The old chestnut of “waiting for the cable guy to get here” that’s often used by many a screenplay writer for TV and movies is getting a twist. It could be that more characters will pick up their smartphone and predict a time, instead of just plopping down on the couch and sighing loudly. Maybe, but tropes do tend to die a long, slow death.
Time Warner Cable announced that its customers can see the real-time location of their technician on an interactive map enhancement coming soon to its TWC TechTracker tool. In a partnership with Glympse, subscribers can track the technician’s exact location while en route to their service appointment. TWC reports it is piloting the new feature in Southern California and will launch it across all TWC areas by end of May.
“Utilizing Glympse’s location sharing technology significantly enhances the in-home customer service experience and reinforces our commitment to on-time appointment arrivals,” John Keib, TWC’s EVP and COO, residential services, says. “By providing real-time updates, it allows customers to conveniently plan for their appointments and eliminate any wonder about when the technician will arrive.”
Customers expect a new level of engagement from service providers, whether it’s waiting for their service technician or package delivery, Bryan Trussel, co-founder and CEO of Glympse, observes.
“Together with TWC, we have set the bar on what we believe customers should expect for appointments. With our robust location sharing technology, we enable companies to strengthen connections with their customers and create better experiences, on any device,” Trussel says.
With the enhanced TechTracker tool featuring Glympse technology, customers will receive a unique web link, valid only for their service appointment, and sent via the customer’s notification preference of text or email. Once the tech is en route, the customer will see the real-time location on a live map, the route, estimated time of arrival, and the tech’s first name, photo and identification number. The web link expires once the technician arrives at the appointment location.
TechTracker launched in October 2015 and features an automated notification process that includes pre-appointment reminders and the ability to make changes to appointments via notifications received. Customers can reschedule or cancel the appointment at each notification point.
