One of those moving house jobs is ringing around all of your utility companies to let them know you’re moving. There’s gas, electricity, phone, cable TV, TV license, broadband, council tax, banks, credit cards, mobile phones, etc. It’s a long list, and it must be one of the major enquiries that companies receive. So you’d expect them to make it easy for you right?
The worst was probably NTL. You ring the number advertised on the website as the one to use for moving home, but of course it’s just one of their standard numbers. Next, spend 5 minutes answering the automated questions to filter you towards the appropriate department, or so you might think. The guy I spoke to took my details and I explained that I wanted a disconnection. So he had to forward me to someone else. Who then had to send me on to another department. 28 minute phone call. Efficient? No.
The best are the banks and mobile phone companies. It’s dead easy – you just log on to your online account, which is usually a weekly task anyway. Change your personal details, and you’re done. Takes about 5 minutes. Efficient? Yes.
The most innovative was a surprise. I was hunting around the Cardiff County Council website for the most appropriate phone number, and found an online chat interface. So I gave it a go. It connected me directly to a council “agent”, who took my details and gave me all the advice I needed. There was a slight glitch, and I had to reconnect at one stage, but there was no wait involved. Efficient? Not quite as efficient as changing your details directly on the website, but it was very nice to speak immediately and directly to someone knowledgeable.
Most companies have phone queueing systems, and most are similarly annoying. The best was actually Welsh Water. A real live person answered the phone in about 3 rings, and was the only one that didn’t need me to spell out my very Welshy new address.
So NTL are cutting me off tomorrow. My internet connectivity will be limited to work and my mobile phone, because BT can’t connect up the new house until the end of December. How will I cope? No internet, no Sky TV? I’m sure Kim will give me plenty to do.
