Two hours on the phone, simply trying to get a new energy account set up. Much of this was spent listening to the customer service adviser read by rote various terms, conditions and offers – the Ofgem-mandated small print, intended to protect me as a consumer, but leaving me confused and impatient.
Then came the incomprehensibly detailed quotes for different tariffs on the basis of different usage estimates – all from one supplier – that varied from under £100 a month to more than £150. After all that, I was informed I could get a better deal with two other suppliers operating in the market – by which time, the thought of going through the whole painful process again, with the added bureaucracy of switching, was enough to make me weep.
When I finally got off the phone having agreed a Direct Debit, there was still a separate bill to pay for the few days between moving in and contacting the supplier – for reasons that defy understanding, this couldn’t be met by the direct debit payments.
On to water – even more disappointing. There had been a significant underpayment through my direct debit arrangement, resulting in a high closing bill from my old supplier. When I asked to see my usage data over the period of the account, I was told this information wasn’t available and I must take it on the company’s word that my usage had risen significantly, rather than there being a leak or billing error.
The intentions in this industry are so good. The company leaders and the regulators genuinely want to improve the customer experience; the call-handling staff genuinely want to help. But a toxic combination of onerous regulation governing communication, usage data that is patchy at best and seldom communicated (at least before the onset of smart meters), and reliance on jargon are combining to deliver a customer experience that would make a budget airline blush.