Katherine, a new Comcast subscriber, was setting up her online account access when for reasons unknown it told her that she must talk the online CSR. Suddenly she felt fear and trepidation radiate down her arm and settle into her mouse hand. She took a deep breath, said a silent prayer and clicked “CHAT NOW.” What proceeded was a mind numbing 20 minutes of her life that Katherine will never get back. Her letter and chat log inside…
Hi consumerist,
I’m writing in about your absolute favorite company. I wanted to be able to pay my new Comcast bill with a credit card, which means that I had to set up online access to my account. Well, Comcast, being the helpful company that they are thought it would be great to automatically change my preferences from receiving a paper bill to solely getting electronic statements. Well, I still wanted paper statements, just wanted to be able to pay my bill online. I figured changing back would be easy, but, as you guessed, it wasn’t.
When I went to Manage My Account, and tried to change “Delivery Method” to paper statements. Comcast redirected me to a site telling me that my choice would require talking to a CSR, and included a big orange button saying “chat now”. I hit the button, and had the following hilarious interaction with a chat CSR. Turns out the only possible way to reinstate paper statements after Comcast automatically stopped them is to call Comcast. I’ve only been a customer a week, and they’ve already made me wish I picked DSL in my new apartment!Lethel > Hello guest_, Thank you for contacting Comcast Live Chat Support. My name is Lethel. Please give me one moment to review your information.
Lethel > It would be a pleasure assisting you today. How are you doing?
guest_ > hi- i would like to receive a paper bill, which automatically was replaced with e-statements when i signed up for online access to my account
Lethel > Can you please acknowledge that you are still at your computer?
guest_ > i am at my computer.
Lethel > Thank you.
Lethel > May I know your name, please.
guest_ > katherine *******
Lethel > Hi Katherine! Thank you for asking that. <
Lethel > May I ask how long have you been a Comcast customer.
guest_ > is this really all necessary just to reinstate a paper bill?
guest_ > less than a month
Lethel > I see.
Lethel > Katherine, I will ask your assistance to call us in 1-800-COMCAST to request for that.
guest_ > are you kidding? please explain why you can’t reinstate this
Lethel > We will be more than glad to send you a paper bill as soon as you gave us a call.
guest_ > why is this not as simple as a chat session? please explain
Lethel > I can give you the breakdown here online but I can’t send you a paper bill.
Lethel > You may need to request for it.
Lethel > May I have your account number, please.
Lethel > I do apologize for the inconvenience.
guest_ > i don’t need one sent. just need my preferences changed so i receive them
Lethel > I will try to help you with that.
Lethel > May I have your account number, please.
guest_ > i am looking it up. one moment
Lethel > Sure.
guest_ > ******************
Lethel > Thank you very much for the information. May I ask for your complete address, too.
guest_ > ****************
guest_ > ***************
Lethel > Thank you.
Lethel > May you give me a sec to pull up your account.
Lethel > Thank you for patiently waiting. I will ask you to log in to http://www.comcast.com. You may click the link the “customer”, then click “manage my account”, and change your STATEMENT DELIVERY to “paper statement”.
guest_ > it directed me to you
guest_ > said that i need to talk to a “csr” on chat.
Lethel > Let me try to do it for you.
Lethel > May you bear with me.
guest_ > thank you
Lethel > I do apologize but it require me to provide password.
Lethel > As much as I want to do it for you. But password is case sensitive.
guest_ > so there is no way for me to change my preference myself, and you can’t do it unless i provide you my password.
Lethel > There is a way. I suggest that you may try logging in again and changed your preferences. If it still directed you to us in live chat support, I suggest that you may call us to request for it. That is the easiest way to changed your preferences in your account.
guest_ > well, this has been a waste of my time
Lethel > I do apologize for the inconvenience.
Lethel > I understand that your time is valuable.
guest_ > is there any place i can lodge a complaint for how highly inefficient this has been? it seems that comcast needs streamlining if something as simple as changing bill delivery options requires so much effort
Lethel > I am sorry to hear that. You can call us in 1-800-COMCAST. As much as I would like to help you but I am limited to our system here. And also, password is a case sensitive which
are not allowed to ask to our customer.Lethel > The reason why I was suggesting earlier that you may call us in our customer hotline so that we can assist you right away with your concern. You have reached sales department.
Lethel > I can only place orders and provide information with our products.
Lethel > Is there anything else I can assist you with today, Katherine?
