UK Broadband ISP Email Support Quality Rated

UK Broadband ISP Email Support Quality Rated - ISPreview

UK Broadband ISP Email Support Quality Rated
By: Mark Jackson - May 26th, 2009 : Page 2 -of- 5

"We would expect that any modern ISP should be able to respond within one working day (24 hours)"

NOTE: We did not score based on hours due to the inherent unreliability of hour/minute email timings. However, where ISPs tied with the same score then the one that reached our inbox first should appear higher up.

Summary of results

We would expect that any modern ISP should be able to respond within one working day (24 hours), hence the test began on a Monday morning. Note that we would have liked to test more providers but it quickly became too time consuming, thus we ended up testing 19 instead of our goal of 25.

1. AAISP

Reply Time: Under 24 Hours = 7 Points
Question Score: 4 Points
Summary: Lightning quick reply, offered basic webform and direct email contacts, and answered all questions simply but correctly.
2. Fast.co.uk

Reply Time: Under 24 Hours = 7 Points
Question Score: 4 Points
Summary: Very quick reply, offered direct email contacts, and answered all questions correctly.
3. NewNet

Reply Time: Under 24 Hours = 7 Points
Question Score: 4 Points
Summary: Quick reply, offered webform and direct email contacts, and answered all questions correctly.
4. IDNet

Reply Time: Under 24 Hours = 7 Points
Question Score: 4 Points
Summary: Quick reply, offered webform and direct email contacts, and answered all questions correctly
5. Demon

Reply Time: Under 24 Hours = 7 Points
Question Score: 4 Points
Summary: Took most of the first day to reply, offered direct email contacts, and answered all questions correctly. However we did have to wait a bit longer for two of the questions to be answered by a different member of staff.
6. Karoo (Kingston Communications/KCOM)

Reply Time: Just under 24 Hours = 7 Points
Question Score: 4 Points
Summary: Took most of the first day to reply, offered a webform for contacts and answered all questions correctly.

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Mark (ISPreview)

Posted 991 days ago

QUOTE: "Your published scoring system gave 7 points for replying within 24 hours, not points for the order in which replies were received. The top 5 were joint first."

Technically true, though as stated in the article - where ISPs tied with the same score then the one that reached our inbox first should appear higher up. So while we didn't score by hours, we did use that to help adjust the order. Hope that helps.

Dusty Miller

Posted 992 days ago

Having been with IDNet previously I found their email support to be quite decent and fast, but since joining AAISP I've been blown away by how good their communication is. You get a reply *very* quickly and it's got a code in the title so the right person deals with your queries. Not only that but they are PRO-ACTIVE, often emailing to update you with progress and check how things are, and even remembering things you've said so they can anticipate what you need next. ie. once they got my line fixed properly :-)) I got an email confirming if I wanted back on fastpath now cos I'd mentioned it once in an earlier email. Really makes you feel special and like they genuinely care... I so hope they don't get too popular that they suffer for it, yet I wish them the success they deserve...

Jim Howes

Posted 992 days ago

One of the most depressing things about calling the support line of an ISP is that many of the firms treat the customer as a drooling idiot. Very few are willing to talk in technical detail to their customers. While hand-holding of real drooling idiots is commendable, it should not be the default, and certainly should never be the only level at which ISP support staff communicate. Once again, it is the large companies that come out badly in this respect; Virgin, Tiscali, and BT need constant reminders that some of their customers can plug in an ADSL modem without injuring themselves. AAISP have always been frank, honest, and fast to respond to technical queries. Demon used to be, but have got too large to be able to these days, it seems, and as for the 'Big boys', well, your experience is only the beginning of the nightmare that their customers face every day.

Ozymandias

Posted 993 days ago

Your published scoring system gave 7 points for replying within 24 hours, not points for the order in which replies were received. The top 5 were joint first.

It should also be noted that some of the top 5 as well as having excellent email support also have enthusiastic support forums, which usually offer answers within minutes 24/7. Some even offer 0800 telephone support !

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