These are the people who used to deal with Pipex customers rather than Tiscali Floydoid. I doubt Tiscali has actually taken on any new "customer service" staff in North Africa & India to cope with the added load though.
Chris - In a "service economy" that offshores services who pays for the services
Seriously though it is a vicious circle - which I think more than one "blue chip" company has realised in the last year
A visitor to these shores once said to me that "The English know the price of everything and the value of nothing". Its a damn good phrase and I think he's spot on the money. I'm willing* to pay a few extra quid a month for decent customer service but few people I know in real life are willing to do the same.
*I was anyway but I'm unsure it does any good in the consumer ISP market now anyway.
PS - by "English" I think he meant "British" before anyone starts getting all het up