View Full Version : The nation's telecom providers are failing online customer service....
The nation's telecom providers are failing to provide customers with a full range of online customer service capabilities, according to an industry survey.
By Elena Malykhina (emalykhina@cmp.com)
InformationWeek (http://www.informationweek.com/;jsessionid=T5TEQSJWCIEEWQSNDLPCKH0CJUNN2JVN)
September 7, 2007 12:00 PM
The majority of telecom carriers in the United States are failing to provide customers with a full range of onlinehttp://images.intellitxt.com/ast/adTypes/mag-glass_10x10.gif (http://www.informationweek.com/news/showArticle.jhtml?articleID=201804776#) customer service capabilities, according to a study conducted in late August by online services provider Brulant.
The study found that 69% of home pages don't allow customers to log in to their account. Nearly 40% of home pages don't have "site search" functionality and only 38% offer a "help" link.
None of the telecom carriers studied by Brulant provide account security information on their home pages.
"When customers fail to get their basic account needs met via the home page, it creates a sense of dissatisfaction that is difficult for the telecom provider to overcome later in the customer service relationship," said Rich Drab, a partner with Brulant's telecom practice.
The carriers studied include Qwest(Q (http://www.techweb.com/financialCenter/index.jhtml?Account=techweb&Page=QUOTE&Ticker=Q)), Sprint(S (http://www.techweb.com/financialCenter/index.jhtml?Account=techweb&Page=QUOTE&Ticker=S)), Verizon(VZ (http://www.techweb.com/financialCenter/index.jhtml?Account=techweb&Page=QUOTE&Ticker=VZ)), T-Mobile, MCI, Vonage, Skypehttp://images.intellitxt.com/ast/adTypes/mag-glass_10x10.gif (http://www.informationweek.com/news/showArticle.jhtml?articleID=201804776#), Windstream, SunCom, and several others whose names weren't disclosed. Out of the carriers discussed, Sprint and Vonage scored the highest in various categories. Both offer services on their home pages, such as account sign-in, a customer service link, and site search.
MCI and Skype scored the lowest on the survey.
Most carriers don't take into consideration customers with special needs and site performance. Only 15% of carriers link to information for the disabled. About 8% of sites are available in text-only or low bandwidth view, while 15% of carriers offer a browser recommendation for viewing their sites.
This is the second critical report on the telecom industry's customer service practices this year. A University of Michigan, American Customer Satisfaction Index (ACSI) survey, published back in May (http://www.informationweek.com/story/showArticle.jhtml?articleID=199601588), found that only 75.2% of U.S. customers polled were happy with the service they were getting.
kinjutsu11
09-09-2007, 12:32 PM
Out of the carriers discussed, Sprint and Vonage scored the highest in various categories. Both offer services on their home pages, such as account sign-in, a customer service link, and site search.
T-Mobile should have a live online customer service link. I think that would be pretty cool for some people, but still, T-Mobile, i think, offers a pretty good online experience.What do you think j__1?
chokaay
09-09-2007, 12:40 PM
Out of the carriers discussed, Sprint and Vonage scored the highest in various categories. Both offer services on their home pages, such as account sign-in, a customer service link, and site search.
Ummmmmmmmmmm... T-Mobile also provides Account Sign-In, a Customer Service Link, and Site Search (that actually works) on their homepage. Some "analysis" Brulant... :rolleyes:
T-Mobile should have a live online customer service link. I think that would be pretty cool for some people, but still, T-Mobile, i think, offers a pretty good online experience.What do you think j__1?
I don't know... it is very hard for me to be objective on this one... as there is significant MyT-Retail (R.I.P. 2007) overlap.
That said, I do not enjoy the MyTMO site anymore... mostly due to slowness and stability. And the content sections are confusing and unappealing. I do think the site can be simplified greatly. And why can’t I see more than the past 2 bill cycles?
When it comes to online service (or service in general), I'm an American Express boy. I like being able to see where I can save money.
Ummmmmmmmmmm... T-Mobile also provides Account Sign-In, a Customer Service Link, and Site Search (that actually works) on their homepage. Some "analysis" Brulant... :rolleyes:Actually, TMO and MyTMO are two entirely different beasts. Unless something has changed, while there appears to be a site level search engine, it knows nothing about MyTMO content. So from my perspecitve, the search functionality does not work as expected. There are other such customer impacting inconsistencies across the sites.
