Why are VM Service Estimates so bad?
 

In my area we've had an outage since yesterday morning and everything is down. I've been on the service status page and the estimates keep getting pushed back. First it was 2 pm yesterday, then 4pm, then 6pm then 10am this morning, then 12pm, then 2pm and 6pm.

I understand the bigger the issue the harder and longer it is to fix but surely they know this within a few hours of inspecting the problem? They can't keep thinking this issue is only another couple of hours to fix before extending it another couple of hours?

I have no confidence at all in these estimates now and don't know if my internet is back to come back any moment now or sometime next week! (or later :erm:)

Re: Why are VM Service Estimates so bad?
 

The first estimate will be the end time for (internal) SLA for the ticket. For something to go on as long as you’re describing sounds like something on the lines of a cabinet knocked over or a duct cut through with multiple fibres in. Could be something else but that would be the 2 common ones for something taking so long

Re: Why are VM Service Estimates so bad?
 

Often it's really hard to know how long something will take to fix. Do you have a "F00" ticket number?

Re: Why are VM Service Estimates so bad?
 

Yup: F009242069

Apparently, some water engineers took out a cable.

I just wish they have more information rather than just pushing the estimated time back every 2 hours. I understand stuff happens and am not going to have a go at VM for the fact sometimes stuff breaks, it's the communication and expectation management of it that could be better.

Re: Why are VM Service Estimates so bad?
 

OK, so I can understand why the estimate keeps changing. This is much worse than a "normal" case of someone digging through fibres. It took a long time for the water company to clear the area, and they still don't know exactly how much damage there is. Safe to say it won't be fixed this evening.

Re: Why are VM Service Estimates so bad?
 

Doh! Thanks for checking. It would be really useful if Virgin displayed this to people. Twitter around here is raging at the poor VM support staff because the website is so vague.

Re: Why are VM Service Estimates so bad?
 

Its not just VM that are bad, B.T are also pretty bad.

There was a damaged cable in the area and my neighbour was told it would take 2 days to find and fix, My neighbour at first had intermittent services then a total outage all in all it took them close to 8 days to find, diagnose and Fix.

Unfortunately sometimes these things are out of their hands.

Re: Why are VM Service Estimates so bad?
 

Unlike VM, BT are just an Telco/ISP so you cannot compare the two. It is Openreach who maintain the infrastructure.

BT service agents don't have access to Openreach Incident Management Customer Communications (IMCC) reports. Someone higher up the chain does and may not pass the info down.

Re: Why are VM Service Estimates so bad?
 

Its probably automated, if they miss the first fix deadline, just add a couple of hours on. They'll be right eventually...