When taking a dispatch....

[TowZone]

Angel Roadside Services

12 Aug 2008 10:11 #1

Hi all..
This one is for information, please.
Joe, this one is coming to you, as it was a R/A call...
When I know that a call is incorrect in any way, shape, or form.... Why is it so hard for my LOCAL (my company) dispatcher to tell the LONG DISTANCE (Road America) dispatcher about the dicrepincies of the call, AND get the system to recognize the change? For instance, the break down location is incorrect. Even with the "customer in need" conferenced in, to get the proper location, AND being told what town the "customer" was really in. Supposedly the long distance dispatcher was listening and repeated all the 'good' information back to me, as well as changed the information in the call. YET... I was short payed for the call (because of above issue). I do have a 'dipute form' in for it, but I don't think I should have to fight for through the 'process' if I did all that I should.
I am not trying to overly rant, (nor outrightly clump ALL M/C's into one) but my thoughts are this... *The M/C trust us to know how to drive a truck. *The M/C trusts us to know where their customer REALLY is. *The M/C trusts us to know... well lots! Yet, when there is an issue(s) with a call, ESPECIALLY when it is brought to the attention of the M/C at the inception of the dispatch, why is there almost always a problem getting paid properly? This is a wide spread problem with ALL of the M/C's . A problem that, if solved, would/could quell a lot of uprising in the 'fleet'. I realize that there is a set of 'Checks & Balances' in place to keep things honest, but to always be on the defensive gets QUITE old. It isn't like the problem wasn't seen until the truck was out in the field and trying to play the "GOA" game.
This post is in NO way meant to bash ANY club or service. It's intent is to ask a question to have it answered and seen by all whom wish to see the answer.

Mike Springer
Angel Roadside Services
"Your Angel with an Altitude!"

 

Brothers and sons said:

Anyone ever factor in that a $15/hr Administrative staff member costs .25/min????
I'm just sayin.....

 

RA Rep said:

Mike,
Actually this one is quite simple to answer, the answer is that our AC's (assitance coordinators) are relying on both the customer information and Map quest to properly locate them. As you are aware, not all customers located on a unfamiliar highway know where they are precisely. However, if we dispatch a call to a provider and he / she is able to find a problem with the breakdown location, we encoruage you to contact our dispatch hotline to "update" the breakdown location. If this is completed within a few hours of responding to the call, ie- before the PO is billed, you will essentially avoid any adjustments relative to inaccurate location information. We are looking to technology to help fix this problem, primarily using GPS tracking to locate a customer's postion via a cell phone or navigation unit, however the industry still has to contend with several privacy issues before this could be made public. If you can send me this PO, I would be happy to review it.
Thanks

 

Angel Roadside Services said:

FROM POST ON 08/12/2008 @ 18:26 "...the answer is that our AC's (assitance coordinators) are relying on both the customer information and Map quest to properly locate them. As you are aware, not all customers located on a unfamiliar highway know where they are precisely. However, if we dispatch a call to a provider and he / she is able to find a problem with the breakdown location, we encoruage you to contact our dispatch hotline to "update" the breakdown location."

The issue I am having here is that it was known at the time of dispatch that the disablement location was incorrect and the issue was supposedly rectified, or I was told it was. There in lies the issue I am trying to address. The address was proven to be wrong and the member was 'conferenced in' with the R/A dispatcher and myself to be 'updated' and/or clarified as to where they were. Again, all of this was before the key was turned. Yet... I find the red tape. As stated in the previous post, I understand that there are checks & balances. I am trying to get to the core issue of ANY M/C dispatcher (in this instance yours) correcting a problem during the dispatch, especially when ALL parties are on the line to confer and 'come together'.

As far as using the customer and MapQuest for information.... What can I say? It is and for the most part be better than using paper, but there are obvious issues there. From the program not recognizing a 'new' street, to streets being 'erased' OR the program not recognizing a new street address. One that I do not care for from the get-go, is Me having to sign off on the fact that R/A's mileage is based off of, and paid with, the "shortest route" not "truck route". As also signed off on with R/A, we (the driver(s)) are supposed obey all state rules and regulations. There is an obvious conflict, too, ESPECIALLY when the term "I was told I was covered in full!" comes into play. There is not one thing I can say about the customer. "The M/C expects the company to know the 'lay of the land'...i.e.: where the customer MAY/MIGHT be " Most of my calls are from tourists. It was the directions from the R/A dispatcher that I did not understand. But, in this case, it was a local... That is why the conference call was asked for in the first place, LOL.

BTW... D# C2033AG39832 The dispute form was FAXed to Will on August 11th., in the afternoon. I used a 'blank' copy of a dispute form. There was no 'introduction to issue' call made.

This post is in NO way meant to bash ANY club or service. It's intent is to ask a question to have it answered and seen by all whom wish to see the answer.

Mike Springer
Angel Roadside Services
"Your Angel with an Altitude!"

 

RA Reps said:

Mike,
My apologies, I misunderstood your original post..... The simple answer is the dispatcher should have corrected the breakdown location during your call. Our system has a fairly user friendly interface and I can't see any logical reason that a rep whom has both the ISP / customer on the line confirming the correct location, why they wouldn't update. In any case, I work very closely with the call center manager and will forward her your concerns about this PO. Also, if you have any other examples of this type of issue, please forward and we will have those reviewed by our QA team.
Thanks for this information.

 

Expresstow aaron sais:

So I have a question, if everything is done off of mapquest (which is frequently wrong especially in my area with all our water/peninsulas and ferry access only islands) and the customer is in an unmappable or incorrect location shouldn't I get an automatic GOA when the call is dispatched? Just send me my $22 and i'll keep washing my truck lol