News
09/08/2007 - 118 118 staff abuse callers
By BEN ASHFORD
August 06, 2007
HATE-filled directory enquiries workers have set up a page on the Facebook website — to abuse customers.
Spiteful staff at 118 118 hurl insults at the “t***s” who pay 49p to call them.
And one worker boasted of scrawling callers’ numbers on the walls of public TOILETS.
Their online group — “Survivors Of 118 118” — can be seen by 30 million people on the Facebook networking site.
One member, calling himself Simon Stranks, writes: “I wrote a few a****** callers’ numbers on the walls of public toilets and pasted them on many an internet site. haha.” Neil Stewart writes: “Have been tempted to take t***s’ numbers and give them to drunks looking for sex lines.”
In another post he says: “Engage that pea-sized brain of yours and listen to what I’m saying to you.”
An entry from Andrew Iles reads: “People of Britain, re-discover the phonebook, you lazy b******s.”
But last night they faced a backlash from customers of the firm — famous for ads featuring two joggers with droopy moustaches.
Regular user Steve Wickes, 29, said: “This is bang out of order. I’ll never use their service again.
“It might take more time to pick up the Yellow Pages but I’ll do it.” Clare Cameron, 51, said: “It’s customer service at its worst. I won’t be surprised if callers hang up in droves.”
Bosses at The Number UK Ltd — which runs 118 118’s call centres in Plymouth and Cardiff — pledged to sack anyone involved in the web page.
A spokesman said: “This came to our attention in May. We will take action when our investigation is complete.”
The firm — set up in 2003 when BT’s 192 was closed — was at the centre of a scandal the same year when it was claimed that staff were cutting callers off or giving wrong numbers to boost their chances of earning bonuses.
http://www.thesun.co.uk/article/0,,2-2007360114,00.html
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