Verizon Fighting To Offer Less Timely Customer Service To The Citizens Of Virginia
As we mentioned before, Verizon is fighting the state of Virginia in the hopes of lowering the required standard of customer service. Currently, Verizon is required to restore service within a day to 80% of its customers. They feel this standard is unfair:
The SCC's communications division has recommended that Verizon Virginia and Verizon South pay a related fine of $17.5 million -- an estimate of the sum Verizon saved by not responding quickly to customer complaints of "land line" phone outages.Fios, Fios, Fios. Restore people's phone service on time!The SCC says the fine is justified because Verizon, even after filing a "corrective action plan," violated a rule that requires the company and competitors to clear each month no less than 80 percent of out-of-service calls within 24 hours and 95 percent of such calls within 48 hours.
In turn, Verizon warns that a fine that high, coupled with the SCC's continuing to hold the company to related performance standards, could set back efforts to fully roll out its fiber networks and put Verizon at a competitive disadvantage.
"As hard as we tried to get this standard right, we didn't," said Stephen Spencer, Verizon's director of regulatory affairs. "It's not the right standard, I believe."
Spencer said Verizon is "losing tens of thousands of lines a month" because of competition.
Verizon told to explain failures [Roanoke Times]
(Photo:samideluxe)
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LSD is... amazing i think. check the flikr page, it's got a higher res
So we worry about the LSD comment but not the fact that Verizon is trying to avoid regulations other providers have had to follow all along.
Yah, let them change this, then let everyone else follow, end result we be even crappier customer service.
Umm...with that kind of public stand, why is that Jack@$$ Spencer still working there? I mean, the shareholders haven't figured out that having someone in top management who openly and brazenly scorns and fights consumers, regulatory bodies, responsibility and accountability is like....bad for business?
Well, again this is another clear example of the old axiom "Just because they ARE in business doesn't mean they SHOULD be."
I mean, what does he think people PAY THEIR BILLS for? Entertainment? How about a REFUND for everyone in the required 80% who's deadlines weren't met? I hope the fine gets distributed evenly among them. I know...yeah right.
Wow, nice to see that Verizon can't meet a simple requirement. To put this into perspective, the market that I work in for Comcast (West Coast) has a 90% requirement with the franchise authority, including answering 90% of all Video related calls into the call center within 30 seconds. We have been able to hold this 90% standard successfully for at least the last 5 years, with the exception of 2 times 2 years apart. Just goes to show you how some companies (can you hear me now?) talk to big talk but fail to walk the big walk. They just can't deliver.
Oh lookie what I found! I just love Google...here is Mr. Spencer's contact info - feel free to share with him your thoughts...
Stephen Spencer Verizon South (804)772-1585 steve.spencer@verizon.com
I think there could be a simple solution to this problem. Utilities are very strict on collecting fees. How about the customers return the favor. If Verizon South doesn't want to restore phone service within a day to 80% of customers, the customers should timely withhold two days worth of charges for every day their phone is not working. One day prorated charges + one extra day for penalty of nonservice (and even that might be generous)
And yet another thought...they willingly signed up a larger customer base than they can support...and keep cashing their checks. That's what they're saying. It's WRONG for us to expect them to be accountable and maintain / restore the service they charge for. This is kind of like airlines booking a bunch more seats than they EVER intend to have someone actually sit in.
Well, maybe they can segment into a lower tier of service called the "maybe" tier. Lower cost, and if you're lucky, you'll be able to dial out or connect, depending on weather, or Stephen's mood on any given day...
Corporations in this day and age only care to squeeze as much profit as they can from their customers. Gone are the days of getting what you pay for, or any kind of quality customer service.
Corporations around the globe need to realize that the most important product they have is GOOD CUSTOMER SERVICE. If they provide that, loyal cusotmers and the profits they provide will follow...
A Virginia telephone subscriber is paying an additional ~$15 in taxes and fees on their phone service to the Federal, State and local governments. For that kind of money, the phone service better be restored in less than a day.
@HeHateMe: Fark...30 seconds? I wish I could get the local cable company here (BrightHouse) just to answer the damn phone, even if it was their totally dysfunctional voice robot IVR. About half the times I've called them, I get busy signals...that last for hours. I then tell the rep about the phone issues and they act like there's nothing wrong.
Because it's all about cutting costs... by eliminating customer service. After all, why even try? They've got you locked into a 2 year contract. Why should they care about serving you when they've already got your money?
LSD is... what? Pic too small. Better? More insightful than using Verizon? Cheaper than a Verizon contract?