In a bid to boost its customer satisfaction ratings, Virgin Media is rolling out a new service which could prove hugely popular.
The broadband and TV supplier says that it will soon allow customers to track technicians when there’s a problem.
This means you’ll get real-time updates of exactly where your Virgin Media repair person is on the day of the call out.
Information will show the technician’s name, estimated time of arrival (down to the minute, including traffic conditions) and a live map so customers can track the technician’s progress when they’re on their way.
Initially, customers in Liverpool, Guildford and the Cotswolds will have access to the service ahead of a wider rollout in the autumn.
Speaking about the changes, Neil Bartholomew, Executive Director, Consumer Customer Operations at Virgin Media said: “We know that waiting at home for a technician can be frustrating, even more so when you don’t know when they will actually get to you.
“Customer expectations are always increasing and this powerful new tool will provide clear, simple and transparent information to help our customers plan their day better and make it as easy as possible to get on with their busy lives.”
How well this new technology works when implemented in the real world remains to be seen but it could help to improve Virgin’s ratings.
A new report by Ofcom revealed Virgin Media lags behind its biggest rival when it comes to complaints.
The survey showed that Sky receives the fewest complaints out of all the big broadband and TV firms.
The worst performing from the list was TalkTalk with BT and Plusnet close behind.
Speaking about the report Jane Rumble, Ofcom’s Director of Consumer Policy, said: “It’s frustrating enough when things go wrong, without having to put up with poor customer service as well.
“So it’s encouraging to see complaint numbers falling in some areas, and we want to see this continue. Anyone fed up with their provider can easily shop around and see if there’s a better service out there for them.”
Ofcom says it receives nearly 300 complaints a day from consumers.
Although they cannot resolve individual complaints, they do offer consumers advice, and the information they receive can lead to us launching investigations.
Anyone experiencing problems should complain to their provider first, and can escalate the issue to an independent ombudsman, who will look at the case and make a judgment on the issue.