HomeMy WebLinkAboutIR 7992 INFORMAL REPORT TO CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS No. 7992
To the Mayor and Members of the City Council April 2, 1996
Subject: MARCUS CABLE CUSTOMER SERVICE QUARTERLY REPORT
1873
DISCUSSION:
On November 1, 1995, the Fort Worth cable television franchise changed from Sammons
Communications to Marcus Cable Associates. During the first 60 days, the name was changed on
trucks, uniforms and buildings. Billing for November and December was still under the Sammons
name.
With the change, the City Cable staff implemented a more extensive customer service plan,
including monitoring telephone calls and cable outages in a different way from what had been done
previously. Tracking of customer service calls, complaint calls and cable outages began November
I on new forms.
Since November 1, cable outages have been reported at a rate of 21 per week, or three per day. The
outages ranged from planned maintenance which lasts a few minutes in the middle of the night to an
outage of more than four hours during a Cowboy game. Two areas, one located in Riverside and
one in Ridglea, each have had more than five outages reported.
Complaints about service are received by City staff via telephone at a rate of four each week. Staff
receives and records the complaint on the new form and faxes the information to Marcus. The City
receives a follow-up either from the district manager or the appropriate department head which is
then followed up with the customer by telephone.
By far the largest number of calls received by the Cable Office deal with the Marcus telephone
system. Many subscribers contact the City because the caller has had trouble maneuvering the
Marcus voice mail system to reach a live person. On average, the City receives between 10 and 25
of these types of calls each day.
The City assists callers in use of the cable company voice mail system. If the customer is frustrated,
staff calls in the name of the individual and telephone number and asks Marcus to call them.
Cable staff has been testing the Marcus telephone system at least 15 times each month since
November. Most of the time, staff has reached an operator. City tests show there have been
excessive busy signals, too many rings before voice mail picks up, the incorrect information being
given on the VM message, and long waits prior to a customer service operator getting on line.
The Marcus telephone system has been particularly frustrating since changes to channel lineups
were implemented on March 1. Part of the enhancement of the channels requix 9tom to '4
the company to get channels added. For instance, on March 5 there were
minutes and a hang up after 5 minutes when staff tested the system to detertine i customers can
report telephone complaints. CP SECRETARY
"IIIE,X
F T. WORTH
ISSUED BY THE CITY MANAGER FORT WORTH,TEXAS
INFORMAL REPORT TO CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS No. 7992
&,ARTE;?6'D
�R To the Mayor and Members of the City Council April 2, 1996
Page 2 of 2
rXpS Subject: MARCUS CABLE CUSTOMER SERVICE QUARTERLY REPORT
1873
To insure Marcus customers have alternatives when the cable telephone system is not responding,
the Cable Office is advertising its telephone number. All calls to the City are logged into a data
base to insure City and cable company follow up.
Staff has met with Marcus to discuss how to improve customer service and has received assurance
that additional representatives will be on the job soon.
Warren's Cable Regulation Monitor, a weekly news service covering cable activities, predicts
franchising authorities will deal with more consumer complaints on cable rates and service as a
result of the Cable Act of 1996. The new law allows cable operators to remove the FCC address
and telephone number from cable bills which may compound complaints received in the City.
During the first four months of operation, Marcus has been much more cooperative in solving
customers concerns. The City will continue to work with company representatives to achieve better
customer relations. If improvements are not made during the next quarter, the City will consider
punitive actions that have been outlined in the transfer agreement.
Bob Terrell, City�M"anagef
ISSUED 13X THE CITY MANAGER-- FORT WORTH,TEXAS