Prime Time Investigates "Service with a Snarl"
- Thread starter Brendan Burgess
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Has anyone actually met a TV license inspector? Do these guys really exist?
I have. My description is apt.
IrishGunner
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After just experiencing their so called customer service they are in my opinion the worst ever I have dealt with
If you have a license, you'll probably never see one. No point in calling to addresses where they know the occupants have a license.
But if your systems are terrible, as they are, you may not be able to arrive at the simple conclusion that 1 = 1.
I got a threatening letter sometime this year, addressed to "The Occupant", telling me to get a licence or risk a fine when the TV licence inspector calls round. (I had irritatedly returned to sender the renewal form they keep sending the previous owners of the house, with the terse message that they don't live there and we have a licence). Since the threatening letter didn't offer any "contact us" details, I put it together with my TV licence - registered to me at the same address - and waited for the inspector to call.
I'm still waiting. But I've since received, at the appropriate time, my own renewal form for the licence I hold at that same address, and renewed it. I'm keeping my fingers crossed that they send the heavy squad sometime soon...
I thought the programme was quite boring, repeating the same type of complaints from companies the dogs in the street know about. Thought would diversify to other types of customer service. For example, as stated by Slurryslump on this thread already, First Active. What dreadful customer service - they have mastered the art of fogging off.
But, even where you have a licence they often have different versions of your name and address and they call because the address on the licence does not tally with their records. I know loads of people who have had visits who have current licences.
ubiquitous
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We moved house some years ago. The house we left was unoccupied for some time subsequently. They sent letters to that address with our name on it, ie "former ubiquitous residence", Street, Town etc. The demands and threats kept being redirected to us, at our new address, despite several calls to An Post
The way to speak to a human via those automated services is either press the hash key (under the 9) or if that doesn't work, always choose the option to pay a bill. They'll always answer those lines ! Then go through your query with them and if they can't help, they'll transfer you to someone who can help !
I watched the second half of the Prime Time special but felt the quality of the content was diluted by the awful "style" of the programme. It was a bit like X Factor where that contestants strike a variety of poses at the camera. Someone on the production crew must have given an instruction that all those giving their stories to 'look sad with a touch of indignation' whilst the camera cirles you. And where did they find the lady who narrated the responses from the companies? Does anyone in Ireland speak like that?!
LennyBriscoe
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F
Flax
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IMO every call centre is terrible.
I've worked in a few back in my student days and no one gives a damn about the job nor customers. They'll say anything to get you off the phone, even if it means lying to you.
I've worked in a few back in my student days and no one gives a damn about the job nor customers. They'll say anything to get you off the phone, even if it means lying to you.
I think we should bear in mind what "customer service" really is, especially as seen by the accountants who guide decision-making in large firms. It is a cost.
A corporation will incur a cost only if it contributes in some way to making profit. Customer service can contribute to profits in two ways:
1. It might solve problems that could otherwise lead to expensive legal actions.
2. It can create a positive view of the firm, thus retaining and perhaps expanding the customer base.
Anything beyond that is a waste of resources.
As long as the great mass of consumers implicitly tolerate bad customer service by continuing to deal with the firms that give it, then we cannot expect the standards to improve.
A corporation will incur a cost only if it contributes in some way to making profit. Customer service can contribute to profits in two ways:
1. It might solve problems that could otherwise lead to expensive legal actions.
2. It can create a positive view of the firm, thus retaining and perhaps expanding the customer base.
Anything beyond that is a waste of resources.
As long as the great mass of consumers implicitly tolerate bad customer service by continuing to deal with the firms that give it, then we cannot expect the standards to improve.
Any random words (not a real option) will transfer you to an operator on most ivrs.
On a voice system just start shouting nonsense into it , for a number system just mash your keypad