Lethel > Can you please acknowledge that you are still at your computer?
guest_ > there is not
Lethel > Thank you for your time. I hope you will give us a call and assist you with your concern.
Lethel > Thank you for choosing Comcast. We do appreciate your business. Please do not hesitate to chat with Comcast again at http://www.comcast.com. We are always available, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
Lethel > Analyst has closed chat and left the room
We can’t that say we’ve ever heard the name “Lethel” before but the sound of it certainly embodies the Comcast we have come to know and loathe. We are still trying to figure out why Lethel kept dragging Katherine along, only to declare at the end that she was merely an impotent sales rep. We hear so many of these stories that we don’t even get upset any more, we just say, “that’s comcastic!”
(Photo: jorny)
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At least “Lethel” is articulate.
@radio1: No! If Lethel was in sales in truly couldn’t help, that should have been stated at the beginning of the chat. Why go through the charade of “trying” to help when it’s not really possible?
What a nightmare. Sounds like an SNL skit.
I had almost an identical chat conversation with Time Warner about my cable account. It was awful. I was not set up correctly in the system from the Adelphia conversion. The agent kept telling me to do the same thing over and over and just would not accept it was not working.
The big chuckle came with a follow-up e-mail regarding our chat. My tech’s stage name was ‘Barbie DCosta’, real name Babu Unnikuttan. At least it wasn’t ‘Jessica’ from Sprint.
@AMetamorphosis:
Psh, I don’t care how many “accolades” you receive from previous customers. If you need people to act in a particular way for you to do your job, you are not a professional and you should not be there. Your “accidental” call drops are even more egregious.
The spelling and grammar was so atrocious you’d think it was a bot. What a useless and disappointing service.
I am glad I cancelled my Comcast Service. Trying out At&T’s UVerse Service. So far so good with installation techs and CSRs that I have dealt with.
I hate to say this, but I blame the consumer here. Using Comcast is like smoking cigarettes: EVERYONE knows how bad it is for you. It is an established fact. Therefore, if Comcast is your only supplier, then you don’t need the Internet or cable TV.
@ceejeemcbeegee (AKA!): Indeed.
This is why I always have the web chat helpers do a simple math problem: To prove that they aren’t a bot!
For a goof, i just chatted with comcast. I don’t have an account.
Transcript:
user John_ has entered room
John(Wed Apr 30 21:42:16 EST 2008)>upgrade
analyst Cynthia.22190 has entered room
Cynthia.22190(Wed Apr 30 21:47:34 EST 2008)>Hello John_, Thank you for contacting Comcast
Live Chat Support. My name is Cynthia.22190. Please give me one moment to review your
information.
Cynthia.22190(Wed Apr 30 21:47:37 EST 2008)>Sure! I will be more than happy to assist you
with your concern. Please give me a minute to pull out your account. Thank you.
Cynthia.22190(Wed Apr 30 21:47:42 EST 2008)>Hi there! How are you doing, today?
John_(Wed Apr 30 20:44:10 EST 2008)>hi, i can’t find fox or american idol
Cynthia.22190(Wed Apr 30 21:48:38 EST 2008)>Okay, I see.
John_(Wed Apr 30 20:44:44 EST 2008)>it used to be channel 5
Cynthia.22190(Wed Apr 30 21:49:02 EST 2008)>John, I understand that you are inquiring about
some of your Cable channels right?
John_(Wed Apr 30 20:45:04 EST 2008)>yes
Cynthia.22190(Wed Apr 30 21:49:33 EST 2008)>Okay.
Cynthia.22190(Wed Apr 30 21:49:50 EST 2008)>John, in as much as I want to help you, I am
with Internet Technical Support, I am afraid that I am unable to assist with Cable TV
issues. However, I will attempt to transfer you to the correct Dept. but if you some how are
lost during the transfer I suggest you call 1-800-266-2278, select Cable TV and speak
directly to one of our Telephone Representatives. They will be happy to assist you. Thank
you for your understanding.
Cynthia.22190(Wed Apr 30 21:49:53 EST 2008)>Would you like me to transfer you there now?
John_(Wed Apr 30 20:45:57 EST 2008)>okay, thanks
Cynthia.22190(Wed Apr 30 21:50:19 EST 2008)>You are most welcome.
