Why people hate cable and internet companies

[kelownabomberfan]

http://www.slate.com/blogs/moneybox/2014/07/15/comcast_rep_refuses_to_cancel_service_listen_to_the_customer_service_call.html

Just painful. Yet I've had this same experience when I've tried to quit Shaw and Rogers.

[17to85]

The level of entitlement and greed that these companies exhibit is just insane. 

[The Unknown Poster]

I remember one time I moved, I called SHAW and MTS to get offers from both and they both were quicker to tell me why I didnt want the other than why I wanted them.  When SHAW brought in home telephone service, I think MTS was caught with their pants down a bit as they didnt have a counter-offer to all-inclusive package.  Instead I was told my security system wouldnt work with SHAW (not true) and that it would be a large fee for a install from scratch to go back.  I replied "so if in six months I want to move my service back, you will charge me several hundred dollars?"  "Yes."  "Then I guess I wont be back".

 

To be fair, MTS vastly improved their customer service in recent years and have tremendous TV service.  Everything is going to be over-the-top soon enough.

 

I found SHAW's service somewhat lacking though they usually made the effort to keep me as a customer.  There was actually a time when our line into the home was so degraded it required replacement so they gave us a 50% discount for 1.5 years until the work was done.  if I was starting from scratch, I'd probably go with MTS as their technical specs seem better.

 

But this sound clip indicates how the big cable companies are living in a bubble.  I love HBO but Netflix has made me hate waiting a week for the next episode, just like PVR's made me hate watching anything live (with commercials).  I think HBO should leverage their on-demand service and upload their series' all at once like Netflix.  They probably dont feel they need to but I'd pay extra for that option.

[MOBomberFan]

This is very abnormal behavior. That representative was terrible at his job.

 

And yes, very painful. I have to wonder if that guy was being live monitored and someone was egging him on to pry at that customer. Really painful and desperate.

[Nasty Nate]

Cable companies, like many big businesses that participate in a competition controlled environment operate with whats generally known as an anti-social personality or attitude. 

 

Much like commercial landlords or property managers these vermin think their stink don't stink and their attitude to public is that of warlord to peasant.

 

And it didn't happen by accident. These folks are trained like this. You don't want Joe Public to think he's got a chance so you have to enforce hardcore principals of control and manipulation. 

 

Thats the mark of the anti-social personality. Even the Bombers operated like this for years and they were supposedly a community-based organization (not really true as we've come to learn). But after they cleaned out the vermin (guys like Lord Lyle, Maggot, Ken Bishop, Reinbold, Buchko, Uncle Joe, etc.) they seem much more responsive to the community. 

[Brandon]

How did this turn into a Lyle Bauer bash fest?

[bigg jay]

How did this turn into a Lyle Bauer bash fest?

 

Consider the source.

[17to85]

How did this turn into a Lyle Bauer bash fest?

because Nate

[bigg jay]

Back on topic, I haven't had any issued with Shaw's costumer service any time I've had to deal with them.  Rogers has been a bit less helpful but nothing to write about.

 

I had MTS years ago before moving into my current home & had way more hassles with them than I've ever had with Shaw.  Now my biggest beef with them now is their TV set-up.

Their current set-up leaves gaps in where you can get TV service from them in the city.  I live in one of these gaps so I can't get their TV (I can get phone & internet) but my neighbour directly across the street can?  It was pretty funny a couple years ago when they would spam my mailbox with flyers bragging about their new HD services when I can't even sign up for their non-HD stuff.

 

I'm happy with Shaw (there could definitely be improvements) and even if I could switch to MTS, I'm not sure that I would.... but I'd at least like the option!

[The Unknown Poster]

Back on topic, I haven't had any issued with Shaw's costumer service any time I've had to deal with them.  Rogers has been a bit less helpful but nothing to write about.

 

I had MTS years ago before moving into my current home & had way more hassles with them than I've ever had with Shaw.  Now my biggest beef with them now is their TV set-up.

Their current set-up leaves gaps in where you can get TV service from them in the city.  I live in one of these gaps so I can't get their TV (I can get phone & internet) but my neighbour directly across the street can?  It was pretty funny a couple years ago when they would spam my mailbox with flyers bragging about their new HD services when I can't even sign up for their non-HD stuff.

 

I'm happy with Shaw (there could definitely be improvements) and even if I could switch to MTS, I'm not sure that I would.... but I'd at least like the option!

In those situations where there were gaps like that, I believe MTS now has a solution as a friend of mine had the same issue.

 

I briefly worked for Bell Express Vu years ago when they contracted their services to Convergys (it was a "bridge" job I had for a handful of months, dont even get me started on that place) and while our service was generally okay, Bell took a big hit because Convergys was penny pinching.  Long wait times to get through and off-loading calls over-seas so it was a crap shoot as to whether you'd get a Canadian rep or a foriegn rep with a language barrier.

[robynjt]

By the end of that phone call, I wanted to punch BOTH of them in the face. 

[Mike]

I worked in Convergys in high school on weekends.

 

We didn't care anywhere near as much as this guy.

[MOBomberFan]

I worked in Convergys in high school on weekends.

 

We didn't care anywhere near as much as this guy.

I swear the guy sounded like if he didn't retain the very next caller he was fired. I did some retention at MTS for a couple years and I would never ever have badgered a customer like that, nor would my managers have expected me to.

[Fraser]

I worked in Convergys in high school on weekends.

 

We didn't care anywhere near as much as this guy.

 

funny I worked there during my undergrad and agree with that sentiment

[The Unknown Poster]

I doubt the guy cared about the retention. He maybe was just an ******* enjoying the fight. Or hoping the called would disconnect and have someone else get the disconnection.

I'm not sure anyone at convergys cares. It was hard to care at that place. During training our trainer lectured us about how much we should love the place because if convergys didn't give us a job we'd be flipping burgers. When I landed my next gig I told him and he said oh that place pays well doesn't it? Yup twice as much as this place pays you. He walked off in a huff.

I think the worst thing I did to a customer was a particularly busy day so the customers were all pricks. I answer a call and the customer immediately stats yelling "do you know how it ******* feels to be on ******* hold for a fuckong hour?!" "Yes" I replied. "Thank you for calling" and hung up.