# Directv Now Outsourcing Customer Service



## FYRPLG (Nov 11, 2006)

Maybe I am behind times, But the last 2 calls to DTV cust. svc. got me the Philippines.

Is this new?
Seems I called a week or so ago and got south east US voices.

Thanks


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## cariera (Oct 27, 2006)

It's been this way for years


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## hilmar2k (Mar 18, 2007)

As far as I know, every CSR I've ever spoken with has been in the US.


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## Marlin Guy (Apr 8, 2009)

http://www.sitel.com/


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## TBlazer07 (Feb 5, 2009)

I believe on weekends and after hours they go to Sitel in the Phillipines. Maybe also at times when the call volume/hold time gets too high. They have specific call-center metrics they need to maintain or heads roll.


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## Davenlr (Sep 16, 2006)

FYRPLG said:


> Maybe I am behind times, But the last 2 calls to DTV cust. svc. got me the Philippines.


Just going to cost them more money in the long run.

I just tried to activate a Tivo box with Comcast. Went to the office and got the cablecard, came home and plugged it in. Called India and gave them the info on the card. Worked for 8 hours and shut off. Called back (India every time) 6 more times, they couldnt find anything wrong (and my Living room Tivo worked fine still).

After rolling a truck on a SUNDAY to fix it, the tech discovered the idiots had entered me in the computer for limited basic on that card, rather than the full digital package, and had also entered the cablecard in as a cable box. All because the morons in India couldnt understand English enough to understand what I was trying to tell them was wrong the whole time.

DirecTv can waste money in the Philippines if it wants...Its their company.


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## Stuart Sweet (Jun 19, 2006)

Look, there are competent people in India and incompetents here in the US. I don't think it's fair to characterize the quality of 3/4 of the planet's customer service from one call. 

I'll admit that with other companies, I've had issues with being understood... one chatroom operator told me my TV only supported 720i... but for the most part I get good customer service wherever I call.


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## Davenlr (Sep 16, 2006)

Stuart Sweet said:


> Look, there are competent people in India and incompetents here in the US. I don't think it's fair to characterize the quality of 3/4 of the planet's customer service from one call.


7 calls over two days. Took an American in town 5 minutes to fix.


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## Stuart Sweet (Jun 19, 2006)

Yes, and isn't it possible that that's because there was a truck roll, not because you initially spoke to a non-American?


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## Davenlr (Sep 16, 2006)

Stuart Sweet said:


> Yes, and isn't it possible that that's because there was a truck roll, not because you initially spoke to a non-American?


The truck roll was because none of the previous call takers were able to #1 understand the problem, and #2 fix the problem. All the truck roll did was cost them money. He walked in the door and asked what was wrong. I told him. He called his dispatcher who verified what I told him, changed the package in the computer, and the channels came in, within 5 minutes. He never touched a thing, or did anything.

If *I* had been able to call that same dispatcher, rather than India, he would have had at least one less Sunday call.


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## RACJ2 (Aug 2, 2008)

Stuart Sweet said:


> Look, there are competent people in India and incompetents here in the US. I don't think it's fair to characterize the quality of 3/4 of the planet's customer service from one call...


That may be true, but I hated when I called the Citi bank support and it rolled to India. They were hard to understand and they couldn't understand what I needed half the time. When one of them asked me how to spell Bob, I had enough and closed my account.


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## damondlt (Feb 27, 2006)

Sorry but I have to agree with the others .
I'M American, calling an American company. I would expect to speak to an America that can be understood. It a pain trying to trouble shoot a problem when you can't Understand them clearly. Its not just directv, but just cause directv does the same crap doesn't make it ok.


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## macfan601 (May 4, 2012)

FYRPLG said:


> Maybe I am behind times, But the last 2 calls to DTV cust. svc. got me the Philippines.
> 
> Is this new?
> Seems I called a week or so ago and got south east US voices.
> ...


Directv lost my brother as a new customer because of this. He called in twice to open a new account and both times got the Directv Philippine's call center. He couldn't understand the lady both times and hung up. He said he never would sign a 2 year contract with a company where he couldn't understand the CSR. I personally have never run into that call center and I am a 12 year customer. But then again once your system is set up there is little reason to call often. When I do call I usually ask for "retention" and have them open a "case". I think all of that department is based in the US. Usually, a 12 year customer threatening to leave gets their attention but I did have to do quite a dance to get a HR34 at a reasonable price. The biggest problem I have with Directv right now is the sub contracted so called techs in the field. In my state the whole state is covered by one sub contractor. Some of his employees are excellent and others don't know which end of a screwdriver to use. No one ever does any kind of evaluation on the subcontractor. When I suggested that I was told that the sub contractor bought a portion of Directv so is allowed to conduct his business how ever he wants. So I have tried to get Directv to let me do my own installs. Directv doesn't even charge me for these and yet insisted on doing a truck roll. Most of the time I just sign the receipt while the guy is standing on my front porch and he gets paid for doing no work. Lately though they insist on coming in and verifying that all systems work. Seems kind of silly to me but I let them in and have them sit while I do that for them. I don't want them doing it for themselves and messing things up. I have Whole House, CCK, TV apps and h24, Hr24, and HR34 all working perfectly and don't want to chance messing that up as I read of several having problems on here.


