Welcome, Guest. Please Login or Register
SAYNOTO0870.COM

<---- Back to main website

 
Home Help Search Login Register

Page Index Toggle Pages: 1
Send Topic Print
Youth Hostel Association change from 0870 to 0845 (Read 31,505 times)
trickyd
Newbie
*
Offline



Posts: 24
Manchester
Gender: male
Youth Hostel Association change from 0870 to 0845
Sep 8th, 2008 at 3:28am
 
Sadly, the Youth Hostels Association (England and Wales) has joined the hall of shame by changing from 0870 to 0845. Disingenuously, they argue that they need to use 0845 so calls can be forwarded to the contact centre (which now offers an 0800 freephone number) if a hostel is closed. They do not mention why they are changing from 0870:

Source: http://www.yha.org.uk/about-yha/yha-news/Calls_to_customer_servies_now_free.aspx

"21/08/2008 11:06:00
YHA customers now get an even better value-for-money booking and information service after telephone charges for calling their central customer service team have ceased.
 
From 1st  September, all calls to the UK-based contact centre can be made on a new 0800 Free phone number 0800 019 700.  

This new number can be used for booking accommodation, finding out more about our fantastic locations and buying or renewing membership plus any other queries about YHA.

The contact centre is open 8am – 8pm Mondays to Fridays, and 9am – 1pm on Saturdays.

Here, well-informed, friendly and approachable staff are waiting to deal with all your questions.

At the same time, YHA will also change all telephone numbers for calling Youth Hostels direct.

Out go the 0870 numbers to be replaced with a new 0845 code which should be charged at the standard local rate depending on your provider.

Using 0845 numbers allows calls to be redirected to our contact centre, for instance when no-one is available at the hostel or at peak times, ensuring that customer queries are answered promptly.

We strive to provide the best possible service and YHA would not be able to redirect calls if the local codes were used.

To ensure that there is a seamless transition to the new 0845 numbers existing 0870 numbers will continue to operate until the end of 2009 when all existing brochures carrying 0870 numbers become out of date. New hostel numbers are available on the website from 2nd September onwards and will be published in the Guide due to be circulated in late December."

~ Edited by Dave: Source link added
Back to top
« Last Edit: Sep 13th, 2008 at 12:27pm by Dave »  
 
IP Logged
 
Tanllan
Supreme Member
*****
Offline



Posts: 797
Gender: male
Re: Youth Hostel Association change from 0870 to 0
Reply #1 - Sep 13th, 2008 at 9:19am
 
trickyd wrote on Sep 8th, 2008 at 3:28am:
Sadly, the Youth Hostels Association (England and Wales) has joined the hall of shame ...
We strive to provide the best possible service and YHA would not be able to redirect calls if the local codes were used.
~ Edited by Dave: Source link added

Good heavens - I had not realised that BT had ceased its "Divert on Busy" and "Divert on No Reply" services...
Nor was I aware that 0845 was local rate. Come on YHA, employ a competent and experienced telecoms person.
Back to top
« Last Edit: Sep 13th, 2008 at 12:29pm by Dave »  
 
IP Logged
 
NGMsGhost
Supreme Member
*****
Offline


The Forum Ghost of NonGeographicalMan<b
r />

Posts: 2,720
Surrey, United Kingdom
Gender: male
Re: Youth Hostel Association change from 0870 to 0
Reply #2 - Sep 13th, 2008 at 10:23am
 
Tanllan wrote on Sep 13th, 2008 at 9:19am:
Good heavens - I had not realised that BT had ceased its "Divert on Busy" and "Divert on No Reply" services.  Nor was I aware that 0845 was local rate. Come on YHA, employ a competent and experienced telecoms person.


As I'm quite sure you know Tanllan BT do still offer "Divert on Busy" and "Divert on No Reply"  but of course the called party pays for the call forwarding at BT's most uncompetitive call rates.  But on 0845 this is all "free" for the called party but of course not for their poor unfortunate caller (especially from a BT Payphone or on many mobile phone deals).

But anyhow now 03 exists where you can have the same service in return for a one off number purchase fee and then call forwarding charges of under a penny per minute.  Also with 03 the number diverted to can be changed remotely without the absurd fees payable for the remote configurable version of BT Call Diversion once sold to doctors etc.

As to local rate well both the ASA and Trading Standards have already quite clearly indicated such claims cannot be made.  Perhaps a complaint to each of them might be in order.........
Back to top
« Last Edit: Sep 13th, 2008 at 12:30pm by Dave »  

<div style=
 
IP Logged
 
Dave
Global Moderator
*****
Offline



Posts: 9,902
Yorkshire
Gender: male
Re: Youth Hostel Association change from 0870 to 0
Reply #3 - Sep 13th, 2008 at 12:22pm
 
YHA's 0845 numbers are allocated to Opal Telecom.
Back to top
« Last Edit: Sep 13th, 2008 at 12:28pm by Dave »  
 
IP Logged
 
NGMsGhost
Supreme Member
*****
Offline


The Forum Ghost of NonGeographicalMan<b
r />

Posts: 2,720
Surrey, United Kingdom
Gender: male
Re: Youth Hostel Association change from 0870 to 0
Reply #4 - Sep 13th, 2008 at 1:00pm
 
Dave wrote on Sep 13th, 2008 at 12:22pm:
YHA's 0845 numbers are allocated to Opal Telecom.


AKA The Carphone Whorehouse.  The very same people who try to persuade you they are selling you a cheap bundled broadband and "all calls to landlines" package.  But then no 084/7 numbers are covered by those call packages.  Why am I not surprised. Wink Roll Eyes Angry

One of the Carphone Warehouse Group's previous submissions to Ofcom (in respone to an Ofcom 084/7 NTS consultation) extolling the invaluable role to the UK economy fulfilled by 084/7 numbers makes for interesting reading......................

See www.ofcom.org.uk/consult/condocs/nts_forward/responses/af/cw.pdf
Back to top
 

<div style=
 
IP Logged
 
Page Index Toggle Pages: 1
Send Topic Print
(Moderators: Forum Admin, bbb_uk, Dave, DaveM, CJT-80)

Website and Content © 1999-2024 SAYNOTO0870.COM. All Rights Reserved.
Written permission is required to duplicate any of the content within this site.

WARNING: This is an open forum, posts are NOT endorsed by SAYNOTO0870.COM,
please exercise due caution when acting on any info from here.


SAYNOTO0870.COM » Powered by YaBB 2.5.2!
YaBB Forum Software © 2000-2024. All Rights Reserved.


Valid RSS Valid XHTML Valid CSS Powered by Perl Source Forge