I've had Comcast in some form or another for over the past 19 years. Always with TV at some level or another, and for most of the recent decade, high speed internet. This is my story on my switch back to Xfinity high-speed internet and my xfinity x1 upgrade.
(This started out as an email that was sent to Comcast in an effort to straighten this out privily. It bounced).
3 weeks ago, I decided to switch back to xfinity high speed internet from CenturyLink. I bought the modem from Best Buy. And then I called to set it up. But first, I had to order it. It was next to impossible at first to get a hold of someone (due to the fallout from the Mayweather/Pacqueou fight and the ensuing service outage). I'm willing to forgo going without most of my TV programming for one night, but let's talk about your customer service for now. When I called to order internet, I reached one of your infamous outsourced call centers. You know what I'm talking about. The places where neither product knowledge, fundamental customer service, nor even a basic understanding of the English language are required. I get a hold of one of your outsourced droids, and she asked about how much i was paying for cable, and then proceeded to tell me how she was going to try to save me money. And then she went into a high-pressure sales pitch to add xfinity voice. I told her no. Several times. When she started berating me for not listening to nor accepting her sales pitch, I hung up.
I was calling to add a service (and pay you more money, at full market rate at that, too), and I was driven away. Think about that. Their greed to upsell me almost drove me away from buying (and paying for) new service.
Eventually I was able to get to someone who was a native english speaker, and I was able to order high speed internet, then I was transferred to an outsourced market droid, but I was finally able to activate my high-speed internet.
Fast forward two weeks, and went to the Federal Way Xfinity store. My experience with trying to order high-speed internet led me to check my account to shenanigans. And I talked to Richard Sjouwke. He looked up my account and told me that I was paying full market price for all my services. He then told me I could save by bundling with voice. And this time I bit. In hindsight, I fell for the Sales Pitch disguised as customer service. But that meant I had to replace all my boxes (I also got xfinity x1) *and* my cable modem. I went the self-install route again, and once again got the outsourced rep who couldn't even speak English. With the voice modem, I realized that my internet speeds had fallen to about half of what they were before I got high speed internet. So Monday morning, I went back to the Federal Way Xfinity to return my old cable boxes. I also returned my cable modem (I went back to the Netgear modem that I bought 3 weeks ago). I told the rep at the counter that I wanted to cancel my voice service (I don't need it, I have unlimited minutes on my Sprint cell phone). I was told that I would have to call the loyalty line (here's what happens when you call it), or I would have to return my x1 boxes and have my other dvr boxes reissued to me. I don't think so. I'm not going to call another outsourced marketing droid just to put up with another high pressure sales pitch.
I don't know it their is a double play bundle that can be brought into play. I get the impression that when I went to the Xfinity store Monday, that the rep didn't want to cancel, and was slightly perturbed that I was returning equipment. I get it. I'm a nuisance. I'm an inconvenience. And may I also add that I did reach out to @comcastcares on twitter each time I tried to self-install, and never got a timely response.
You'd think that if Comcast's customer service was better, if their call centers spoke English period, if they didn't treat every interaction as a chance to foist a high-pressure sales on a customer, if their website wasn't as confusing about what products they offer, the merger with Time-Warner might have gone through....
I know I'm not stuck with Comcast. CenturyLink has adequate service. I can get my video needs through Netflix, Hulu Plus and Spamazon Prime (I have all three). But I own my own modem. I want to make it work. But I'll eat the $109 and change loss if I have to....
Before you upgrade or add Comcast service. Think twice. Read my words and take heed. Have a backbone, and be prepared to hang up the phone if you need to.
Comcast, did I mention your customer service sucks?
(This started out as an email that was sent to Comcast in an effort to straighten this out privily. It bounced).
