British Gas boss Bentley admits call centre abuse from customers angry at price rises

[5corpio]

British Gas boss Bentley admits call centre abuse from customers angry at price rises

Angry British Gas customers infuriated by rising energy bills are deluging its staff with increasingly aggressive complaints, the company’s boss has admitted. Managing director Phil Bentley – who earns £1.3million a year – revealed that customers struggling to pay gas and electricity bills are taking out their frustrations on his call centre staff and workers on the road. The company boss said in a candid email to staff: ‘We have seen a groundswell of anti-British Gas comments, with increasingly aggressive tones. All our call centres are under extreme pressure from more angry customers struggling to pay bills.’

The high number of complaints comes as British Gas continues to refuse to pass on the fall in the wholesale price of gas to its 9.2million gas customers. According to industry estimates, the wholesale price of gas has fallen 9.4 per cent. Yet, British Gas has only reduced the cost of electricity by five per cent and have not made any reduction in the price of gas despite other companies doing so.....
Read more here---: British Gas boss Bentley admits call-centre abuse from customers angry at price rises | This is Money

Blog Entry: 8th July 2011: British Gas increases gas and electricity bills - allaboutFORUMS

[pompeyfaith]

Re: British Gas boss Bentley admits call centre abuse from customers angry at price rises

Well, instead of running to the media for sympathy how about sorting it and make your customer happy they are king after all and fed up with the various reports of government spending while businesses increase prices while we are supposed to be in austerity or is that now recession

Sorry his rant does not cut the cloth with me

[SaltnVinegar]

Re: British Gas boss Bentley admits call centre abuse from customers angry at price rises

Well, instead of running to the media for sympathy how about sorting it and make your customer happy they are king after all and fed up with the various reports of government spending while businesses increase prices while we are supposed to be in austerity or is that now recession

Sorry his rant does not cut the cloth with me

Totally agree with you PF.

We are being squeezed more and more, yet see BG recording record profits year after year. Push prices up 18% and then expect us to fall over in gratitude when they reduce prices by 5%, still means an overall increase of 13% Mr Bentley.

Not to mention the inevitable price increase which will happen next year...........

How he has even the gall to blame the media for exaggerating price rises when its obvious to any consumer who has seen a £100/month direct debit increase to £180+

A heating bill of £2k a year may not seem much to those on 7 figure incomes, but for the rest of us on salaries closer to the national average its crippling.

When I see my parents having to make a choice between heating their home or buying groceries it stings even more.

Perhaps if Mr Bentley focused on providing a good service at a reasonable cost, instead of a shite service while sticking a gun against peoples heads he may gain more sympathy....

[5corpio]

Re: British Gas boss Bentley admits call centre abuse from customers angry at price rises

Why does people do DD, for utilties? i put £70-100 away every month during the Winter periods, and £50 during the summer months into a seperate account or PAYG CC. and the Utilities gets paid when i submit my readings quaterly. NOT WHEN OR THEY DECIDE HOW MUCH TO TAKE OUT MY ACCOUNT.........

Utilties don't need DD - the same as the Water board United Utilities are changing there system to online or DD, and doing away with paper Bills........Its just so that they can get money out of people easier with DD........