So when I moved I signed up for Comcast internet only, I get my tv provided by my landlord and she uses DirectTV. Recently I reached my 7th month which ended my "introductory" pricing and doubled my bill. I saw an ad on their website for current customers of Comcast to get internet for $29.99 so of course I called. I was told the "fine print" right away...only for current customers who ADD another service. So ask if there are any deals I am eligible for, after being no current customers cannot get deals (her exact words) I got fed up and said I would just start shopping for another provider, her response? "Ok bye" at which point she hung up on me. I wasn't looking to hard sell her with my shop around comment, but even if I was, it is horrible customer service to say Ok bye, instead of "I am sorry to hear that and I hope you change your mind" or something like that. Am I wrong for being tiffed at Comcast or did I deserve it for giving the hard sell?
Well, perhaps she is the type who doesn't 'mess around' and thinks that you weren't going to give in so talking to you wasn't worth her time. I don't think it's your fault, but maybe she didn't want to play games. However, she is a horrible rep - it is their job to try to get more customers.
Well, she could've transferred you to customer retention, but at the same time, so many customers claim that they are going to go find another provider that at some point, you just say, "okay." Not to mention, she has your address, so she would most likely know if you can get another provider. A lot of cities, counties and communities with cable companies and your only choice is service through them or no service at all. If she knew that you can't go anywhere, she was probably chuckling after you hung up.
That is so terrible to hear. These companies should be doing anything they can to keep hold on their customers, yet they fail to do so. I hear about complaints from cable companies so often and how horrendous their customer service is. What can we do to stop them from pushing us around?
My Mom has Comcast and she has their triple play - phone, Internet and cable. She has been a customer there for at least 15 years so when she called about getting another deal, it took a little bit of talking to them but she was able to do it. I think being a customer there for a while is what helped. Many times companies hear that you will go else where, it didn't phase DirectTV when we told them we were going elsewhere. I think it depends on how long you have been there and sometimes it depends on the representative you talk to.
I have also had similar experiences with Comcast. My daughter lives 20 miles away and has far more things available things than i do, and we pay the same amount. I have contacted them about my concerns only to be brushed off. With such a strong hold on the industry, they believe in pay up or get out. I'm researching my options as I post this. Working with them is like dealing with the devil. The bundling thing was a great idea when it first was introduced, now bundling is for turning over bundles of our money.
Bundling is not always cheaper, it was for my Mom tho. With Internet the cable company has a lot of competition and you would think that they would want you as a customer. With cable, the only competition really is satellite which is not much competition at the moment since channels are dropping off of the satellite companies quite a bit now.
I live in New York City so it's all cablevision here. They're pretty good. Had some rocky times a few years back, but otherwise as of now I am happy with their service. I have digital cable, so we don't have to worry about seeing snow when the weather gets bad. No annoying dish, none of that. Plus, we have some great channels and continue to get more added! I've heard recently that the dish people and comcast and timewarner have had falling-outs with certain network owners. Which has resulted in the loss of IFC, Sundance Channel, and a few other channels. Makes me glad to be a CV customer.
If I had a dollar for every complaint that I have heard about Comcast, I would be a billionaire. They are the poster child for why we need to break up monopolies. Comcast steamrolls the competition and then does whatever they want.
Don't we have laws to prevent those kinds of monopolies? I mean, I seem to remember spending at least a week in History Class talking about how big monopolies had an unfair advantage in businesses so the government passed legilslation to prevent it from happening. Or am I completely wrong?
I don't think it's just Comcast, but all the cable companies are doing bad business. I have satellite and they tack on secret charges all the time. I have to constantly call them and ask them what are these charges. They always give me a BS story about something ran out and I'm being charged for it on my bill. This claim doesn't surprise me at all. I wish the cable/satellite company would be more upfront with their customers.
In Florida AT&T also provides internet, cable and phone. The thing I will say about AT&T is that they will keep you on the phone and keep offering you a better price until you take the deal. If I told AT&T that I was going to shop around for another cable provider, they would keep me on the phone for as long as it took to work a deal. I don't mind a bit of hustle and pushiness if it works out in my favor. I like the fact that they actually seem to want my business.
We do have anti-monopoly laws, but the seem to apply only to certain companies. Cable companies have been the worst offenders and no one is really trying to stop them.
The anti-monopoly laws were passed in the progressive era, along with progressive taxes on the rich, minimum wage laws, unemployment insurance, social security, and stricter banking laws. Since that time the rich and corporations have slowly been chipping away at those laws and the common people are getting the shaft. Comcast and the cable companies are just a small symptom. Personally, I wouldn't pay a cent for cable TV, I'd rather kill my brain cells with some style. The local cable provider is the only choice around my neck of the woods for a decent internet connection and they've been hit or miss. The service varies greatly depending on who I happen to get on the phone, they can be wonderful or complete jerks.
In all fairness, what tv provider does care about their customers. Comcast is just seemingly more forward about it. Because I can share plenty of Time Warner stories from my parents with you all about a company not caring that's for sure.
I worked for a cell phone company in customer service and I can tell you that the associate may or may not like her job or care but the fact is that you aren't trying anything new. She hears 100 other dicks a day cursing her out over a tax increase of .000009% that she has nothing to do with and then threatening to leave. In my experience, very few people actually leave and they are just trying to leverage the situation to their benefit. So then they turn around and dare you to do so, knowing that you are probably too lazy to do anything about it and if you do something about it then it will probably be a few months down the road. You will probably have the same experience with your new company and then change back again, and they know it. 99% of the time you are in the wrong for leveraging your position...the offers are all pretty clear so if you didn't want those terms then you should shop around for a better deal. If you talk to the rep and say, look cancel my service because I found another company...that might work a little better. But right now you are showing up to a gun fight with a bag of flaming dog shit as your weapon.
Wow, I had people like that, she seemed to have been so rude... Cornholio Yes it must be hard to do that job but it's not a reason to be rude and disrespectful with customers. At least she does have a job. Not sure she deserves it by the way she talk to people
No doubt about it. She was definitely out of line and extremely unprofessional, but I don't think it's fair to judge the entire company based on this one bad apple. Who knows, maybe she was experiencing some kind of trauma, or have just recently lost a loved one, or whatever the situation was. She should not have reacted like this, especially when so many of the companies are trying to get new customers and keep them. This is a sure way of losing them, and eventually going out of business. In some cases. I happened to be a Comcast customer, and so far I have no complaints about their customer service reps, nor their service, a few times; I had to make calls due to a power outage because of electrical storms in the area, and we had no service. Nevertheless, unlike the lady who spoke to you, and was very rude, each time I spoke to them; I was treated with respect and concern, sorry you had that experience with Comcast, but again, they do care about their customers, except for one. BAD APPLE!
I always think about making a complaint, just for my own satisfaction. They are representatives of the company and as such, should be as courteous as possible.
I am not saying that OP is not being honest but I wouldn't doubt they are exaggerating what actually happened. Every single call you make to a contact center is recorded and they would not get away with it. I have had multiple customers give me "0" across the board and complained to supervisors about me being unprofessional and mean and then when the call was pulled it was the exact opposite. Take everything you hear with a grain of salt because people don't complain when they are happy and level headed.
