Reader Matthew just cut his Comcast bill in half with a single phone call. He received a flier from one of Comcast’s competitors that boasted a much better price than the $175 per month he was paying. When he called Comcast and told them about the better rate, he was swiftly transferred to “customer retention” which must be a place of magical wonderment because by the time he got off the phone his Comcast bill had been reduced by $90. How did he do it? His letter, inside…

While we all love to hate Comcast (and boy have I had my issues with them), I’d like to give them kudos for having a responsive and effective customer retention department (at least for Chicagoland).

I came home today, and found a RCN cable flier hanging on my door. Long and short of it was that they’re offering my Comcast-equivalent level of digital cable for $35/month and high-speed internet for $35/month for new customers for the first 12 months.

I called up Comcast’s 1-800 number and explained the flier and I was thinking of switching to the guy I got on the phone. He told me that Comcast definitely wants to keep me as a customer, and could I please hold while he transfers me to “Customer Retention.”

After about 30 seconds, an extremely polite woman named Shelia comes on the line. We reviewed my account (I have their digital silver package, with 3 DVRs/outlets, and basic high-speed residential internet). Prior to tonight my monthly bill was touching $175/month after taxes.

After about 5 minutes of playing around with the computer she got me a 12 month deal for my current services and boxes for about $86.44/month AFTER tax for cable, internet, and DVRs. No contract extension, no hassle, just an honest attempt at giving a good customer a fair deal.

When I called I expected to have to fight and bitch and moan to get to about $125/month after taxes; imagine my complete surprise when I didn’t have to fight, the CSR actively worked WITH me to get to a number I could live with, and did it while treating me with respect, courtesy, and acknowledging that they were asking for my money, and I had a right to get the best deal I could. At the end of the call, I asked to speak to her supervisor to tell him what a great job she had done, and that she had easily kept me and my wife as customers…and he seemed genuinely happy to hear it.

God knows Comcast has their problems, but every once in a while I interact with a person there that really does get it, and makes sure that I, as their customer, gets a fair shake. Even beyond saving me almost $100/month, the way she treated me has earned them a great deal of good-will from me.

Comcast should look to CSRs like Shirley, because it’s the Shirley’s of their workforce that will help turn them around.

Congrats, Matthew. It’s nice, albeit strange, to hear something good about Comcast. We believe that if Comcast can make someone happy then anything must be possible. Maybe there can be peace in the Middle East and maybe that Manson guy just needed a hug. It’s amazing how saving $90 per month can turn your frown upside down. Hopefully when your bill actually arrives it still reflects Shirley’s magic. We’ll keep our fingers crossed.

(Photo: Tom Simpson)

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