Given the mess* in "customer service" call centers, should consumers
> tape record their calls in case of subsequent trouble?
> For one, it gives the consumer a clear record of what was said they if
> they aren't sure, they can play the tape back. Secondly, in case the
> service rep gives bad information or promise that isn't carried out
> the consumer is protected with a record of the conversation.
> *The call center mess:
> In the old days, customer service representatives of a business, such
> as a bank, insurance company, or telephone company, were well trained
> experienced employees. They knew the company's products and services
> and policies. They knew had to look up customer records (whether
> manually or on-line) and how to make account adjustments when
> necessary.
> However, today, call centers is a factory assembly line operation.
> The employees are lower paid, under strict time quotas, and have high
> turnover. They are not trained as to a company's policies. They are
> under pressure to sell premium goods and services regardless of the
> customers' real needs of service. In many cases the operators are
> overseas. Often times the clerk is not very skilled or bright, and
> unable to properly use the computer.
> Rather, they read off scripts provided by a computer screen. If a
> customer's inquiry can't be answered by pre-canned answers, the
> customer is out of luck. If the customer is lucky, the call will be
> passed to a true experienced and knowledgeable rep for assistance.
> BTW, is there anyone out there who can justify today's call center
> boiler rooms as being "better"?
Over the weekend the Dell 1370 wireless card on my partners laptop died. I called Dell and had to go through a 3+ hour odyssey which involved stepping back through system restore points, backing up data and re-installing the OS and software, and then reseating the network card only to find that my original diagnosis was correct.
I was definitely dealing with folks in India. The funny part is, at work we use Dell servers and gear. Our standard line with their support (Which is U.S. based, btw.) is to tell them it's a production box and send us the part, which they do without fail.
There ought to be some sort of vetting process for I.T. folks to get past those damned support scripts.