Slow and Annoying Service at Philippines Call Center

[SEAKevin]

I am on the "A List" supposedly and yesterday I needed to call with a billing issue.

Back in July I got rid of 2 UltimateTV receivers and replaced them with R15's. Since making the change I had not looked at my online monthly DTV statements until yesterday and I noticed I have been charged $9.95 per month for UltimateTV for each of the past 6 months (I was also charged for the DirecTV DVR service) so I needed to ask them to stop charging me for UltimateTV and have them credit my account for the $9.95 fees they charged in error over the past 6 months.

I called and got someone with a Filipino accent so I am assuming I got transferred to someone at one of DTV's 2 call centers in the Philippines. I suppose it is possible it was a Filipino person in one of their US call centers...but I'm going with the odds.

I want to start out by saying I'm not a racist person nor do I have a problem with using offshore call centers with foreign workers if the agents are trained properly and give as good of service as US call centers (rare). But that's not the case at DirecTV!

I explained my situation and at first the woman had no idea what I was talking about. She started reading me a description of the benefits of UltimateTV and I had to explain to her 5 times what I was actually calling about and that I hadn't had a UTV receiver since back in July. At one point I asked for a supervisor since it didn't appear she understood what I was asking for. But then she finally started to get it. I was on the phone with her for nearly 30 minutes for something that should have taken no more than 5.

And literally every 5-10 seconds when she was looking up information in the computer she would say "please hold on while I pull up my resources" OVER and OVER and OVER and OVER again! She remained on the line the entire time rather than pushing the hold button and she kept repeating those words... it was very annoying and I was so tempted to say something to get her to stop talking until she had something useful to say but I figured that would only prolong the call.

Then finally she figures out how to stop future billing and she calculates the amount of the credit for the past fees and tells me it's a "one time courtesy credit" as if she's doing me a favor... I thought about pointing out this was their error, not mine...but again I said nothing just to get off the phone quicker.

I was calm and, for the most part, patient during this ridiculously long call, but I was really disgusted it had to take that long and that it required so much explanation on my part. They need to do a MUCH better job of training their off shore reps!

[Earl Bonovich]

IMHO - Doesn't have anything to do with being an "off-shore" call center.

Basically the CSR you got was probably new, and in generall just needs to be trained better.... samething would/does happen those here "on-shore".

She was just going via the script, and hasn't learned the "tact" on when to go off script, and just help you... wouldn't surprise me if the person you got was being monitored by a trainer....

No different then one of our sales people in our company... those just learning are TERRIBLE... even though they have gone through weeks of training.... no amount of training replaces... "live" actualy experience.

Too me... it sounds like you just caught the wrong CSR on the wrong day.
As actually I would think the UltimateTV product, would be one of the last things they are taught about.

:(

As a side note (before anyone points it out); My reply has nothing to do with the fact that my wife is Filipino.... it just caught my eye a LOT faster... but you would have gotten the same reply.

[veryoldschool]

I am on the "A List" supposedly and yesterday I needed to call with a billing issue. Back in July I got rid of 2 UltimateTV receivers and replaced them with R15's. Since making the change I had not looked at my online monthly DTV statements until yesterday and I noticed I have been charged $9.95 per month for UltimateTV for each of the past 6 months (I was also charged for the DirecTV DVR service) so I needed to ask them to stop charging me for UltimateTV and have them credit my account for the $9.95 fees they charged in error over the past 6 months.
I called and got someone with a Filipino accent so I am assuming I got transferred to someone at one of DTV's 2 call centers in the Philippines. I suppose it is possible it was a Filipino person in one of their US call centers...but I'm going with the odds.
I want to start out by saying I'm not a racist person nor do I have a problem with using offshore call centers with foreign workers if the agents are trained properly and give as good of service as US call centers (rare). But that's not the case at DirecTV!
I explained my situation and at first the woman had no idea what I was talking about. She started reading me a description of the benefits of UltimateTV and I had to explain to her 5 times what I was actually calling about and that I hadn't had a UTV receiver since back in July. At one point I asked for a supervisor since it didn't appear she understood what I was asking for. But then she finally started to get it. I was on the phone with her for nearly 30 minutes for something that should have taken no more than 5.
And literally every 5-10 seconds when she was looking up information in the computer she would say "please hold on while I pull up my resources" OVER and OVER and OVER and OVER again! She remained on the line the entire time rather than pushing the hold button and she kept repeating those words... it was very annoying and I was so tempted to say something to get her to stop talking until she had something useful to say but I figured that would only prolong the call.
Then finally she figures out how to stop future billing and she calculates the amount of the credit for the past fees and tells me it's a "one time courtesy credit" as if she's doing me a favor... I thought about pointing out this was their error, not mine...but again I said nothing just to get off the phone quicker.
I was calm and, for the most part, patient during this ridiculously long call, but I was really disgusted it had to take that long and that it required so much explanation on my part. They need to do a MUCH better job of training their off shore reps!
Been there, done that. You are right about the location. I always ask where I'm talking to. Just a habit. Last time is was "Asia" & some pressing was the Philippines.
Billing questions seem to be the ones that are forwarded there [first]. Mine was nice [clueless, not new for D*] and after my billing questions, I had her transfer me to customer retention for the rest of my questions. This time it was Idaho.

