solo8
join:2002-11-11
Boston, MA
|  The Truth About Tech Support and Bellsouth
For 11 months I was the hated "tech support idiot" that you may have spoken to on the phone for Fast Access tech support. I have never been happier to quit a job as this one. I am going say things in this post that I was not allowed to say as a representative of bellsouth. My purpose is not to divulge proprietary information, so you .corp fellas can relax. I am not posting this to make friends or enemies. Hopefully some of you will find this useful or informative. So of you will not like this at all. In no particular order, here's what's on my mind.
*Phone tech support agents do not work for bellsouth. They are subcontracted from several different companies. This prevents these employees from unionizing and bellsouth does not have to pay benefits this way. These people are required by bellsouth to state that they work for bellsouth if you ask them, when they really do not.
*Phone tech support agents are given practically no information regarding network status. They have a much longer list of things that the cannot say than of current information. Many times these "idiots" are not idiots. They are biting their toungues; wanting to tell you what's really up when they're not allowed. Calls are monitored by bellsouth, so if they are caught saying something they are not allowed to, they are written up. Tech support agents are not allowed to say that you are in an "outage"; they have to say that "maintenance" is being done.
*The email servers are down more than they're up. This applies to POP3 and webmail. Don't even bother with it. Get a free email account from another company, keep your DSL if it works.
*If you treat your tech support agent with respect, they will do the same for you. They already know you're frusturated if you're calling in, so you don't need to constantly reiterate that point. You catch more flies with honey...
*Reboot your computer and modem before calling in.
*If you're running Windows 95; get with the program. It's not the line, it's your machine.
*If you are moving and keeping the same phone number. DO NOT TRANSFER FASTACCESS. It will spiral into a nightmare. Bellsouth cannot get this process together. There are two departments that are sort of supposed to handle this, and they will both transfer you to the other department until you get dizzy and fall down. It is better to cancel fastaccess and reorder when you are all moved in. Trust me.
*There are several call centers that will handle your calls. Half of them have competent agents, the other half have carbon blobs. If you're call is not going well after 60 seconds, hang up and call back for another agent. You may want to ask they agent where they are located. If they are in South Carolina or Ft. Lauderdale, hang up now. Is my opinion biased? You better believe it.
*If you cancel your service. Call the billing department back at least twice to be sure things are fully cancelled. Many people cancel and continue to be billed. This is because you need to be cancelled in two different systems. One drops your provisioning, the other stops the billing.
*Efficient Networks and 3com modems are total crap. Alcatel are probably the best. The Westell is awesome, but it's difficult to install on USB.
*If your call to tech support went well. Ask to speak to a manager to commend them. It will make their day.
*If you have fiber optic (IFITL), may God help you. That stuff is always down. If you live in Lawrenceville (GA), Norcross (GA), or Pembroke Pines (FL), you may want to consider another ISP.
That's it for now. Replies are welcome, perhaps I'll add to this later. Sorry if I stepped on your toes, you'll get over it.
PS Save the world, vote against Bush in 2004. |
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Andy Houtz
join:2001-05-11
Marietta, GA
| Thank God you're no longer working for tech support. I'm sure you're going to say that you left on your own because you just didn't like the way you were treating customers. Also that you are posting simply to help the little guys...not because you were let go.
Andy Houtz
BSIS TSG
[text was edited by author 2002-11-11 21:35:50] |
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PatrickES
Excalibur Systems
join:2002-11-05
Saint Peters, MO
clubs:
| reply to solo8
Man thats the truth..Cancel service then sign up again..I transfered my service and I kept getting double billed, one for the new location and one for the old location. They finally fixed it, after 5 months.
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-- Patrick
DefCon World Systems Administrator
www.defconworld.com
admin@defconworld.com |
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parputt
Premium
join:2001-11-25
New Iberia, LA
 ·AT&T Southeast
| reply to solo8
[quote]*The email servers are down more than they're up. This applies to POP3 and webmail. Don't even bother with it. Get a free email account from another company, keep your DSL if it works.[quote]
Not true!
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If someone here (DSLR/BBR) can't help fix it, throw it away cause it's really broke! |
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solo8
join:2002-11-11
Boston, MA
| Sorry Andy,
I can assure I quit on my own terms. I prefer rock n roll to bulls***. I'm not going go on about myself. And I do respect your position...
But BS is a corporate behemoth. People like you, Andy (AKA helpers) are in rare numbers. It's mostly people in management position who care about 1) Profits. 2) Not being laid off.
What about the accidental disconnects. There are so many.
