Broadband Mystery Shopper: BT and Sky promise best consumer customer support

Of the leading fixed-line broadband providers, BT and Sky come out top when it comes to promises of customer service and technical support, says broadband comparison website Broadband Genie. The research highlighted huge variations between ISPs in call costs, support hours, call centre destinations and the transparency and accuracy of offering consumers this information.

In the first of a series of investigations into the 'big six' UK fixed-line broadband providers, Broadband Genie looked for information on these two key areas (customer service and tech support), starting from provider websites and moving on to instant messaging and phone calls where necessary. Posing as a 'switcher' that had a bad experience with a previous ISP, how simple was it to find details about these key services, and how did they compare? We looked at both cost and call centre opening times, as well as the ease of accessing the information. We also took location into consideration, as we have found a strong consumer desire for UK-based call centres.

Overall, Broadband Genie was most impressed with BT and Sky Broadband. BT impressed with its free 24/7 support and service, plus advanced tech help for an extra fee, although a mix of UK and Indian-based call centres might put some people off. If consumers are happy to pay local call rates for support from a non-Sky line (calls to Sky support from a Sky connection are free), then Sky also offers the same 24/7 support but from UK-based call centres. Both customer services calls were well handled and friendly.

Virgin Media and Tiscali were slightly less impressive, with key areas letting each down. While Tiscali's website and call to customer services impressed, support can be expensive and Indian-based technical support will be a downside for some consumers. Virgin Media was let down by poor information given via its 'ask before you buy' online messaging service, and the threat of call centres 'around the world'. However, the claimed free calls to both customer support and 24/7 technical support scored well.

More disappointing still were Orange and The Carphone Warehouse's Talk Talk. Orange's website was impressive, but all support calls cost and the talk with customer services was terrible, culminating in being told that if we wanted to know where its call centres were based, we'd have to ask the person when they answered the phone. While the call to Talk Talk was well handled, the information given was disheartening: charged calls, no 24/7 support and mixed support call destinations.

Commenting on the results, Broadband Genie editor Chris Marling said: "There were marked differences between all the providers that could make all the difference to a consumer. It just goes to show how important it is to do some research before committing to a potentially lengthy contract.

Some people are very lucky with their fixed-line broadband connection, going for years without experiencing a problem. However, when things do take a turn for the worst, it can be devastating: people don't realise how much they take the web for granted and how they have come to rely on a good internet connection. So, when things do go wrong, it is vital the correct support is ready and waiting."

In comments left about providers on Broadband Genie's provider pages, an increasing number include complaints about customer services and technical support. As consumers look to switch providers due to poor service, not having the same problem in the future is a growing concern.

This is the first in a series of mystery shopper features that will be run by Broadband Genie. Full details of our experiences can be found at http://www.broadbandgenie.co.uk/articles/mystery-shop-service-and-support-20090317