Cynthia.22190(Wed Apr 30 21:50:21 EST 2008)>Please wait while the concern is being escalated
to another analyst. Thank you.
analyst Vanessa.22278 has entered room
Cynthia.22190(Wed Apr 30 21:50:42 EST 2008)>Please wait, while the problem is escalated to
another analyst
analyst Cynthia.22190 has left room
Vanessa.22278(Wed Apr 30 21:51:04 EST 2008)>Hi John! I am glad you contacted us. I will do
everything to resolve your concern. Could you please provide me the complete name and the
last 4 digits of the Social Security Number listed on the account?
John_(Wed Apr 30 20:47:34 EST 2008)>john williams, it’s my mom’s ss #
Vanessa.22278(Wed Apr 30 21:52:32 EST 2008)>Thank you, John.
John_(Wed Apr 30 20:48:41 EST 2008)>i am missing paula abdul on american idol
Vanessa.22278(Wed Apr 30 21:53:05 EST 2008)>For account identification John, can you please
provide your account number?
John_(Wed Apr 30 20:49:04 EST 2008)>i think castro might get kicked off
John_(Wed Apr 30 20:49:52 EST 2008)>hold on, am i chatting with a person or a computer?
Vanessa.22278(Wed Apr 30 21:54:47 EST 2008)>I am a live person, John.
John_(Wed Apr 30 20:51:00 EST 2008)>really?
Vanessa.22278(Wed Apr 30 21:55:25 EST 2008)>Yes, John.
Vanessa.22278(Wed Apr 30 21:55:38 EST 2008)>May I please have your account number?
John_(Wed Apr 30 20:51:40 EST 2008)>where are the summer olypics beinf held this year?
Vanessa.22278(Wed Apr 30 21:56:47 EST 2008)>It will be held at Beijing, Chaina.
John_(Wed Apr 30 20:52:37 EST 2008)>peking or budapest?
Vanessa.22278(Wed Apr 30 21:57:01 EST 2008)>I mean China, John.
John_(Wed Apr 30 20:53:34 EST 2008)>well, brook white is gone, no need for cable anymore
John_(Wed Apr 30 20:53:45 EST 2008)>thansk for your help
Vanessa.22278(Wed Apr 30 21:58:12 EST 2008)>Alright.
Vanessa.22278(Wed Apr 30 21:58:14 EST 2008)>Do you have any other questions about the
service at this time?
John_(Wed Apr 30 20:55:08 EST 2008)>no thanks, gotta tell my mom
Vanessa.22278(Wed Apr 30 21:59:38 EST 2008)>Alright.
Vanessa.22278(Wed Apr 30 21:59:41 EST 2008)>Thank you for contacting Comcast! We appreciate
your business! If you need assistance in the future, please do not hesitate to contact us
through Live Chat or E-Mail (available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week). Comcast also offers
excellent FAQ and Help forums located at http://www.comcast.com to help you reach a resolution
indepedently. Have a great day!
Vanessa.22278(Wed Apr 30 21:59:50 EST 2008)>Analyst has closed chat and left the room
analyst Vanessa.22278 has left room
Katherine should count her blessings, though. At least she wasn’t asked to “do the needful”.
Katherine sounds like a bitch. Even after the rep explained to her, calmly and politely that he/she didn’t have the ability to help resolve her problem and pointed her in the right direction, she continued to moan and hassle the poor sod.
Reading comprehension ftw, Katherine. Stop wasting everyone’s time.
@Nenne: I love the “May I put you on hold for 2 to 3 minutes?” routine.
I understand they probably have to say that, but it doesn’t count if you come back in 2 to 3 minutes just to ask me again if I can hold again for 2 to 3 minutes. I held for 2 to 3 minutes for half an hour with AT&T a few weeks ago, just trying to get a tech out to re-install my phone (they installed it and left – without checking for a dial tone first).
@chelseabill: Tada! Good job accomplishing nothing except harassing two people just paying their bills.
Ahem…
STOP USING COMCAST, PEOPLE. JEEZ GET THE MESSAGE WHY DONT YOU.
@SteveZim1017: I don’t expect these people to go the extra mile. It would be nice if they would just do their job.
What is a simple phone call going to hurt. The guy told you to call the 1800 number and instead of just calling the number you chose to hassle him because you wanna have something to whine about.. Get a life.. Let the people help you and stop messing around with them just because they are unable to handle the problem the way you think it should be done.
can u tell me what is the difference between a single sale and a unique sale?