ntl: Openness

[Ignition]

OK.

This follows on from some comments regarding ntl: not communicating with customers, and not being open enough, along with the crazily vague fault descriptions that the peeps who write those things have to give out.

A reason for this I've heard is that most customers won't understand more descriptive fault explanations, or the technical details of what is being done. My answer to that is that those who don't understand won't read the *bleeping* thing and let those who actually are interested and want to know get the information they want. We're alledgedly a customer focussed company not the flippin' gestapo.

I want ntl: to do something like the following links, hell I'd write it myself however I'm NDA bound and won't break that easily. Check the following out. This is the kind of comms I think you deserve. If you like what you see please post, maybe even mention it next time you are talking to an ntl whomever!

http://www.blueyonder.co.uk/blueyond...tatuspage.html

http://www.blueyonder.co.uk/blueyond...ouncement.html

http://www.blueyonder.co.uk/blueyond...ilyupdate.html

http://www.blueyonder.co.uk/blueyond...ther_resources

Most of all this bit.....

http://www.blueyonder.co.uk/blueyond...ntarchive.html

Monthly updates on what is being done to enhance service...

THAT'S customer communication - a monthly update would take someone working with it all a matter of minutes to write but woud be great PR and would make for happier customers - those of you who are our lovely customers agree?

At the moment the service status page looks a lot prettier but... still the same completely uninformative messages, no estimated fix times, no indication what the fault is, no indication what action is being taken besides an 'engineers are aware'.

Call me weird but I'd have thought knowledgeable customers are happier customers even if they don't know what you're talking about when you talk about uBRs, CMTS cards etc at least it shows willingness to be open and tell it like it is!

Or you could just have a glossary like this one:

http://www.blueyonder.co.uk/blueyond...ssary_overview

Rather than having customer competitions for service status sites.

</rant>

[Florence]

Well said JAN you have just about covered everything the customers need from NTL but who will get the message too those with the hearing aids switched off.

I really do feel we need to be more like blueyonder in the way customers are informed..

[Ignition]

but who will get the message too those with the hearing aids switched off.

Will see what I can do.

Originally Posted by JustAnotherN00b

<snip rant>

100% agree, NTL should give proper fault information and should be shouting from the rooftops about all the money they are spending on upgrades.

Instead we have to post things "secretly" passed to us by trusted associates - it's absolutely Barmy.

[poolking]

Would any of this actually change when this inevitable merger takes place?

[ian@huth]

Originally Posted by JustAnotherN00b

A reason for this I've heard is that most customers won't understand more descriptive fault explanations, or the technical details of what is being done.

Maybe it's more likely that the ones at the top end of NTL who have to take the decisions on whether to implement similar customer focussed announcements don't understand more descriptive fault explanations, or the technical details of what is being done. They may be afaraid that someone might come along and question them regarding what is posted and it would be very hard for them to answer if they didn't understand the technicalities.

Two questions spring to mind.

Can NTL implement similar scheme?

In any NTL / Telewest merger would we all end up with the TW schemes or the NTL?

Originally Posted by JustAnotherN00b

OK.

This follows on from some comments regarding ntl: not communicating with customers, and not being open enough, along with the crazily vague fault descriptions that the peeps who write those things have to give out.

Big snip

What can i say bang on m8 how many times have we heard this asked for.

Nice one

[MovedGoalPosts]

Originally Posted by JustAnotherN00b

A reason for this I've heard is that most customers won't understand more descriptive fault explanations, or the technical details of what is being done.

Looks like Bill "not tech enough" Goodland is still holding court.

As you say the non-tech customers wont even know where to start looking for information. Those who do will quite happily browse around. Indeed a decent fault description system might even take some load off CS as those who are tech enough, would'nt have to waste CS time trying to get answers.

One day management might listen to their staff and customers and actually facilitate them. One day ntl might find that in so doing their profitability might improve as customer and staff satisfaction increases. Let's hope those in ntl towers listen and take note to your suggestions.

[Matth]

I have 0800 052 4315 (the Status Line) permanently on a card under the phone.

Occasionally useful, at least when a problem is part of a really big one, in giving reassurance that they're already on it.

[nate]

<snip from blueyonder status page>

Detailed Description
Our engineers have advised that this issue was caused by a loose connector. This has been tightened and service is now restored.

-blueyonder Technical Support
</snip>

Wow..now that's just amazing.

That type of communication is great, and in plain english too, how can anybody not understand that?
And I'll bet that the customers affected by that outage are much less understanding than customers who are just told, "It wasn't working, but it's fixed now.."

[Tezcatlipoca]

Originally Posted by JustAnotherN00b

(snipped)

Very very good points & post

[Russ]

Originally Posted by nate

<snip from blueyonder status page>

Detailed Description
Our engineers have advised that this issue was caused by a loose connector. This has been tightened and service is now restored.

-blueyonder Technical Support
</snip>

lololol

A 'loose connector' which has now 'been tightened'? That's honesty for you - what next....."This fault was caused by an engineer kicking over a junction box whilst searching for a sandwich down the back of it which he dropped when he tried scratching himself in two places at once"

Honesty is what we want

[Richard M]

That is fantastic.

[nate]

LOL! But it's probably happened...

And at least the customers can have a laugh afterwards too :P

I know I wouldn't be bitter if after being offline for 6 hours I read that

[Tiberian]

you mean something abit like this ?

http://www.ntl-isp.ntl.com/ServiceStatus/

EDIT
i see this is also a sticky thread at the top of this page, no i did not get it from there :P