As you know I am usually pretty patient about most things. My biggest pet peeve is poor customer service. So here is the sage that I have been going through with Comcast Cable. Keep in mind this all started will our DVD-recorder dying and me looking for a cheaper alternative to buying a new one… OMG.
Message #1

Sol:
Hello,
I need to report multiple cases of poor customer service. I have been a customer of insight for eight years before they were bought out by comcast and been a customer of comcast ever since. In the world of opportunities for digital television service there are many choices for consumers and never since insight was bought out did I think of changing.

On 9/30 I called regarding DVR service. I talked to one gentlemen who didn’t provide an overview or anything. I had to probe him for every piece of information. During that call he told me that the DVR would run me an additional 13.99 a month plus a 35.64 installation charge. He also said I could pause and rewind live TV. A major point of this was that I could watch one show and record another. I told him I would consult with my wife and call back.

After talking to my wife, I called back and got another person. I explained the same situation to her and she said it would be $10 a month with a $10 installation fee. I was confused but she said that was the price. She also said that my local cable office (Normal, Il) would have the box (which would allow me to watch one show and record another). I asked her for the hours and she said they were open until 6pm today.

I left work early so that I could go home, get the old cable box and bring it to the store. Upon getting to your office your store said two things.

First that they had no record of my order (bad way to start) and two, they only had a single tuner in stock and there was a wait list for the two tuners. Upon asking how long the wait was, she said it was two to three months. (I was number 352 on the list).

I then left the store and talked to my wife. We decided that for $10 and $10 a month we would just get the single box and hook it up to another TV until the two tuner came in. I went back to the store and explained that to another customer service rep at the store. She then said that it would be much more than $10 because I would have to abandon my old insight TV package and go to a comcast package. This would be over $29 a month more than I was paying.

Now I don’t have a problem paying more for appropriate service. I do have a major problem with being told half truths and one side of the organization not knowing what the other side is saying. I feel that this is utterly poor customer service and for the first time I am truly looking at other options for my digital television needs.

I don’t mind paying more for a great product and great service. But poor service will get me to leave faster than anything.

Please reply

Sol
P.S. Your email form online does not allow for lengthy comments either. Again, not a good way to have customer service.
Reply #1
Dear Sol,
Thank you for contacting Comcast Cable.

I did not have any of your account information in this email, but I will address your concerns to the best of my ability.

When going to a Service Center to pick up a DVR, equipment being in stock can never be guaranteed. The only way to guarantee that you will receive the equipment when you want it is with a technician appointment, or we can have a DVR mailed to you as well.

There are some previous Insight customers who are paying lower rates than what Comcast charges due to having old Insight codes on the account. In order to keep the prices consistent across the entire greater Chicago region, there are some older packages that need to be removed in order to bring your account up to date. Our systems will not allow us to proceed with an order when these older packages are still on the account.

We apologize for any inconvenience you have experienced with this issue.

Thank you for choosing Comcast.

Sincerely,

David
Comcast Online Customer Support

Message #2
David,
Thank you for the standard form letter. This is yet another example of poor service. My home phone number is 309-, you can use this to look up my account. As to being able to pick up equipment, YOUR phone technicians told me that there would be a DVR at the store that I could pick up that evening. If that is not an appointment then I don’t know what is.

Your third paragraph is insulting. You say you need to keep prices consistent across the entire greater Chicago region, unless geography has changed, Bloomington, Il is not even remotely close to Chicago unless you count 150 miles as close.

You should work with your “people” to find a solution to this issue. You should provide some sort of credit, some sort of something to address a poor situation like this. This is the type of response and customer service that would have someone like me look to your competitors for better products.

Just because you bought out our old supplier, does not mean that your rates or your products are better quality. I can overlook issues of poor service (not customer service) if they are responded to in a polite and friendly manner and help address the actual issue.

As I see it you have three major issues.

1) Your phone staff is not addressing the same situation the same way. Why would I get two different prices for the same issue. Not to mention not one person said anything about the changing in plans due to being an old insight customer.

2) Your phone staff has not been trained adequately to ensure proper support. Why would they tell me that the DVR I need is in stock and I can get it. Not to mention that they didn’t even make a note in my account about it.

3) Your online support is poor with proving INACCURATE form letters. This is the third time that I received a form letter regarding my issues.

I am getting close to looking at other options as well as my friends.
Your slogan of Comtastic is starting to be more like Craptastic.

I apologize for the tone of this email, but for the amount of money I’m paying and my loyalty over several years, this is not how I should be serviced.

Sincerely

Sol Roberts-Lieb

Reply #2
Dear sdlieb, (note that they didn’t even take my name from my signature)

We apologize for the delay in responding to your e-mail.

I have reviewed your account and previous emails, on behalf of Comcast I apologize for the conflicting information that you have received. We can certainly set up an order for you to pick up a DVR at one of our local Payment Centers.

