I'm not sure if anyone noticed this, but it appears Which (formerly the Consumers' Association) has performed a consultation exercise in which consumers were asked which of a range of subjects they considered to be most important.

I have extracted what I thought were the important parts of the article:

Some 130,000 people took part in the Bite Back campaign and early feedback showed that they were more concerned about the services that they pay for with taxes than those that they shop for on the high street.

Some 88 per cent of respondents thought that advertisements for junk food should not appear during children's television programmes. But they were more irritated by junk mail - 92 per cent want to see tighter rules - and the high price of telephone calls to call centres. (my italics and bolding)

So here is an opportunity, surely, for us to spread the word and tap in to this rising anger amongst consumers. Of course, this is doubly important when the calls are to Government services, since that falls into two areas that are shown to be of most concern - services paid for by taxes and calls to call centres.

Yes but we have already done this extensively and for the most part the British consumer demonstrates complete apathy!

Why is it for instance that with so many users of Saynoto0870, so few of them are members of this forum and wish to express their disgust? It seems to be because they are not really DISGUSTED.

They just look for a selfish quick fix to their current problem - get an alternative number for the specific current 0870 which otherwise I would have to call.

Thank you for the info. mikeinnc, but don't Which use 0870 numbers themselves? They used to when I stopped subscribing to them, for that reason.

juby

Quote:

Thank you for the info. mikeinnc, but don't Which use 0870 numbers themselves?

Juby, they may have done so at one time. I seem to remember writing to them when I lived in the UK to ask why - and they really didn't have a good reason. I guess like many other organisations, they were taken in by the slick (or should that be sick....  ;D )marketing from BT.

Anyway, they almost appear to have seen the light. Here is what is on their web site:

Which? contact details

General enquiries
For all general and customer related enquiries, including all Which? magazine subscriptions and book orders, please contact:
Phone: 0845 307 4000
8.30am - 8pm Mon-Fri
9am - 1pm Sat

Outside UK please call +44 1992 822 800

Fax: 020 7770 74850870

I suppose we should be grateful for a 0845 number instead of 0870 - and they give the geographic equivalent! It really makes me ask - why continue to p**s people off with a NGN when you actually publish your geographic equivalent? Of course, it may be that they are locked into some sort of contract with a provider, and this is their "subtle"  way to get round it for the benefit of their customers - but without being seen to break the contract conditions?     ;)  I'd really like to think so - after all, they do claim (with some justification, I must add) to champion consumer rights!

Thanks again, duly noted and I stand corrected.
juby