[zemon3]

Had it. (UltimateTV and Philippines Rep Tonight, that is) Receiver broke and have been charged for it for 3 months (wife did the bills). Called to complain, (they should know by now I am not a people person). Had to explain what it is (suck up that its not a DVR, in their opinion). Last night I was just changing programming to save money and spoke to someone in Philippines who told me that any changes are now a 2 year agreement:eek2: to maintain service. That kinda got to me that they have me at $30+ month til summer 2009. Being in a different time zone they planned to call me back at 12:50 AM. :lol: Anyway I Googled my problem and came to your post and I wouldn't even bother you, but you had the same issue so recently and want to know how to at least not get shafted on losing every battle with them (I've done it since 2000). Maybe if there are others with legacy equipment, we can provide a more viable front? This isn't good business. The problem initially is that I have 169Time HD legacy equipment which putted out too. So I had to give up the crappy limited HD channels they gave me. If there is anyone in the forum that has similar concerns, message me. I just think they have lost their minds or maybe me. :icon_dumm -Chris :rant:

[Dusty]

Earl is right. This has nothing to do with where the call center is. How many times have we heard people complaining about CSRs in US?

[CJTE]

She didnt give you hold music but she was putting you on hold.
I would assume Earl is correct that either she was being monitored or she was talking with her supervisor trying to help you out.

On DirecTV's side, its your fault for allowing the charge to continue. You should be an informed consumer and shouldve checked your bill.
On your side, it was an error that shouldve been taken care of when you had the UltimateTV's taken off your account.

Oh, and remember, the CSR's have a credit limit too, and that credit limit has been recently reduced.

[somekevinguy]

I know how you feel. Like Earl, my wife is Filipino and sometimes I wish I could get transfered to an on-shore call center. I have to explain myself 5 times to her a lot of times too.

[Budman2000]

At work, we use Indian off-shore people to handle mundane support like unlocking passwords and filling out help desk tickets.

I have had this same experience where the person on the other end is strictly on a computer script, and if its not in the decision tree/script, that person is totally lost.

But what really gets my goat is whats worse (and often intolerable) is the often low level of English language fluency, a pre-requirement for successfully understanding the problem to be solved, the we have to put up with. Trying to explain a technical problem in something of a repetitive baby-talk is so totally un-business!

The more we complain about this, the worse it seems to get! :)

The fact is, its a new way of life in this world, and I just have to take a deep breath, and remember I won't have to put up with it much longer (retiring soon), and be happy I have a job while I do.

I guess its all in the attitude. Stay positive I guess. :) :) :)

[viperlmw]

I had a Slimline and HR-21 700 installed last monday. Yesterday, I noticed on my online account that somehow Starz had been added to my account. I called approx this morning, Monday, 0830 PST. After being on hold for about 10 min, the phone was answered by 'Patrick'. Not much of an accent, my clue was the audio seemed very compressed, like an IP call without much bandwidth. I sometimes talk to tier 1 tech support for another company, which is in the Phillipines, and the calls sound the same, so I asked Patrick where he was, and he was in the Phillipines, I didn't ask which city. I had him disconnect Starz, and a SD receiver I don't use anymore. Took him less than 5 min, went very well. I asked him if his systems had recently been updated, he indicated that they had over the weekend, and it seemed to run faster and more smoothly for him. I said thats good, as long as they don't bump up the numbers as a result of a faster system. He laughed and agreed with me, but said that his numbers hadn't been increased yet.

Over all, with the exception of the initial wait, the call was smooth and fairly rapid.

