What's going on with customer service?

[Areeda]

I am shocked. Today I had to deal with Time Warner to get business class internet at home. Then I had to call Verizon because the network extenders I ordered didn't have the mail in rebate in the box. I dreaded the upcoming experience.

TWC answered on the first ring and after 10 min of discussion, he sent me a contract to sign and scheduled installation tomorrow (Saturday at 0800-1200).

Verizon was a bit longer on hold, but the nice lady talked to her supervisor and apologized because all she could do was credit my account instead of my credit card.

Both people spoke English with an American accent, were polite and efficient.

I'm shocked and awed.

Joe

 

[PilotAlan]

Funny how when customers start cutting back, providers start paying attention to keeping the customers they have.
Seems like up until recently, they would spend millions to get new customers but nothing to keep the ones they have.

 

[Jay Honeck]

I am shocked. Today I had to deal with Time Warner to get business class internet at home. Then I had to call Verizon because the network extenders I ordered didn't have the mail in rebate in the box. I dreaded the upcoming experience.

TWC answered on the first ring and after 10 min of discussion, he sent me a contract to sign and scheduled installation tomorrow (Saturday at 0800-1200).

Verizon was a bit longer on hold, but the nice lady talked to her supervisor and apologized because all she could do was credit my account instead of my credit card.

Both people spoke English with an American accent, were polite and efficient.

I'm shocked and awed.

Joe

You were lucky -- nothing more.

We are still experiencing appallingly bad customer service from just about everyone, including our cable TV provider (I've been waiting WEEKS just for an answer on how much it will cost to add movie channels!), our internet service provider (ditto with adding a second DSL line at the motel), our insurance company and agent (after six months, they STILL can't get the corporate name correct on the insurance policies), electricians (had 'em install a 50-amp service to our motor home out back, and it kept blowing breakers. Turned out they connected a 50 amp service to a 30-amp breaker in the main box!), air conditioning contractors (just TRY to get one to show up), landscapers (I've had a guy "set up" to move a palm tree and plant some new shrubs for over a month; he hasn't shown up yet) , bathtub refinishers (no show/no call), vending machine companies (ditto), and (of course) government bureaucrats (don't get me started)...

In other words SNAFU...

Worse, we've discovered that we can multiply everything times two now that we live on an island. Everyone here is on "island time", which translates into "manana", which translates into "I'll get to it when I can..."

"Island time" is a wonderful thing when you're on vacation. It really sucks when you're actually trying to get stuff done...

 

[Bob Noel]

When my apple macbook pro had a hardware failure, I took to the local
apple store. 5 minutes for the hardware test to reveal a failed graphics
processor. It was still under Apple Care, so they shipped to the repair
facility.

I was told it would take 7 business days. 46 hours later I had my repaired
laptop back (FedEx'd to my home).

Pretty good customer service.

 

[Jay Honeck]

When my apple macbook pro had a hardware failure, I took to the local
apple store. 5 minutes for the hardware test to reveal a failed graphics
processor. It was still under Apple Care, so they shipped to the repair
facility.

I was told it would take 7 business days. 46 hours later I had my repaired
laptop back (FedEx'd to my home).

Pretty good customer service.

The best customer service on the planet used to be (and, for all I know, may still be) from Lightspeed. Sadly, their headsets NEEDED the best customer service on the planet, as they broke often. (I've owned all of their stuff, going back to the original 15s.)

Thankfully, they got it right with the Zulus. No more busted earpieces!

 

[Everskyward]

I've had good customer service from Verizon before, and also from Amazon.

 

[Jay Honeck]

I've had good customer service from Verizon before, and also from Amazon.

Verizon has nice people, but they all use different "Captain Kangaroo Decoder Rings" when it comes to figuring out rates and price structures. I can get three different answers from the different reps, which can be very frustrating.

 

[wsuffa]

I've had good customer service from Verizon before, and also from Amazon.

Not so here.

Cox Cable runs circles around VZ's hole. That's wireline, not wireless. T-Mo has about the best wireless CS, followed by VZ.

 

[mikea]

I've not been getting a paper bill from Comcast since sometime early on years ago, I'm guessing when I created an online account I evidently musta aggreed to only have an ebill (or as DirecTV spam-of-satan does it, you can't pay online without agreeing to never see a bill again, but I digress). I set up the account for epay at my bank so my bill was always paid. The bank bill service has a "View Bill" button which gives me a blank .pdf. I can't even read back my account number.