3 weeks ago, I decided to switch back to xfinity high speed internet from CenturyLink. I bought the modem from Best Buy. And then I called to set it up. But first, I had to order it. It was next to impossible at first to get a hold of someone (due to the fallout from the Mayweather/Pacqueou fight and the ensuing service outage). I'm willing to forgo going without most of my TV programming for one night, but let's talk about your customer service for now. When I called to order internet, I reached one of your infamous outsourced call centers. You know what I'm talking about. The places where neither product knowledge, fundamental customer service, nor even a basic understanding of the English language are required. I get a hold of one of your outsourced droids, and she asked about how much i was paying for cable, and then proceeded to tell me how she was going to try to save me money. And then she went into a high-pressure sales pitch to add xfinity voice. I told her no. Several times. When she started berating me for not listening to nor accepting her sales pitch, I hung up.
I was calling to add a service (and pay you more money, at full market rate at that, too), and I was driven away. Think about that. Their greed to upsell me almost drove me away from buying (and paying for) new service.
Eventually I was able to get to someone who was a native english speaker, and I was able to order high speed internet, then I was transferred to an outsourced market droid, but I was finally able to activate my high-speed internet.
Fast forward two weeks, and went to the Federal Way Xfinity store. My experience with trying to order high-speed internet led me to check my account to shenanigans. And I talked to Richard Sjouwke. He looked up my account and told me that I was paying full market price for all my services. He then told me I could save by bundling with voice. And this time I bit. In hindsight, I fell for the Sales Pitch disguised as customer service. But that meant I had to replace all my boxes (I also got xfinity x1) *and* my cable modem. I went the self-install route again, and once again got the outsourced rep who couldn't even speak English. With the voice modem, I realized that my internet speeds had fallen to about half of what they were before I got high speed internet. So Monday morning, I went back to the Federal Way Xfinity to return my old cable boxes. I also returned my cable modem (I went back to the Netgear modem that I bought 3 weeks ago). I told the rep at the counter that I wanted to cancel my voice service (I don't need it, I have unlimited minutes on my Sprint cell phone). I was told that I would have to call the loyalty line (here's what happens when you call it), or I would have to return my x1 boxes and have my other dvr boxes reissued to me. I don't think so. I'm not going to call another outsourced marketing droid just to put up with another high pressure sales pitch.
I don't know it their is a double play bundle that can be brought into play. I get the impression that when I went to the Xfinity store Monday, that the rep didn't want to cancel, and was slightly perturbed that I was returning equipment. I get it. I'm a nuisance. I'm an inconvenience. And may I also add that I did reach out to @comcastcares on twitter each time I tried to self-install, and never got a timely response.
You'd think that if Comcast's customer service was better, if their call centers spoke English period, if they didn't treat every interaction as a chance to foist a high-pressure sales on a customer, if their website wasn't as confusing about what products they offer, the merger with Time-Warner might have gone through....
I know I'm not stuck with Comcast. CenturyLink has adequate service. I can get my video needs through Netflix, Hulu Plus and Spamazon Prime (I have all three). But I own my own modem. I want to make it work. But I'll eat the $109 and change loss if I have to....
Before you upgrade or add Comcast service. Think twice. Read my words and take heed. Have a backbone, and be prepared to hang up the phone if you need to.
Comcast, did I mention your customer service sucks?
1 comment:
Maybe you should move to South Hill. We'v had comcast for 15 years & never had a problem with them. When a "For Sale" sign post but up at our neighbors house when through our cable line comcast rushed a guy out the next day and fixed it. When we had a problem with our internet, they sent a guy out the next day & he upgraded our modem at no charge. Two months ago we went to their store on Canyon to say we'v been a customer for 15 years & wanted to know if we could get a break on our bill. They lowered it from $210 a month to $160 month for the next 2 years. Direct TV are a bunch of shysters, my mom signed a 2 year contract with them. 8 months later she passed away and we wanted to shut off their service, they wanted us to pay the 16 months she had left on her contract with them. We said no, we didn't sign a contract she did so go get it if from her.
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