If you're new here, you may want to subscribe to my RSS feed. Thanks for visiting!
Good ol’ Michael Arrington of TechCrunch had an interesting weekend in which he learned how to minimize the classic ISP runaround (i.e., the customer service you get when your Internet stops working). He had 36 hours of downtime before, as he puts it, he lost his cool and posted to Twitter this message: “I am going to expend significant energy over the next three weeks trashing comcast.”
It only took 20 minutes after his Twitter message for a Comcast executive in Philadelphia to call him asking the “how can I help” question. The executive explained that he monitors Twitter and blogs to get an understanding of what people are saying about Comcast. Soon after the call, a team was dispatched to Arrington’s place and the issue was resolved. This sure beats what he experienced earlier with the automated phone system and misleading customer service.
The whole episode reminds me of the time last year when I had to go without Internet for two months. Lots of factors were to blame, but Verizon did not handle the situation very well. Next time anything like this happens, it seems that I should know exactly what to do. I’ll give them one chance to fix it and then start blogging / tweeting from a friend’s house.
When you use the Internet more than practically anything else at home (it’s my phone book / maps / weather / driving directions / calendar / dictionary / encyclopedia / banking / movie show times / reviews / credit cards / bills / shopping / streaming movies / music downloads / pictures / email / news / order tracking), the lifestyle change even for a short period of time is a huge pain.
But before I get too excited with this new found ISP customer service solution, I wonder, will it work for those who aren’t big shots? And even if it does, how sustainable is that kind of model? If only the regular customer service were good enough in the first place so that this kind of work around wouldn’t be necessary…
*Update* Paul Ellis has his own Comcast tech support story, which I think tops Arrington’s.
Note: This article is cross-posted at BobCaswell.com.
Monday, 7. April 2008
I am actually in the middle of a Comcast fiasco that I already started writing up. I was going to wait for the fiasco to finish, but maybe it would be best to voice it to the public first. Although I’m sure the fact that it was Michael Arrington played into why he got an executive to call him that quick.
Monday, 7. April 2008
Paul, maybe you should throw up your post here on TechConsumer today or tomorrow. I can put in on Twitter, and we’ll see what the difference is between you and Arrington. His service would be tough to beat, though. I mean, 20 minute response time on a weekend? Wow.
Monday, 7. April 2008
You don’t have to be an A-lister to get special treatment from Comcast. Our local teams almost always can help you quickly and effectively. But if the normal chain of command isn’t working for you, send us a note here: http://tinyurl.com/68rku5
Scott Westerman
Area Vice President
Comcast Southwest
Monday, 7. April 2008
Scott,
As you’ll see in my up-coming post, I have already been to that link. And the “local team” was completely, and I literally mean completely incompetent. Both “techs” (from the multiple calls I made) were literally the most under-qualified support personnel I have ever encountered; far worse than even my worst Dell story. To top it off, my problem still hasn’t been rectified, and I was supposed to get called back by Comcast a week ago to make sure everything is ok, but that didn’t happen. The only reason I haven’t completed and posted my story is because I’ve been extremely busy.
Monday, 7. April 2008
Bob,
I can assure you that we do not do this for ‘A list’ individuals. We apply very similar treatment to everyone that we interact with on the internet. We look at this as another form of communication with our Customers.
Paul,
I did pull up your file regarding the slow internet you are experiencing. I do show that we attempted to contact you on 3 occasions based on the email that you sent to the link above. I will be reaching out to you via email tonight. I will provide you my contact information. I will be happy to help get this rectified for you.
Thank you both!
Frank Eliason
Comcast
Monday, 7. April 2008
Frank,
Obviously I would appreciate any help getting my connection back to normal, but what you (and all of the Comcast people) have missed so far is that we shouldn’t even have to talk to you or blog about your company. That is the failure. I have called (or tried to but the system was broken) about a dozen times now, half of those were after I completed the online form linked above (which did get people to call the next day), and only now after the blogosphere mention is there a chance of things getting fixed for me. That is a complete systematic failure, and I’m not talking about your IT systems.
The people I have talked to have been eager to help, but have been completely and utterly under-qualified (you know, like when a 2-year-old wants to help you cook). Honestly, I couldn’t believe how little these people knew about IT, broadband, and the internet in general. It was so bad that I started outlining the blog post about it while I was waiting on hold.
This really is the type of thing that people will switch service providers for. I know, I have already checked out DirecTV “packages” and the availability Verizon’s FiOS plans in my area.
Tuesday, 8. April 2008
@Frank and Scott,
I posted my story here.
Tuesday, 15. July 2008
who do you complain to to get better service
Saturday, 26. July 2008
You know the same thing happened to me, and low and behold it was a database issue. They had pushed out a slower downgraded firmware. I called them got connected right away told them my issues, and with in 15 minutes I was back up to speed that i was getting. If you get the wrong code in your account then you get the wrong modem firmware.
