Broadband providers across the UK are rushing to adopt a new solution for resolving complex customer network faults. Known as KO (Kick Off), the new solution is designed to save ISPs time and money in the process of finding and fixing complex faults, while also avoiding big payments under Ofcom’s automatic compensation scheme.
The way the new system works is simple enough. Customers who report a fault will, at first, be put through a long phone queue, before later being passed between multiple different departments. Then – after about 3 hours of the same – it will eventually report that their fault has been logged and is being investigated, which is considerably more efficient than today’s systems.
After this, a post-action customer survey will be emailed through to assess the effectiveness of the system, with only one mandatory option being offered in response – the selection of “Yes” for “It was great!”. At this point, the KO algorithm will fully kick-in by employing the very latest AI technologies to determine how much time and cost may be needed to resolve the fault.
During this period, the ISP will continue to issue constructive updates on the status of the fault investigation, such as by promising to have it resolved the next day and then automatically delaying it by another day each time that target isn’t met. The number of days to continue this cycle can be set by the ISP, up to a limit of 365 (applicable to providers that don’t support automatic compensation), unless the end-user switches or passes away first – whichever comes sooner.
However, if the system determines that the fix would be very costly to resolve, then it will automatically issue a final notice to resolve the fault: “We’re pleased to report that your line has been successfully ceased. The fault is therefore resolved. Thank you for using our service.” Customers in this boat will also be required to pay off the remainder of their contract, due to having chosen to exit their term early by reporting a fault (as “transparently” set out in small print).
At present, KO is still only in the Proof of Concept (PoC) stage, although a number of major ISPs are believed to have been trialling the system, or something very.. similar, for at least the past few years. The good news is that the initial system feedback is already pointing to a customer satisfaction rate of 100%.
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APRIL FOOLS! or is it..?