Poor customer service - lack of initiative

[Omam]

Hi,

Has anyone else noticed a real decline in Sky’s customer service?

I’m a long-standing customer with “Golden VIP” status, and for years the main reason I stayed — even with so many cheaper alternatives available — was the quality of support. Anytime I called, the agents were friendly, proactive, and genuinely committed to resolving an issue.

This year, when my contract expired, the experience was completely different. I contacted customer service several times to discuss a renewal, and each interaction felt dismissive. After speaking with four agents across different departments, it was clear that there was little interest in retaining my business.

During those calls, I learned that the customer service team I reached is now based in India. There’s nothing wrong with support being handled internationally — plenty of companies do it well — but the shift is noticeable. The problem isn’t the location; it’s the lack of training, consistency, and customer-care standards that Sky previously delivered so well.

Right now, the service feels disconnected from what long-term customers have come to expect. I genuinely hope senior management reviews what’s happening, because the difference compared with the former UK/Ireland support teams is hard to ignore.

I’m completely disappointed with the current level of service, and I’d be interested to know if others are experiencing the same.

[MightyQuinn · Accepted solution]

Hi @Omam   It is unlikely that Sky will see your post, I would contact them directly by registering a formal Complaint.

[Omam]

Hi @MightyQuinn, I already submitted a complaint form and also sent an email 5 days ago. I am yet to get a response from them.

[Daniel0210]

@Omam 

So you seem to be making two points…

1 ~ you are struggling to get an acceptable new discounted deal when trying to renew

Significant discounts are harder to come by these days so if you’re offered something acceptable be prepared to agree to it there and then because if you decide to think about it the offer is unlikely to be available when you call back. Also remember you’re not a new customer so don’t expect anything close to a new customer rate.

If you decide it’s no longer value for money and you’re thinking of changing providers remember that in 18/24 months time you'll be in the same position with that company at which point you'll be able to return to Sky and benefit from the new customer discounts available at that particular time.

2 ~ Call Centre staff being based overseas

Sky still have agents based in the UK and all calls go through to the next available agent whether they be based here or overseas (including I believe Bulgaria, India and South Africa). As you say, a lot of providers do this. Sky are unlikely to change their policy on this in the short term. 

[Sally+k]

I totally agree. I'm looking at virgin at the moment and it's not because I want to leave, I am also a supposed VIP, but I can't take anymore of their woeful customer service. The Indian call agents have difficulty understanding me and me them, they talk way to fast and do not have even a decent command of the English language. Twice, I've agreed a verbal contract only to read a totally different contract in my confirmation email. To top it all I was given two months free subscription for sky cinema etc from an engineer who visited my  home to replace my booster, only to discover I've been charged one month in! Again this was going to be resolved after my call on Saturday and I'm still being subscribed for cinema and being charged for it! Four times today I tried to speak to someone, I was either put through to the AI bot or in three occasions cut off when I refused the AI. I'm so sick of sky and I stayed with them through loyalty and good customer service. Virgin cannot be any worse. It's not possible!

[Sally+k]

• As did I. No response from email or complaint! Oh but they're going to call me back????? 

[Sally+k]

• Hi, I don't think you're replying to me but can I ask what's truly going on with sky just now. I've never known customer service to be like this. Contracts quickly negotiated on the phone by someone with broken English promising the earth then when you look at the contract in black and white it's different. I think it's in relation to ffbs as opposed to pfbs together with the new Disney/hula negotiation. It's almost as if they want to tie customers in and then hit them with the finer detail once you've agreed the contract. I want to know given that I agreed to something totally different on the phone to what was actually in black and white, how to cancel during this cooling off period. Particularly given that they won't answer their phones or if they do, you can't understand a word of what's being said to you. Another entire day wasted today trying to get through. How arrogant of any company to assume customers have nothing better to do with their time? I need advice re how to cancel this latest farce of a new contract. 

[Sally+k]

I feel as though I've hijacked someone else's post so apologies but can the superuser tell me why sky recommend the sky forum yet don't man it? 

[Daniel0210]

@Sally+k 

Because it's a customer ▶️ customer discussion forum where we try to help other customers.

The general idea is that in a large number of cases other customers including those referred to as SuperUsers can give the appropriate advice to a question which prevents the poster needing to call Sky, therefore freeing up the lines for matters that do require staff intervention and saving on what could be a long wait in a queue to speak to an agent. 

[MightyQuinn]

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@Sally+k wrote:

I feel as though I've hijacked someone else's post so apologies but can the superuser tell me why sky recommend the sky forum yet don't man it? 

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Hi @Sally+k   That question is best answered by following the advise in the Answer

[Jewel4]

I totally agree.  The customer service is absolutely shocking.  I am trying to get money back for a mobile phone swap last August.   The mobile swap phone was returned last August and I still haven't been reimbursed £80.

[LISSYG]

I don't need to repeat anything you have said. Im now leaving after 18 years the customer service absolutely shocking. No one understands anything.  Past from pillow to post. No resolution.  Been without Internet 9 days. No compensation.  Shocking company.  I've wasted 4 hours on the phone this week.

[Mark39]

@LISSYG what have they said about your broadband service? You will  get compensation for a total loss of service, but for obvious reasons it's only calculated once the fault has been fixed. It's then paid to your Sky account within 31 days of the fault being fixed. 

[LISSYG]

Its not just that. It's the shocking customer service. I want to talk to a uk based representative 

[Daniel0210]

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@LISSYG wrote:

Been without Internet 9 days. No compensation. 

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@LISSYG 

Auto compensation for complete loss of broadband is only added after the fault has been fixed.

This link explains the Ofcom agreed auto compensation scheme which Sky operates for when there is a TOTAL loss of Sky Broadband or Sky Talk for UK customers.
https://www.sky.com/help/articles/auto-compensation

If you have a total loss of service and it isn’t fixed after two full WORKING days from when Sky are notified of the fault, you will become eligible for it.

From Ofcom’s website:~
If your broadband or landline service stops working, you will have to report the fault to your provider. If the service is not fixed after two full working days, you would not need to ask for compensation or contact your provider again, as your provider has systems in place that mean you will start receiving compensation automatically if the repair takes too long.

This auto compensation is applied 30 days after the fault has been repaired and will come in the form of a credit appearing on your Sky account (from April 2026 the rate has increased to £10.34 for every complete day).

▫️There is no equivalent scheme in place for customers in the Republic of Ireland.
▫️There is no automatic compensation for TV services affected by a broadband problem.
▫️Sky broadband being discussed here is a domestic service therefore whilst it's fine for customers who work from home to use it for that purpose they won't receive additional or quicker support.