systems and their ability to reply to emails. Often the only way to contact them online is via social media, like Instagram.
It seems they don't want the hassle of replying to pesky customer emails!

[Kimberlin]

It’s probably the case that BT like many other businesses, have neither the time nor the dedicated staff to even look at emails any more.

I’m one of those people who absolutely cannot stand talking to people on the phone any more, especially businesses. That’s why OTS suits me just fine.

I’m not on social media either because it’s utterly diabolical imo.

[chrisjp]

"It’s probably the case that BT like many other businesses, have neither the time nor the dedicated staff to even look at emails any more."
That's true but the reality is that BT and other businesses CHOOSE not to have the time or dedicated staff to look at emails. I think that demonstrates a rather poor attitude to the customers.

[Kimberlin]

I don't even think it's that. I suspect BT can't afford to justify having a large team of people just to exclusively deal with moaning customers 24/7 ?

My energy provider does answer queries by email, but it often takes 5 to 7 working days for them to respond by which time, they might as well have not bothered anyway. It used to be that way with old time snail mail through the Post Office, now it's the same with email, the only difference being, one isn't being fleeced for £2 just to send a letter.

From a personal position, I've only had to contact and complain to BT once in years, and when I made contact by phone about my ONT power adapter failing, Openreach arrived within 24 hours with a brand new adapter and I was back up and running immediately. If I'd tried that with email, I'd probably have been waiting weeks.