Comedian Takes Out NY Ads to Mock Time Warner Cable Time Warner Cable Handles it Rather Well Tipped by fatness 
Comedian Eugene Mirman wasn't too happy with his Time Warner Cable experience recently, so he wrote a very funny letter and bought ad space in several New York papers where it ran last week. In between barbs about Time Warner Cable's low Yelp rating and how the company is "run like an ill-managed Soviet factory," he notes that Time Warner Cable botched two installation dates. Mirman did ultimately get connected, but not before he place curses on Time Warner Cable's board of directors. Interestingly Time Warner Cable posted a rather honest blog entry, Time Warner Cable's Jeff Simmermon discussing Mirman's letter and apologizing: We botched his install, and miscommunicated with him about it to boot. I really wish that this hadn’t happened, and I really wish it never happened, but we can’t hide from the truth: this is neither the first nor the last time that we’ve miscommunicated with a customer, inconvenienced them tremendously, and screwed up what appears to be a very simple task. I’m sorry this happened, and I’m sorry every single time it happens. Simmermon goes on to outline how Time Warner Cable continues to work with their agents to improve customer service, using "a lot of small tweaks applied constantly over a long period of time." Though the company still gets thrashed in their comment section, Simmermon's response is actually kind of refreshing, given there's certainly a few companies that would have responded to the barbs with outright denial that Mirman's fairly-common experience was anything more than a statistical blip.
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 | | The call center needs to be better like
* Be less about call times and more about trying to work things out
* Better tools / way for the call center to see where the cable guys are
* NO outsourcing and cut down the contractors / move them in house on the cable guy side.
* Give the call center rep's more power to fix stuff / give bill credits
* No pay per job for the cable guys / cable contractors
* Let people buy there own cable box or rent it / rent to own like canada. | |
|  | | | Re: The call center needs to be better said by Joe12345678:* NO outsourcing and cut down the contractors / move them in house on the cable guy side. I agree with this from the perspective of a customer. However, if they have to pay the call center operators 3x the salary vs. being overseas, then they will likely have 1/3 of the operators available. Be prepared to wait even longer for the next available operator! | |
| | | | | Re: The call center needs to be better The other thing you have to consider, why would it matter if they here or there if they only read from a script? Just because they are here doesn't guarantee great service. Just means someone here in the US is getting paid to treat you like crap. | |
| | | | | Any pay more for your services. | |
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| | | said by Joe12345678:* Be less about call times and more about trying to work things out
Sadly, that doesn't fit with most big companies "business model"
"Success" is measured in low call times
low call times = less staff needed in the call center, cause "we're all doing such a great job"
"we're all doing such a great job" = promotion for the call center manager
less staff in the call center = less salaries to pay, for people who need a good job
less salaries = more $$ for the CEO to maintain his/her 3rd corporate yacht
corporate yacht = awesomeness amongst other CEO's
fail | |
| | | stolen
join:2004-04-12
Calgary, AB
kudos:2 | Re: The call center needs to be better Sadly, this is exactly how North American call centers work.  | |
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|  LinklistPremium
join:2002-03-03
Longport, NJ
kudos:5 | said by Joe12345678:like
* Be less about call times and more about trying to work things out
* Better tools / way for the call center to see where the cable guys are
* Give the call center rep's more power to fix stuff / give bill credits
I agree with the above points. And I'd add two more.
Have mgt stop treating customer service as a pure cost center and make it a profit center by showing how GOOD customer service can both retain customers and bring in new ones to boot. As long as mgt sees customer service as an organization that MUST be accomplished at MINIMAL cost, then it will always be a weak point in their plans to add more customers and also have current customers upgrade to more and higher profit services.
And second - hire and train customer service reps so that they are not regarded as replaceable drones that are worthless to the company's bottom line. These people are as important to success as much as network specialists and sales and marketing employees.
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| |  rit56
join:2000-12-01
New York, NY
 ·RoadRunner Cable
| Here's my addition
* Update your software so the tech on the phone call, the first thing he does in ENTER THE ADDRESS OF THE OUTAGE IN A DATABASE which will link other calls from the same address to a level 2 tech or someone from management, they notice multiple calls from the same address and say " we've had 4 calls this week from the same building. maybe it's building or block issue."
Now every call is handled individually. 4 calls , 4 techs sent out, 4 boxes swapped, 4 apartments rewired, 6 weeks pass and finally someone goes "hey maybe there's a problem on the street". Think of all the money you will save Time Warner by send 1 tech to all 4 places on the same day OR just reading the data and investigating a possible street issue.. | |
| | |  AVDRespice, Adspice, ProspicePremium
join:2003-02-06
Onion, NJ
kudos:1 | Re: The call center needs to be better said by rit56:Here's my addition
* Update your software so the tech on the phone call, the first thing he does in ENTER THE ADDRESS OF THE OUTAGE IN A DATABASE which will link other calls from the same address to a level 2 tech or someone from management, they notice multiple calls from the same address and say " we've had 4 calls this week from the same building. maybe it's building or block issue."
Now every call is handled individually. 4 calls , 4 techs sent out, 4 boxes swapped, 4 apartments rewired, 6 weeks pass and finally someone goes "hey maybe there's a problem on the street". Think of all the money you will save Time Warner by send 1 tech to all 4 places on the same day OR just reading the data and investigating a possible street issue..