[Maruuk]

I've had em all, on every continent (so it seems). Good, bad, uglee. If you get an idiot, just hang up and call back. Yes, I know, it takes 20 minutes or more sometimes. But there are smart, informed, helpful CSRs out there, and they really can straighten you out fast. The douchebags will just waste your time, best to recycle the contact, spin the chamber until you get a live one.

[curt8403]

At work, we use Indian off-shore people to handle mundane support like unlocking passwords and filling out help desk tickets.

I have had this same experience where the person on the other end is strictly on a computer script, and if its not in the decision tree/script, that person is totally lost.

But what really gets my goat is whats worse (and often intolerable) is the often low level of English language fluency, a pre-requirement for successfully understanding the problem to be solved, the we have to put up with. Trying to explain a technical problem in something of a repetitive baby-talk is so totally un-business!

The more we complain about this, the worse it seems to get! :)

The fact is, its a new way of life in this world, and I just have to take a deep breath, and remember I won't have to put up with it much longer (retiring soon), and be happy I have a job while I do.

I guess its all in the attitude. Stay positive I guess. :) :) :)

eeeeeekkkk!!!! REPS WHO do not speak english clearly or understand same. Awful..
worse is that they do not give you their real names. Company assigns them an english sounding name to use, and that is gruesome/

[Canis Lupus]

I'm with VOS. I always ask "where" as well. For DirecTV, I DEFINITELY do it because they have a massive call center here, and more times than not I've gotten things sorted faster and maybe a few bonuses along the way for the "local" call.

Been there, done that. You are right about the location. I always ask where I'm talking to. Just a habit. Last time is was "Asia" & some pressing was the Philippines.
Billing questions seem to be the ones that are forwarded there [first]. Mine was nice [clueless, not new for D*] and after my billing questions, I had her transfer me to customer retention for the rest of my questions. This time it was Idaho.

[Upstream]

Then finally she figures out how to stop future billing and she calculates the amount of the credit for the past fees and tells me it's a "one time courtesy credit" as if she's doing me a favor...

Beware the "one time courtesy credit". I had a series of billing errors last year, and each time an error was corrected, I was told that it was a one-time courtesy credit. Eventually I had a CSR tell me that I was over my credit limit, and refuse to fix DirecTV's error. It took me several days of phone calls to finally get someone at DirecTV finally agreed to fix the error. Of course, it was a one-time courtesy credit.

[curt8403]

Beware the "one time courtesy credit". I had a series of billing errors last year, and each time an error was corrected, I was told that it was a one-time courtesy credit. Eventually I had a CSR tell me that I was over my credit limit, and refuse to fix DirecTV's error. It took me several days of phone calls to finally get someone at DirecTV finally agreed to fix the error. Of course, it was a one-time courtesy credit.

right! one credit can stop you from getting any others for a whole year

OUCH

[Upstream]

Oh, and remember, the CSR's have a credit limit too, and that credit limit has been recently reduced.

That's the stupidest thing I've heard since the last time I called DirecTV.

If DirecTV makes an error on my bill, whether it is $2, $200, or $2 million, I expect them to correct it. If the CSR doesn't have authority to fix the error, I expect him/her to transfer me to someone with authority. Internal policies like CSR credit limits are DirecTV's problem. I don't expect them to make it my problem.

[Upstream]

right! one credit can stop you from getting any others for a whole year

OUCH

Yep. It is a triple whammy.

1) You get a billing error.

2) You have to fight to get the error corrected (which can be a very difficult task).

3) Because you got a credit to fix DirecTV's error, you are now barred from receiving promotions or discounted upgrades.

[Xaa]

Yep, that's insane. Courtesy credits are above and beyond, not simply those that make me whole after their error. Like Upstream says, they can manage their own workforce, don't put that responsibility on me.

[pratttech]

I'm with VOS. I always ask "where" as well. For DirecTV, I DEFINITELY do it because they have a massive call center here, and more times than not I've gotten things sorted faster and maybe a few bonuses along the way for the "local" call.

I completely agree, but was surprised by the thread a bit. This is a very similar thread in content as yesterday's closed poll regarding "foreign" sounding CSRs. Funny that I remember being told DirecTV had no overseas call centers and all the accents I'd heard were American. IMHO their CSRs really should only be from the countries where they actually sell service.

Usually it is not any Latino or American regional dialect that I have trouble with, but those from the eastern hemisphere of the globe. Calling back to get to a US call center benefits me in that chances are much improved that I will get a CSR that I can actually understand without too much work on my part, and as another benefit might help to keep jobs in this country.