Who here has had there service suddenly disconnected and don't know why? It's in the thousands. It's almost always for a ridiculous reason; the customer is running Trillian, a change in billing method, a miscommunication with billing.... A disconnect could be avoided with a simple phone call to the customer, even an email. Why don't they contact the customer?
*Why don't they contact the customer?
*Why don't they contact the customer?
*Why don't they contact the customer?
*Why don't they contact the customer?
PS. Save the world, vote against Bush in 2004. |
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solo8
join:2002-11-11
Boston, MA
| *If you had sync on your modem yesterday and don't have it today... 1) Have you plugged/unplugged ANYTHING from your phone line? Then change it. 2) Have you changed anything with Bellsouth i.e. billing method, adding/removing services. Then call tech support. Adhere to advice given in previous post on how to reach a competent agent. 3) Have you changed ABSOLUTELY NOTHING? (Don't lie, it's won't get you anywhere.) Then call tech support and request that "DSG" (the agent is required to call them a "line technician") take a look at the line. You will almost certainly have to disconnect all the phones in the house. This is necessary to get an accurate line test.
If anybody has any questions I will be happy to answer them to the best of my whislte-blowing capacities.
PS Save the world, vote against Bush in 2004. |
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DSLDUDE
Got The Folding Farm Itch
Premium
join:2002-01-07
Norcross, GA
clubs:
| reply to solo8
Um, IFITL is not really that bad, ya'll just don't understand how to work on it. Install it for two years and place the cable and splice the fiber for it for one year and then come talk to me about IFITL. I'd rather have it than any other DSL service from Bellsouth...
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"Give me enough Badger, and I can heal the cracks in the Grand Canyon" |
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Bleed American
join:2001-08-01
Huntington, WV
| reply to solo8
Great post solo8. Nearly everything you said was absolutely correct. I too spent almost 2 years working in one of the "contracted" call centers, with a year and a half at the Supervisor level. I have seen what you have described, and much more.
I understand frustration from the customer end, and I believe that BellSouth probably has things together a little better than when i was there, but I really wish people would realize that you will get more help when they call in if they are nice, rather than if they call in screaming and yelling within the first 5 seconds of the call. If you do that, all that will happen is the person you are talking to will tune you out, and do their absolute best to get you off the phone as quickly as possible.
Just one last thing that that I would like to say and I hope that all users of BellSouth, or any high speed access would pay attention to. You are paying good money for a service, educate yourself in how it works. I would say out of all the calls that come into a call center, about 75% could be fixed without a phone call, just a little research and little patient will go a long way. Know your machine and know your service. Your relationship with your ISP will go a lot smoother  |
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Hardcore
The Cow Says
Premium
join:2002-08-23
Albany, GA
 ·Mediacom
| reply to solo8
You can't possibly expect everyone to become PC-literate. That's a joke. Old people in Florida have DSL, and they will call if they have ANYTHING go wrong.
Suggesting that path is fine, but expecting change to happen from it is ridiculous. I say this not as an advanced PC user, not as a broadband user, but as a person in general.
There will be no way for every human being, regardless of age, to know PCs or broadband at a decent level.
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If you've got a game, I'll play it. |
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panzersteel
join:2002-01-27
00000
| reply to solo8
Amen to that, brother. I used to work at the Oak Ridge facility. I subsequently got fired for posting a review dissing a billing agent that was just being stupid. So, workers of Bellsouth DSL tech support, if you post on here, your job is on the line. The trainers are telling the truth on this one. Bellsouth treats the companies like shit. The companies respond by licking the feet of Bellsouth, but many people would if offered that amount of money. The companies then take a huge chunk of the money, divert it to themselves, and redistribute the $20 or so left out to a few hundred poor souls and call them experts. I'm sorry, but I don't need some big company to blow sunshine up my butt and then slap me in the face for my expertise. No, I have no college degrees, but I was a great tech, according to my supervisor that will remain nameless. |
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Bleed American
join:2001-08-01
Huntington, WV
| reply to Hardcore
I didn't say I expected everyone to become PC literate, but when a user calls in, and the only thing that is keeping them from getting online is due to the fact they haven't rebooted their computer in over a week, that my friend is rediculous.
I know that it gets hard when you take 50 - 60 calls a day of the same thing to have patient for those types of situations. Work in a call center, whether it be customer service, tech support, or anything and you will realize that like I said that about 75% of calls are things people could fix on their own. My point in all of this? Not a whole lot pf people try. It is possible for people regardless of age, or location to become educated enough to use and troubleshoot a computer. If it wasn't this website would not be as popular as what it is. This really isn't directed at anyone here, because if you are here, more than likely you are trying to educate yourself, which is the only point I was trying to make.
