Signup - and are Zen Customer services good?

Hi,

I'm with BT but thinking about moving to Zen.
Couple of questions:

1. I noticed during the sign up process that they don't give you a choice of install date, they have to do that manually after you sign up and pay. This doesn't give a great first impression, compared to say plusnet or vodafone, who let you choose an install date on their website.

2. Are the Zen customer services as good as they say?

TIA,

Zebs

I left Zen some while ago. The customer services were terrible. No answers/contradictory answers.

Others may have a different take, but I would not use them again.

Been with Zen for a number of years now and never had an issue with either Customer Services or Technical Support. I’ve used both several times and found them to be very good. I have a fair understanding if the tech, and it helps if you can talk similar or the same language.

If your line is run by Openreach or a 3rd Party, the install date will also depend upon that suppliers availability, although for the three installs I’ve been involved with and manage, the dates have been pretty reasonable. My current line is leased via Zen which means they gave to talk to Openreach when issues arise. That part can be frustrating but is out of Zen’s control, and they cannot be blamed if OR aren’t getting on with things.

The router they provide (Fritz 7530) is pretty good, and way better than many other ISPs offer. They provide full connection settings should you want to use your own (I do on one line).

Nothing but satisfactory service from Zen. 6 years ADSL/VDSL/Landline/DV via OR. Then last 12 months Fibre 900/900+DV via CityFibre. Only issue was an admin error in transferring the landline from OR to CF, 2 days outage. Fibre BB worked perfectly on installation day. Customer services always helpful. Latest supplied 7530AX, includes WiFi6, and is excellent for anything I need.

In reply to a post by zebsyzebs:

2. Are the Zen customer services as good as they say?

They seem to have gone downhill as they've grown. I left them in 2021 -- initially for IDNet, then I moved on to a local AltNet (nothing wrong with IDNet, but the local AltNet could offer me a symmetrical gig which understandably IDNet could only do as a leased line).

So you've had a number of replies, 2 good 2 bad, isn't that something to do with Match of the Day Not really helping you decide are they?

Yes, thanks for all the replies!
Still not entirely sure what to do at the moment.
Probably toss a coin at some stage and see if I like the answer ;].

You haven't said what is driving you to leave BT and what you hope to achieve by going to Zen.

Good question.

I did agree to renew with BT and they messed something up (forgot to post the router), then their customer services were somewhat rubbish.
I was told by the complaint handler that I'd been lied to by previous people I'd spoken to. I thought this sounded a bit harsh but she repeated it over and over. I was glad to get rid of her, it was passed on to someone else.
It was pot luck when I called whether I spoke to someone who knew what they were talking about, or just seemed to make stuff up, or refused to help me ("I'll email the complaint handler to ask them to call you" - they never did).

The actual FTTC service has been good, and I'd renew with BT if they offered me FTTC renewal at a reasonable price, but they won't.
So going over to full fibre, and with the poor recent customer service, I am looking around for a new provider.
But if the conclusion is that they're all as bad as each other, I wouldn't rule out just staying with BT.

Edit: Forgot to say that renewing with BT was somewhat painful as they kept waffling about EE. I wasn't interested in EE, but couldn't work out whether BT and EE are effectively exactly the same thing for broadband, and/or whether I'd be told in a year that I have to move to EE, involving another change of router etc. It was a bit of a mess really IMHO.

Edited by zebsyzebs (Sat 06-Jan-24 23:37:18)

If you want good customer service, look for smaller ISPs. I can recommend Aquiss and Cerberus through direct experience. AAISP is reputedly the very best. IDNet seems well regarded too.

It depends on how much you are prepared to pay. Aquiss pricing is fair IMO: in addition it's only a 12 month contract, first 6 months half price and no setup fee, so it's not a big commitment. No price rises in-contract or at end of contract either. But you do need to provide your own router.