Safelite - The perspective from a call center employee

[fmfan]

Continued from previous post, had to cut in 2 because of 10000 char limit


Sydfloyd:

First, there are many situations where people would get second calls from safelite, if for any reason their information didn't automatically verify, then they're going to get a call back to either tell them that the information was verified. If there is any piece of information left blank or deleted from their claim, they would get a call back. If a customer promised to call us back with their shop information that they would like to use and do not, then they will get a call back (all of which, depending on the scenario could mean people are offered the chance to do safelite.) This is where the husband/wife scenario comes into play like you wouldn't believe! Wife calls in the claim, not sure what shop her husband wants to use, says she'll call back. She never does, we call her to check what shop she wants to use and we get her husband. Her husband has no idea that in the mean time it's been on his wife's to-do list to call us and tell us that triumph will do the work, and so he takes the easy way out and just goes with safelite.

What I'm saying is not that safelite is perfect in every way, but to my knowledge (which unless there is a conspiracy I don't know about) then there are 1000 things that can happen in a claim that can change with a single word and to be honest people need to consider that safelite and the employees are not out to get you. I am out to get my check on friday, and again steering sure doesn't do anything positive or negative for my check (though depending on the diamond/triumph lawsuit...it could kill my bonus checks for....the rest of my natural life, kill my benifits, cost me my job, etc. etc. etc)

Now, SGC Network, Safelite Glass Corp Network....Safelite Autoglass, Safelite Solutions, Service Autoglass, and the other names for safelite are all the same company. I believe I know the exact script to which you are referring, I believe that one is "Thank you for calling the **** Glass Service with services provided by Safelite AutoGlass, this is ************ Speaking etc." So by saying the claim service is provided by safelite autoglass is correct (the sign in front of my building says safelite autoglass, if you want a picture I'll get one up some time.) Again: SGC = Safelite Glass Corp.

-Have I ever considered that I might be wrong. You may not believe me, but I pondered that long and hard. I read the everything I could get my hands on from the iga lawsuit and the diamond/triumph lawsuit. I talked to supervisors, trainers, managers, I've considered long and hard whether I believe safelite is in the wrong. Safelite's current....business model is extremely smart. I'm sure you'll agree, and thus far it isn't illegal (suing somebody doesn't make something illegal, we'll find out in about 60 years when the courts decide whether it is legal or illegal.) If the court finds it to be illegal, then I'm quite confident things will change. If the court rules that safelite's businesses are legal...then would you be ok with the way things are? I doubt it, and if I were in your shoes I wouldn't be too happy either. Just like any small business that is at a disadvantage to a larger player isn't happy. That's capitalism, and probably the worst system of economics in the world (except for all the others.) I applaud each and every one of you for running a small business, as a former small business owner I know what it's like, but as I learned the hard way, that's the way the game is played for better or for worse. I really don't mean this as an insult, but a legal (as of the time I post this anyway) advantage still can leave people crying foul.

Business is business and there's nothing personal in it.


Mafsu:

Does anybody go into a lawsuit with the intention to lose? Of course not, do millions of people lose lawsuits every year? Yes.

Believe it or not, I do hide the identity of my employer because customers are confused by whom they are speaking to. There have been some customers who to even get their home phone number I had to get a their agent on the phone to tell them that we were authorized to take their claim. There is a very easy response which is "Safelite AutoGlass is a third party administrator for **** insurance" which is a good enough explanation for some people, but other people don't take kindly to that explanation which can cause me headaches like you wouldn't believe. (Customers calling insurance companies to complain about me trying to scam them out of personal information, people demanding to talk to my supervisor to tell them what I'm doing, the list goes on) because they don't understand the relationship. That is why I don't advertise that I work for safelite (Unless the script tells me to)

-Some insurance companies here are the rules: if a customer mentions *any* glass shop, then we must ask "is that your shop of preference?" If they say yes, then it doesn't matter if I have to go through a list of 100 glass shops until one rings a bell, I can't schedule them with any shop but their shop of preference. Some insurance companies really hate us, no really, their employees like us less then you do.

To the legality of insurance agents reccomending shops, I won't pretend to have any knowledge that could confirm or deny that, but I have experienced people calling me and telling me they want to use Johns Glass Co. because that's who their agent reccomended.

Again, consider the line between legal and illegal steering.

[maxryde]

[FONT="Arial Black"][/FONT]Well I thought this would get interesting. I have to say fmfan I feel for you. What ever life situation has arisen I hope it is resolved soon and you can be released from you tenure at the tpa and find an employer who doesn't have to resort to employing lawyers and such to operate on the fringe in order to maintain their business. Personally have been desperate enough to allow myself to be a part of the type of employment situation you

[mafsu]

"Does anybody go into a lawsuit with the intention to lose? Of course not, do millions of people lose lawsuits every year? Yes."
Can't argue that.

"Believe it or not, I do hide the identity of my employer because customers are confused by whom they are speaking to."
Legal or not this is fraudulent and hides the fact you work for Safelite.

"I can't schedule them with any shop but their shop of preference."
Does the script (They are not a preferred vendor and as such the work won't be guaranteed) or something to that effect sound familiar.

"Some insurance companies really hate us, no really, their employees like us less then you do."
The employees may well "hate" you. The insurance companies however are about making money. As long as they see Safelite as saving them money they love you.

The simple fact is right is right and wrong is wrong. These practices you defend may be legal(I'll leave that up to the courts to decide). They are certainly not ethical. As Maxryde said someday you'll understand this. I also used to work for a corporation that did things that would make Enron and Martha Stewart blush. It's just not the way to conduct business.

[CPR]

fmfan, I have a great idea, call Jeff , get a kit , and run like hell.

[big o]

Safelite is steering claims..I had an agent call in today and yesterday..Both claims were given to safelite to start with. he had to ask them to change the apt. to my shop. You can say what you want but Ive seen it first hand !

[Finch]

I have lost 3 jobs that I know of and can verify it. The glass business is hard enough to get customes no one needs some company taking what you have worked for, and then telling everyone that they are on the up and up. But how can there be no conflict of instest when you make the glass, install the glass and then give referal numbers to other glass shops and then send that referal to your own company so that they can call your customer to take that job away!