Call Centres - Page 2

Peter_ · 12-02-2011, 22:14

Quote:

Originally Posted by Paul M

Just to be clear, the forum team will make that decision, so lets move on.

No problem I was just confused by the first post not mentioning any other company except O2.

Skie · 13-02-2011, 01:00

iirc, O2 dont have any overseas call centres. Shame their network (mobile 3g data) is so terrible, because their CS is actually good.

Nopanic · 13-02-2011, 08:42

Quote:

Originally Posted by Helix

I'm not sure why, but I find India call centres seem to promise things that they don't really have any right of promising.

Like earlier this week my broadband cut out and it turned out to be an area fault but the fix time kept getting put back further and further. The Indian call centre promised me that it would be fixed by a certain time - of course it wasn't. I could understand it if they said we will try our best to have it fixed by x or its likely to be fixed by x. But they told me it will definately 100% be fixed by that time.

I have noticed it before with 3's indian call centre as well, they made some huge cockups when starting my contract but promised me that I would never have any problems with 3 in the future. Roll onto the following week and they managed to lose my number whilst porting it.

They have been told time and time again not to give times on fixes, its a physical fault (80% of the time) with an outage, so the techs fix it as soon as they can .. giving them an SLA makes no difference at all. IMO.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Paul M

Just to be clear, the forum team will make that decision, so lets move on.

Its not in bold so its not a moderating decision ..

Ignitionnet · 13-02-2011, 09:56

The Indian centre is dire in my experience, however it's a really simple equation. People want the services for pennies so to drive the prices down VM will take shortcuts. One of those being using outsourced contact centres instead of employing locally at far higher expense.

If you want assured, high quality customer service and technical support you have to pay for it and VM's charges don't cover it.

Nopanic · 13-02-2011, 10:13

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ignitionnet

The Indian centre is dire in my experience, however it's a really simple equation. People want the services for pennies so to drive the prices down VM will take shortcuts. One of those being using outsourced contact centres instead of employing locally at far higher expense.

If you want assured, high quality customer service and technical support you have to pay for it and VM's charges don't cover it.

VM decide on the prices, they decided to place their operating costs against profit and in my opinion it is their responsibility to make sure the person answering the phone is easy to understand and knows their subject.

I'm not suggesting that anyone from VM doesn't hit those high standards, (realistically there will be some), maybe they should do like some Banks and offer a small charge for specialist agents, a lot of the Indians are exceptionally skilled, both with call handling and technical ability.

jonmarriott · 13-02-2011, 10:36

With SKY every alteration takes around 10/15 minutes to complete on an 0844 revenue-split phone number. Virginmedia's 150 "free" call centre is faster.

Why? Because users are paying for the UK based call centre with SKY through your phone bill.

Maybe Virgin Media should offer a premium UK based call centre using 0844 paid for by users.

Peter_ · 13-02-2011, 11:55

Quote:

Originally Posted by jonmarriott

With SKY every alteration takes around 10/15 minutes to complete on an 0844 revenue-split phone number. Virginmedia's 150 "free" call centre is faster.

Why? Because users are paying for the UK based call centre with SKY through your phone bill.

Maybe Virgin Media should offer a premium UK based call centre using 0844 paid for by users.

We used to have a 0906 number for you to call which cost 25ppm and if we ascertained it was a fault on our side we refunded the costs but if the fault was caused by you then the charges went on your phone bill and we had offshore call centres back then as well.

Also the incoming call had to end within 20 minutes by law after which we had to call you back.

big_dirk · 13-02-2011, 12:01

Would just like to add that I completely agree with the OP, the VM 151 call centres for BB and TV tech support are very bad. Also, I know this is a common thing these days but you shouldn't have to qualify that you're not racist. Just like you wouldn't clarify that you're not racist if you come out and say that you don't like African crisps.

My engineer when installing my TiVo told me that the call centres will be brought back onshore soon, any truth in this VM staff?

Peter_ · 13-02-2011, 12:07

Quote:

Originally Posted by big_dirk

Would just like to add that I completely agree with the OP, the VM 151 call centres for BB and TV tech support are very bad. Also, I know this is a common thing these days but you shouldn't have to qualify that you're not racist. Just like you wouldn't clarify that you're not racist if you come out and say that you don't like African crisps.

