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How Overworked are the Installers?
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Old 08-08-2011, 13:19   #1
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How Overworked are the Installers?

Firstly this is not a rant thread, I have nothing but praise for the installer who came to my house Saturday Evening to upgrade me to TiVo and 50meg. I say evening because he arrived at about 5:45pm.

Although it should have been a straight swap over of kit, he encountered a few issues:
The V+ box that was supposed to have gone to my bedroom ( allowing the old ntl Samsung STB to retire), throwing in the towel, so he ended up replacing that too.
The VM systems were down. After a load of phone calls he had been able to confirm the TiVo and superhub were all lined to the account, but they couldn't connect to the network whilst some server somewhere was out. He reluctantly noted on his pda thing that the job was incomplete, but suggesting that sometime in the next 24 hours the boxes should connect automatically. About 9:30pm they did come back online.
He finally left me around 6:45pm.

His timetabled shift should have finished at 4:00pm. I suspect there are many who would have got to that time and said they were clocking off leaving a customer or two stranded. I'm pleased my guy didn't do that.

The real issue has to be why VM are allocating a stupid level of work to their guys. It sound that it was only because my chap had been around the block that he could have a hope of achieving it, and even then it was only possible with overtime.

Apparently the guys should normally do a task list of installs, or a task list of faults. I'm not sure of the exact numbers but it was perhaps 10 jobs a day? My guy had been allocated a full list of repairs and a full list of installs, something like 16+ jobs I think he said. I have no idea how he got to them all, but it was clear he was running on reserves. That cannot be healthy or safe.

I know that costs are everything, but if VM, or their subcontractors can't treat their staff with respect then ultimately customer service will drop and costs too will rise. Indeed my guy was very much looking forward to getting out in a couple of months time. Can staff of that calibre really afford to be lost?
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Old 08-08-2011, 15:20   #2
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Re: How Overworked are the Installers?

For the beancounters it's all about looking good for the shareholders.

They have no concern what happens in thr Real world as regards customer satisfaction or retaining staff.

Squeeze 'em till their pips squeak and then give their jobs to some Indians seems to be a popular way to go.
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Old 08-08-2011, 15:26   #3
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Re: How Overworked are the Installers?

Quote:
Originally Posted by Rob View Post
Firstly this is not a rant thread, I have nothing but praise for the installer who came to my house Saturday Evening to upgrade me to TiVo and 50meg. I say evening because he arrived at about 5:45pm.

Although it should have been a straight swap over of kit, he encountered a few issues:
The V+ box that was supposed to have gone to my bedroom ( allowing the old ntl Samsung STB to retire), throwing in the towel, so he ended up replacing that too.
The VM systems were down. After a load of phone calls he had been able to confirm the TiVo and superhub were all lined to the account, but they couldn't connect to the network whilst some server somewhere was out. He reluctantly noted on his pda thing that the job was incomplete, but suggesting that sometime in the next 24 hours the boxes should connect automatically. About 9:30pm they did come back online.
He finally left me around 6:45pm.

His timetabled shift should have finished at 4:00pm. I suspect there are many who would have got to that time and said they were clocking off leaving a customer or two stranded. I'm pleased my guy didn't do that.

The real issue has to be why VM are allocating a stupid level of work to their guys. It sound that it was only because my chap had been around the block that he could have a hope of achieving it, and even then it was only possible with overtime.

Apparently the guys should normally do a task list of installs, or a task list of faults. I'm not sure of the exact numbers but it was perhaps 10 jobs a day? My guy had been allocated a full list of repairs and a full list of installs, something like 16+ jobs I think he said. I have no idea how he got to them all, but it was clear he was running on reserves. That cannot be healthy or safe.

I know that costs are everything, but if VM, or their subcontractors can't treat their staff with respect then ultimately customer service will drop and costs too will rise. Indeed my guy was very much looking forward to getting out in a couple of months time. Can staff of that calibre really afford to be lost?
l had my second tivo installed on Saturday and he was not there for more then 20 minutes and he seemed in a rush to leave as quickly as he could.
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Old 08-08-2011, 15:43   #4
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Re: How Overworked are the Installers?

Quote:
Originally Posted by denphone View Post
l had my second tivo installed on Saturday and he was not there for more then 20 minutes and he seemed in a rush to leave as quickly as he could.
Yes I could tell he would have preferred not to hang around, but kudos to him he did stay for as long as was needed to see that things would work.
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Old 08-08-2011, 16:30   #5
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Re: How Overworked are the Installers?

I think it is a pitty that the installers often seem to want to spend a bit more time on a job but are rushed by targets.

Then people start shouting how the installer bodged a install or wasn't interested in a long conversation. Its not the poor installers fault its the targets put on him.
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Old 08-08-2011, 18:14   #6
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Re: How Overworked are the Installers?

Sounds like you had a in house service tech, they tend to get 16 jobs a day, mainly fault calls, but usually get sent to some installs, that tend to be quick easy jobs. They tend to work 8-4 or I think 10-7, dont quote me on that.

My self, tend to get about 7-8 jobs a day, Triples, Quads, TiVo's etc. TiVo's if done correctly, should take around 45 minutes. Unfortunately, we do cut corners, we have no choice but to. If we done everything by the book we would be there for ages. We haven't got the time and we don't get paid anymore for working until god knows what time. Most of us do want to sit down with you and show you everything but we just don't have the time. Its quantity not quality unfortunately .

Quote:
Originally Posted by denphone View Post
l had my second tivo installed on Saturday and he was not there for more then 20 minutes and he seemed in a rush to leave as quickly as he could.
Can you describe the guy for me ? PM me if possible. Thanks.
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Old 13-08-2011, 19:25   #7
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Re: How Overworked are the Installers?

If a tech runs behind they will try and complete the jobs they have to ensure customer don't have to be R/S, whenever I have had a tech they always had time for a cuppa whilst fixing my fault or installing something, VM owrked out on average how long jobs take some will take longer but some jobs will take 15 minutes, it does even itself out.
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Old 13-08-2011, 21:17   #8
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Re: How Overworked are the Installers?

Service techs are given 28mins a job, 16 jobs a day. Not easy
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Old 13-08-2011, 21:18   #9
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Re: How Overworked are the Installers?

That include travel time?
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Old 13-08-2011, 21:26   #10
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Re: How Overworked are the Installers?

no not time travel, so somedays I get 18 jobs others 15. Impossible to do unless you atart early miss your lunch and go home late
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