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## Drew2k (Aug 16, 2006)

This is something I've never understood, the contempt for overseas customer service representatives. American companies cater to the bottom line in everything they do, and American manufacturers send thousands of jobs overseas yet there's not the outcry that there is about customer service. Apple's contractor in China is building a new factory that will create 30,000 new jobs for Chinese workers. Shouldn't we be pushing for Apple to build that factory here? If we're going to complain about outsourced customer service, let's go all out and demand everything gets built here too... Then watch the price of everything skyrocket, 'cuz Americans wages are a bit higher than those phone reps and workers in India and China are getting paid.


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## swyman18 (Jan 12, 2009)

I think for most people the frustration is trying to have a decent phone conversation to troubleshoot an issue with 3 things standing in the way:

1. Difficulty in understand the person due to heavy accent

2. In order to save money, the company is probably using an inferior VOIP service resulting in horrible call quality. I have no proof of exactly what type of phone system is used, but it usually sounds terrible. 

3. Sometimes 2-3 second audio delay due to the VOIP latency. This is to be expected because of the sheer distance involved between the US and India ( or wherever), but makes for an awkward conversation.

These three things add up to a miserable telephone conversation. Doesn't leave a good feeling when getting off the phone with them. 

Give me a good old landline connection within the US any day. Even a connection from here in Hawaii to the continental US can be poor sometimes.


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## goinsleeper (May 23, 2012)

You have to realize that if all phone reps were in America that the company would have to raise the cost of your service. Every call costs the company money. The call routing, the rep that answers the phone is being paid and of course the cost to power the building and computers they are in.  DirecTV has thousands of agents in America on phones. If the work load gets heavy then maybe they will outsource so you don't have to spend 15 minutes on hold. And as much as plenty of people would say they would rather wait 15 minutes on hold, that's a blatant lie.
Also when speaking to tech groups with any company, sometimes it's not the rep that does not understand but the customer does a terrible job of understanding the rep and has no clue how to explain the tech issue from the beginning.
The same principle applies to technicians. DirecTV and Dish Network are the only two major television providers who broadcast to the ENTIRE country. Because of this, they could never afford to have their own techs servicing all 50 states. They would employ virtually more employees than any other major company. Not to mention how fast they've grown. Where were these two companies 15 years ago? Marketed to mainly people who could afford to buy a new system or to people in rural areas who had no other alternative for tv service.
Remember that just because you watch tv does not mean you understand what is needed to run such a huge company.
But in the end, I do agree with the frustrations of getting outsourced reps. This is why I never call comcast unless its a dire emergency.


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## Shades228 (Mar 18, 2008)

So if a person with an accent passes nationalization and is now a citizen they would provide better service?

Last I checked work ethic is what matters more than anything regardless of nationality. I call companies and if I get a person with an accent I just understand that it may take longer than a normal call and that if I take my time to explain what I need they'll assist. if I treat them like crap, like I did when I was younger to anyone I called, I received crap service back.

I remember a couple of companies doing a "premium" customer service model where you could pay to have some guarantees in customer service such as wait times and resolution times. However people refused to pay for it because to them cost was more impactful than customer service.

I do find it amusing when people say that they're American's and therefor deservce/want to talk to American's. You must live in amazing areas because I run into more people I wouldn't want to have another interaction with than those I would.


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## FYRPLG (Nov 11, 2006)

My main problem is the communications with the CSR. They also have a tendency to not wanting you or them to go to a superior to get an answer to a question.
It seems if US CSRs cant give a proper answer they put u on hold and check their resources to get the proper answer.
The main reason I call is to resolve a problem or get information. I just want proper answer.


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## Hoosier205 (Sep 3, 2007)

This had got to be one of the most offensive threads to ever appear here.


