[PLUG-TALK] [PLUG] Why are utility company's support so terrible

[Rich Shepard]

On Mon, 29 Mar 2021, Tom wrote:

> I'm just curious why utility companies such as ISPs and energy companies
> all seem to have the absolute worst customer experience in terms of
> contacting them or paying a bill. Especially ISPs, whose job it is to
> provide a technology service, I'd expect much more from them but
> unfortunately they are often worse than power companies.

Tom,

(Moved to plug-talk.)

For many businesses customer service is asperational, not operational. I
encounter this many times, both on the 'Net and on the phone.

> If I try and contact them by the phone it's some maze of an automated
> robot, often times pressing zero for operator doesn't even work anymore.

See above. It's very frustrating and likely due to a focus on revenues and
costs rather than those who provide those revenues. When the company is a
monopoly utility there's nothing to be done. Every month my landline/fiber
internet bill from ZiplyFiber (who purchased Frontier's business in the
Northwest and gave it such a pathetic name) has, in a large font, "Thank you
for chosing ZiplyFiber," as if we actually had a choice. Feh!

> What is stopping someone for just making a simple ssh server with an
> ncurses interface I could use to pay my bill. Even support mosh for
> unreliable connections.

Because they run Windoze and the IT staff has no idea about ssh or ncurses
(or similar text-based menu tool).

The short-term view of a company's monthly income/expense by finacial
analysts and investors ignores the reason they're in business (for example,
providing a service) and assumes that they'll always have a revenue stream.
Makes me wonder how companies have remained in existance for as long as they
have since poor management seems to be prevalent.

I've no answer for you, but agree that venting helps a little.

Stay well,

Rich