I am beyond frustrated with the new alc goals. I would really love to see someone from sh*p sit down and man the phones for a few shifts with new customers, people that don't know the item number and the chatty ones that want to tell you about their "aunt Sue" that has the same product, the customers that ask 50 questions and then decide not to buy the item etc and have them get 175 or under! I have dropped my alc down from 299 average to 225 in the past month and I am now on STEP III pin... probation for 90 days! I got it this morning and just don't know what to do anymore. I got in "trouble" in my feedback for talking over a customer. This person was "chatty" and I was trying to redirect them. WTH? I was told in chat support that they weren't pinning for under 250 during this transition, but here I am at 225 and I got a Step III. I stopped working electronics and computer shows because when I got my Step I and II pins I emailed and their suggestion to me WAS to not work them anymore *shrugging my shoulders*. I have exceeded all other goals (feedback, productivity etc) and am even a level 1 agent... my feedbacks all say how they can hear the smile in my voice etc and I believe I am a good agent... I've been to ALL voluntary roundtables and have done everything suggested... IS ANYONE GETTING 175 ALC OR LOWER????? If you are, can I have your email so you can give me pointers??? I am beyond frustrated!! I NEED this job!! I have 4 kids and can't afford childcare... I only work 10 hours a week but still... * sigh*
Where are all the hours? It's always been hard to get hours, but the last two or three weeks it seem like they are not even posting a tenth of the hours they were.
I'm sad to say that I resigned from $n&c job this morning. I really did like the interaction with the customers but the whole situation was sooo messed up that I just didn't feel that is was worth it to me. I can drop fries in grease @ MickeyD's for what little I was getting paid. Not to mention that I felt like things were so unorganized that it was rediculus. I worked my 1st day on $n&c 2/22 & didn't work again until 2/24, well yesterday I was looking at the performance page and all of a sudden I see that I had a PIN suddenly had appeared from 12:43AM 2/24 for not adhereing to the ALC goal. WTH!?! How can you have someone just learning the system and how things work on top of having system problems get a PIN? Keeping in mind that my first day I had all kinds of problems with the system & the call logging clock just kept ticking. When I called for help they were to note my file....NOT!! The info. i got when working thru the chat would conflict from one person to the other and I kept getting bad feedback because of incorrect info. It just never seemed to end. Oh, and by the way, the ALC goal is 160, not 175...I verified that the other day as well. When I worked the other night they were saying that someone was actually @ 130 ALC...they need to let folks know who that is so you can get some assistance. When I asked about the feedback I got it was very vague or referred me to the "Support" site...more like none support...HAHA. I agree with "Ourkidsmom" I would like to see some one from their company sit and so this & reach the goals they have set. I actually asked product questions on chat the other night for several customers and time how long it took to get a response...anywhere from 5-8 minutes on several of the questions. When you can only work 1hr at a time becasue there are never any hours avail. & have several of these calls you can't possibly get your ALC goal. It's really sad they are making what should be a very fun and rewarding job so hard for people they would otherwise be great for their company. The turnover rate has got to be out of this world. Like "Tigerlady" I was getting around the same numbers on Feedback scores with 2 feedbacks on the same nights. Each Feedback was almost the same scores afterward & I know I wasn't doing some of the things they were saying or if I did it ws because I had been told by some else that I was to do it. Sorry guys, it just seemed like such an uphill battle that didn't have a good ending for me. I'm usually one to...as they say "beat a dead horse" but this time it just wasn't worth it to me. I actually had a 2nd phone line put in and I was barely making enough to pay for that; which doesn't even include my time. Hope all works out for you all and I wish I had more encouraging words for you. I will try to work the other skill but I'm done with this one. Good Luck!
Mommamona1 Sorry to hear that, I don't know what is going on, you would think that with the economy the way it is customer service would be number one. People need to feel good about what they are buying, not like you don't have time for them.
Well, I worked a 2 hour shift last night and met the 160 alc ... got 159 actually... BUT! I had to be short and almost rude to get people to finish their orders quickly! *sigh* I was in tears at first because my first person couldn't read their security code on their cc and I was on the phone nearly 9 minutes with them! I really don't think I could have met the 160 if I didn't have a "1" rating and got calls back to back like I did. The 2 ghost calls I got and the one quick question helped tremendously too. I think they are going to lose a lot of good agents because of this. OH! and btw, I checked the faq section to see what it takes to get a 1 rating. The answer was dated in 2007 and ALC makes up 45% of this decision and it says to keep an ALC of 265 seconds. Now THAT is more reasonable!
