Today, I am blogging about a being a better customer service organization.
I have moved a lot in 15 years. First to a dorm room, then to a group apartment, then countries, and finally back home to my hometown after a long-hiatus.
I have navigated submitting crazy tax returns, dealing with lease issues, learning new cities, and broken lamps from shodding movers. After each time, I have learned to do my due diligence and (hopefully) avoid the same mistakes from being in my way again.
Most times that I have run into problems (like said broken lamp), I have received basic, good, great, and in some unusual cases, exceptional customer service to correct the issue. As I would prefer to focus on un-packing and getting settled in to my new place, I sincerely appreciate that level of customer service.
The short story is that I moved from Boston to Detroit in April of this year - and prior to my departure, I checked to see if my cable equipment and modem would work in my new location if I took it with me. I was told yes (twice) by an online chat customer service team. Upon arrival in Detroit, I went to start my new account - and was told that was false. I was told that upon installation of the new equipment that my old equipment would be collected and sent back to the Boston office via internal shipping methods.
One month later, I received a bill for un-returned equipment from the Boston office. And that is when my quest began.
I first called the customer care phone operators. No resolution.
I visited the local office and started a supervisor escalation ticket. No resolution.
I called the customer care phone operators back again. No resolution.
I called the customer care phone operators back again (3rd time). No resolution.
I issue tickets to each local online customer care operators.
Each of the online customer care operators told me that I needed to go into the local office to resolve the issue.
I have now submitted my next communication to both online customer care groups to try to resolve this issue.
Keep in mind, I moved in April 2011.
Today is October 11, 2011.
Six months without a resolution is not customer service. Not even basic.
Shame on you.
-brigid
Actual email that I just sent (company name redacted) below.
I have now received another bill for this issue that is still outstanding (since April). The problem started in Boston but has the Detroit office involved so I have put both of your emails into one so that you can figure that out. I have issues online tickets to both the Boston and Detroit Comcast customer care groups and as your teams seem unable to resolve this, I request that this issue be escalated to a team above you.
I have told both Ecare teams, the team in-person at the Dearborn MI location, and numerous customer care phone operators what the issue is, how it started, my attempts to fix it - and despite repeated, long-winded attempts, I have not had this issue resolved.
This is absolutely ridiculous - and I demand that my account issue be addressed and have the equipment charges be removed and my credit issued to me for over payment on my Boston account.
To recap: The equipment was returned to the Detroit team after the online chat people gave me incorrect instructions that my machines would work at my new address. I was then incorrectly informed that the Detroit team would send it back to the New England team. The New England team repeatedly claims that they can't resolve the issue without the Detroit team sending the equipment. For both parties: I don't have a receipt of the equipment being picked up - any and all paperwork that I received with my new installation went into the trash after the appointment as I (incorrectly) assumed that Comcast knew how to serve its customers across state boundaries. I had Comcast for years in Boston and now in Detroit - and this is unbelievable that your teams have not resolved this issue since April 2011.
I have included below as many details as I can, including the my original submission that I sent via e-form to both of the support teams.
ugh....Comcast is truly evil. They cut off my service (internet, phone, tv) due to non-payment. The key is that I've been on their auto-bill program for several years. When I called in, I got stuck in an infinte loop where I my call was auto-routed to a phone prompt that wanted me to make a peyment - but wouldn't allow me since I'm on their automatic bill payment service. Huh? When I finally got someone from customer care on the phone, she told me about the $3 convenience fee that I'd have to pay and then all of the reconnection fees for each service. When I snapped and screamed into the phone that I have no intention of paying ANY fees beyond what I owe and that I've had this problem for several months, she stated that she doesn't have access to any of my other calls or records. WTF?!?! I hope you're able to get yours squared away!
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