Offshore call centre knowledge

[007stuart]

Is there an easy way to explain to a call handler that my Superhub is in Moden only mode?

I have spent 10 - 15 minutes to an offshore call handler following a failure on my broadband service. It seemed that modem only mode on the Superhub is not widely understood and even after advising that I was on R30 the call handler still failed to grasp the issue. I wasewven asked what router I had only to be told sorry we don't support that manufacturer. I think she even was not convinced when I told her I had only 2 lights showing with the Virgin motif illuminated red and not blue.

Eventually the penny dropped and after some checking shew managed to restart my service.

Am I just unlucky or is there a training need that Virgin need to address?

[Mick Fisher]

There is a huge training need that VM have not been addressing since they first started to use offshored TS or so it would appear. :erm:

[Milambar]

"Eventually the penny dropped"

That suggests you had a pretty well trained offshore agent. (joke)

[Peter_]

Is there an easy way to explain to a call handler that my Superhub is in Moden only mode?

I have spent 10 - 15 minutes to an offshore call handler following a failure on my broadband service. It seemed that modem only mode on the Superhub is not widely understood and even after advising that I was on R30 the call handler still failed to grasp the issue. I wasewven asked what router I had only to be told sorry we don't support that manufacturer. I think she even was not convinced when I told her I had only 2 lights showing with the Virgin motif illuminated red and not blue.

Eventually the penny dropped and after some checking shew managed to restart my service.

Am I just unlucky or is there a training need that Virgin need to address?
They have full access to the same screens as we have so the is no excuse there whatsoever and it will get better once the Albert Dock closes no doubt.

[Nopanic]

ouch

[Peter_]

ouch
I know the truth hurts sadly.;):p:

[raging bull]

I think they phrase 'sink or swim' comes more to mind.
If offshore doesn't come up with the goods, more will be dissatisfied with the services provided by Virgin.
Feedback to Virgin could be in the form of 'I am off', BT here I come (or words to that effect?)

[Russ]

BT also use Indian callcentres for their BB tech support.

The worrying trend is that a lot of companies seem to accept Indian callcentres to be as 'normal' as "press 1 to be put through to the wrong department, press to 2 to be cut off, press 3 to get through to someone who is very nice but no help whatsoever etc etc" telephone systems.

[Chrysalis]

VM (and ye sother companies but this is discussion about VM) need to educate themselves on "failure demand"

Its demand driven by failures.

So customer rings up once, failed to resolve their problem.
At that point any subsequent calls are a result of failure demand and not needed when call centres are ran and supplied properly.

[Peter_]

VM (and ye sother companies but this is discussion about VM) need to educate themselves on "failure demand"

Its demand driven by failures.

So customer rings up once, failed to resolve their problem.
At that point any subsequent calls are a result of failure demand and not needed when call centres are ran and supplied properly.
We are supposed to offer a first time resolution, so if you are fobbed off that will not happen.

[Mick Fisher]

BT also use Indian callcentres for their BB tech support.
That is a huge disincentive to try Infinity. :(
Of course the other huge disincentive is that Infinity is run by BT. :(

The worrying trend is that a lot of companies seem to accept Indian callcentres to be as 'normal' as "press 1 to be put through to the wrong department, press to 2 to be cut off, press 3 to get through to someone who is very nice but no help whatsoever etc etc" telephone systems.
:LOL:

[Milambar]

That is a huge disincentive to try Infinity. :(
Of course the other huge disincentive is that Infinity is run by BT. :(


:LOL:

Well to be fair, not all offshore call centers are a big bag of bull droppings. My bank uses a call center in India (sadly), but they are actually quite good, and quite professional.

I think it really is a training issue, or lack thereof.

[Mick Fisher]

Well to be fair, not all offshore call centers are a big bag of bull droppings. My bank uses a call center in India (sadly), but they are actually quite good, and quite professional.

I think it really is a training issue, or lack thereof.
Be Unlimited TS, who I believe are in Bulgaria, are first class, very knowledgeable and literally refuse to put the phone down until they have sorted your issue. It seems that nothing is too much trouble.

My Bank's CS which sounds like it is in India has sorted my issues efficiently and are very polite.

Even BT's telephony support, which again sounds like it is India, has sorted my queries and issues quickly and efficiently although, from what my Daughter tells me, the BT BB support is on a par with Vm's Indian center, even down to the "We are sorry but we see nothing wrong so we cannot help you any further." Fob. Hmmm...maybe the same crew do both VM and BT?

So I'm totally in agreement that it seems to be only VM's Indian BB support (and maybe BT's) that is totally pants. So if it's a training issue isn't it about time VM did something about it.

Oh wait.....that would cost money wouldn't it. Obviously an inappropriate decision for VM to contemplate. :rolleyes:

[Synthetic]

Totally agree with the above, Be's offshore support is fantastic, probably the best i've ever dealt with, always got the problem fixed and even call back to make sure everything is ok

However, had a brief experience with VM's offshore, and since then i'd rather post on the community forums and wait longer for a useful reply.

[Russ]

Well to be fair, not all offshore call centers are a big bag of bull droppings. My bank uses a call center in India (sadly), but they are actually quite good, and quite professional.

I think it really is a training issue, or lack thereof.

In India it's because they are victims of their own helpfulness.

A lot of Indian culture still has the 'colonial' mentality where they served their masters. This attitude is often found in the workplace.

Their employer gives them instructions and they loyally stick to it very rigidly as they think they are there to serve their employers. So they stick to company policy which is why if you ask them something which isn't on the script they'll usually fob you off or ignore it as in their view it's not what their employer wants.

They have very little idea of our culture of customer service expectations.

What they should be doing is serving the customer. I have no issue with applying company policy but common sense and discretion must be used where necessary to help the customers.

[kwikbreaks]

We are supposed to offer a first time resolution, so if you are fobbed off that will not happen.
It depends on what Is classed as a successful resolution. If that is being able to get shot of the customer without them complaining it's hardly a proper resolution. For instance the firmware bug in the Superhub produced frequent hangs and every one could be "resolved" by rebooting it which is doubtless the very first item on any fix list. A billion reboots won't fix the actual problem though.

[Russ]

It depends on what Is classed as a successful resolution. If that is being able to get shot of the customer without them complaining it's hardly a proper resolution. For instance the firmware bug in the Superhub produced frequent hangs and every one could be "resolved" by rebooting it which is doubtless the very first item on any fix list. A billion reboots won't fix the actual problem though.

Not sure of the exact timescale but it's classed as a first-time resolution if the customer doesn't call back within, say 24 hours. It can be unfair though, because an agent may fix a customer's issue but if they call back straight away because they forgot to ask something then the agent loses their FTR for that call.

The moral of this is if you get through to India and they're useless, the best thing you can do is call them straight back as it goes against them.

Saying that though, many customers are so exasperated with the awful service that they have no desire to ring back.

[Peter_]

It depends on what Is classed as a successful resolution. If that is being able to get shot of the customer without them complaining it's hardly a proper resolution.
Luckily myself and colleagues do not work that way but not for much longer.