Comcast Fixes Customer's Modem Problem After Stinky Installer Man Disappears
Earlier today, Jessica wrote to us about her Comcast horror story: there was something that smelled terrible, and the smell was coming from inside her apartment! He also hooked up her replacement modem incorrectly, so it still didn't work, then said he'd be right back and drove off forever. Luckily, she was able to steal enough wifi to send an email to Comcast, and as of now the problem has been resolved.
First, here are some more details on what happened earlier today. Based on this new info, we're not even sure if the installer was a real person or a ghost—some horrible memory of former Comcast workers who randomly shows up to stench-up your place, then leaves things in a worse state than before. Or he's just incompetent, take your pick.
About a month ago I added Comcast digital voice to my cable and internet, because I have no cell phone reception at my apartment. I received an EMTA modem. last weekend, the modem decided to quit, leaving me with no phone or internet.
My nightmare began this morning, when a technician was supposed to come out and do a routine switchout of my EMTA modem for a new one.
First off, right when he walked in, he smelled so badly that it was overwhelming!! I had to go to the other room because the smell was just overpowering. Next, he had on really muddy boots. I thought to myself "i'm sure he'll take those off before he walks in"... but nope! he proceeds to stomp across my living room to my modem, leaving a TRAIL of muddy boot prints. If i had tile, it would be ok, i could just mop it up. But I have carpet. there are little chunks of mud in my carpet.
I could tell right away that he was having trouble fixing it. after a very long time, he managed to get internet some how, although he told me he could not fix my phone service or get dial tone. He said that his supervisor told him that the phone I received from Comcast is bad, and that I couldn't do anything else but call Sales and have them replace my phone. He still couldnt get me any dial tone, so he said "i'll be right back". He left, and i was horrified to see him get in the van and drive off!! I didnt get any paperwork, or any receipt. When he told me he coldn't fix it and I had to call Comcast, I said "i can't. I have no reception, that's why i need the phone!!" and he actually said to me "oh. that SUCKS". and then that's when he said I'll be right back and left for good!!
I immediately drove somewhere with reception and called comcast. They said they had never heard of such a thing as their phones being bad, and one woman apologized and said she'd escalate it and call me right back. I got no call back. I called back and was transferred all over the country until someone decided to help me and again they were nice and apologized and said they would escalate the problem, and in the meantime that he'd reset the modem, but he accidentally hung up on me and... that was that.
I came back home, and was so frustrated and when I looked at the modem I saw that the technician hooked it up wrong! So after i RE-hooked it up I got a dial tone, but STILL no internet. I called Comcast AGAIN and again someone tried to help me but he said he couldn't get my internet online because the work order was put in wrong and it was not letting him get me back online. He put me on hold and AGAIN i got hung up on.
It's been 6 hours, and... i have been on the phone with comcast for all 6 hours. and still... NO internet. NO one will help me! And i don't even know the name of the guy who came, didn't fix anything, and left mud all over my carpet!!!!
I am so frustrated... I've always had GREAT service with comcast and I'm not sure what changed today.
Pleaaase help me. I've been hung up on 3 times today, and told twice that they would escalate the situation right away and call me back, but no call back.
Jessica sent us one final email which we were very happy to read: apparently within minutes of sending the above email, Mr. Eliason called her back and resolved everything.
Frank personally called me within 5 minutes, and was able to immediately fix my internet - and get my modem back on line — something i've been trying to do for 6 hours over the phone! He also gave me contact information for his team and is going to make sure that I get compensated for today.
Thanks to you guys at consumerist, and Thank you to Frank and his team!
Still no word about that installer, however; we really do think maybe he's haunting Comcast customers.
If you have a problem with your Comcast that can't be resolved through normal channels, reach out to Frank Eliason on his Twitter account.
(Photo: piccadillywilson)
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Comments:
Poor smelly man.
It must cost them alot of money to train proper technicians. They waste 6 hours of their call representatives (and your) time not solving your problem when a proper technician can solve the problem in five minutes!
I once had a problem with Comcast not picking up my digital telephone modem (along with our cable equipment) right before a cross country move, as I had arranged. It was in a box waiting for them to show up, but they skipped the appointment. I sent an angry email, since I would now have to drive to their location to drop off the equipment during the time I needed to finish packing the moving truck.
