Viewpoint

Credit Where Credit is Due

With all the articles within Plusworld on product improvement and service improvement it would be easy to overlook the steps that Sky have taken to make the life of a Sky+ owner or prospective owner a little more straight forward.

First things first, on 9th December 2002, Sky downloaded the latest version of the Sky+ software. The big "feature" was Instant Rewind, which could be turned on in the Services menu. This has made choosing whether or not to press pause, or "where's that remote control?" syndrome a thing of the past. Now there's always a buffer (up to an hour) of recorded programme on whatever channel Sky+ was on.

If someone knocks on your door whilst your making a cup of tea in the advert break, you don't need to rush through to the sitting room to press pause, because the buffer is recording for you. (Just make sure you get rid of the person before the hour is up, or the buffer will start overwriting itself!)

Sky also brought in minor changes to displaying of dates in the Personal Planner, whilst an invisible effect is that the Series Link function seems a little more robust. Now if we have programme clashes introduced by a series link, the series link doesn't delete itself. Though there is still a long way to go with Series Links before they are a "catch all".

Sky have built www.nevermissathing.com which tells you just some of things that Sky+ can do for you & your household. Confusingly this is just a redirection address to a page within www.sky.com

If you already have Sky+ there is something for you too. Sky have taken up the plusworld challenge and succeeded in putting online an excellent resource in an updated Sky+ Instruction Manual (PDF format) which allows you to read or download the latest instructions, especially useful for new features (hint to Sky: what about how to turn on & use Instant Rewind?). Please be aware that this a large file (5MB) http://www1.sky.com/products/skyplus/Sky+_PVR1.pdf

Under " Sky+ Related Links":
What the Press are saying
What our customer say
Download Sky+ user guide
Home cinema experience
Terms & Conditions

Another step in the right direction is the end of those annoying sci-fi adverts with fields of corn and a family on the run supposedly telling us about Sky+. They have been replaced by an all together more sensible advert, that shows that Sky+ is as much about life enablement and removing difficult choices. The swish flashes of Sky+ between adverts for a second or 2, now show that Sky+ is the new Sky. This is beginning to be the mass marketing that was missing in the first year.

In early February 2003, all Sky+ subscribers were sent a Sky+ letter, with news on new features, and enclosing a nice colour Addendum for the Sky+ User's Guide. A little late, but much appreciated guys.

There remains a great deal to be done to improve customer care for the Sky+ "family", but these small steps are at least a beginning, and should be recognised as the first steps in the right direction. Well done Sky - keep raising your game.

This site uses frames. Click here if you don't see directory buttons on left.