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"When they find the cure for pain, that's when I'll throw my drugs away"
Morphine |
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Hardcore
The Cow Says
Premium
join:2002-08-23
Albany, GA
·Mediacom
| reply to solo8
Look, about the only people who have gripes concerning all this are ex-employees(note the "ex"). You suddenly are "fired wrongly" or "quit on your own terms" and then you end up here, blasting the company you(no matter what) work for!
What sort of message is that supposed to send? "Don't use Bellsouth for ANYTHING, because they are the devil." You sicken me. Just because they're a corporation means nothing.
On the other hand, if you even CARED about that job you lost(or "quit"), then you would not have been here. You would be back at that phone, helping a little old lady find her USB port, or helping a Network Administrator with a sync issue...anything but lambasting, trolling, and flaming a good company.
If Bellsouth was as evil as you claim, then why are their higher management people VOLUNTEERING time off? I'd say it's because they give two damns about their company, their colleagues, and the current state of both.
Don't come in here with your angst and disgruntlement. Come to us with CONSTRUCTIVE points.
And I'll say it again. It's IMPOSSIBLE for all human beings to know PCs. Then ALL helpdesks would be out of a job! Perhaps then you will have your self-styled "vengeance" on Bellsouth, by forcing them to lay off hundreds, nay thousands, of innocent people.
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If you've got a game, I'll play it. |
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winsyrstrife
River City Bounce
Premium
join:2002-04-30
Brooklyn, NY
clubs:
| reply to solo8
said by solo8  :
*Phone tech support agents are given practically no information regarding network status...Many times these "idiots" are not idiots. They are biting their toungues; wanting to tell you what's really up when they're not allowed. Calls are monitored by bellsouth, so if they are caught saying something they are not allowed to, they are written up. Tech support agents are not allowed to say that you are in an "outage"; they have to say that "maintenance" is being done.
That absolutely sucks. I believe you're being honest, but what's the point in having a policy like that?! Are they supposed to continue troubleshooting an issue that can't be resolved, possibly causing more harm than good?
said by solo8 :
*If you're running Windows 95; get with the program. It's not the line, it's your machine.
Believe it or not, some Windows 95 machines are in great shape, requiring repair that any Windows 98/2000/XP machine regularly needs. I will say that you're putting yourself in a bad position staying with 95, that has known communications/networking issues.
said by solo8 :
*There are several call centers that will handle your calls. Half of them have competent agents, the other half have carbon blobs. If you're call is not going well after 60 seconds, hang up and call back for another agent. You may want to ask they agent where they are located. If they are in South Carolina or Ft. Lauderdale, hang up now. Is my opinion biased? You better believe it.
Wish I could disagree, but it's the same problem in my company. You roll the dice when you dial that number. The majority are well-knowledged though.
said by solo8 :
*Efficient Networks and 3com modems are total crap. Alcatel are probably the best. The Westell is awesome, but it's difficult to install on USB.
I strongly disagree. Efficient Networks has been a proven reliable DSL Bridge/Modem. 3Com, they have their high ups/downs.
said by solo8 :
*If your call to tech support went well. Ask to speak to a manager to commend them. It will make their day.
Good Point. I strongly recommend you either send E-mail correspondence or talk to their sup. to inform of a job well done. Many times good workers are overlooked, and even let go.
said by Hardcore :
...if you even CARED about that job you lost(or "quit"), then you would not have been here. You would be back at that phone, helping a little old lady find her USB port, or helping a Network Administrator with a sync issue...
This is one of the main reasons I'm still at my present job. Commuting between two states is a real pain in the ass (up 4:30 AM, get home 9 PM). I could have a job closer to my hometown, but I feel I'm making a difference working here. I'm glad to help out any customers, and they do appreciate it.
said by Hardcore :
It's IMPOSSIBLE for all human beings to know PCs. Then ALL helpdesks would be out of a job!
Amen. Can't argue with that. While I wish certain things were a given, the less they know about certain things, the better. 
--
Shameless Video Game Music Remix Junkie!! | "Hate, hate your enemies...save, save your friends...find, find your place...speak, speak the truth. " - Nirvana - Radio Friendly Unit Shifter |
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badstink
join:2002-02-04
San Jose, CA
·DSL EXTREME
|  reply to Hardcore
Hardcore, the information provided by Solo8 is very helpful. It's great insight into how this Bell company operates. Perhaps the comments hit a little too close to home for you?
I disagree with Solo8's comments about Efficient Network modems. My SpeedStream 5260 has operated non-stop and flawlessly for the past 8 months.
