Openreach Web App Cut Missed UK Engineer Appointments by 30 Percent

Network provider Openreach (BT) has revealed that the introduction, in April 2024, of a new website app (‘Change My Appointment‘) that put customers in charge of their engineer visits, has already helped to reduce missed appointments by 30%. The extra resources freed up by this have also boosted the number of engineers installing full fibre broadband services.

Previously, customers could only amend appointments via a text service with limited date options. They would text a preferred date then have to wait for a confirmation text from Openreach; due to the delay, in some cases the requested date wasn’t available. Research data showed frustration with the process led many to miss appointments, avoid rescheduling, or cancel their orders entirely.

By comparison, the Change My Appointment service lets customers connect with Openreach to book or change engineer appointments through a live interactive calendar, allowing bookings up to three months in advance and cancellation up to a day before.

The new service has also helped to boost FTTP take-up, both by freeing up engineering resources and also because more than half of those who previously missed appointments would go on to cancel their orders. This reduction has led to an estimated 20,000 customers getting connected to full fibre since the program launched.

The number of cancelled journeys – where an Openreach engineer arrives at a customer property, but is unable to gain access – has also dropped by 45%, helping to reduce costs and the business’ carbon footprint.

Chris Herbert, Director of Customer Service at Openreach, said:

“Increasing customer success on the day is far from easy and a challenge that Openreach has wrestled with for years, so it’s fantastic to see the difference our new customer service innovation now making.

It’s the first time Openreach has designed a system like this for end customers and, initially, there was some scepticism from our CP partners about a network wholesaler having this level of interaction with their own customers – but we’ve worked hard to win their trust and the success of this platform is testament to that.”

Other features of the web app include a text linking to a fibre installation ‘checklist’ – sent to customers seven days before their confirmed appointment – which includes a pre-installation video to help the customer to prepare. On the day, the end customer can reply to a text prompt for information for their engineer, such as where they can park their van, which is sent direct to them​.

The platform took around a year to develop and build – with Openreach working closely in collaboration with its broadband ISPs and their customers to incorporate their ideas, feedback and objectives to improve the end customer experience.