i think that i can make the alc goal but like ourkidsmom i am short and if they have a question i am more than likely going to transfer them to customer service rather than try to look it up even if i can. it just takes to long.. and i got a coaching saying that i should look at the shows and pick different shows so that i can average my alc. so i only took one show that would involve tv or computers. that is sad that i have to look up shows before i pick up shifts because my alc might be too long. and i am always looking at the alc now and almost hoping for a transfer to customer service or hang up just to keep it down. it shouldn't be that way.. but hey i need the job so i won't complain too much... i will just keep plugging away and hope that they offer more hours so that i don't have to worry about having a bad day
Perhaps the links below may explain why $h&@ is cutting back...not to meniton that I suspect that some of the hours that would post might be grabbed up by the PALS before anyone else sees them. I have been told by some of the PALS that they worked 30-35 hrs a wk. and this was just recently. I'm saying that they are doing this but it is worth a pause..HMMM? Anyway, when you look at these links you will see that $h&@ is not exactly where you want your money right now & I'm sure they are cutting back on their expenses. http://money.aol.com/news/articles/qp/pr/_a/shopnbc-announces-agreement-to/rfid188826 325 http://greenbackd.com/2009/02/04/valuevision-media-inc-nasdaqvvtv-update/
wow..lots of info..momma, i hope your able to find something better, keep us up to date!!..i had no idea that PALs have to go online to get hours..thought they were employees of west with regular schedules..yikes..i can only work from home so i am kinda stuck here for now..i have been averaging 15-20 hours a week but i do dump hours here and there if i need to due to illness..its nites though and hard to get rid of..hang in there everyone!!
has anyone gotten temporarily blocked? i was taking calls last night and was taking call after call. i was curious to see what my ALC was and when i switched to my ADE it said i had missed a call - impossible b/c i was on call after call. this morning i go to sign in and it says i was temporarily blocked. i called in and was told to call back to speak with supervisor - i called back and she went through a bunch of stuff about my computer, internet and phone line - i have followed all of their policies and have worked fine for them for almost five months never a problem - now they are making it out that i missed all those calls - does anyone get unblocked?
hey nuc..i have not had that problem..take it to the top though..dont let them blame your system!!..as long as you have your phone set up correctly, then there should be no problems..i actually have a letter from att showing what i have and dont have on my phone so there would be know doubting..good luck with that and let me know!..
nuctread-I can feel your pain when you talk about having to watch the ALC whenever you work. I noticed that everynight I worked. People on Chat were talking about their ALC numbers and how high they were so you are obviously not alone. I think it is very sad that agents are so worried about how long they spend with a customer & try to cut them off as quickly as possible instead of taking the time to make them feel like you want their business. Something is very wrong with that kind of customer service. I don't care how much you "HAVE A SMILE IN YOU VOICE" as they tell you to do, it is still hard to connect with a cust. that has questions when all you can think about is your talk time/ conversion rate and all that other crap. Oh, yes, let's not forget the conversion stuff is also part of the goals. Ridiculas!! I really liked the idea and the freedom of working at home but just not this "SKILL." I think I will keep Pr@f!@#&r$ for al little while to see if by some miracle I can get some hours, if not I will have to resign that as well....sad about that cause I really like it. "ourkidsmom" I'm soooo proud of the fact that you have been getting you numbers & I hope you will be able to continue...with kids I understand it is hard to work outside the home and pay for child care...it ususally doesn't pay off and works you to death. tigerlady I hope you continued success as well and I will certainly be checking back on you all to see how things are going for you all. I actually had a job interview yesterday and the prospect looks very hopeful. I also had another place call and wants me to come for an interview, but I'm really hoping for a call back from the place I already interviewed. they made me do a drug test right after the interview and said they would contact me when it came back so I'm thinking that is a good thing. I was hoping I could stay home & work but as we know that doesn't always pan out. I do have some concerns about being gone all day from my home since the crime rate within a 30 mile radius of where I live is really on the rise. Just a few weeks ago a house was broken into up from me at 12:00 in the afternoon and they walked out with a 50" TV and nobody saw anything. That's a little unsettling to me even though I have dogs...that means nothing to some of these idiots. Again, I wish you all much success and I will continue to check on you. I'm always open to anyone that needs to vent their frustrations since we have all been there and done that. Good Luck!
nuc..i had 16 hrs this week but had to shorten it to 13..i have found that towards the end of the week is when more shifts become available..i swear, if i have to read the complete name of one of those bleppity blep invicta watches again or hear someone blep about them being sold out..im going to scream!!..i finally made it to a 1 but..im doing shorter shifts..how are you doing on this stuff?
Well you all will love this. I got another PIN (Step I)on March 10th and I resigned on March 4th. How does that happen?? There is something really screwy with that place. Obviously the right hand doesn't know what the left hand is doing. I hope things are going better for everyone...best wishes to all.
tigerlady - I am doing ok with the stuff though I have been trying to really watch what shows I am picking up so that I don't do any computer or television shows - that seems to be when I get the most questions and I am trying to keep things short and sweet. Just looking for hours
I will keep my eye out for the end of the week and i guess i will just keep checking spectrum every hour to see if anything is posted.