Comcast does this..
"We can't do anything because you are the only one on your block that is experiencing an outage".
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Standard disclaimers apply.
Atomic batteries to power. Turbines to speed. | |
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| | | Wow, making fun of the cable company. Hilarious. Who knew the Eighties were back. | |
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 C0deZer0Oc'D To Rhythm And PolicePremium
join:2001-10-03
Tempe, AZ | Meanwhile... Any competitors would probably make a killing if they could offer him a better deal, and punctual service. 
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Because, f*ck Sony | |
| |  bbeesleyVIP
join:2003-08-07
Richardson, TX
kudos:5 | Re: Meanwhile... said by C0deZer0:Any competitors would probably make a killing if they could offer him a better deal, and punctual service.
and therein lies the catch-22 that the service providers like Time Warner find themselves in.
Consumers are demanding lower prices but when companies cut back to fulfill that requirement, the consumer cries foul.
we can't expect gold-plated service at an aluminum price point | |
| | | tarynPremium
join:2006-08-20
Boca Raton, FL Reviews:
·Comcast
| Re: Meanwhile... If you look at the success of companies like Apple, it's self-evident that consumers are demanding more than low prices.
For years I loyally paid AmEx's $75/yr credit card fee because they provided superior service; When their call centers went to hell, and became just like MC's and Visa's, I dropped their worthless card like a hot potato. | |
| | | | bbeesleyVIP
join:2003-08-07
Richardson, TX
kudos:5 | Re: Meanwhile... said by taryn: When their call centers went to hell...I dropped their worthless card like a hot potato.
I have myself severed vendor relationships for similar reasons but speaking with others who have elected to grin and bear it because switching is too hard, I wonder if you and I are not in the minority? | |
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| | | | said by bbeesley:said by C0deZer0:Any competitors would probably make a killing if they could offer him a better deal, and punctual service.
and therein lies the catch-22 that the service providers like Time Warner find themselves in. Consumers are demanding lower prices but when companies cut back to fulfill that requirement, the consumer cries foul. we can't expect gold-plated service at an aluminum price point That's not really how things work.
Cable rate hikes are very, very common. There are no lower prices to be seen, despite consumer demands.
As for "making cuts" - no, they don't need to make cuts. They'd still be enormously successful due to the nature of the cable beast: monopolies. Even if they were paying a non-outsourced call center with a knowledgeable and well trained staff. Such things wouldn't put a dent in their pocket book. | |
| | | | bbeesleyVIP
join:2003-08-07
Richardson, TX
kudos:5 | Re: Meanwhile... said by slynerve:Cable rate hikes are very, very common. There are no lower prices to be seen, despite consumer demands.
I worked at a cable company for 14 years and have to say your statement is not 100% correct
we lowered data speed prices and even offered higher speeds for the same price on more than one occasion
Not saying large companies aren't raising prices - but to be fair, the majority of these price increases are tied to increases in their costs, usually labor | |
|
 DavePR
join:2008-06-04
Canyon Country, CA | Mocking Time-Warner is redundant They are a mockery already. I've "stolen" Roadrunner (WiFi) from the neighbors; talk about traffic shaping and redirects? I felt like a piece of meat thrown to a pack of wolves. | |
| |  CajunTekInsane CajunPremium,MVM
join:2003-08-08
Arlington, TX | Re: Mocking Time-Warner is redundant said by DavePR:They are a mockery already. I've "stolen" Roadrunner (WiFi) from the neighbors; talk about traffic shaping and redirects? I felt like a piece of meat thrown to a pack of wolves.
Well not mine, I am sure, pretty tightly tied down... I get no redirects, no traffic shaping.... I'll say that my TW experience is actually pretty darned good. Yeah I know not everyone has a good experience. But if you'd like I'll tell ya about a mutlitude of my neighbors that have switched to TW because of ATT experiences.. 
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da Cajun Darn I hate Malware | |
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| | ... I'm a TWC customer because I pretty much have no other options. | |
| |  Matt3All noise, no signal.Premium
join:2003-07-20
Jamestown, NC
kudos:12 | Number 5 said by Jeff Simmermon :
5) Incentives — Paying more to an agent based on their resolution rates and individual ability to satisfy customers.
I think this is a huge step toward improving customer service. Consistently get high reviews/surveys from the customers you have helped? You get a raise or a bonus.
It's sad, but call centers are horrible places to work, full of evil metrics and draconian managers who want to box you into only going as far as they allow in the name of the almighty call volume per agent, per day.
said by Call Center Manager or Team Lead :
Didn't make your 123 call per day minimum, but everyone you did help hung up and donated $1000 to a charity because you made them so happy? Tough shit, I'm penalizing you, you missed your metric.
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|  EGeezerGo CatsPremium
join:2002-08-04
Midwest
kudos:8 | Run like an ill-managed soviet factory Run like an ill-managed soviet factory
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Follow your dreams, except the one where you're naked in church. | |
|  ctceoPremium
join:2001-04-26
South Bend, IN
 ·magicjack.com
 ·AT&T U-Verse
| Drivel. I tried listening to some of this guys comedy. I'd place him on the same list as Andrew Dice Clay.
Simply Awful, Pathetic, Horrible, stupid, dumb.
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»were.boldlygoingnowhere.org if we don't change out ways! | |
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