Sky Really is the Limit! (See Sky TV)

Member Name: Glynhafod

Product:	See Sky TV
Date:	30/12/08 (1083 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Sky programmes are good and varied

Disadvantages: Customer Services are the Pits!

Not long after my son got married I decided, along with my husband, that we would take advantage of the 'Introduce a Friend Scheme' being run by Sky.

To take advantage of this I had to pay £99 installation fee and, once the Sky was installed, both my son and myself would receive £50 of M & S Vouchers EACH. This was in September 2008. It is now 30th December 2008 and, because neither myself nor my son had received the M & S Vouchers we had been promised, I telephoned Sky this morning.
WHAT A FARCE! I telephoned 4 times in all. Each time I got through I explained why I was phoning and the next thing I new, I had been cut off. The 4th time I phoned I actually got through to Bryony whose customer service was FIRST CLASS.

However, despite that, it transpires that, according to Sky's records, they sent out my M & S Vouchers by 1st class post on 9th October 2008. They did not have the foresight to record it or register it so, despite the fact that I have not received them - and neither has my son - Sky had simply 'closed their records' and there was nothing I could do about it.

As it happens, I pursued the matter and poor Bryony went off to check. She found out that I could contact Customer Relations - but, lo and behold - Sky Customer Relations were hiding behind a PO Box and did not have a telephone number by which customers could actually speak to them! That is unacceptable in itself, but the fact that they had to also hide behind a post office box rather than provide their full address compounded this issue as far as I am concerned.

I pursued the matter further - about my son's missing M & S vouchers. Apparently, Sky's records indicate that, despite all Sky's advertising, my son appeared to not be eligible - despite the fact that I had ensured he was when I signed all the paperwork. It was supposed to be part of the deal - £50 M & S Vouchers to me and £50 M & S Vouchers to him. Neither of us have received them because, basically, administration problems with the records Sky holds indicate that, if Sky say you have received your vouchers - then, apparently, that is the end of the matter.

Moreover, if Sky's records indicate that my son had not opted for M & S vouchers - despite the fact that he was eligible automatically because I had applied on his behalf when I paid the installation fee - then, apparently Sky can only be correct.

Basically, due to Sky's incompetence, I have lost the equivalent of £100 and, if I had not insisted the matter was pursued, the matter would have ended the minute Bryony put the telephone down. As it is, because I have insisted, she has made a note for her manager who will pass it on to the elusive Customer Relations Department - who will, in about 14 days' time, contact me.

Personally, considering how much money Sky is actually making from their customers, I feel that their customer service is extremely poor and they really need to get their act together now that all television stations will be going digital in the foreseeable future.

From further research, I have found out that not only are they hiding behind a post office box, Sky's Customer Relations Department has not provided a valid contact address behind their post office address.

However, acting on further information I have received, the person you need to email any complaints to is: james.murdoch@bskyb.com [although this is often sent back as being 'undeliverable'. Another email address which might help is jeremy.darroch@bskyb.com.

I have established that the Sky Customer Relations Department is in West Lothian, EH54 7DD. I have now also obtained an address:
Sky subscriber Services Ltd, 4 Mackintosh Road, Kirkton Campus,
Livingston, West Lothian, EA54 7BW. For future reference, this is where all Sky's complaints are dealt with.

If you post any complaints to their head office address [British Sky Broadcasting - Unit 9, Grant Way, Isleworth, Middlesex, TW7 5QD], they will only redirect your complaint on to West Lothian because that is where the Customer Relations Department is based.

The latest information, downloaded 30/12/08, I found in the West Lothian Business Directory is: Sky Television Centre (call centre)
Address: 1 MacIntosh Road, Kirkton Campus, Livingston, West Lothian, EH54 7BW
Telephone: 01506 484000
Fax: 01506 484390
Email: lindsay.henderson@bskyb.com
Website: www.sky.com

I hope this helps anybody with future problems with getting any satisfaction from your Sky complaints instead of being fobbed off like I was - see the Forum called Digital Spy for further help: http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/forums/showthread.php? p=21207021

Summary: My experience of Sky's appalling customer service and hidden Customer Relations Department