Oh for a crystal ball...
Little to say about the world in general simply that what has happened in Asian, the poverty that exists throughout the world especially in Africa and man's inhumaity to man is by far more important than the following (just so that you know where my priorities lie).
Broken Modem
Returned from holiday last week to find by Broadband connection down. No having considerable experience of the service (probably more than most people in ntl) I rang up to report a fault knowing ful well that they needed to send an engineeer to look at the levels in the cabinet. (Its happened more than once and is usually down to an install, disconnection or very basd weather). So first of all I get relatively new guy at ntl's tech support. He takes me through his online diagnostics (despite me telling him what the problem was). Now this is fine as he has to check that I am not talking rubbish. Then he finally agrees I need an engineer.
Good.
But no.
"You don't have a security word on your account".
"Pardon", says I.
"You need a security word on your accoutn becuase of the Data Protection Act".
"Okay", says I, still feeling a false sense of calm. "I have to transfer you to customer services" says the man. " Okay but you have organised the engineer?"
"No sir. You need a secuirty word before I can do that. I'll transfer you". Boring musak for 5 mins. " Sorry sir I can't do that you will have to ring them".
Calm has now disappated. So, I call customer services. Eventually get through to a guy who doesn't know what I am talking about but after lengthy consuyltations with somebody who does eventually manages to add a security word. He also cannot transfer me back.
So call Tech support again. Guy I get through to does know what he is doing but insists on repeating the diagnostics and doing some other bits to see if he can get it going again (fair enough). Note he doesn't ask for my security word.
He again eventually agrees an engineer is needed. Endlessly long wait while he tries to escalate through to second line. Second line finally answer and attempt to put me through to the faults department to agree a time for an engineer to come out - he doesn't actually know what for though so I have to tell him.
So an engineer is coming out the next day when I know he won't need to touch the house and it just requires a short visit to the cabinet. Talk time 45 mins. End to end time over 1 and half hours. No wondered the call centres are not doing well.
Post Script - cable modem comes back up early evening and an hour later receive a call from ntl saying they went to the cabinet and fixed it. Someone knew what they were doing and acted, probably saving a visit to me, so service fixed but what appalling service and processes.
Strangely before Christmas I spoke with a number of frontline people who are also extremely frustrated with the way things work and can't believe what they are being asked to do.
Its a wonder customers stay with ntl if they have to phone.
The people at the sharp end know the problems and quite frankly most of them know how to solve them, yet middle and senior management persist in making these mistakes. Yes ntl is in the middle of a massive change programme but that is no excuse for not maintaining basic service levels or for obvious mistkes when shutting down old operational areas and transferring them.
It certainly feels like cuts have taken away the fat, the meat and quite a bit of bone. How long till Telewest merger? I suspect not long...
Posted by Paul Goodison at January 10, 2005 02:19 PM | TrackBack