Following the lead of its larger industry peer, Comcast (NASDAQ: CMCSA), Time Warner Cable (NYSE: TWC) is launching an initiative to improve its poor customer-service reputation.
The MSO kicked off what it's billing as "Customer Service Week" with an open letter in several major newspapers and the introduction of its own version of the now-popular service technician tracking app, TWC TechTracker. The smartphone application -- which is similar to apps already launched by Comcast and Dish Network (NASDAQ: DISH) -- lets customers schedule service appointments and track service reps within an hour of their arrival time.
"We've seen where we're ranked in customer satisfaction surveys and we're familiar with the perennial jabs from the folks at Saturday Night Live," said TWC Chairman and CEO Rob Marcus. "We're telling our customers how we've made profound changes over the last two years to better respect their time, provide more value for what they pay us and deliver the kind of experience anyone would expect from a leading entertainment and technology company. The many changes we've made are just the beginning of the new TWC service experience."
While Comcast's troubles with customer service have grabbed far more media attention, TWC's issues have not been much less problematic. The MSO actually ranked below Comcast -- dead last -- in a recent J.D. Power survey of consumer satisfaction with pay-TV operators.
Meanwhile, in June, Saturday Night Live personality Colin Jost made TWC's customer service acumen the subject of a high-profile Twitter rant.
TWC is also once again facing the scrutiny of federal regulators as Charter Communications (NASDAQ: CHTR) works to acquire both TWC and Bright House Network.
In its letter, TWC said its 7,000 U.S. care agents in 36 service centers are available to respond to customer needs 24 hours a day.
As for Comcast, that company's customer service push includes spending $300 million and hiring 5,000 new reps to improve customer service.
For more:
- read this TWC press release
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