du sets bar for customer care

Telcos talk a lot about customer service and experience, but few are willing to go as far as United Arab Emirates operator du, which is offering subscribers a direct line to senior management.
 
The carrier has opened an express channel of escalation to chief commercial officer Farid Faraidooni, which customers can use if complaints are not resolved within timeframes set out in service-level agreements. The scales involved are 48 hours for non-billing issues, and seven days for billing-related problems.
 
Although the facility is currently only available to du’s Home subscribers – those utilizing its TV, internet or landline services -, the operator states it will eventually extend the service to its other business segments, based on feedback on the initial service.
 
“We are making every effort to continuously improve our customer care services, and it is my intention to dedicate my time to ensuring that any issue not resolved within a timely manner will be dealt with in the quickest, most satisfying way for our customers,” Faraidooni says.
 
I think it’s a great move. First, because the telco is really putting its money where its mouth is in terms of customer care and experience. What better way to gain feedback on your service than directly from the subscriber?
 
The second reason is that, as a customer, I’ve endured lousy service from Internet and telephony providers in the past – specifically call center staff that are unable to resolve any problem that deviates from the norms of their ‘systems’.
 
I know I’m not alone in experiencing frustration with the level of care we receive from service providers. Let’s hope du’s approach sets the bar for others to follow.