Is SiriusXM’s Customer Service Improving?
Over the years I have, on many occasions, been very critical of SiriusXM’s customer service. There were even points in time where I would have characterized it as deplorable.
In my opinion, a successful company is one that views its customers as an asset, handles them with care, and bends over backwards to ensure that the consumer experience is as good as it can be. SiriusXM has not always fared well in these departments. That being said, my two most recent interactions with SiriusXM’s customer service were a very pleasant surprise.
In my family we have utilized XM SkyDocks with iPod touch’s for years in our cars. We have utilized a Logitech Squeezebox Duet in our home. I have long preferred the Skydock because it gave me great flexibility in what I listen to and the OEM radios had simply not afforded me such latitude.
Over the Labor Day weekend we bought a new car. The new car came with a 3 month trial to SiriusXM and the activation was flawless. The new car also had a much more capable stereo system that afforded us the latitude that we previously got only from the SkyDock. For the first time, there was no longer a compelling reason to use the SkyDock.
Essentially, I now had two active SkyDock’s and one factory stereo all receiving SiriusXM. The bottom line is that there was no need for one of the SkyDocks. I dreaded that I would have to call SiriusXM to deactivate a SkyDock and have to listen to the sales pitch of why SiriusXM is the best thing since sliced bread and that if I kept it active I could get three months free, etc.
I have always hated the fact that SiriusXM made so many assumptions and went into a pre-written sales pitch when the word cancellation arose. The fact of the matter was that I had two subscriptions prior to buying a new car, and simply wanted to have two subscriptions after.
My first surprise was that the representative on the other end actually listened to the fact that I was cancelling a SkyDock because I bought a new car. I did not get the sales pitch.
Now, my past experience had me jaded. In my mind it was going to be much easier to simply deactivate one of my SkyDocks and get back a pro-rated credit, and then call again after the three month free trial in the new car to deal with that subscription at that point. To my shock, I did not have to do that.
My second surprise was that the company looked up my account, saw the new car, and asked if I wanted to apply my credit toward that subscription. After my jaw hit the floor because this was far to easy, I had my wife pinch me to make sure I was not dreaming. Could it really be? Was SiriusXM actually handling this customer service issue in the manner which made logical sense? WOW!
Yes, it was true. SiriusXM applied my credit from the cancelled SkyDock to the new car, with the added months being tacked onto the free trial. It was that easy! The phone call only took a few minutes instead of the anticipated 3o minutes that my jaded mindset had imagined. This was GREAT!
The third surprise came the next day when the SiriusXM I was listening through my Squeezebox Duet inside my home suddenly stopped. I immediately said to myself, “I knew my experience the day before was too good to be true.” I called SiriusXM to see if there was an issue with the Internet streaming service. They informed me that they had no reports and inquired as to what issue I was having. I explained the issue and was immediately shifted to the senior technical support team. The rep walked me through a few basic things such as checking to see if I could stream on my computer. He also checked forums to see if others with a Squeezebox Duet had reported any such issue. He explained that sometimes there are updates on one side or another that can cause a conflict, but that he could find no evidence of it. He then suggested that I try to call Logitech… AND gave me the phone number.
I hung up the phone impressed with the experience, but in the back of my mind feeling that SiriusXM had somehow passed the buck even though the steps we walked through seemed to exonerate the satellite radio provider. I called Logitech, and in the end it was an issue with my overall Internet service (channels were somehow crossed and while I had Internet, the speed was so bad that streaming was virtually impossible). A couple of hours on the phone with Comcast solved the issue, and I, once again have Internet radio streaming in my house.
In the course of 48 hours I had found a tremendous new respect for SiriusXM’s customer service and for the first time in a long time felt great about the overall experience. Over the years I have had good experiences and bad experiences with customer service at SiriusXM. My overall grade going into this past week would have been a “C”. This past week, the company got two “A’s”.
As an investor in this company the customer experience outside the radio content has always been an aspect that I felt was lacking. My most recent experience is that the company is on its game in this department. I felt good about it and actually cracked a smile when I reflected on it during this past week. The service was so good that I had to pen this article. KUDOS SIRIUSXM! You did great!
My most recent experiences with customer service have been an improvement compared to the debacle/fiasco/nightmare experiences in the past. Perhaps this company has finally, after years of pathetic customer service begun to realize that the customers satisfaction should be more of a priority than merely an afterthought. As a matter of fact, it should be an absolute top priority as it affects customer loyalty , subs, churn, word of mouth advertising and the the very image of the company.
My last experience less than a year ago was just a walk in the park. I was quickly connected to a friendly woman with a Southern accent. We chatted a bit and then I told her that I wanted to cancel one of my two subscriptions. Her renewal discount programming quickly started up, but when I explained that I only had one radio now (use streaming for the new 2nd radio) she was fine with that and we quickly concluded our business.
Their customer account web site has improved very much recently as well. Just last week I wanted to change the subscription plan on my account and the process was, for the most part, flawless and quick. I was even pleasantly surprised to see the costs prorated accordingly.
My only remaining beef with SiriusXM is their releasing of their customer email addresses to spammers. I intentionally use a unique address for different services (easy to do since I own my own domain). I get the most amount of unsolicited spam directed towards the address that I only use for my SiriusXM account. I’m not sure if their customer database has been compromised or if they sold their lists to would-be marketing entities.
Every time I get a new spam message sent to the address I use only for SiriusXM that didn’t originate from SiriusXM, I give serious consideration to cancelling the service all together.
I’m glad to hear your experience improved. You must have hit them on a good day. I had called earlier in the year to complain about my reception being spotty without a resolution. Finally, I called to cancel just a few days prior to my year contract ending and it was anything but simple. I could tell the poor girl that was trying to help me was just reading from a script and “doing her duty” by presenting me offer after offer of “tempting deals” just to keep me as a customer. Her “temptations” lasted for about 30 minutes or so.
However, after 5 years and the addition of many non-laughworthy DJs on the channels I listen to (and commercial offers on some of the others), I kind of thought that Sirius XM was becoming so much like commercial radio that it would make little difference which I listened to in the car as I do my errands around town.
Glad you have had a good experience. I had a horrible experience with Sirius XM customer service today. I can’t even imagine what it used to be like if it is greatly improved now. Keep improving Sirius!
Hi, my name is jack im a phone rep with siriusxm advanced tech support, over the last two years we have been working hard to change the over all customer service experience and as a 2 year employee and 9 year customer I’m so glad to finally see that a difference being made with customer service and training. On the customer side I no longer have any issues when i call in on my my own personal experiences and as phone rep the amount of vividly angry customers has decreased when they get to me at the last line of internet support. Everyone Keep up the great work!
The dealer never told me about SXM. I only learned about it when I received the letter. I was angry when I learned that the dealer handed my name, address, and phone to SXM without my permission. I live off the grid, so having my info shared is something I take very seriously.
When I called, and said “turn it off”, and delete me, I was given a “disconnect number” with no questions asked, so I guess that was good. Maybe I was the first to do so only a six weeks into a one year “free trial”.
Too bad the “weather alerts” did not stop. We only drive on weekends, yet the stupid pop up drove me nuts. I disconnected the antenna lead with the yellow connector. That helped. FM still works great.
I would like my VIN removed from the database, because I live “off the grid”. My radio ID is HNDQGAMY.
BTW: What commercial free channels? I did not find any.