DIRECTV Troubleshoot and Resolve

How do we increase user satisfaction for 17 million satellite TV subscribers?

DIRECTV Satellite customers encounter technical issues and then call into our customer care hotlines. I reviewed 3 years of call data to identify our users biggest complaints and call drivers. The number one issues was signal loss. This project improved users ability to watch content during signal loss. I also used clear messaging to let users know what was causing their issues.

The Challenge

DIRECTV satellite customers face multiple playback issues due to weather, connection issues or failing hardware.

The What

Empower users to help themselves while reducing CARE (customer call centers) call costs for the business. How can we keep users entertained during times of technical difficulty?

The Teams

My role, Associate Director UX

My teams UI, UX / UX research, Copy writers

Partner teams, Engineering, Product Management, CARE (customer call centers)

My Work

Analyze three years of call data to identify solution areas.

Align tone and voice across copy on all video products.

Collaborate with Development and Product to agree on direction and roadmap.

Redesign error messages with paths for users to continue to enjoy content during signal outages.

Informed the user if they could resolve the issues themselves.

Results

Increased users satisfaction rating with the ability to finish their program in low res.

Calls dropped by 75% saving the company $800,00 in the first 9 months.

The Product

DIRECTV signals are sent from a satellite to a rooftop dish. This is connected to a set top box in 17 million homes in North America.

Original Design

Signal loss occurs during various issues. Unfortunately the original error design was a dead end that asked the user to check the connection of the box, wait out a storm or call in. This catch all error was asking users to trouble shoot issues outside of their control. This increased user dissatisfaction and costs the business $7 dollars per call on average.

New Design Weather Outage

In a case of weather conditions we now give the user a clear message of what is happening. Bad weather conditions were confusing in the past as any storm could be hundreds of miles away from the end user. A user would see clear skies at home and call into DIRECTV CARE for help. We give the user CTAs to watch their previous recordings or watch on demand content since these do not rely on a signal from the satellite. I made it clear that their are free options on On Demand so our users don’t feel like they are getting upsold during an outage.

New Design Weather Outage HD to SD

Weather can effect High Definition channels while in some cases the Standard Definition channel are fine. 80% of users wanted to continue watching their contend during a weather outage. We now give the user a CTA to switch over to their show in Standard Definition.

New Design National, DMA, API Outage

During National, DMA, and API outages only a small number of channels are effected. In this new design we give the user a CTA to the Guide to find something else to watch.

New Design Outage Unknown

In the case that all other errors fail and DIRECTV does not know what is causing the error we use the original error design. Leaving the old message for the rarest of incidences was a cost and roadmap decision.