Galvatron
09-09-2007, 03:14 PM
amrican expres let alon any crdidit card company dosn't save you money if anthing brings you closer to being in the reds
amrican expres let alon any crdidit card company dosn't save you money if anthing brings you closer to being in the reds
Then I guess the $200 they just credited me for my iPhone purchase is monopoly money? In fact, the price reduction came one day AFTER the gurantee window. If $200 coming back my way isn't saving money, I don't know what is.
Back in the day, when I worked for MCI Retail, many customers expressed thier undying loayalty to their grandparent's phone company, AT&T. In order to convert them to MCI LD, all I did was show them AT&T's current promotional rates (many times lower).... If AT&T cared so much, where was the love?
My point is, in the case of American Express... they are going above and beyond in terms of living up to their end of our relationship. In return, this is my primary credit card. And while I don't carry a balance, they still get paid big time when compared to their competitors due to their higher merchant fees.
Go fish.
amrican expres let alon any crdidit card company dosn't save you money if anthing brings you closer to being in the redsBack to the subject of this thread... if you haven't used American Express' online customer service, I suggest you give it a try.
chokaay
09-09-2007, 05:07 PM
Actually, TMO and MyTMO are two entirely different beasts. Unless something has changed, while there appears to be a site level search engine, it knows nothing about MyTMO content. So from my perspecitve, the search functionality does not work as expected. There are other such customer impacting inconsistencies across the sites.
I agree T-Mobile.com and MyTmobile.com are two different things.
The "study" quoted "home pages", which means Unsupported Browser (http://www.t-mobile.com). T-Mobile.com has Account Sign-In, a Customer Service Link, and Site Search. I checked out the Site Search, and it covers a wide range of topics, from stuff to rate plan features, optional feature descriptions, phone specs, all the way through basic trouble-shooting and contact information. What else were you wanting T-Mobile's site search to include?
As far as including EVERYTHING MyTmobile.com has in the site search, I actually prefer it this way. I would not want someone to be able to search anyone's first name, last name, billing information, cell phone number, or any other personally identifiable information and be able to pull up my MyTmobile.com page without logging in. In fact, that's what MyTmobile.com is supposed to be I believe... a portal where customers can LOG-IN and view their OWN account information (ie: billing information, rate plan, minute stats, message stats, data stats, upgrade discounts, etc). Besides all the personal account information, MyTmobile.com doesn't seem to contain any useful information to any non-T-Mobile customer anyway (in my opinion). What were you looking for? T-Mobile customers could always log-into MyTmobile.com from T-Mobile.com by entering their username and password in the upper-right corner...
I agree T-Mobile.com and MyTmobile.com are two different things.
The "study" quoted "home pages", which means Unsupported Browser (http://www.t-mobile.com).
I do not understand.
T-Mobile.com has Account Sign-In, a Customer Service Link, and Site Search. You're splitting hairs.
What else were you wanting T-Mobile's site search to include?
If I ask a question, I want results relevant to me. If I wonder why my bill was so high last month... I'd like some integration with Offers Management. In this way, if I had SMS overages, I would be pointed to a relevant offer. This isn't exactly rocket science. In fact, Corporate Retail was scheduled to receive this functionality this year.. Oh well.
As far as including EVERYTHING MyTmobile.com has in the site search, I actually prefer it this way. I would not want someone to be able to search anyone's first name, last name, billing information, cell phone number, or any other personally identifiable information and be able to pull up my MyTmobile.com page without logging in.
What are you talking about? Let's try a real-world example... I have Google Desktop on my computer. While I can search through my personal information, Chokaay is unable to rifle through my bank records. I didn't say TMO should provide easy access to other's sensitive personal data... even though in the real world, they do. If you define processes in a customer centric fashion, many security concerns take care of themselves.
In fact, that's what MyTmobile.com is supposed to be I believe... a portal where customers can LOG-IN and view their OWN account information (ie: billing information, rate plan, minute stats, message stats, data stats, upgrade discounts, etc). Besides all the personal account information, MyTmobile.com doesn't seem to contain any useful information to any non-T-Mobile customer anyway (in my opinion). What were you looking for? T-Mobile customers could always log-into MyTmobile.com from T-Mobile.com by entering their username and password in the upper-right corner...
T-Mobile's vertical... reinforced silo approach is a challenge. I remember getting into a debate with the Director of Customer Experience in Customer Care Ops late last year, that demanded an explanation concerning my request for $$$ for a program vs. a project. Effectively, her point was that we should focus on applications (e.g., CSM, Streamline, CAM) and not functions/process (e.g., bill payment, CIHU). Say what?