To add the DVR to your service package should not cause any changes to your existing plan with us. For security purposes, we will have to ask you to contact us directly either via telephone at 888-736-6705 or via live chat. I am providing the link for your convenience.

http://www.comcastsupport.com/chatwithus/userchatstartcom.asp

In regards to the email that you sent, again I do apologize on behalf of Comcast if we have not addressed your concerns.

Thank you for choosing Comcast.

Sincerely,

Danielle
Comcast Customer Care Specialist

Message #3
Danielle,
Thanks for your reply. Unfortunately now I am back on the phone with someone from customer support and have to go through the entire story again as they can not bring up this case number. There needs to be a connection between your internet support, your phone support, and your in person support as they do not have the same information.

Now I just got off the phone with your support and they disagree with your email. They say I must change all of my packages due to being grandfathered in. So to get the “$10 a month” DVR I end up paying almost 28 a month, before taxes. So please explain how this information from your phone people is the same as ” To add the DVR to your service package should not cause any changes to your existing plan with us.”

Unless I’m don’t’ speak English or Comtastic 1 + 1 does not equal 2.

Can you please explain how this is good customer service?

Can you explain how not once have you offered any type of special or coupon or anything to make up for this.

I guess that my business over the years is not important enough to try to figure out a way to make this right.

—–
So still no answer, AND there is a magic @comcastcares twitter person genie who tried to reply then goes away..>SIGH.

This is so bad I’m looking at Dish and Verizon (talk about pot and kettle)

So here is part two of what happened at the Indiana sections. (Yes, there is no Part 1 yet. That’s coming. I was driving into work today and this incident just started to make me think about Life, the Universe and Everything,; so I decided to write it down).

On Saturday afternoon, we were all sitting around the joint 31/46 business meeting. Mandy and I were in the back of the room at a table with some of the “old folks”. All of a sudden I saw one of my friends run out of the meeting, then a couple minutes came back, looked at someone with a very strange look and that person ran across the room.  The next thing I did was get up to see what was going on. It seemed that one of the actives was having an anxiety attack but this was common for her. So I came back into the room and let the people who were running the meeting know what was going on so they weren’t worried. Then what came next was the strange part.

My friend came back into the room with a very strange look on his face and gestured for me to come over. Then he said something about heartbeats and needing help. I started to freak a little bit. Heartbeats and trouble are not a good combination.  So I went out into the hall and say the girl on the floor in the coatroom with makeup all down her face, crying, flipping out and my friend and her friend seemed worried. Then I realized that they were asking me if I had a slow regular heartbeat. I said yes. Then I got on the ground next to Lindsey and she put here hand on my chest. The next thing she was weeping saying I can’t hear it, I can’t here it. The she put her head on my chest and I just hugged her close. I just held her for five -ten minutes or so. (I don’t know how long it was because I was trying to keep my self calm. She needed someone who had a slow heartbeat so she could listen too and I was trying not to let my heartbeat raise because I started to freak a bit. And let me say when you’re in that situation with someone you don’t know and they’re freaking out, this is not an easy task).

So after she started to calm down I figured out what was going on. He was on medicine for that kinda of problem and the doctor had just changed her medicine doses and it caused issues. I guess she tried to listening to her friend’s heartbeat and it was too fast because she had drinken a lot of caffiene that day. Then my friend had tried to be the heartbeat and his was slow but not regular. I guess he had some heart surgery and it would have a nirregular beat that actually was making things worse for her.

I think the funniest part was when Lindsey was coming out of the attack, her friend introduced her to me. She had seen me throughout the day. Her reply made me laugh. She said I figured it was Sol because of his belly, no offense. I thought it was funny.

So a long story short she was okay and everything worked great. Granted it was weird and crazy experience.  I think I learned an important fact about me. My heartbeat and belly can calm down babies and panicky women. Ahh the power of the belly! I think I should tell me doctor that next time he wants me to lose weight. H

Ode to the Belly!

Until next time (hopefully Indy Sectionals point 1 will be next

I can’t believe he’s already here. Time flies so quickly.
Jenny and Joe, Good Luck!! We miss you guys

I hope that you’re all doing well. Yesterday was the first big fundraiser for Gillian’s Kidney Campaign. It was a free-will spaghetti dinner. We served over 300 people. We cooked 75lbs of spaghetti, 40 loaves of bread, and 90lbs of hamburger, not to mention the hundreds of deserts and salads that were donated. It was such a good time. We raised close to 10,000 in one day. I can’t believe that a community of about 600 people were able to raise that much money. Thanks so much to everyone for everything. If you want to see all the details and how we are doing on Gillian’s Campaign, take a look at her website.

Mandy and I wanted to share the great news with all of you. Nicholas Solomon-Strutz was born at 7:59 on 2/12. He weighed in at a whopping 8 pounds 11 ounces and 19 inches long. WOW. I can’t believe the craziness, Candice was in labor for almost 37 hours!

Mandy and I can’t wait to meet him. We will put pictures and video up as soon as we get it.

You can go to Candice and Jason’s website to learn all about the birthing craziness and everything. www.solomon-strutz.com

Yea for Babies!!!!!!!