Most people are now aware that in June 2014, The Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) enforced a change to stop companies charging consumers to call customer service lines beginning with 084/087. Most companies have done this already, and some are still in the process of the switch over, but have the changes been misinterpreted? Sales lines are still permitted to carry an 084/087 prefix, as are technical support lines and even business to business calls. So why do some companies still have these numbers for post sales enquiries?
Let’s use British Airways as an example. They are continuing to use 084 numbers for their customer relations department, for changing details on already paid for tickets and even for help with your delayed luggage. In fairness, there is still some discrepancy as to how the BIS rule changes completely effect certain industries; travel being one of them along with the financial sector that don’t have to fully adhere to these conversions. However, you would think in a corporate world of global brand recognition and a huge consumer client base that companies such as these would use the eradication of these lavish numbers as a selling point. One thing we do know is that with the power of social media and the internet, it will not be long before the collective voice of the consumer tests the moral fibre of the big businesses.