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View Full Version : Issue Escalation Process


MikeW
11-20-07, 11:55 PM
The process for escalating issues needs improvement. In another thread I started, there was an issue with the HD feed of my local RSN. I spent nearly an hour on the phone talking to 5 different levels of CSRs. I got the following responses:

1) Tune to 94 or 95, your game should be there
2) The game is being blacked out in your area
3) The RSN is sending alternate programming for their HD feed
4) The league is not allowing us to broadcast the game in your area
5) The game is not being broadcast in HD tonight
6) Try resetting your box to see if the game comes on

One CSR looked on ESPN.com to see if there really was a game. He tried to tune to the channel but couldn't because it "was not available in his area".

The fact of the matter was...they had the FSN Southwest channel mapped to 649.1 which should have been FSN-AZ. It wasn't until very late in the third quarter that a switch was flipped and the correct programming was available. Yes, the game was not blacked out, was available in HD, was not being pre-empted by alternate programming, and WAS available in my area.

The troubleshooting should have started with the fact that FSN SW was being shown on the wrong channel. Eventually, the issue got to the right person. The problem is, with live sports, you only have one opportunity to make it right.

There is no script for issues outside of the norm and the CSRs need to be able to transfer calls to the appropriate person when they listen to symptoms that don't follow their normal script. 800-Get-Sports should have their own tech support that can deal with these anomolies. It is not right that a customer should spend so much time on the phone explaining an issue several times before finally being connected to somebody with the authority to make the right people look at the issue.

SamC
11-21-07, 06:39 AM
Exactly. The Big Book Of Why The Customer Is Always Wrong and incorrect pat answers are spewed out by untrained minimum wagers who do not understand the sports blackout rules.

Its the worst thing DirecTV has, and it has not improved in 10 years.

MEMO:

1 - Teach these people the rules.

2 - If a customer calls in, he is RIGHT, even if he is wrong. Don't give pat answers, and toss the man a few comp PPV movies or a month of HBO.

3 - Institute a "beta tester" board of people, like many posters on the boards, owners of sports bars, the sports betting community, etc, who really do understand the rules and give us a secret number to call where our complaints will be taken seriously by MANAGEMENT.

bnglbill
11-21-07, 06:50 AM
Exactly. The Big Book Of Why The Customer Is Always Wrong and incorrect pat answers are spewed out by untrained minimum wagers who do not understand the sports blackout rules.

Its the worst thing DirecTV has, and it has not improved in 10 years.

MEMO:

1 - Teach these people the rules.

2 - If a customer calls in, he is RIGHT, even if he is wrong. Don't give pat answers, and toss the man a few comp PPV movies or a month of HBO.

3 - Institute a "beta tester" board of people, like many posters on the boards, owners of sports bars, the sports betting community, etc, who really do understand the rules and give us a secret number to call where our complaints will be taken seriously by MANAGEMENT.

I'm sure they are taught this, the problem is, they don't make enough to care and if they do care, they move on to better jobs, it's the law of attrition.