HomeMy WebLinkAboutMINUTES - 07171984 - IO.1 ;. TO: BOARD OF SUPERVISORS
FROM: Internal Operations Committee �l�lJl Contra
., Costa
DATE: July 16, 1984 County
SUBJECT: TELEVENTS, INC.
SPECIFIC REQUEST(S) OR RECOMMENDATION(S) & BACKGROUND AND JUSTIFICATION
RECOMMENDATION:
Acknowledge receipt of report from the Internal Operations Committee and leave item
on referral pending future report from the Committee.
BACKGROUND:
We last reported to the Committee on June 5, 1984 regarding our meeting with the
Regional Manager for Televents on May 21 , 1984. At that time, we noted that a
complaint procedure had been implemented and that we would be following up with
Televents regarding its implementation as well as the resolution of several other
problems which have been brought to our attention.
Our Committee met with Sara Hoffman, Cable Television Coordinator in the Public Works
Department, and representatives from Televents on July 16, 1984. Sara Hoffman reported
that the complaint procedure is working well and shared with our Committee copies of
all of the complaints she has received since April 1 , 1984.
Representatives from Televents reported that they have recently extended their customer
service hours until 9 p.m. so that customers can now contact a customer service
representative between 8:30 a.m. and 9 p.m. Televents also reported that they had
installed a separate Danville phone number so that it is no longer a toll call for
Danville residents to contact Televents. Televents also reported that they have
discovered some computer software problems in the telephone rotation system which
may have contributed to the waiting time for customers. They are working to correct
these problems and believe that these actions will assist in reducing waiting time.
Televents also reported that they hope to issue bills on a staggered basis starting
with the month of October. This should also help to reduce the waiting time early
in the month by spreading calls regarding customers' bills throughout the month.
In discussing the matter of customer service_ representatives, Sara Hoffman reported
that she had contacted some other cable companies in the County and discovered that
Viacom, which has 35,000 customers, has 29 customer service representatives, for an
average of one representative for every 1207 customers. By comparison, Televents has
currently budgeted for-19 customer service representatives for their 57,000 customers,
for an average of one customer services representative for each 3000 customers. While
Televents maintains that the 3000:1 ratio is an accepted industry standard, our
Committee notes that there are far fewer complaints from Viacom customers, and that
the basic service charge for both companies is the same.
CONTINUED ON ATTACHMENT: x YES SIGNATURE:
RECOMMENDATION OF COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR _ RECOMMENDATION OF BOARD COMMITTEE
�(_APPROVE OTH R
NATURES) m Powers Nancy C. Fand
ACTION OF BOARD ON Phil y_1 Z- l 984 APPROVED AS RECOMMENDED OTHER'
VOTE OF SUPERVISORS
UNANIMOUS (ABSENT J� ) I HEREBY CERTIFY THAT THIS IS A TRUE
AYES: NOES: AND CORRECT COPY OF AN ACTION TAKEN
ABSENT: ABSTAIN: AND ENTERED ON THE MINUTES OF THE BOARD
OF SUPERVISORS ON THE DATE SHOWN.
County Administrator
CC: Sara Hoffman, Public Works ATTESTED
Brian Coyne, Televents (ria P;Ut') J. . OLS ON, COUNTY CLERK
AND EX OFFICIO CLERK OF TobErt
M382/7-83 BY �O�c-2� DEPUTY
ii
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We have asked Sara Hoffman to survey all of the other companies' in the
County to determine their ratio of customer service representatives to customers.
Televents also noted that while they are budgeted for 19 customer service
representatives, they have. had some turnover recently and have been down to
only 11 filled positions. Two additional representatives have recently been
hired so they are now at 13 filled positions.
Our Committee made it clear to the representatives of Televents that we continue
to be frustrated and concerned about the number of. complaints received from
Televents' customers and the seemingly slow pace at which these problems are
being resolved. We have indicated to Televents that if these problems are not
resolved satisfactorily and promptly that our Committee will not hesitate to
make recommendations to the Board regarding how to deal with the problem.
We have scheduled an additional meeting with Televents at our next Committee meeting
on Monday, August 6, 1984, at 10:30 a.m. , at which time Sara Hoffman will report
on her survey of other cable companies and we will be updated regarding the
resolution of other related issues.
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