Thank You Direc-TV

[jimr]

They were supposed to be here to install another receiver in my sons room yesterday between 8 and 12. About 1 I called and was pretty mad and let them know it said they were worse than the cable company. It seems if they miss an appointment time they will give you a $100.01 credit on your account.
The installer was a super nice guy that said he had been all over the state and was extremely appologitic but they scheduled him for 10 installs before noon. and he was fast he was in and out in less than 45 minutes.
I was supprised last week when the cable company came to install the high speed internet the installer was early.

 

[beerfilter]

Re: Thank You Direc-TV

Well, $100.01 back in your pocket is a nice compensation for your troubles.
I wonder how many employees they could hire with the money they pay out on these credits?

Currently I'm a technician for a cable company,and,my company typically runs work quota at 3 + times the available man hours,assuming each available person is scheduled for 8 hours of work.
They also do not factor in your time for driving,lunch,breaks,paperwork,getting equipment and supplies,ETC...

This also does not take into account that some jobs take more than the scheduled time quota,due to any number of factors.

I typically start my route with 12-16 hours of quota,AND,they will add another 4-6 hours worth of jobs,over the course of the day.
Then we get the special treat of being told to "keep down the overtime"!

It's a wonder that I can make the customers scheduled time frame as often as I do!

However , sometimes the stars align,and,I am in a position to offer my afternoon appointments an earlier time frame,IF it is convenient for them.

Satellite companies are pretty much the same,though,the majority of thier people are not direct employees,but contractors.

 

[i386]

Re: Thank You Direc-TV

^^^ All true! I did contract work for a cable company about 7 years ago. It was exactly as beerfilter described.

 

[rwise]

Re: Thank You Direc-TV

sounds like corperate! Here is enuf work to keep 40 workers busy for a month you have 4 temps, can you have it done today?

 

[beerfilter]

Re: Thank You Direc-TV

What really gets me is the "teamwork" speech.
Team?
I feel more like a referree in the special olympics!

Or,the long hold times,because half of the dispatchers up and quit.

Those REALLY special times that some absolutely VITAL support system(modem delivery/provisioning ,box drivers ,the computer programs that access everything,)are down,with no eta. on being restored.

The orders for installing equipment/services that are not yet available in that particular area/system.
THIS is a result of TEAMWORK.
The rep. that took the call couldn't put the rate codes on the account,because they are "locked" out of the accounts in that area/system,in the database.

The rep. calls a SUPERVISOR(we are saved now....),and,the supervisor,somehow,can't seem to get the order put in.
Did they ACTUALLY look at the address to see what system the customer is in,THEN,look at the list of available services for that system?
NAH,too easy.
They use a special login/password that exists so that customer service and marketing can give discretionary credits for retention,to FORCE those rates on the account!
Yeah,lets just let the poor tech have to deal with this customer.

The first rep. has some excuse for being "new".
The supervisor needs to be beaten to death with a whiffle-ball bat,OR sent too that customers house with an ultimatum of "make it work,OR,don't come back!"

But,I still manage to enjoy most of it,and,I get paid well.
Plus,I know that these issues are the same in EVERY large company I have ever worked for.
And,I do get to put a smile on my customers faces when I resolve that issue they have been having.
I just wish they would NOT hire refugees from McDonalds.....

 

[i386]

Re: Thank You Direc-TV

Sounds like Charter.

 

[muskyone]

Re: Thank You Direc-TV

sounds like com cast the companys i work for have the cs do ride alongs with the techs every month. the girls in the office know how long stuff takes and what probs there are out there. thank god i don't deal with the people.

 

[beerfilter]

Re: Thank You Direc-TV

sounds like com cast the companys i work for have the cs do ride alongs with the techs every month. the girls in the office know how long stuff takes and what probs there are out there. thank god i don't deal with the people.

Ride alongs?
What a dream..
Some days I just want to meet a few in a dark alley,far,far,away,from any potential witnesses.

The company contracted to do "system design" that cannot get it right more than 70% of the time.

Of course,there are the companies contracted to "build " to the previous company's design,that are terminally dyslexic,or,ON DRUGS!

The company never sends the maintenance people to properly set -up the amplifiers,after the initial build/retrofit/upgrade.

You may never notice,with ancient analog service.
But,with digital modulation,EVERYTHING has to be correct,OR,you have nothing but grief.

We have well established policies and procedures for resolving these types of sytem issues.
I am trained/qualified to do system work,BUT,not part of this group,which is too small,and,1/3 of which are complete hacks and morons.
I am frequently put in the position of having to take "guerilla actions",to permanently resolve certain,long-standing design issues.
WHY would I risk getting fired for unauthorized system outages,while I purt things right?
Because I want the stuff to work,I want MY customer to get the service they are paying for!

One of the big ideals of management was for employees to take "ownership".
I ain't got the deed yet,but,I did take it literally.

Yeah,I work for the "BIG C " too,and they are starting to show signs of intellegence.
In some areas,anyway.
In others,they are STILL pounding sand down a rathole!

 

[muskyone]

Re: Thank You Direc-TV

our designer is awsome when we leave a system it's within .5 db or closer. i,m a coax splicer fiber splicer and sweep tech our best custmers have us rebalance there systems every year thats what i'm doing right now. it toke us awhile to get the eng trained but he knows what hes doing now. cci is the worst there design dosen't even make sence for the most part.
i feel bad for inhouse guys that don't have the time or tools to mantain there systems. but the companys are to cheap to bring guys like us in.

 

[muskyone]

Re: Thank You Direc-TV

sorry for hijacking your thread jimr we got the same deal when direct missed there install time and thay tossed in a free mounth of hbo package