Customer Service NOI Unleashes Conflicting Narratives About the Need for Rules
Private-sector communications companies interpret the record in the FCC's proposed customer service standards proceeding as going against the agency, while states and localities say the need for agency action is clear. That according to docket 24-472 reply comments this week.…
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Industry groups pushed back against the NOI's proposals in initial comments last month (see 2411250020). In comments posted Tuesday, Mosaicx said tech such as virtual assistants and interactive voice response can be tailored to meet service providers' customer service needs. Accordingly, the FCC should let these technologies continue evolving, giving industry flexibility to tackle customers' needs. While many communications providers have "problematic" customer service practices, the FCC shouldn't proceed with a rulemaking, the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association said. This would add unneeded customer service regulations and administrative burdens on entities, with rural electric coops "a prime example," it said. Applauding the NOI, 15 state attorneys general said it's valid for the FCC to consider extending cable customer service rules to cover satellite TV, voice and broadband service providers. They added that changing technologies mean there are decreasingly few distinctions between customer service needs of various providers. Accordingly, they urged the FCC to require that customer calls are recorded and that customers may request the recordings. In addition, missed service appointments is an issue that cries out for solutions, the attorneys general argued. Signing the filing were the AGs of Pennsylvania, Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Illinois, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, New Jersey, Oregon, Vermont and the District of Columbia. The cable industry's argument that customer service rules are unnecessary because market forces and competition ensure good customer service ignores the fact that cable operators don't always provide good customer service, said Fairfax County, Virginia, which applauded the proceeding. "The market forces on which the industry relies consist of corporate executives wondering whether spending serious money to improve customer service would capture enough new customers to justify the costs," it said.