Now which call centres are you referring to in the above statement as we have Liverpool, Swansea, Airdrie, Pune and Delhi.

The reason I ask is I am a broadband, television and telephony support agent based in Liverpool and the above is rather a general statement.

Quote:

Originally Posted by big_dirk

My engineer when installing my TiVo told me that the call centres will be brought back onshore soon, any truth in this VM staff?

That is just a rumour or wishful thinking of the engineer.

big_dirk · 13-02-2011, 12:25

Quote:

Originally Posted by Masque

Now which call centres are you referring to in the above statement as we have Liverpool, Swansea, Airdrie, Pune and Delhi.

The reason I ask is I am a broadband, television and telephony support agent based in Liverpool and the above is rather a general statement.

Apologies, I am referring to the Pune and/or Delhi ones. The UK ones I've always found very helpful.

Quote:

That is just a rumour or wishful thinking of the engineer.

oh

jonmarriott · 13-02-2011, 12:42

yes but it was 25ppm Sky's costs far less, hence Customers being willing to call it. Their Scottish call centre is pretty good, as a Virgin Media's UK based one. If quality costs, so be it.

As it now stands I go out my way to find a strange routing through the Options maze to get a UK based operator. This isn't racism, it's ease of communication and knowledge based.

Faced with calling India or UK, I'd pay extra. As it is, I call a few times until I'm successful in achieving this..

Milambar · 13-02-2011, 13:06

Quote:

Originally Posted by Masque

We used to have a 0906 number for you to call which cost 25ppm and if we ascertained it was a fault on our side we refunded the costs but if the fault was caused by you then the charges went on your phone bill and we had offshore call centres back then as well.

I remember that well, it was this very thing that lead to me finding the newsgroups (now closed, sadly).

They would only refund the call cost if you were phoning from a VM landline. If calling from a non-VM landline or a mobile, forget it, you weren't getting the call costs back.

That might not have been policy, but it was the practice. I got a £40 bill I had to repay a friend for using his mobile to call in for aa fault. They admitted fault, but because it wasn't my phone, and because it was a mobile, they wouldn't refund it.

Peter_ · 13-02-2011, 13:08

Quote:

Originally Posted by big_dirk

Apologies, I am referring to the Pune and/or Delhi ones. The UK ones I've always found very helpful.

oh

I knew exactly what you meant but you were not clear enough for other people reading your post.

Thank you.

Nopanic · 13-02-2011, 13:13

Quote:

Originally Posted by Milambar

I remember that well, it was this very thing that lead to me finding the newsgroups (now closed, sadly).

They would only refund the call cost if you were phoning from a VM landline. If calling from a non-VM landline or a mobile, forget it, you weren't getting the call costs back.

That might not have been policy, but it was the practice. I got a £40 bill I had to repay a friend for using his mobile to call in for aa fault. They admitted fault, but because it wasn't my phone, and because it was a mobile, they wouldn't refund it.

The process (yeah I know) was to refund to the bill of the person with the fault. For the cost of 25p per minute ..

You think you had it bad .. the welcome that had to be said by the poor agents every time was crazy ..

Hi Welcome to Virginmedia your speaking to ____, just before I help I just need to let you know this call cost 25pence per minute plus 10p to connect, calls from mobiles and other networks may vary, if the fault is found to be with Virginmedia we will refund the cost of this call. Can I take your name please.

Peter_ · 13-02-2011, 13:15

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nopanic

The process (yeah I know) was to refund to the bill of the person with the fault. For the cost of 25p per minute ..

You think you had it bad .. the welcome that had to be said by the poor agents every time was crazy ..

Hi Welcome to Virginmedia your speaking to ____, just before I help I just need to let you know this call cost 25pence per minute plus 10p to connect, calls from mobiles and other networks may vary, if the fault is found to be with Virginmedia we will refund the cost of this call. Can I take your name please.

NO!!!!!!!!! please delete it I cannot bear to see that in black and white again.