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Good call
MAUREEN Lipman would approve – even though the Hull-born actress, who played the indefatigable Beattie in the BT adverts, would probably have uttered her catchphrase "You Got an Ology?" on hearing that the phone giant intends to scrap charges for 0870 or 0845 numbers.
Like many, Beattie would have initially feigned indifference that one of the utilities was planning to ring in the changes for 2009 by removing various charges at a time when most household bills appear to rise with relentless regularity.
BT's move is significant – given the vast number
of doctor's surgeries, insurance firms, energy utilities, banks and building societies that can only be contacted via these lines.
It's estimated each householder spends half an hour each month calling these numbers – at the considerable rate of 5.8p a minute. At least they can now do so safe in the knowledge that they're not having to pay for the privilege of listening to an infernal recorded message bleating: "Sorry, all lines are busy. Your call has been placed in a queue."
Now customers, like Beattie, won't be phoning BT's rivals for an "ology". They will be asking for an apology if they do not match this gesture.
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Friday 10 February 2012
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