
                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: THURSDAY, January 13, 1994                   TAG: 9401130125
SECTION: VIRGINIA                    PAGE: C3   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: MIKE HUDSON STAFF WRITER
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Medium

BOTETOURT CABLE TV VOWS TO CLEAN UP ACT

Tele-Media cable television systems says it is embarking on an all-out "investigative program" to respond to complaints about its service in Botetourt County.

The company endured harsh criticism for much of 1993 from county officials and residents.

Frank Vicente, a senior vice president in the company's Richmond office, said in a letter to subscribers that he is personally investigating the problems.

Vicente wrote that there have been "complaints about poor pictures, service, billing problems and that our phone lines are always busy. Also, that our employees don't know what they are doing."

Among the steps the company is taking, Vicente said, is making sure subscribers are getting good pictures by bringing in engineers to "electronically sweep and balance" all 170 miles of the system's lines in Botetourt and Bedford counties.

Also, he said, the company is providing more training to its four customer-service representatives at its Troutville office and bringing in an office manager from North Carolina "until I am satisfied that the office is routinely meeting all customer-service requirements."

The company also has added a fourth phone line to make it easier for customers to get through.

Vicente said the four installers and technicians in the Botetourt office are supposed to have radios or pagers in their vehicles. But "I am embarrassed to report I discovered that two vehicles do not have radios and I will see that they are so equipped as soon as possible." Also, he said, he has learned that the pagers have not always worked correctly.

The letter this month to the 9,000-plus subscribers in the two counties is the first of a series that Vicente plans.

Botetourt County officials say that they believe Tele-Media has been doing a much better job of serving the county and responding to complaints in recent months.

"We put up with it for a long time," said Robert Layman, the Board of Supervisors chairman. "We let them know how we mean business, and they've responded."

Now, he said, company officials call him every week or so to make sure there are no problems or questions.

by CNB