Which companies actually want to speak to their customers ?

[Hodgehog]

Inspired by another threat and my own experiences recently where I could not under any circumstances get through or even be allowed to speak to a human (one company after I selected the option played automated messages in regard to one particular service which directed me to their website then hung up on me).

As a result I want to make an effort to use companies that allow you to speak with a person/ don’t have you fart around for 20 minutes selecting various options and listening to recorded messages. Except I don’t know which ones they are !

Which companies have you had good experiences with that are like this or which ones should absolutely be avoided ?

Virgin bad.

MBNA, Santander and Barclays decent enough.

Public sector is the worst for this tbh.

Do not, whatever you do, sign up to SSE for your energy.

It’s virtually impossible to speak to anyone. If you’re persistent enough to track down an arcane number buried on page 10 of google results, and you finally manage it, heir staff in the call centre in South Africa have no power to actually sort out your problem.

Their estimate bills take absolutely zero actual information on your typical usage patterns into account, and they will happily swipe from your bank account money amounting to an estimated 700% increase in your energy consumption on no evidence whatsoever. You’ll find it next to impossible to actually speak to someone about this. Then they’ll refuse to sort it out for a couple of months, before begrudgingly paying it back with no interest or compensation for the 2.5 days of your life you spent on the phone or email, or the stress, or the overdraft charges their theft incurred.

Amazon, they ring you instantly if you go through their website to speak to them about an order. Next is sometimes ok but at other times can be a bit of a wait

EDF are great - really helpful
Thames Water also good but can't actually speak to their engineers so all a bit pointless really
Aviva great
Nationwide great
Direct Line - awful - the guy I spoke to was at home in front of Pointless and thought it hilarious that he couldn't help me

Green Flag.

Plusnet.

Orange. RIP

Another for First Direct - a real human answers after a few rings. No going through any automated system. We switched to them from NatWest (who were shit) about 15 yrs ago and have been really happy with them.

Yet another vote for first direct.

I've always found Halifax pretty good and weirdly I once had to call Netflix and I got a human. Very helpful too.

Clothes-wise, I've called Phase Eight before and got a human and also Bravissimo.

First direct may well be getting my business from the sound of this.

The last time I phoned my bank it took me more than 20 minutes to enter the hold queue due to having to listen to automated messages and press buttons/answer questions to the computer that couldn’t understand me.

Plusnet on both Broadband and Mobile Phone divisions.
Caravan Club Insurance - answer promptly but no longer competitive on price.

John Lewis are great - they recently gave me a free replacement product and a £60 gift voucher after delivering me a mouldy product - got straight through to a senior member of staff and they could not have been nicer about it. Next are good too, which is irritating given the owner is a Brexit and Tory supporting c%#t. And second what PPs have said, those tax dodgers at Amazon have clearly blown the budget on customer service.

John Lewis, Sonos

First direct . Always answer the phone . When I had a fraud issue resolved within 24 hours and they sent me a £25 m and S voucher to buy a bottle of wine!

Fab - First direct ( been with them virtually since they started) amazing customer service
Octopus Energy
Avoid like the plague : 3, vodafone fine until you want to leave theri services 😳

Octopus Energy have always been great. I've not had reason to call many companies, which in itself is often a good sign.

Talk Talk are horrendous. You lose a bit of your soul everytime you inevitably have to call as the product is crap.

Octopus
Ocado (and they recognise you if you call from your registered number so greet you by name)
Lakeland (shame I don’t need anything from them regularly)

The absolute worst imo is BT.
It’s incredible that a major telecommunications company is virtually impossible to speak with on the actual phone…..

First direct

I think somewhere in scotland? Ive had them tell me to hang up so they can call me
Back before. And they did

John Lewis broadband are excellent.

I also have had little reason to call a company but Plusnet are really good.

I’ve had to deal with a lot of financial institutions re POA issues. Absolutely the best was the Halifax who sorted the whole business out in one phone call with digital upload of all docs. Their systems predated COVID.

I’ve had dealings with two arms of Royal London and they have been the worst of the lot.

Most dealings with Santander have been pretty good too.

Good experiences recently:
Sofa.com
RBS
Hargreaves Lansdown
Waitrose

Not great:
Premier inn
Yodel
Argos
Sainsbury’s

First Direct from me too. For a while you had to wait a bit, but that seems to be sorted now. Really helpful and friendly.

Admiral and Ocado - both very good, in my experience