I was originally going to let my experiences with Comcast fade away with just a single status update, but the breadth of their inefficiency and incompetence has compelled me to document just how crappy they are. I am well aware writing a blog post about a crappy company is as trendy as you can get and that it will not change anything, but it’ll make me feel better to whine.
The following is my experience over the course of the last two weeks. I’ve rounded the all of the hold times to 10 minutes because I wasn’t actually timing everything. I do know some holds were 7-8 minutes and some where 12-13, so you get the point. I’d originally typed this up as one big list, but I thought it a bit hard to read so I’ve broken it up based on interaction. Enjoy!
Scheduling Installation
- I try to set up a new account before we move, but they won’t until the existing account is cancelled
- I try to schedule installation on move in day, to avoid lapse in internet but they can’t until we have an account
- The previous tenant (homeowner) tries to transfer service to us, but is unsuccessful for several reasons
- The previous tenant agrees to leave account active and equipment set up for a few days so we can settle in
Ordering the Service
- Six days after we move in, Comcast shuts down the existing service as instructed by the previous tenant
- I call Comcast to set up new service and immediately get through (amazing)
- I inform the associate I want the promotional $30 rate on 15d/4u for new customers
- Associate puts me on hold for 10 minutes while she “looks for that plan”
- After telling me she’s still looking, I’m put on hold for another 10 minutes
- Associate says that plan is not available (even though it’s on their website for my address) and asks what I want to do
- I ask for any available promotions and am put on hold for another 10 minutes while she searches
- She informs me the ONLY special is a $40 25d/5u ($75 after a year) that includes cable television
- I say I don’t want TV and ask for an internet only special; I’m denied
- I resign myself to the bundle, since internet-only would be more expensive, and am put on hold for 10 minutes to set it up
- She comes back and asks if I want the $40 professional installation or to save the $40 with a Self-Activation Kit
- I choose the SAK and am told she “will be right back” after she finishes setting up my account
- 10 minutes later, she says my account has been set up I will be getting a SAK in the mail
- I explain I do need ANY equipment, that I can already get to the internet-based activation screen and just need my account number
- We argue for 10 minutes; me struggling to understand why they have to ship a 13 digit code to me in 5-7 business days to start service
- I ask to speak with her supervisor
The Escalation
- I am immediately connected to her “supervisor,” who is pleasant, knowledgeable and gives me my account number over the phone
- Upon reaffirming the bundle plan is the only one available to me, I reiterate I do not want any equipment – no cable box, NOTHING
- I try to activate the account while I have him on the phone, but am getting Comcast generated “problem connecting to us” error
- Since nothing had changed since the service was working the day prior, I ask to be transferred to technical support
- After a brief hold, I’m told I “managed to get a hold of a Maryland support center” and I’d need to speak with someone in Washington
- I’m transferred and after another brief hold, am told I need to speak with someone in internet support, not television
- I’m transferred again and asked to leave my number because the wait time is over an hour
- I refuse and remain on the line, but finally get activation to work after trying the 7th (?) time – YAY INTERNET!
The Box and Bill
- Three days later, a large box arrives from Comcast
- Inside the box is a cable modem (don’t need it) and a cable box (don’t want it) with instructions to self-install
- One day later, a bill arrives with two $15 charges for modem and receiver kits (a fee I was never informed of for equipment I didn’t want)
- Call them again and am asked to provide my number for a call back because the wait time in 45 minutes
- Receive my call back ~45 minutes later (amazingly) and within 5 minutes get return labels sent to me and a $30 credit on my bill
To be fair, my second interaction was very efficient and I wouldn’t have written this had my first interaction been like that. Unfortunately, my experience has been that dealing with Comcast is more like the first. You can’t necessarily blame a company for one bad experience, but at some tipping point the failing does become that of the employer. Are companies like Comcast just not incentivised to care? Are they in the dark about how to serve customers? Can they not attract enough people who are able to understand how to make customer service a priority? If some companies can get consistently awesome customer service ratings, there’s gotta be a reason Comcast isn’t one of them. Whatever it is, it makes me resent paying them for a service. </first world problem blog rant>