So, just received a call from Telecom...

Forums › Spark New Zealand (including Skinny and BigPipe) › So, just received a call from Telecom...

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tdgeek

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#474910 27-May-2011 19:05

And I would assume that other providers will also follow similar functions in todays competitive environment

Kyanar

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#474928 27-May-2011 19:55

tdgeek: Possibly a little over analysis here I feel.

Customers are being called and offered deals to generate loyalty, keep customers with us, pass on good benefits to them, and generally look after them. CSRs look to save customers money. The outcall teams may generally target those ending contracts, and thats fair enough, but other CSRs do pass on savings when a customer calls in. On the one hand you can say that CSRs are paid, and may cause lower revenue, but they are also generating care for the customers. Hence the online teams are called Customer Care Online, for good reason.A customer calls/emails in with an issue or query, as well as that being dealt with, if they see a packaged landline and broadband will give them a cost saving or more Gb that is mentioned. These teams have more time to analyse a customers potential savings/benefits, perhaps a narrower approach for the outcall teams hence not necessarily having they accounts analysed as much for good options as heavily as a call in/email in.

Yes, I work for Telecom in the Helpdesk space, this post is just to round out this topic as far as the practices generally are.

I agree, and I sort of applaud that they are proactively identifying those who could benefit from a plan change (i.e those paying for much more minutes/texts than they use). What I don't applaud is the "today only" spiel they roll out, and the failure to disclose that the option is available open term (after I specifically said I have no interest in signing up to another term - I don't have any intention of changing provider, but be damned if I'll sacrifice the freedom to do so) even without the 2 months free.

NonprayingMantis

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#474948 27-May-2011 20:51

Mushdaba: Well that would be a bold assumption on the CSR's behalf. Technically you probably should've been offered all available deals that would benefit you. I guess that there has to be a happy medium between giving enough information and giving too much information. Stores are a nice place to go if you need to discuss things in greater detail.

the problem with offering every deal under the sun is that it gets incredibly confusing over the phone to explain each and every one. (confusing to both the person offering the deals and the person listening to all the options)

easier to just offer one option. If the person likes it, great. If they don't, there is nothing forcing them to take it and they always have the option of checking the website to see their options.

nakedmolerat

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#475050 28-May-2011 08:59

NonprayingMantis:
Mushdaba: Well that would be a bold assumption on the CSR's behalf. Technically you probably should've been offered all available deals that would benefit you. I guess that there has to be a happy medium between giving enough information and giving too much information. Stores are a nice place to go if you need to discuss things in greater detail.

the problem with offering every deal under the sun is that it gets incredibly confusing over the phone to explain each and every one. (confusing to both the person offering the deals and the person listening to all the options)

easier to just offer one option. If the person likes it, great. If they don't, there is nothing forcing them to take it and they always have the option of checking the website to see their options.

so true... sometimes less option is better

Kyanar

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#475722 30-May-2011 12:45

NonprayingMantis: the problem with offering every deal under the sun is that it gets incredibly confusing over the phone to explain each and every one. (confusing to both the person offering the deals and the person listening to all the options)

easier to just offer one option. If the person likes it, great. If they don't, there is nothing forcing them to take it and they always have the option of checking the website to see their options.

True. But, I specifically said the reason I wasn't interested was that I didn't want to sign another year contract. Is it expecting too much that they might then say "ok, you won't get the two months free, but you can get that on open term if you like"? Instead, I get "ok, we'll just leave it as is". As in, "if you aren't signing up for a term I no longer give a crap about you".

NonprayingMantis

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#475814 30-May-2011 16:49

Kyanar:
NonprayingMantis: the problem with offering every deal under the sun is that it gets incredibly confusing over the phone to explain each and every one. (confusing to both the person offering the deals and the person listening to all the options)

easier to just offer one option. If the person likes it, great. If they don't, there is nothing forcing them to take it and they always have the option of checking the website to see their options.

True. But, I specifically said the reason I wasn't interested was that I didn't want to sign another year contract. Is it expecting too much that they might then say "ok, you won't get the two months free, but you can get that on open term if you like"? Instead, I get "ok, we'll just leave it as is". As in, "if you aren't signing up for a term I no longer give a crap about you".

did you ask if you could go on the plan open term, or did they just not offer it?

Kyanar

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#476094 31-May-2011 09:30

NonprayingMantis: did you ask if you could go on the plan open term, or did they just not offer it?

They didn't offer - why, pray tell, should I have to ask? It'd cost the rep maybe 10 seconds, increase customer satisfaction (and retention by extension), and isn't that after all what he's claiming to be doing? Increasing customer satisfaction?

My impression when I was under the belief that he was offering something unique was largely positive, in that Telecom was genuinely attempting to increase retention by offering a better deal in exchange for that 12 month commitment - that I didn't want to commit like that was irrelevant. Now, knowing he was offering the same thing I can get off the website, but he didn't even have the decency to admit that, my impression is that Telecom is the same old company using confusion as a marketing tool, with pushy salespeople only interested in chaining you to the company, with little regard for actually trying to get you what you want and need.

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NonprayingMantis

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#476101 31-May-2011 09:45

Kyanar:
NonprayingMantis: did you ask if you could go on the plan open term, or did they just not offer it?

They didn't offer - why, pray tell, should I have to ask?

If you want something, then you should ask for it. The rep isn't psychic.

It'd cost the rep maybe 10 seconds, increase customer satisfaction (and retention by extension), and isn't that after all what he's claiming to be doing? Increasing customer satisfaction?

My impression when I was under the belief that he was offering something unique was largely positive, in that Telecom was genuinely attempting to increase retention by offering a better deal in exchange for that 12 month commitment - that I didn't want to commit like that was irrelevant. Now, knowing he was offering the same thing I can get off the website, but he didn't even have the decency to admit that, my impression is that Telecom is the same old company using confusion as a marketing tool, with pushy salespeople only interested in chaining you to the company, with little regard for actually trying to get you what you want and need.

I think you are reading way too much into it. The rep called to offer you a reconteracting deal that you might not have seen, and before your contract was up. Great. You declined it. No problem, that is up to you. That really is the end of it.
Does he have a responsibility to inform you of every single offer available to you that you may or may not want? I would say no.
I agree that it would be good customer service for him to say it, but I think there is a measure of responsibility you need to take yourself too.
If you are happy enough with your plan that you aren't looking around for a better deal (and since you weren't aware of the new plans I must assume you were happy before) then why are you complaining?
It;s not like Telecom are hiding the new plans. They are all there on the website for anyone to see. It seems you would have been happier if the plans weren't available to everyone and instead was a special deal just for you, but doing that would cause complaints because people don't like some people being given preferential treatment. I guess they really can't win.

It's related to this topic from a couple of weeks ago
http://www.geekzone.co.nz/forums.asp?forumid=44&topicid=82680&page_no=1

quote:
"IMO it is up to the consumer to monitor and adjust their plans, contracts, for anything including ISP or other Telco services.

It's no different to any other consumer contract items. For example it is up to me to ring around and review my insurance requirements and costs, or power supply contract, or anything else like that"

Mushdaba

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#476138 31-May-2011 11:07

Sure, there is always the option of going open term but you obviously need to already be open term in your current connection. You can change within the same tier for no charge, or go down when you're open term. At some stage you need to take ownership of your connection. By being offered a deal and saying no, you've just been made aware of a plan that may be more cost effective for you. If you want it, ask for it.

I mean let's be honest here, Telecom is in this to make money. They are always going to focus on getting customer's to resign. On the flip side, they're not going to stop you from asking to change your plan.

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