Tuesday, 5. August 2008
I am having the exact same issue right now. Comcast is giving me the absolute run-around with my internet service. I recently upgraded my service to the “digital double play.” That’s when all hell broke loose. Instead of treating me like an existing 4 year customer, Comcast must have decided I was a new customer. They placed a suspension on the modem I had for 4 years without explanation. Even though I had a connection to the Internet, no data was being transferred. I even had a connection to my wireless network. I called and the first level customer service couldn’t do anything except blame it on billing. I was escalated to level 2 customer support. Nothing. I bought a new modem and they screwed up the MAC address by transcribing it wrong. After another day or so, I called back and the issue was resolved. Now, a week later I’m back to square one. No Internet and no explanation. Their solution? Escalate my querry to level 2 support again. Combined, my outage has been about a week without a resolution.
I’m loosing time and productivity and all Comcast can do is transfer my issue from office to office. I know they have a monopoly, but come on, they still need to take care of their customers. Right now, I am about ready to cancel my service completely.
Wednesday, 27. August 2008
Comcast equivalent of an engraved “We Don’t want You as a Customer” notice –
I had had Comcast cable for years, but in April 2008 was talked into the digital phone+cable+internet package. At the time I was completing an addition to my house after firing a slow and incompetent contractor. Unbeknownst to me, when he took shingles off the roof in November 2007, he reconnected the cable incorrectly, leaving the cable running across the back yard at about 6 feet.
When I finally got the yard cleared of construction material in July, it was clear the building inspector would not sign off on the job with this cable hanging like this, so I called Comcast to fix it. They sent out the most obnoxious service guy on the planet. He informed me that my roofer or siding guy had removed the roof mount and proceeded to cut the cable, removing my phone & internet service. When I told him that the roofers had finished & left before the April Comcast upgrade, and the siding on the existing house dated from 1992, he was not interested, saying it was 100% up to me get a contractor to put a mount up on the roof, then Comcast would come back to connect. I work part of each day at home, to care for my 92-year-old Mother, whom I cannot leave with no phone for emergency. This cut no ice with the Comcast guy, who told me clearly that Comcast would do absolutely nothing for me.
I called Comcast service and explained the situation. The guy on the phone was at first sympathetic, then called the obnoxious guy and came back to order me to have “my contractor” put up a mount. I told him I had fired that general contractor and had been hiring specific contractors for the work that remained & was not sure who I could get to go on the roof, and that customer service guy started challenging me about whether I had anyone who could do it.
Note I was perfectly prepared to pay for Comcast to do a re-installation, but was specifically informed by the guy who cut the cable that Comcast would do nothing whatever until I got a roof mount replaced. (I think it was originaly attached to a defunct satellite dish that had been on the roof.)Why the guys who came out in April made no mention of a missing roof mount I have no idea.
I then cancelled the Comcast service (which no longer existed, since their man had cut the cable,) and called the phone company immediately to get phone service available for my Mother while I was at work all day, since my internet access was gone. But now Comcast refuses to return the phone number I have had since 1991 & had transferred to them unless I resume service.
Watch out, Northern Californians! If you get Comcast, that cable guy may come to service you.
Saturday, 10. January 2009
Comcast is a good outfit. Just be a responsible person while complaining to them and they will help you. Also click on my name.
Tuesday, 3. March 2009
I have been fighting with comcast for over a month. I have the bundle. Phone, internet and tv. But for over a month now I can;t get my phone to work 75% of the time. Either I have no dial-tone, or when someone calls they hear nothing but static or nothing at all. Or if I am talking to someone after a few minutes I start to sound warbly and then I dissapear to the other end. I can hear them but they can’t hear me. I have had someone out here and did a bunch of nothing and said it should be fixed if not I would need to replace my router. Because my computer also doesn’t work 75% of the time. It either is slow as molasses, won’t connect or can’t find my home page etc. etc. But imagine trying to call 911 in an emergency and not getting a dial tone. Or having the operator saying what I can’t hear you. Oh never mind I am just dying here. I’ll try back later. I have tried buying 2 different phones, a new router and now comcast wants to come out and replace my modem. That all sounds good, but all my neighbors are having all the same kinds of problems. Do you think all their modems are bad too? What kind of people do comcast hire anyway. They don’t seem to get it. I think I know more about technical problems then they do. And I am in the medical field. Why can’t someone just get it. Oh and by the way they installed some new hardware that I was assured would not cost me anything. I asked 3 different times and was told I am allowed 3 of these digital converter boxes for free and after that I would be charged a monthly fee. Now mind you, I never asked for these. And I already have 2 DVR cable boxes that I do pay for. These were supposed to be to help me get more digital channel on my other tv’s. I just got a bill from comcast and they DID charge me for one of these boxes. When I called they said “Oh no you are only allowed 2 of these without being charged” I said then why was 3 installed and told me they were free. Gee golly they didn’t know. It’s not enough that I pay 175.oo per month for these services. And mind you I pay all my bills on time every sigle month. Now I can only use the service sometimes and they bait and switched me. If I could only pay for the time I use the service it would be great. What about all those times my phone won’t work???? Or I can’t get on-line. Then comcast says call if the problem comes back. Ha Ha Ha. How can I call if I can’t get a dial tone?
Help me before I go crazy!!!!!!!!!