I've had to guess what they were charging me for as the bill has gone up and I added the second S3 with two CableCARDS and additional outlet.

I tried accessing the bill online and found they have no recall of my email address, account, me, or the planet earth. "Forgot password" returns we don't know this email address.

Since I don't get a bill I don't even know my account number! The bank doesn't show it to me.

So weeks after I vowed to do it I got my round tuit and called today to cancel HBO and ask for my account number, figuring that was the key to salvation. The phone tree asks you the same question over and over but in 3 minutes or so you get human. I get it and the rep gives me discount so I added Showtime and saved no money...and figured I'd get online access.

Create account. Enter account number, phone number. Enter you desired email address - twice. "Look for the email we just sent you. If you don't get it." it sends you back to the same page.

I get no email. I wait an hour. I get no email. I apply for the online access again. I get no email.

The "help" is "Live Chat." I'm off to type to Bangalore, but first enetr all of my info. Full address, email, phone number and what's wrong. "Ivy" types what she can do for me. I type again what I need. Online access "Ivy types at me "not to worry. You need online access to your account" After a few minutes and a couple of canned "we at Comcast love you" message she asks for my full address, account number or phone number. I paste in the account number. She types back that she needs to full address and phone numberI I already gave and the last digits of my SSN. [END CHAT SESSION] "Did we satisfy you?" What the #$%^&*!!! DO YOU THINK?

So I called again. Phone tree again. Guy asks for my address, SSN,...OK. What email address do you want to use. "I entered that. Check your email". It isn't there. Try another email address for me. Not there either. The kid happily leaves me in the same situation except I should get the printed bill by mail. I still have a bill that I'm not allowed to see.

OBVIOUSLY their system is not SENDING email.

Through this all they assume I had or would want Comcast for Internet. I heard some rep in background talking to somebody else about phone service.

How do you say no way in hell if you were the federal, city, state, IRS and UN mandated only choice required of all earthlings?

 

[TangoWhiskey]

You were lucky -- nothing more.

We are still experiencing appallingly bad customer service from just about everyone, including our cable TV provider (I've been waiting WEEKS just for an answer on how much it will cost to add movie channels!), our internet service provider (ditto with adding a second DSL line at the motel), our insurance company and agent (after six months, they STILL can't get the corporate name correct on the insurance policies), electricians (had 'em install a 50-amp service to our motor home out back, and it kept blowing breakers. Turned out they connected a 50 amp service to a 30-amp breaker in the main box!), air conditioning contractors (just TRY to get one to show up), landscapers (I've had a guy "set up" to move a palm tree and plant some new shrubs for over a month; he hasn't shown up yet) , bathtub refinishers (no show/no call), vending machine companies (ditto), and (of course) government bureaucrats (don't get me started)...

In other words SNAFU...

Worse, we've discovered that we can multiply everything times two now that we live on an island. Everyone here is on "island time", which translates into "manana", which translates into "I'll get to it when I can..."

"Island time" is a wonderful thing when you're on vacation. It really sucks when you're actually trying to get stuff done...

Sounds like a place where a conscientious contractor could make a killing with a reputation for showing up when he says he will.

 

[TangoWhiskey]

The "help" is "Live Chat." I'm off to type to Bangalore, but first enter all of my info. Full address, email, phone number and what's wrong. "Ivy" types what she can do for me. I type again what I need. Online access "Ivy types at me "not to worry. You need online access to your account" After a few minutes and a couple of canned "we at Comcast love you" message she asks for my full address, account number or phone number. I paste in the account number. She types back that she needs to full address and phone number I already gave. END CHAT. "Did we satisfy you?" What the #$%^&*!!! DO YOU THINK

Just about nothing frustrates me more than "customer service" systems that prompt you for information, but then either fail to pass it long to the CS Agent or the agent must read it ALL back to you to confirm what you just typed...

 

[Jay Honeck]

Sounds like a place where a conscientious contractor could make a killing with a reputation for showing up when he says he will.

Yes.

I hired a contractor out of Corpus to re-do our pool at the motel. This is a hellacious job, involving sandblasting marble/cement (in 90+ degree heat and under intense sunshine) at the bottom of an enormous pit, with no breeze at all. Then, upon removal of the top 1/2" or so, you must shovel (by hand) all that dusty cement OUT of the big pit. Then you can replaster/cement the whole thing, fixing tile, adding drains, etc.

