2 requests and some comments:


Inland Revenue:

Inland Revenue Income Tax for the Woking Area 0845 3667825. Previously found another number to get around the 0845 number which was 01784 495 511, however when I tried it this time I was told this was not the number to use (it was for other purposes) and I was given the 0845 number. I explained why I refused to use the 0845 number and after a little banter the lady I was speaking to said she would get someone to get back to me.

You feel like a complete fool giving the reason for not using the 0845 number. I'm sure she thought I was a little sad because I'm sure she was thinking 'but it's just a local call' and trying to go through the whole explanation of the objection is pointless when they want to get on with their real work!

PC World:

I tried the two numbers given on the alternative number list. One got no answer (the geographic number). The other got me through but it was for existing customers support. I want to get a non-PC World computer repaired and for this they redirected me to the number I already had which is 0870-242-0444.

All their numbers are 0870, even sales, customer services and head office. I particularly object to the use of 0870 on sales and customer services lines. I don't expect to pay the supplier and for them to earn money out of my enquiry to give them business - it is a very odd way to operate.

I have emailed them for a geographic number, making it clear that they will not get my business without one.

However if anyone does have a geograhic number for them I would appreciate it.

I wonder how much business they lose because of this. They will certainly lose my compnay business if they can't provide a number. ???

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Most Inland Revenue staff normally bend over backwards to be helpful contrary to the poor image they sometimes enjoy.  They only have to use these numbers because the Inland Revenue board have decreed it to be so.

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In my experience most Inland Revenue call centre staff are really quite nice and helpful compared to the people employed by call centres of many other uk businesses.  Of course that may be because when dealing with tax it usually actually requires a brain to do the job

I have sent the following 2 email to PC World


Email 2:

Re my email below, I haven't received a reply. I will need several items as well as repairs over the next few months of probably several thousand pounds as well as on going business.

As mentioned as part of the 'say no to 0870' campaign I will not call an 0870 number. If you want my business please supply me with a geographic number for either your Guildford or Farnborough stores.

It would seem perverse to lose this potential business.

Have you considered how much business you do lose by the use of 0870 numbers


Email 1:

I'm interesting in getting some hardware repaired. If successful I will then purchase additional hardware for the business. I administer the pressure group for a major software supplier. My local store will be
Farnborough or Guildford.

Can you please give me contact telephone numbers for these stores. As a member of the 'Say no to 0870' campaign I will NOT call a 0870 number for a sales enquiry. Can you please supply a geographic number which each store must have.

Thanks in advance.

Thank you for the top brass addresses. I will wait a few days for a failure to reply or a non-supply of Geo Numbers and then send a strong email to these names pointing out their lost business.

By the way, not that I'm counting but my last 2 posts were both numbered 27 ??? Odd!

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As promised in my reply to this post I did email the PC World email addresses you supplied having not had a reply to my email to the sales email address. I rec'd the following reply:

"Thank you for your email.

I would like to refer you to a web site called WWW.saynoto0870.com which provides you with an alternative telephone number for PC World.

For you reference the telephone number is
0800 0565732.

Kind Regards"

                       __________________


A pleasant reply, but I'm a little shocked that they rely on this web site to become the official directory if you want to avoid paying for 0870 numbers. It would be a little more convenient just to publish the number. Any how I had tried that number in the first place to no avail. Please see my reply below:

"I tried it. I'm a member of 'say no to 0870'. I could only get through to the team that supports existing customers i.e. for hardware problems on PC World supplied m/cs. I explained that it was not a PC World m/c that I wanted to put in for a hardware repair under an existing maintenance contact, but that I wanted to get a non-PC World m/c repaired (ie new business for you) as per your Yellow Pages advert. I was given an 0870 number which was the same as the one in Yellow
Pages.

I was told this was the only number. I tried your web site and all numbers on that are 0870 also. I'm amazed that you use 0870 numbers for Sales and Customer
Services."

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No problem. I agree as I have to say I was having the same thought

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There is a button to Add a new number at the top of the http://www.saynoto0870.com Home Page

Just next to the button to look up an alternative number to an 0870 number

In case its still not obvious here is the actual page for adding a new number:-

http://www.saynoto0870.com/add.php

So you add it there then wait 6 to 9 months for Dave or DaveM to get round to checking it and adding it the Verified List (meanwhile you can see it straight away in the Unverified List).  Or you could complain to Dave or DaveM after a week or so that they haven't done it yet and get it added the very next day