The email response I received the next day was that after receiving my complaint, they tried to call me to set up a new appointment. The number that they tried to reach me at was my Comcast number. The one sealed up in the box... (I also had a cell phone listed on my account that they didn't bother calling)
I too have been a victim of Comcast's lack of common sense. I feel her pain.
I know how to find him again,
Just follow your nose, it always knows.
Most contractors seem to only be able to 1: swap the hardware and 2: replace fittings and splitters, beyond that troubleshooting is hit or miss and most don't understand the workings of a HFC cable system.
@redragon104: The tech certainly screwed the pooch on this one. however, I can see why the Tier 1 representatives don't have the same power as Frank-if they did, I see a lot of "compensation" going out to friends and family.
The real WTF here for me is that they allow their phone reps to just keep hanging up on people. I think that more than anything demonstrates how little they care.
That's the thing I hate about customer service. If you get disconnected from your customer CALL THE CUSTOMER BACK. Often customer service has the customer's number in their account file. Geez.
I too have had repeated hang-ups when I try to call Comcast. Usually, somehow, after hours of retrying, I get it worked out. But its unfathomable to me how they let this keep happening. Either their phone system is broken, or their phone reps are hanging up. Either way, fix the problem.
@Blueskylaw: See, we've had no problems with Comcast. When the wind knocked our line down on a Saturday, they came out the next day and fixed it. When we've had internet problems, their tech support has been great. I guess we're lucky.
Muddy Boots!
Poor Service!
Horrible Smell!
Faulty Installation!
Poor Customer Service!...
WITH YOUR POWERS COMBINED, I AM COMCAST FRANK!
GO TEAM COMCAST!
OH also, that picture really creeps me out.
@WorldHarmony: I worked for Charter for 3 years, and that is often not allowed and you COULD be written up for it.
I work in customer service and if a call is dropped chances are there is another member waiting to talk to you right behind it. When the call is dropped the next person waiting comes right in on your line. It's very disorienting to say the least.
It's not just their customer service reps that can be a problem. I was connected to a real winner of a manager last year as described in one of my blog entries:
Eventually I managed to get a technician to come fix the electrical grounding issue that had been reported for 3 years (which involved rewiring the drop to the house through a new trench). So we stayed with Comcast for now, instead of trading off one bad customer service department for another. Since then, just a couple of outages that corresponded with electrical outages.
I'd have just gotten a signal booster thing.
The one useful thing I learned from my overtly angry father is this: IF you yell loud enough, and put enough swear words into your sentences, you can get free stuff. I haven't paid a Comcast bill in several months (Oh, you hung up on me, well that'll cost you a month of service...I know you'd rather give me that $100 than lose the $X,XXX I'll pay you as a customer), and am on their fastest internet connection while paying for their slowest.
Rank amatuers most Comcast Techs are .In one visit they stole ,shattered the plaster on the wall when removing old staples without admiting to it or repairing it.They forced new cable through a hole that was too small and not only is the wood cracking/swelling up and they never fully corrected what is probably outside line trouble .To top it off the new line they placed was placed with tension on it from a tree brancb - brand new line and they leave it rubbing a tree .
And it's scary watching them do outside work on the street .Things like using one rinky dink cone on a busy street,not belting in on the ladder or pole .Rank unprofessional amatuers .
I had one Comcast installed actually remove his work boots when he entered my apartment. I didn't even ask him to. I say this as a good thing, even though it could have been bad if it was this guy and his feet stank as much as the rest of him. Haha.
comcast stepped in some potting soil i had at the bottom of my sidewalk that was off the sidewalk and tracked it all thru my house. i got 250 from them on my bill. thanks comcast:)
@Blueskylaw: You know the real frustration I find with Comcast is that a simple modem replacement, literally pulling 2-3 things out and plugging them into the new modem, somehow in their mind cannot possibly be achieved by their customers. Sure you can drive down to the local office yourself, stand in a line 5-45 sad sacks like yourself deep and get your replacement, but what's the problem with just mailing the damn thing out?
IF YOU'RE READING THIS COMCAST, JUST MAIL US THE DAMN REPLACEMENTS. THANKS!
You know what their worst policy is? When they set appointments they CALL to verify if you are home or not, so if you miss the phone call they just skip your appointment. My internet went down the day before I had to take my final for an ONLINE class. I missed their call to verify that they were coming to fix it. I called their customer care center, 2 minutes after missing the call and the lady said the tech was already out of the area.. wtf?