Like I said, it's a hellacious job. At the end of each day the entire crew would be covered from head to toe in white plaster dust. It would be in their eyes, hair, inside their clothes -- everywhere. Worth every penny of the $15K they charged.

Those guys showed up on time. They were polite. They finished the job in 4 days, as promised. They charged me slightly LESS than quoted. They were a pleasure to work with -- and the owner is the busiest contractor in the Coastal Bend.

He's one of a small hand-full that we've found like that. They are all extremely successful, and worth their weight in gold.

 

[bbchien]

I've not been getting a paper bill from Comcast since sometime early on years ago, I'm guessing when I created an online account I evidently musta aggreed to only have an ebill (or as DirecTV spam-of-satan does it, you can't pay online without agreeing to never see a bill again, but I digress). I set up the account for epay at my bank so my bill was always paid. The bank bill service has a "View Bill" button which gives me a blank .pdf. I can't even read back my account number.

I've had to guess what they were charging me for as the bill has gone up and I added the second S3 with two CableCARDS and additional outlet.

I tried accessing the bill online and found they have no recall of my email address, account, me, or the planet earth. "Forgot password" returns we don't know this email address.

Since I don't get a bill I don't even know my account number! The bank doesn't show it to me.

So weeks after I vowed to do it I got my round tuit and called today to cancel HBO and ask for my account number, figuring that was the key to salvation. The phone tree asks you the same question over and over but in 3 minutes or so you get human. I get it and the rep gives me discount so I added Showtime and saved no money...and figured I'd get online access.

Create account. Enter account number, phone number. Enter you desired email address - twice. "Look for the email we just sent you. If you don't get it." it sends you back to the same page.

I get no email. I wait an hour. I get no email. I apply for the online access again. I get no email.

The "help" is "Live Chat." I'm off to type to Bangalore, but first enetr all of my info. Full address, email, phone number and what's wrong. "Ivy" types what she can do for me. I type again what I need. Online access "Ivy types at me "not to worry. You need online access to your account" After a few minutes and a couple of canned "we at Comcast love you" message she asks for my full address, account number or phone number. I paste in the account number. She types back that she needs to full address and phone numberI I already gave and the last digits of my SSN. [END CHAT SESSION] "Did we satisfy you?" What the #$%^&*!!! DO YOU THINK?

So I called again. Phone tree again. Guy asks for my address, SSN,...OK. What email address do you want to use. "I entered that. Check your email". It isn't there. Try another email address for me. Not there either. The kid happily leaves me in the same situation except I should get the printed bill by mail. I still have a bill that I'm not allowed to see.

And that, Mike, is why no vendor of mine ever, is allowed to only electronic bill/statement. If they insist....--->new vendor. It's that simple.

 

[Cap'n Jack]

And that, Mike, is why no vendor of mine ever, is allowed to only electronic bill/statement. If they insist....--->new vendor. It's that simple.

+1.

I'm trying to get a receipt from DB Schenker that charged me for a special Saturday delivery of equipment after the shipment was mistakenly refused by the meeting organizers on Thursday. The worst part was that the stuff sat all day Friday in Tampa without Schenker calling us to ask what to do with it. Without a receipt, it will be difficult to get reimbursed by my company.

 

[mikea]

And that, Mike, is why no vendor of mine ever, is allowed to only electronic bill/statement. If they insist....--->new vendor. It's that simple.

I'm thinking that setting up the electronic bill access for the epay at the bank is what forced me to stop getting the paper bill.

 

[mikea]

The saga never ends.

When I checked my TV late last night I discovered that the first rep had turned off the HBO she gave me the deal on. I'm off to waste another half hour talking on the phone again. I'll expect to have all service turned off this time.

I'm very, very tempted to go back to telling them to stop all of the premium channels, deal or not.

I wouldn't be at all surprised if they have set up an outgoing spam blacklist that has blocked the most popular domains, or made it so only comcast.net (which they say to NOT provide them) email addresses work.

Comcast deserves that Worst Company in America Golden Poo award so, so, so, much.

http://consumerist.com/2010/04/comcast-we-dont-want-to-be-worst-company-in-america-again.html

Comcast could fix this, but it requires years of work and top to bottom retraining, recruiting and simplification of systems and procedures. The CEO chose to just make a speech that they'll change instead.

My days with Comcast are numbered. I'll have AT&T Uverse at some point soon. The Uverse VRAD is on my backyard fence and my phone service runs directly to the cross-connect.