Well my family and I were looking at kitchens (turns out we have the most awkward kitchen known to man so have to wait until we can afford bespoke) in B&Q the other day and the assistant chatted answered some questions and that and then wrote down the store's actual direct geographical number on a catalogue for us if we needed any more help.   :)  I was most surprised!  

Have you posted the number on this website so that we can all share it?

Not all B&Qs have 0870 numbers. See this thread for how to work out the geographical number for a store with an 0870.  ;)

I spotted today's Daily Express April Fool about the road made out of biscuits that the editor confessed to, but on page 6, "The real deal B&Q"  advert has "nearest store phone 0845 850 0175 (calls charged at local rate)" but with no confession of making April Fools! Bill

Why not try their head office, courtesy of UK Info

B&q (bradford) Ltd
Templars Way
Hampshire Corporate Park
Chandler's Ford,Eastleigh,Hampshire
SO533YX

tel   02380256256
fax  02380256021

Thank you for the alternative numbers but I put this in the chat forum due to the statement about 0845 being local rate and making April Fools of those who believe it! Bill

All the 0870 numbers for B&Q branches up and down the country now have network announcements giving the geographical number. The store locator on the B&Q website also gives the geographicals.

Dave wrote on May 12^th, 2006 at 3:38pm:

All the 0870 numbers for B&Q branches up and down the country now have network announcements giving the geographical number. The store locator on the B&Q website also gives the geographicals.

Wow. Well done B&Q. And thanks for the pointer, Dave.

Tanllan wrote on May 12^th, 2006 at 8:56pm:

Wow. Well done B&Q. And thanks for the pointer, Dave.

Nice one B&Q - way to go!  And thanks Dave too.

PS I read via MSE a good suggestion of having an award for companies who don't use NGNs (see below) and B&Q look like they'd be eligible!


Quote:

Here's one for Martin... I hate 0870s with a PASSION - but rather than rant on about the offenders, who lets face it - don't give a stuff; why not launch a new award for the best companies who go out of their way to avoid them - a bit like the "Good English" award? It would help promote the issue - and if it received decent enough exposure might just encourage bad practicioners to tidy up their act to get on the list. Well - OK, maybe not given the amount of dosh they make - but it might help a bit :-)

http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.html?t=447&page=22

gdh82 wrote on May 12^th, 2006 at 9:32pm:

PS I read via MSE a good suggestion of having an award for companies who don't use NGNs (see below) and B&Q look like they'd be eligible!

I would rather give the award to companies who have never ever used them rather than those who belatedly change their mind.

Ok, so we have one award for thge sinner that repenteth - and, of course, the continued increased business for the unsinner (sorry biblical words escape me - not sure that righteous is not a little pejorative?).

Dave wrote on May 12^th, 2006 at 3:38pm:

All the 0870 numbers for B&Q branches up and down the country now have network announcements giving the geographical number. The store locator on the B&Q website also gives the geographicals.

This may sound negative but why have they done this when they would have at least 2 years (probably more knowing ofcom) to continue to gain revenue from these numbers.  Is there another motive behind it all, ie changing to 084x numbers instead?

bbb_uk wrote on May 16^th, 2006 at 12:44pm:

This may sound negative but why have they done this when they would have at least 2 years (probably more knowing ofcom) to continue to gain revenue from these numbers.  Is there another motive behind it all, ie changing to 084x numbers instead?

How about them realising that this policy was hated by customers and was losing them business then? That sounds like a pretty good business reason to me. ::)

Also perhaps a passionate 0870 hater has ended up working at senior level in the part of B&Q that controls this decision so decided to put an end to the ripoff? :-/

wrote on May 16^th, 2006 at 1:04pm:

How about them realising that this policy was hated by customers and was losing them business then? That sounds like a pretty good business reason to me. ::) Also perhaps a passionate 0870 hater has ended up working at senior level in the part of B&Q that controls this decision so decided to put an end to the ripoff? :-/

Only time will tell, I guess  ;)  :D  ;D

bbb_uk wrote on May 16^th, 2006 at 1:15pm:

Only time will tell, I guess  ;)  :D  ;D

I have never heard of any company eliminating its 084/7 numbers by accident and in my experience it is always a conscious decison.

I have personally been responsible for persuading www.lease-advice.org to replace their 0845 number with a geographic phone number and for getting www.public-i.info to add their geographic phone number alongside their 0870 phone number in the Contact Us area of their website.

But it is only small organisations that have made a decision to use 0845 or 0870 numbers in error that can be persuaded to make a change in this way.  Big organisations have always made such decisions deliberately and due to much more deliberate and high level deceit.