I absolutely hate Comcast for my past experiences with them but in this case they did the right thing and should be applauded.
I don't think (For the most part, at least) That everyone hates Comcast, but the people they use for contractors who do a poor ass job. I've honestly had nothing but good experiences with Comcast.
Why the hell could Frank Eliason get this fixed in five minutes, while an untold number of customer service goons couldn't get a thing done for the customer in six hours?
I think Frank should be made to share his expertise with the rest of the Comcast team.
My comcast experience has been the usual nightmare. We had a lightening strike. Melted the lines going into the house, techs came out, replaced from the pole in. 1 day later, no internet, phone or cable. Sent our local version of stinkyboy out, he informed me, after tossing netflix discs on the floor to kneel on, that we had RATS! He blamed our internet problems on that. I am the proud owner of 5 of the best mousers the world has ever seen, and a pit bull who thinks he's a cat, and brings me things from his hunting trips in the back yard with the cats too. Always moles, squirrels, etc, never a rat. Three visits from this idiot later, they finally listen to my complaints and send a different tech. He promptly checks the line to the pole and discovers a 1/8" gap between the wire and the connector, every time the wind blew the internet would go out. Fixed it immediately. Comcast service is a crap shoot, most times there's an emphasis on the CRAP.
@Blueskylaw: Something tells me Comcast has issues with employees ... some are great and will do what they can do to help you and as quickly as possible ... and others are just horrible. It's like they want to mess with our heads and keep us on our toes.
@ekthesy: I agree, perhaps they should train their customer service reps how to fix simple 5 minute problems and save the company some money and face.
@ekthesy:
I wouldn't go so far that Frank should be "made to" but if he did I bet he could tell some fascinating stories. If more people at Comcast had a brain they would get Frank to have an actual blog or some kind that they could promote as a response to negative stories.
I've always had good experiences with Comcast, including the person in RI who called me the next day to make sure that everything was working. I am hoping this hot streak continues.
I can imagine situations in which Comcast will screw me over, so I won't hold my breath.
I am a firm believer that companies like Comcast, Sprint, Verizon and others PURPOSELY hang up on you so that they don't have to deal with your problem.
In Sprints case, I think they have software that they can program in your # and the system automatically doesn't pass you on to a live person for a set period of time.
@kickarse: Because I'm lazy and don't want to type so much, I'll just point to my comment in the previous thread about Frank:
I hope they're paying for her carpet cleaning.
@SMSDHubbard: Not a good idea to use that with modems it amplifies garbage in the signal along with the good stuff.
That's a billboard on US-23 just north of Ann Arbor, Michigan. I've never been able to figure out what it's for, but it's startles me every time I drive by it at night.
I can report similar satisfaction.
It's like any big company, though. You're going to have horror stories.
Comcast hires subcontractors so that they don't have to pay higher wages and benefits. They also farm the CSRs out.
That's the problem.
I'm 100% sure they hang up on people on purpose too. Maybe you'll just go away...
@HurfDurf: If they mailed them out, you still wouldn't it right away, and they'd have to deal with a slew of idiots that whine about getting charged for the bad one they somehow forgot to mail back.
If you don't like how Comcast handles equipment swaps, buy your own modem. You'll save about $4 each month, and it's yours to keep.
@dreamsneverend: I do have an amp on my cable. The cable modem doesn't need it, but the digital cable sure does. The amp has low return loss, so it doesn't interfere with the modem upstream.
@Dreadfish: abusive customers like that are WHY support reps get apathetic about helping everyone else.
@WorldHarmony: Comcast phone reps will be fired for hanging up on a customer...many times the call just randomly drops (cell phone?) and I will call the customer back right away...but sometimes they don't answer or they were calling from a cell phone number that's not listed on the account and they aren't at home to answer the home phone...sometimes when the call drops, another call comes thru right away from another customer so you can't call the other customer back until after that new call! It can be frustrating....the tech sounds like a contractor and he is required to wear boot covers when entering anyone's home...if he truely did track mud on the carpet, then file a damage claim and have them clean your carpet!
"I am so frustrated... I've always had GREAT service with Comcast"
This is the real root of the problem. The overpowering stench has obviously caused memory loss, hallucinations, and the reliving of events that never happened.