Comcast Confessions: when every call is a sales call
When AOL executive and Comcast customer Ryan Block recently tried to cancel his internet service, he ended up in a near-yelling match with a customer service representative who spent 18 minutes trying to talk him out of it.
Rep: I’m just trying to figure out here what it is about Comcast service that you’re not liking.
Block: This phone call is actually a really amazing representative example of why I don’t want to stay with Comcast. Can you please cancel our service?
Rep: Okay, but I’m trying to help you.
Block: The way you can help me is by disconnecting my service.
Rep: But how is that helping you? How is that helping you? Explain to me how that is helping you.
Block: Because that’s what I want.
Rep: Okay, so why is that what you want?Block posted a recording of the call online, where it has been listened to more than 5 million times. During the ensuing media frenzy, The Verge put out a call and sought out current and former Comcast employees, hoping to shed light on the inner workings of the largest broadcasting and cable company in the country. More than 100 employees responded, including one who works in the same call center as the rep in Block’s recording.
These employees told us the same stories over and over again: customer service has been replaced by an obsession with sales, technicians are understaffed and tech support is poorly trained, and the massive company is hobbled by internal fragmentation.
Yes. I read a different article with the same story. I wish I could remember the name of the TV program that played the whole recording, because all they did was make jokes about it, as if it was an isolated incident and the CSR was a loony bird. The report disgusted me because I knew from personal experience that it wasn’t an isolated case, and the rep was forced to follow a script. Then yesterday I read a follow-up .. “Not Just Comcast: 19 Stories From Call Center Hell” … http://tinyurl.com/os58wub
The writer’s of these articles didn’t mention that by the time you actually get to speak to a breathing life form, you’re already angry. You’ve listened to umpteen recorded options – often none which apply to your purpose for calling, entered or spoken your personal info into the phone several times, and been on hold long enough that your cell phone battery died, leaving you no choice but to find a land phone and start all over again. Then you hope and pray that this time, you’ll connect with somebody in the department you need or that the call transfer doesn’t “drop” you or put you back into the que, and hopefully puts you in communication with someone whose accent is understandable to you. CUSTOMER service does not exist. anymore. It’s a perfect example of abuse and misuse of technology and using it to dehumanize their employees into robots……and especially the customers who foot the bill in any amount or method THEY want to charge. We all know who “THEY” are. The VA is on the “hot seat” as they should be. But in many respects it’s facilitated by the same greed causing the abuse and misuse of employees, technology, and the “customers” are simply collateral damage left in the wake.
Comcast service sucks in many levels. Cable box shuts off “whenever,” the sound breaks up sometimes. Multiple visits by service technicians fix ‘nothing’ and you are still stuck with the same problems; and we’re talking over the years, not a few months. Comcast (in my opinion) should not be allowed to have the power it does; and this includes being owner of NBC. Big mistake for all consumers.
That is just great! We have Time Warner and after their last merger, service has gotten worse. Now we hear Time Warner and Comcast are wanting to merge. In our area we have few options…like 1 cable (Time Warner monopoly) or dish. Great choices. We just may be without television soon after reading about Comcast terrible operations! Thanks for exposing more information .
We have Dish Satellite and like it very much. Very few problems and they are even carrying RFDTV which Comcast and AT&T, Time Warner, and Direct TV will not carry. I would not use any other service.
I am glad to know this information. It may be our only option later. Thanks.
I would never have either Comcast or Time Warner. I changed from a company I had been with for over ten years because of their sales pitch but I’m so sorry. Every time a storm they lose signal. and I hate being locked into a two year contract or any contract because if you are not satisfied with service you can’t get out. The company I was with did not have contract and the service was very good with all (I was bundled) .Well everyone can’t be satisfied with the same company and as long as it suits them, that is fine. It’s just my opinion.
We don’t any other choice in the area we live. It is Time Warner or satellite. We have to be on our toes with Time Warner but so far if a person is willing to let them stall you and use your phone minutes up (thinking you will hang up) and stick with it we can get yearly deals worked out. The actual problems with TW have been minimal. They fix things when needed and for internet service I have never had a problem with them. We would just never do automatic bill pay with them because you never know what you will be charged. We have also learned to ask for a higher level of technician when we have a problem as the lower levels just read off a card and have no idea what you are talking about.
I hate Comcast, but in my area, I don’t have any other choice. Usually when I have a problem I just go to the local Comcast service center. I gave up talking to the CSR’s on the phone. Talking to them on the phone is like talking to a brick wall. They are not hearing you, DUH! I haveTV and internet service with Comcast. I had the Economy internet through them for 4 years. I never had a problem with speed. All of a sudden my internet service was like dial up. It took forever for pages to load. I know what happened, Comcast lowered the internet speed down to nothing. So I got to the service center and told them about the problem and they claimed nothing was wrong. So I upgraded to their blast internet and lowered my TV down to basic channels. This cut my monthly charges in half. As a gift I received a new HDTV the beginning of July. I hooked my cable to the new TV and it was ok. Talking to the sales reps at Best Buy they suggested I try a digital HD antenna. They said that a lot of people were getting rid of their cable for local channels. I purchased a HD digital antenna and I am so impressed with the reception. 100 times better than the basic cable reception. So I take my cable box to the service center to cancel my basic service. (thinking that I am going to save $30 plus dollars a month). WRONG! If I cancel my tv service my internet service will jump up $26 more a month. Comcast said that my TV service was discounting my internet service. This is BS. Nothing was said at the time when I upgraded the internet and lowered the cable to baisc that the cable was discounting the internet. So to keep my bill down I am paying for basic TV service (which I am not using). They are forcing me to keep somthing that I do not want or need for an additional 10 months in order to keep my bill lower.
There is a solution!! The old fashioned way! Send Comcast a registered letter stating that from such and such date, you will be terminating their services!!