07-22-1991 Council Packet - Laserfiche WebLink

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I the contract are demands requirinj^, for example, tiiat phones be a/iswcrcd wiiitin four rinRs. and that no aistomer be kepi on holrl nmre than 30 soi'onds 31>e fine for violalinK a rule can run as luRh as $1,000 per infraction. And tJierein lies the potential for rejpilnfion A francliise authority has tlie pre- roRative to be as diliRent or as lax in enfon'inR its customer service Ruide- lines as it wishes. A city that is content with the cable company ’s operation can sit back and respond to complaint calls as they come in. Or, if it is dis pleased. it can go looking fur infringe ments and levy fines. Potentially, when rates are what die city regards as rea sonable. it can enforce customer ser vice guidelines with a wink, a nod and a warning. But you can bet that an operator will have to do some fancy stepping when it comes time for a rate hike. *(Cities| are not threatening with denial, but they are more aware of the authority they have, specifically cus tomer service standards,” says Warner VP Matz. "In some cases cities have viewed rate control as their only clout, but if they have a tough service standard, they have ■omcUiinf to faU back on.” So f.nr. ronsiiluiiils .intl iav^Acrs sav that cilics hav<’ bren i<-asoi).ibl«* m cnforceincnl, hut r»*in;im waiv Sav'; Iffrns. “laislomiT s*-rvi. fj nuchl !»«• .i l«‘v»*r \\«‘ ll havf' to s«*i‘ how ihcv u--*’ It If they arc uiirca'ii)nal)i«. we i| go In court.” Coble's Own Workout Court is .ilwiiys .m opiioii And according to Fffros. it is an option tlwit !hr industry' is regularly exercising ^tere is a lot more legal ac tion going on. because if (cities) want plav this gaiTie, we have to lake them to court/ he says Al the same time <»|)erators are catching on that they have to re-think their negotiation strategy I 'ncler The /\ci. it had lociked as thougfi fitx^mtors could steam roll the cities They can't Wliat the NCTA and CATA have now recognized, is if you can ’t lK*at >m. join ’em. And maybe if you can beat 'em. join 'em anyway —It s easier to work with a partner than an adversary “In some cases, some cable compa- ni€*s —a minonty of cable companii fell they didn't have to pay as much attention to officials and customers as was necessary." says John Wolfe, spokesman for NCTA "U's clear the indusuv has to pay more attiMtion li llie fra/K hisp authority " And to lenrii the industry' how to effritivrly attend to the franchisr authority, as well as the public in gen era! .MTAand CATA are going to do what NAFf)A has apparently been clffH'tive in doing—educating its con stjtuents on how to better handle the negotiating proc ess As most in ifie industry know by now. ( .ATA. under contract to NtTA. is developing an extensive public rela tions training program that will leach local managers how to form better relaijonships with franchise authorities and consumers. The groups have ear marked about $1.5 million for the effort, which wiP 'ompliment a $7 .S iTiillion nabonai im<«ge adverbsing caii> pajgn Ac cording to negotiators who work in the trenches, including Warner's Mair, it is money well spent "When you have good relationsliips with a city, you ’d be surprised how smooth the renewal process is." he says. *We just had several contracts come up in the Columbus (Ohio) area, and we had very smooth, cordial negotiations, and worked out an arrangement that ben efits both groups. It can be done.*QD "‘4 I* 1111-vr MMrinen CKvIghc Gooden and Frank VkXa'Plui ne NadorW^.' League ’s stolen base champ. Wxe Coieman Thnk ificHC * ! d«nard fans wRh the Men 94 tvnes a season —- from me Big Apple —\XAVCf? ^ mm r« «w; tRkgi Mvmviit (kllivisioi • f VIf I. 1991 2»