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## macfan601 (May 4, 2012)

goinsleeper said:


> You have to realize that if all phone reps were in America that the company would have to raise the cost of your service. Every call costs the company money. The call routing, the rep that answers the phone is being paid and of course the cost to power the building and computers they are in. DirecTV has thousands of agents in America on phones. If the work load gets heavy then maybe they will outsource so you don't have to spend 15 minutes on hold. And as much as plenty of people would say they would rather wait 15 minutes on hold, that's a blatant lie.
> Also when speaking to tech groups with any company, sometimes it's not the rep that does not understand but the customer does a terrible job of understanding the rep and has no clue how to explain the tech issue from the beginning.
> The same principle applies to technicians. DirecTV and Dish Network are the only two major television providers who broadcast to the ENTIRE country. Because of this, they could never afford to have their own techs servicing all 50 states. They would employ virtually more employees than any other major company. Not to mention how fast they've grown. Where were these two companies 15 years ago? Marketed to mainly people who could afford to buy a new system or to people in rural areas who had no other alternative for tv service.
> Remember that just because you watch tv does not mean you understand what is needed to run such a huge company.
> But in the end, I do agree with the frustrations of getting outsourced reps. This is why I never call comcast unless its a dire emergency.


For everything except your last sentence I couldn't disagree with you more. Direct TV certainly can afford to pay American wages if you look at their last quarterly statement. The only problem would be that their profits would go down and the CEO wouldn't be able to get a new and bigger yacht. The Untied States needs to get back to putting people first and profits somewhere way down the totem pole. This is why I am a big supporter of unions and have always been a union member for the 31 years of my working career. Unions weren't formed with the sole purpose of getting higher wages but were formed to keep companies fair, honest, and to provide safe working conditions. Lets put Americans first again and get off this greed kick our country is on now. I am so sick of this I got mine the heck with you attitude. One of the reasons I came over to this forum was it is more down to earth. I used to hang out mostly on the AVS forum but got sick of the guys talking about $50,000 speakers. I have 3 college degrees and that was a year's salary for me. Some people need to get both feet back on the ground. How in the world a guy who made his money by bankrupting companies, putting people out of work, and then parking his profit from that over seas can be taken seriously as a candidate for president I will never understand. Our country has changed so much that life style is now held up as a role model. I am old enough that I remember when the Russian leader Krushcheif came over here and put his feet up on President Kennedy's desk and said his country would take ours over with out firing a shot. When asked how that could happen when at that time we had the greatest military in the world, Krushcheif just leaned back, smiled, and said you will self destruct. It seems his prediction is coming true.


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## macfan601 (May 4, 2012)

Hoosier205 said:


> This had got to be one of the most offensive threads to ever appear here.


You are entitled to your opinion but I respectfully disagree. This is something that needs to be discussed more often and more openly about every American Company. Greed has become the norm now. Profit at any cost. This has nothing to do with discrimination. I welcome people from any country here, but when they come, I expect them to assimilate with us, not us change for them.


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## MattScahum (Oct 27, 2010)

As an employee, I have only had the pleasure of dealing with New Customer Sales(where I started) and Bundles(where I am now). I have interaction with other departments on occasion however, and honestly 80-90% of DirecTVs call center staff seems to be located in the US. I know on east coast time, the only time you will get a representative outside the US is if you call after 10pm or so OR if there is a ton of call traffic( NFL ticket time is a good example, as is the last few days of an offer period). In terms of the bundling department, as far as I'm aware none of the centers are outside the US. And if I'm being 100% honest, the times I have to deal with the people in the Phillipines, it goes smoother than dealing with some in the US. Over there, they seem to stay right on track with what they are asked to do. If they are supposed to cover something on every call with you, in most cases it happens all the time. I can definately understand the frustration with some folks having issues with it, as I have had some run ins with other companies( I'm talking about you Capitol One) but in most cases I just relax and expect the call to maybe take 2-3 minutes longer or so. You'd be shocked how hard most people from this country are to understand so I fully suggest taking your time, be clear what you are asking for and for the most part you shouldn't have a problem.


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## Inkosaurus (Jul 29, 2011)

Davenlr said:


> The truck roll was because none of the previous call takers were able to #1 understand the problem, and #2 fix the problem. All the truck roll did was cost them money. He walked in the door and asked what was wrong. I told him. He called his dispatcher who verified what I told him, changed the package in the computer, and the channels came in, within 5 minutes. He never touched a thing, or did anything.
> 
> If *I* had been able to call that same dispatcher, rather than India, he would have had at least one less Sunday call.


I wonder...

What if the real issue was the terms you were using to explain the issue? Not saying its the case here, but Ive found in many cases some customers would run into the same results regardless if they were speaking to a domestic or foreign call center, due to the gap in communication being the fault of the customer 

@Macfan, A ton of money =/= profit/profit margins.


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## Shades228 (Mar 18, 2008)

macfan601 said:


> You are entitled to your opinion but I respectfully disagree. This is something that needs to be discussed more often and more openly about every American Company. Greed has become the norm now. Profit at any cost. This has nothing to do with discrimination. I welcome people from any country here, but when they come, I expect them to assimilate with us, not us change for them.


