Telstra is a commercial operation now, but still seems to have a public service mentality.
What I mean by this is that they seem to be more concerned about covering their backsides than they are about their customers, or their customers’ businesses.
For the last several days some of my clients have been reporting they were having problems with their Telstra Bigpond email. They could receive but not send emails.
Most of them had contacted Bigpond before coming to see me, and had been told that the problem was in some way their fault. Incorrect email server name settings, anti-virus software interfering with email, etc.
This was not the case. The problem was with Bigpond’s mail servers.
I know there may be delays in recognising that a problem exists. But even making this allowance, Bigpond has known for some days that a large number of their customers were affected by an issue that would cause confusion, and in some cases, disruption to business.
Yet they have done nothing to advise their customers of this.
It would be a simple matter to send an email to all Bigpond customers saying something like: Some Bigpond customers are currently experiencing difficulties sending emails. We are working on this issue, and will advise you as soon as it is resolved.
Or alternatively: If you are affected by this issue, please take these steps to resolve it…
If I treated my customers (I run an IT shop) the way Bigpond treats theirs, I would be out of business in a week.
Incidentally, a Bigpond customer service agent ( some of them must laugh themselves silly when they use that term) has just advised me that the problem is now resolved. Clients who still have difficulties sending email should turn their modem off and then on again. This should resolve the problem.
Perhaps.
