There Are No Excuses

Meanwhile, FiOS has its own problems. In my last article, “Service, Safety and Quality”), I wrote about the New York State Department of Public Service’s investigation of Verizon’s FiOS installations. The NYDPS inspected ONT installations in 2006, in 2007, and again in 2008, and found serious quality defects in about 60% of all the installations inspected.

A couple weeks later, Eric Rabe, a Verizon spokesman replied, claiming that Verizon had been “working with the New York Public Service Commission staff to clarify grounding requirements associated with multiple types of FiOS installations”.

Rabe went on to say that “Our own inspections of our FiOS ONT installations in New York state have found that in some instances FiOS ONTs weren’t grounded as required by our installation practices.” (Verizon has, in fact, begun a 100% inspection of all ONTs installed prior to August 1, 2008 and has found that about 60% are not properly grounded.) Rabe goes on to say that “We suspect any other provider subject to similar checks would have similar issues.”

Say what?!?!? Does Verizon really think that “any other provider” would put up with 60% quality defects on initial installations? … especially on installations of its new, premium next-generation network that’s supposed to save its bacon when its voice customers go away? …and for 2 ½ years after the problems are discovered by the regulatory agency that oversees it?

These are excuses, and poor ones, at that. “Natural substitution” is no excuse for watching 10% of your customers depart in any year, let alone in every year. And, you’re not going to get them back with a new network that is installed 60% wrong. There’s just no excuse for abysmal quality!

I’ve used Verizon as an example, but Verizon isn’t the only telco that is making excuses instead of making things happen. Most telcos continue losing access lines, and many are struggling with new methods, materials and services to stanch the bleeding. The point is that, when you’re losing 10% of your customers a year, there is no time for mistakes or forgiveness of failures.

And, there are no excuses!