Master Agencies make up a big part of our telecommunications livelihoods. We all can’t take on the quotas that come with the large service providers. So the master becomes a necessary evil in our industry.
In my opinion, I look for them to bite off these big contracts and provide me with excellent customer service. I don’t mind giving them a piece of my hard work if they can handle the above two requirements. Some agents (like myself) desire to have a strong relationship with our customers, and others just want to hand the deals over and be on their way.
I suppose it works the same way with the smaller providers that we all sign our own agreements with. However, the bottom line is that we need support. Most of us are 1-5 man shops. We don’t always have time to deal with service or install issues. We need the masters and the vendors to help us when these issues arise. But, what happens when they fall down on the job?
I run all of my Verizon work through a rather large master agency that I will not name in this blog. I recently gave them a 7 line pots order for a construction company that I do a lot of work with. They needed the lines for elevators and alarm circuits so that they could get the building inspected and opened.
This particular installation had only fiber optics coming into the building. As we all know, POTS lines need copper. So, a piece of equipment is needed to convert them. I have spent the three days since I got back from Channel Partners trying to get this done. I told the master agency this over and over again, but they continued to tell me that Verizon says the lines are installed and tagged at the DMARK. This is just not so. However, I can’t call Verizon because I don’t have a contract with them. I rely on the master to do that.
I have been on the phone for three days with the customer calling Verizon and dealing with the area construction coordinator. Techs show up and leave because they are “copper only” techs. Should I be spending my time on this? I think not. This is the job of the master. But, they keep telling me the customer should call Verizon directly. They keep telling me the lines have been installed and tagged. None of this ever happened but they don’t believe me. What do I do? I dig in and help the customer while the master with 30 employees sits on their hands and calls me a liar.
Thus the question that enters my mind tonight…..What is the purpose of the master agency?