Nwahs
09-09-2007, 10:35 PM
After looking at all the carrier's homepages, I still think T-mobiles is the best. They have the list on the bottom of the page with links to pretty much everything you need. The search engine has never not found what I needed...and log in has always been convenient.
After looking at all the carrier's homepages, I still think T-mobiles is the best. They have the list on the bottom of the page with links to pretty much everything you need. The search engine has never not found what I needed...and log in has always been convenient.
But that's not the point of the article... Big whoop if TMO is #1 if their pack lags near the bottom in customer service. Don't take my word for it... check out JD Power.
The issue isn't today's competitors... it is the changing landscape. The telecoms are becoming irrelevant... with their arrogance acting as a catalyst. Just look at AT&T... they have allowed another company (Apple) to develop relationships with their customers. A company that, from a consumer standpoint, actually gets what retail is all about. In a few years, it'll be interesting to see if we're able to tell if a customer 'belongs' to AT&T or Apple. Apple has the best of both worlds... if they had gone the MVNO route, they would have had to worry about details that are irrelevant in the long-term. With this arrangement, they get to stick to what they do best.
And there are more Apple wannabes out there... and they're all coming to party. Apple didn't pave the way... they're just one of the first non-telecoms to feast on a fatty industry.
chokaay
09-09-2007, 11:21 PM
I do not understand.
For some reason when I try and type w w w . t - m o b i l e . c o m without the spaces, it gives me "Unsuported Browser". So actually, what that phrase meant to say was the study stated they compared Sprint.com to Verizon.com to T-mobile.com to... etc. They didn't compared it to MyTmobile.com.
You're splitting hairs.
I'm just quoting the original article. The original article wrote that these 3 criteria (Account Sign-In, a Customer Service Link, and Site Search) were included in their judgement process, and I'm just pointing out that these 3 criteria also qualifies T-Mobile's website as well. IF they wanted to emphasize the fact that Sprint and Vonage's websites stood out fromt he rest, they should have mentioned 3 or more OTHER criteria that T-Mobile's website (as well as other carriers' websites) DON'T meet, thus DISqualifying all other carriers' websites. Perhaps it's a poor choice of criteria on the author's part.
If I ask a question, I want results relevant to me. If I wonder why my bill was so high last month... I'd like some integration with Offers Management. In this way, if I had SMS overages, I would be pointed to a relevant offer. This isn't exactly rocket science. In fact, Corporate Retail was scheduled to receive this functionality this year.. Oh well.
Yes, that would be very nice, and I would like that too. Indeed some websites are much better at this than others. However, the article did not explicitly refer to this as one of the judging criteria (but IMO it should have been).
What are you talking about? Let's try a real-world example... I have Google Desktop on my computer. While I can search through my personal information, Chokaay is unable to rifle through my bank records. I didn't say TMO should provide easy access to other's sensitive personal data... even though in the real world, they do. If you define processes in a customer centric fashion, many security concerns take care of themselves.
I see... that makes more sense. I read it as meaning the site search should provide accurate answers to EVERYTHING that anyone asks (even if not a customer). IF the results are limited to only using and giving data pertinent to the customer AFTER HE/SHE SIGNS IN, then I agree. (The article doesn't refer or infer to this point anywhere.)
T-Mobile's vertical... reinforced silo approach is a challenge. I remember getting into a debate with the Director of Customer Experience in Customer Care Ops late last year, that demanded an explanation concerning my request for $$$ for a program vs. a project. Effectively, her point was that we should focus on applications (e.g., CSM, Streamline, CAM) and not functions/process (e.g., bill payment, CIHU). Say what?
Well, I don't disagree with you there. I'll bet T-Mobile isn't the only one like this though... :rolleyes:
Well, I don't disagree with you there. I'll bet T-Mobile isn't the only one like this though... :rolleyes:
And THAT'S the point of the article that I was locked on... this isn't about TMO vs. <insert telecom here>.
I see... that makes more sense. I read it as meaning the site search should provide accurate answers to EVERYTHING that anyone asks (even if not a customer). IF the results are limited to only using and giving data pertinent to the customer AFTER HE/SHE SIGNS IN, then I agree. (The article doesn't refer or infer to this point anywhere.) That's actually how we designed what was supposed to be the new POS/Sales & Service portal for Retail. The concept didn't request customer or employee log-in until they attempted to access functions requiring authorization (similar to the payment kiosk).
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