Crokett, I feel your pain

[jonmulzer]

After dealing with my cable company/ISP for two weeks now I finally get them to agree to send out a tech......on the 4th. I have had intermittent cable for two weeks and now it is completely out and they expect me to go onto week 3. I went off. Everytime I have called for the past two weeks I have gotten shuffled around until finally I end up at a generic voicemail box that asks me to leave my info for them to call me back. They never have. Last night I call and they told me they would call me back at 7:30am to schedule a service call today, they never did. I called today and asked for a supervisor right off the bat and she tells me that the earliest they have open is the 4th. After I let her know I have been trying to get one for two weeks she tells me, "I don't care sir, the 4th is the earliest I can get someone out there." You NEVER say the words, "I don't care" to a customer. EVER. I also know enough about cable companies in this area to realize that they ALWAYS have techs available for situations like this. Everyone there was completely ambivalent and no one at all seemed to care. Niceness did not work, frustration did not work, being a total prick did not work......

So, a half an hour of Googling later I turn up the number for the Corporate Office and give them a call. The number was not on their webpage and I could not even find out where the main office is to check Yellow Pages. I give them a call and they assured me that someone would call me back after they call my local office because issues should never escalate to the point of people calling them. The girl also told me that if I have to call them back again the next call goes to the CEO and then things get taken care of real quick. I was also told to expect a substantial credit, more than enough to take care of a month's bill, etc.

So, next time you guys get really horrible customer service, call corporate. I am a nice, rational person believe it or not. Certainly not the type to believe the world revolves around them, but man customer service has went to pot in the past few years.

[ironhat]

I sure am hoping that for the sake of your blood pressure you get some satisfaction veeerry soon. Bump this once you get resolution or another promise, whichever comes first. And, you're right CS has gone to heck in a handbasket. Most of these cable companies have local contracts of exclusivity so you can't even turn to an alternative means of abuse. I wonder that will ever change, though.

[crokett]

What worked for me was to go down to the local office and stand there until I got somebody to commit to getting a tech out same day. I am glad you are getting resolution but sad it took you that long to get it. Did you get a date/time on when the local office would call you? If so, I would not give them any slack and I'd call corporate again if the local folks don't meet their deadline. My professional job is largely meeting my commitments and it annoys me when people don't meet theirs to me.

[Duff]

You handled it better than I would have.

Upon hearing "I don't care. . ." I would have been asking for the disconnection service office AND THEN called up corperate.

[Russianwolf]

Most of these cable companies have local contracts of exclusivity so you can't even turn to an alternative means of abuse.

dish network and direct tv are always willing to take their customers.

I seem to recall a little old lady going into a cable company office and smashing a monitor with a hammer. She supposedly said something to the effect of "If I can't look at my TV, neither will you."

[jonmulzer]

I am supposed to get a call from Corporate I believe. Like I said, they told me if it were not taken care of to my satisfaction to call back and then I could speak to the CEO directly. From the way the Corporate CS person spoke, when that happens people get fired.

The part of it that really burned me was the local CS's complete ambivalence. They just did not care. And it was all of them that I talked to. The last few calls I took down everyone's names. Those all went to corporate.

I give them until noon tomorrow and then I call again.

I wish you could see the cable install on my home. I added another line when I moved in. Instead of adding a 1-4 splitter they split a double into a triple and on one of the old connectors the weather proofing was cracked. Where the lines run on the outside of the house they just stuffed them back into the old holders which were broken so after the first breeze they flopped around and on the new run the cable was just loose and not secured at all.

Now my cable box reboots about every half hour and half the time has no program guide information and for the last two weeks when it was working I could almost never get into HBO OnDemand.

I deal with customers directly at my job also and I move heaven and earth sometimes to make things work for them. I go out of my way, shuffle things around and just get it done. I would also NEVER tell any of them "I don't care", especially when I don't.

[jonmulzer]

dish network and direct tv are always willing to take their customers.

I seem to recall a little old lady going into a cable company office and smashing a monitor with a hammer. She supposedly said something to the effect of "If I can't look at my TV, neither will you."

I wouldn't even have cable through them if it were not for all the old growth trees in my neighborhood and I would have DirecTV. I live in one of the most beautiful areas in Indy in my opinion and that is because of all the trees so I would never do anything to them for the luxury of satellite. It has crossed my mind though. hehe

[gjat]

I switched cable providers from BrightHouse to Verizon's FiOs. What a nightmare! I had constant problems and finally had them take it out and went back to BrightHouse. If you're having problems now, give it up. What if you have a problem 6 months from now? Will you have to call corporate after a month of battling with the local CS? It's only television. Life's too short.