PS Save the world, don't vote for Bush in 2004. |
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janusdevil
join:2002-10-28
Flushing, NY | ok..that was a very helpful post in my opinion. regardless of whether he is biased or not, there's always a grain of truth. ty for posting that info. it explains why the techs couldnt tell me what was going on with my dsl order. mystery solved..lol |
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Stormtide
Premium
join:2002-09-12
Kennesaw, GA
| reply to solo8
Be nice to the techie that answers the phone especially if you get a good one on the line when you call. Most of these folks are worth far more than they are being paid (there are exceptions). When the economy improves most of the good ones will head for greener pastures and the quality of tech support will go way down. If you work in this business I have some advice for you:
Corporations deserve no loyalty, they will lay you off and replace you with a contractor (that contractor might even be you) in order to save a couple of dollars an hour.
Don't stay in any one place too long (don't get too comfortable). This is especially true if they aren't coming across with regular raises of significant size. If they don't recognize your value you will be among the first to go when the business cycle turns. Perceived value counts more than actual value.
Always remember, if your paycheck bounces you stayed too long (yep, that happened to me too).
I know these things because having worked for some of the biggest and smallest software companies. A previous position gave me the opportunity to dodge several RIFs that took the company from about 34,000 to 5,400. I am currently a contractor for one of biggest, at a bargain price. I was too loyal and a bit too comfortable and was among the half of the company that got laid off at my last job.
Stormtide
[text was edited by author 2002-11-16 23:53:22] |
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Doctor Olds
I Need A Remedy For What's Ailing Me.
Premium,VIP
join:2001-04-19
1970 442 W30
clubs:
|  reply to solo8
said by solo8 :
*If you're running Windows 95; get with the program. It's not the line, it's your machine.
Absolute FUD.  I have no sync in my router due to the operating system I run? Wrong!!! The Redback server has sync, but will not respond to PADI request and give my router valid IP or won't pull authentication from the Radius server? That's not my PC or the OS on it, it's the ISP's equipment and Routers/PCs/Servers.  I guess my OS/2 Warp and my other OSes are the problem, too? You might be surprised that I use an old dual boot PC with WFWG 3.11 on it and it works with zero problems with ADSL and surfing the web, getting mail, ect.
You really need a clue. said by solo8 :
*Trust me.
After you get an education and a little bit of real word experience, maybe...NOT said by solo8 :
*Efficient Networks modems [snip other brand] are total crap.
That must be why I routinely have 30 days with the same PPPoE session (AKA same IP) since 2000 on my Bellsouth Provisioned ADSL line(EL is my ISP though). My low average is 8 to 10 days per PPPoE session and my best is 38 days seen here »31 Days Same PPP Session - 5660 PPPoE .
Over 1 month PPPoE session
»Over 1 month PPPoE session
Regards,
Doctor Olds
--
Starfire is The Future Now! Clarke's Third Law: "Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic." |
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mykel
join:2002-01-08
Duluth, GA
| reply to PatrickES
When you transferef your number, did you keep the same phone number? If so that is a big nighmsre as the guy who posted alluded to.
When people transfer their phone service and keep the same number , which is dsl qualified, the dsl side of the house doesn't recognized you've moved, but the customer service side does. The real problem is training. The people who assist you with you your landline need to ask if you have dsl, and if you would like to keep the same phone number. If not it's a smooth process, if you do, be prepared to be down with only dial up for a few weeks.
I used to work in customer service with bellsouth. They have a procedure but it simply boils down to training. |
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NeoGeo64
Premium
join:2001-09-22
Leesburg, GA | He's right. I used to work for BellSouth Technical Support and it sucks.
It's not tech support, it's an afterthought. They don't even care if we solve the problems. |
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IhatemyISP$
join:2001-08-25
Leesburg, GA
| reply to solo8
quote:
*Efficient Networks and 3com modems are total crap. Alcatel are probably the best. The Westell is awesome, but it's difficult to install on USB.
amen that
quote:
Tech support agents are not allowed to say that you are in an "outage"; they have to say that "maintenance" is being done.
I've told hundreds of customers they were in "outage areas"...the only stipulation on that area is that they have to be "posted" outages, not just the agent trying to place blame and get off that particular call.
quote:
*Reboot your computer and modem before calling in.
*If you're running Windows 95; get with the program. It's not the line, it's your machine.
All to often, rebooting does more damage than good. As for Windows 95, it's no longer supported. Thank you Microsoft.
--
don't give me that bullshit
you know who i am
i'm your nightmare little man
think you stole my lunch money
made me cry |
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