You're talking about 2 different things in this post. I won't touch the second one because it's not relevant to this discussion. The first is that all companies exist to make a profit and publicly traded companies are expected to get the most profit. It's a demand from people just like you. Unless you own 0 stock, no 401k or any other investment account of any kind. You can also ensure that you never take a promotional offer or discount as this is subsidized as well on a balance sheet from cost expenditures.

*not directed at the reply*
We have more accents in one country than any other country including the old USSR. We all speak English but when you watch TV and have to have subtitles on a person speaking English it's the same thing. This is nothing more than a short sighted view of how people think. Unless someone can say that they've never met anyone in America with an accent from another country. People hear accents and assume foreign call centers. I'm guessing most people who think they got someone overseas got someone in America as the percentage of offshore agents to domestic is not even close.


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## jal (Mar 3, 2005)

Whether the call center employee in India was competent or not is not entirely the issue. Here, in the United States, there are many who are unemployed. An American consumer has every right to support American companies who don't outsource their customer service departments. 

This is one of the very reasons I left AT&T for internet service. Yes, the "American" Telphone and Telegraph Company was outsourcing its internet help line to either India or the Phillipines. I didn't feel right sending my dollars to the company. I have TWC Singature Home for internet now, and whenever I call, I get someone in my home state who answers the phone. It doesn't matter to me what accent they have or don't have. Yes, I realize I'm paying a bit more, but I get a higher speed and local customer service. To me, it's worth it.


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## hasan (Sep 22, 2006)

macfan601 said:


> This has nothing to do with discrimination. I welcome people from any country here, but when they come, I expect them to assimilate with us, not us change for them.


...and what is the measure of their assimilation? At what point do they pass your litmus test as "real" Americans?

Do they have to look like you?
Do they have to dress like you?
Do they have to speak like you?
Do they have to think like you?

I find this undercurrent ("real Americans"), profoundly offensive, and amazingly non-cognizant of the principles that founded this country.

As to the real issue, a company has the responsibility to provide understandable and responsive customer service reps. It matters not where they come from.


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## MysteryMan (May 17, 2010)

As a businessman I understand the cost savings of hiring foreign labor. But as a citizen I woud never practice it.


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## hasan (Sep 22, 2006)

MysteryMan said:


> As a businessman I understand the cost savings of hiring foreign labor. But as a citizen I woud never practice it.


...and if you had stockholders, and you were the CEO, you'd be out on your ear.

It's easy to make pronouncements either way, but when one finds oneself actually in the position being pontificated about, the worm often turns.

Don't get me wrong, I don't like fighting language barriers, but I've found just as many, if not more brainless script reading barriers, and they are just as frustrating.

Poor service is poor service, whether caused by trying to save a buck, or poor communications skills (actually listening to the caller would be a big help, instead of looking for where you think they belong on the decision tree in front of you, that substitutes for what once may have been the analytical portion of your brain).

Of course, this costs money and it is a balancing act, which I understand.


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## damondlt (Feb 27, 2006)

macfan601 said:


> You are entitled to your opinion but I respectfully disagree. This is something that needs to be discussed more often and more openly about every American Company. Greed has become the norm now. Profit at any cost. This has nothing to do with discrimination. I welcome people from any country here, but when they come, I expect them to assimilate with us, not us change for them.


 Agree. Its time we as americans worry About keeping our own coumtry working , and not some other counrtry that doesn't give a crap about our country.

Them foreign countrys just look at us like a cash register.

Some of you guys are taking offense cause you think were are Talking about American citizens that were once Foreign. Not the case! 
We are Talking about the Overseas call centers. Non Citizens taking our countrys resourses :nono:


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## damondlt (Feb 27, 2006)

hasan said:


> ...and what is the measure of their assimilation? At what point do they pass your litmus test as "real" Americans?
> 
> Do they have to look like you?
> Do they have to dress like you?
> ...


Real americans Pay Taxes, Real Americans have documentation. Real Americans don't milk the system!

This is a whole other topic. Go try and work in any other country when your american, and see how easy that is. Its Not! You aren't getting in or getting a job if you don't have the proper papers and anytype of a criminal record. So why should the USA bend the rules. Becuase multi million dollar company need to find cheap help. Its not just Directv, Verizon, Dish , Att, thats just a few.
I can tell you right now americans are getting tired of it!


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## Stuart Sweet (Jun 19, 2006)

OK, end of line. 

I'm sorry that this has turned into an inappropriate discussion for this forum. There are many other places where people can say the things you've said, discuss the things you've discussed. It's a free country. 

Here we discuss DIRECTV, not immigration. 

Thanks for understanding.


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