How many times have you called Rogers, only to have the customer service rep put you on hold while they figure out just what the heck is on your bill? These frustrations will soon end, as CEO Guy Laurence announced at the company’s annual general meeting yesterday changes are coming in the next few weeks.
The problem lies in the internal billing software Rogers has been using for years, which doesn’t display a customer’s bill in the same format the latter sees it. These various formats on both sides clearly has caused numerous complaints over the years from customers (and probably staff alike).
Laurence told the crowd “You’d be amazed how much people talk past each other because of things like that,” while also noting with the same bill being shown on both sides “the customer and agent can have a proper conversation,” (via The Canadian Press).
The CEO explained Rogers continues to “overhaul” customer service since he took over the top position in late 2013, explaining “We took the savings from last year’s reorganization and we’re pouring it into customer experience,” while adding “This year, we’re redirecting over $100 million to fund new positions and fix our systems.”
By improving customer service now, the company hopes to lower complaints further, as shown in the recent mid-year Commissioner for Complaints for Telecommunications Services (CCTS) report, which saw complaints agains Rogers and Fido drop 31.5% compared to last year, but still generate 28.3% of overall complaints (Bell and Virgin had 42.1% combined; TELUS and Koodo had only 5.8% combined).
Rogers wants to reduce its churn rate and hold onto its subscribers, with Laurence saying “Customers deserve good service and we’re going to provide it.” He added “If it comes at a cost, whatever cost, I’ll find the money from within the company. We’re a big company, we can afford it.”
The company’s recent quarterly earnings report saw overall profits drop 17 percent, while losing 63,000 wireless customers in the process to rival carriers.
What do you think about Rogers’ latest efforts to improve customer relations? Many customers are probably asking why it took this long to revamp this billing process.