[jonmulzer]

Amusing, it is Bright House I am speaking of. They are horrible here in Indy but we have territories. You either deal with it or go to satellite.

[jonmulzer]

They never called today like they said they would, so I call them. They still say Wednesday the 4th. And they threatened to "disconnect the call" because I said "So basically everything they told me yesterday was bullsh!t?" I hung up on them shortly later and called DirecTV. They scheduled an appointment to install on Monday, so the next business day with this being Friday. I called Bright House back and after I told them this they asked if they could get someone out sooner if I would reconsider. "If you get them out here TODAY I will consider it." Five minutes later she is back on the phone and someone is supposedly going to be here before 5 to rewire my house and replace my DVR box. They also credited my account and told me that the CSR that told me "I don't care" will be severely reprimanded.

Of course, at this point I don't believe a single word they have told me and I have not cancelled my DirecTV appointment either. It also shows that when they said there was no possible way for them to get someone out before Wednesday....was BS. (as I told them it was) She said the only way she was able to get it done was because I was calling to cancel my service. It seems like they would try to keep it from getting to that point.

[MilDoc]

Cable Companies have 'exclusive" contracts fo an area. Anytime I have a problem, I lodge a complaint with local city government. just because.

[crokett]

[quote=jonmulzer;348862]"If you get them out here TODAY I will consider it." Five minutes later she is back on the phone and someone is supposedly going to be here before 5 to rewire my house and replace my DVR box. They also credited my account and told me that the CSR that told me "I don't care" will be severely reprimanded.[quote]

After this I'd cancel no matter what they did. DirecTv has always been good to me and the service you get from them can't be worse than the cable co and probably will be better.

When you cancel write a letter explaining why and CC it to everybody at the company including the local news station troubleshooters.

[jonmulzer]

Well, they came out. 27 minutes after I got off the phone with them there was someone at my house. He rewired everything, new DVR, upgraded the firmware on the new one, etc. All appears to be well, but I am leaving the box on just to make sure and see if it resets. He asked how I got bumped up the ladder so quickly because he was sent out to make this his priority and when I told him the story I was told to call the Cable Board here in Indy if I get the run around again. Apparently they are the ones that handle franchises and territories here and any complaint sent to them gets you an immediate service call or whatever you need. Something for people to keep in mind if you ever have this trouble.

Like I said, DirecTV is coming out Monday still. If they can install I will go with them. I know several other people though that cannot do that in our neighborhood because of all the huge trees.

[rcp612]

I wouldn't even have cable through them if it were not for all the old growth trees in my neighborhood and I would have DirecTV. I live in one of the most beautiful areas in Indy in my opinion and that is because of all the trees so I would never do anything to them for the luxury of satellite. It has crossed my mind though. hehe

Directv told me if trees are blocking the southern view, you can't get sattelite reception. I told them "no trees are in the way. They installed the dish 15" away from the back of my shed, aimed directly toward the shed. You can't even see the sky from there. Reception is great though.

[jonmulzer]

Update again, DirecTV was supposed to be out between 12 and 4 on Monday. They called about 2pm and asked if it would be ok if he were a little late, sometime between 5:30 and 6:00. No problem, I did not have plans until late evening. Then they called again and ask if it would be ok if he came between 6-7, now we have a problem possible so I have them tell the install tech to call before he comes and I will let him know for sure. He calls at 6:30 and asks if it is still ok if he comes. He says he will be there a little after 7 and the install will take a minimum of 2 hours. Nope, that will run into my plans so I ask for a rescheduling for early a.m. the next day. They say the next available opening is for FRIDAY!! It was not my fault he missed his appointment at my place and I made myself available for the very next appointment.

So, I call DirecTV, get shuffled around again and finally end up on hold for 20 minutes so I hang up and call back and tell them to just cancel it all. They offer to come out on Wednesday a.m. That does not work, I have plans for Wednesday that I did not think would interfere with my appointment for MONDAY! I very kindly (seriously, I was nice about it) explain that it is absolutely horrible customer service that because I have plans for late evening and cannot have their install tech there until after 10pm that I get bumped a week and cannot get moved up until I threaten to cancel it. So I cancelled my DirecTV install altogether and am now sticking with my crappy cable company.

And now today, my cable service and internet both are on the fritz. *sigh* Seriously, is there a such thing as customer service anymore? And why do we consumers accept the "between 12 and 4" appointment? Tell me you will be there at noon, or two and BE THERE ON TIME! Why do we accept this? I have even had companies make an 8am-5pm appointment on me before that I did not accept. Why do we put up with this? We need to start speaking with our wallets more.

P.S. I don't think I am being unreasonable. My girlfriend is the first to point out when I am being so and she does so in no uncertain terms and even she agrees with me on this and she is the "really nice, very passive types".