Live chat

Often use webchat and find it useful most of the time. On rare occasions I've had what I would call "stock answers" to a query ie repeating what has already been said. Never used for fuel query though.

PS I do not work for SoEnergy but as a pensionless pensioner currently living on my savings changing my energy suppliers was one of the first things I did to cut back on expenditure.

Comparison sites can be confusing, as they factor into the equation the cost of your present supplier putting you onto a standard tariff when your present deal ends. This is in order to show you your overall annual consumption divided into monthly payments. It's a bit more complicated that that but I personally would only ring around 10 days before my tariff ends. No comparison sites can get me a better deal. I also check Topcashback to see what they offer.

I am with British gas and use webchat as its easier than using the phone and its instant chat,they have a facebook page too.

They seem very variable. I returned a table to Argos that arrived with a flaw on the top and it was very quick and easy through their online chat.
The Council on the other hand seems destined to frustrate. I want to pay my rent by direct debit which you would think they would make easy.
For council tax, you can just pull up a form and do it. For rent you have to download it but the system didn't want to.
I tried the chat bot and it kept taking me in a circle.
'I cannot understand the question, please try rephrasing it'
I tried.
'You want to pay your council tax by direct debit?'
No, I want to pay my rent by direct debit
'I cannot understand the question, please try rephrasing it'
I tried again.
'You want to pay your council tax by direct debit'
I gave up and sent an email. Got an automated reply saying I will get a response within ten day. I haven't.
I'll try to download it again and if I can't, I'll have to call them but they put you on hold for ages or use snail mail. It should be a 5 minute task.

I highly recommend Bulb for green energy.

Very helpful & informative . Frequent updates on costs & meter readings etc. Extremely easy to find your way around their website.

I'm on a fixed tariff with Brilliant Energy and have never needed to contact them since I joined in April. I give quarterly readings and they email statement 3 days later. DD covers costs and in credit. Very very low tariffs that any company would not be able to beat. They have a small team with low overheads. British owned, their offices are in Canary Wharf, London.
If it's a well run company, there should be no need to contact them.

I really like ‘Chat’ options. Much quicker than waiting on the phone, time to take in the company’s response, but best of all you can take a screenshot and have a record of the ‘conversation ‘. It’s my preferred method of contact.

Why would you need 'excellent' customer services if delivery of the main service ie: energy is satisfactory.
1) You give reading
2) They send statement
3) Your DDs go out on time
Why is it so difficult?
You can work out your bills, it's easy. Most if not all statements have the way they calculate bills printed on them.

To my mind, if you need to webchat, email or ring your energy provider because of problems with bills, then you're with the wrong sort of company.

A flipping nuisance. It's amazing how many companies are adopting this method. Delivery, fuel, telephone to name but a few. There usually is a telephone number to speak to someone but they're so well hidden most people give up.

Jayelld. Contacting the CEO doesn't always work, though. I had a billing dispute over a cancellation charge, after I moved away from TalkTalk. After numerous webchats and phone calls, with unfulfilled promises that the charge would be removed, I forwarded all the details to their CEO. He phoned me, and assured me that the amount would be cleared. The next month, I received yet another demand for the money, and again the following month.
It was eventually sorted out, after many wasted hours on the internet and phone, but TalkTalk is definitely on my permanent blacklist.

GreenGran78
If you contacted TalkTalk's CEO later than 2009 and received a call back, it would have been Michael who takes calls in the execs office as both CEOs since then have been and are women. Dido Harding > 2017 and Tristia Harrison 2017 > present.

Not for fuel - although currently have a complaint in with British gas as it has taken 6 months to try to arrange a smart meter (disabled and cannot actually see my gas meter!)

HOUSE OF FRASER! Do not go there!

Looking for a winter coat, saw one on their website, and ordered it to try - I HATE going shopping as it makes me very anxious so would much rather try on things at home. I was quite shocked that at well over £100 they charged postage, as everyone else I had ordered off were free .... anyway it looks like a bin bag on me so I go to return it - no Delivery or Returns slip in the bag, so I go to the website, sign in and try to find info on returns. But first of all I needed my order number - go to "my orders" and it says as from April 2108 we have a shiny new website (?) and my order wasn't there (although I had only just registered to what seems to have been their old site? On to returns info - they charge for returns as well, and want you to get INSURANCE on your parcel! (heavy wool coat, cost me over £11 to return in the end) It then appears they do not send delivery or returns slips anyway, you have to print one off if you need to return (my printer isn't working!) OR email for one - I send this email - didn't come, also sent an email to Customer Services about the whole debacle - not answered .... there are no phone numbers and only web chat apparently if a pink pop up appears on your screen, which funnily enough it never has! Eventually as time was running out, found an order number from an e receipt, and had to write everything down by hand! It was delivered and signed for on the 5th December but have heard absolutely nothing from them since!

I am astounded that a huge company like that is even offering online sales when they cannot deal with them - as it was, I must have missed something as it seems they were in trouble and have been sold on which I wasn't aware of - looks like I may have a bit of trouble, and \i cannot afford to lose that money

MadeInYorkshire
It must be frustrating not to get a response after all your efforts but don't try not to worry. Thereare many hold-ups in the run up to Christmas but their finance department will reimburse you via the way you paid, presumably by card. This will usually take up to 5 working days and you should, in the normal way of things, receive an email telling you that it's been actioned.
As far as your fear regarding the 'takeover' and getting your money back, if you paid by credit card you should be covered by the card issuer who, if all else fails, will make good your loss.
I'm confident that you won't lose out, however, remember to archive the 'returned item received' receipt...just in case it gets accidentally deleted.

This is the first time in 5 years I have had to contact my energy provider about my bill. So that is not too bad. I am stuck with them until the contract expires in May because I would otherwise have to pay extra for breach of contract.

I have been away since Friday, but I will ring them tomorrow and sort it out. At least the query is about under paying not over paying. I pay each quarterly bill exactly by Direct Debit each quarter when it is presented, so there really ought not be any queries,but this quarter, having worked out the bill correctly in agreement with the meter readings on page 2, when I turn to page 1 and look for the total being taken from our bank account the amount is £100 less.