..:: Comcast Can Kiss My Ass Round 6 ::..
Posted on November 30th, 2008 by Brad, Head SOB in Frustration
chat id : a140dbd0-2f7d-410c-974c-63cf5d8f8280
Problem : Comcast tech a no-show for 4:00 to 7:00 window. Did not arrive during 1:00 to 3:00 window either. Please ship a modem instead.
Brad > Comcast tech a no-show for 4:00 to 7:00 window. Did not arrive during 1:00 to 3:00
window either. Please ship a modem instead.
Irma > Hello Brad_, Thank you for contacting Comcast Live Chat Support. My name is Irma.
Please give me one moment to review your information.
Irma > I apologize for the inconvenience, I will do my best to take of or your issue. Can I get
you to verify first and last name and the address on the account, along with the last four
of your social security for me please?
Brad_ > You got it
Brad_ > Whoa, whoa, there Irma. Katrina, MaryJo, Michael, Aarti, and Susan never
asked for that much info
Brad_ > My name is Brad Gagne. My phone number is [redacted].
Brad_ > I can provide chat logs to substantiate that claim, BTW
Irma > Thank you, and I am checking on your appointment now.
Brad_ > Cool, thanks
Brad_ > Dooo deee dooo deee dooo
Brad_ > [Hands in pockets, rocking on my heels]
Brad_ > [Whistling]
Irma > One moment, please.
Brad_ > No problem. I've cancelled my plans for the day for the tech,
so I have all the time in the world.
Brad_ > The Patriots game wasn't that good anyways. And it's raining
Irma > I apologize for the inconvenience, but I will check on what is going on.
Brad_ > Can we just ax the tech and get you folks to ship me a new modem instead?
Brad_ > I see this rolling over into tomorrow, and I can't lose any more work time on this problem.
Brad_ > Two hours on Thanksgiving, three hours yesterday and six hours today is already enough
Brad_ > Eleven hours at my rate of $150 an hour makes $1,650 I'm out.
Brad_ > Comcast's costing me a fortune, Irma. I need your help to fix this
Irma > Very understandable, but unfortunately I am not going to be able to ship you out a
modem, I will have to reschedule the appointment to have someone go out and install it.
Brad_ > I"m hemorrhaging cash, and it's totally out of my control.
Brad_ > Chat room tech says what?
Brad_ > You're kidding me. The modem comes with a manual, doesn't it?
Brad_ > It's a power plug, coax cable, cat-5 and a phone line
Brad_ > My seven year old could hook it up.
Irma > Yes it does, but we are going to have to install it our selves and also the battery is needed.
Brad_ > Well, I suspect the battery is shot in the modem I have. Can you just send out the battery then?
Brad_ > I'm fully qualified to use a screwdriver.
Brad_ > I'm rated in Philips, flathead, and Torx bits
Brad_ > I can handle it, Irma. Send it my way, please
Irma > I wish I could Brad, but it is not up to me.
Brad_ > Can you get a supervisor in on the chat then?
Brad_ > Or tell me what kind of battery to buy at Radio Shack?
Irma > Yes I can, one moment while I get you set up.
Brad_ > You're a saint, Irma.
Brad_ > Is there already a St. Irma?
Brad_ > I know people. I can get you canonized.
Irma > I apologize Brad, I do not know what type of battery is used in our EMTA's, I do
know a technician would have to install it, but I will get you set up. One moment, please?
Brad_ > Take two moments, they're small.
Brad_ > Hey, did the Patriots lose?
Brad_ > They were way down when I started this chat.
Irma > Not sure, have not been keeping up with the game.
Brad_ > Oooh, that's a shame
Brad_ > Just checked -- down 33 to 10.
Brad_ > YIKES
Brad_ > Well, good thing I bailed on the game to wait around the house for nothing
Brad_ > So, Irma. Michael on your end told me yesterday that he'd send the tech
out with a new modem. When the tech came (not during the 1-3 window), he did not
leave us a new modem. Why?
Irma > I am showing you only needed a new battery, your modem was fine.
Brad_ > Why didn't the tech replace the battery then?
Irma > Still getting you ready for my supervisor, I apologize for the wait.
Brad_ > No problem, Irma.
Brad_ > It’s only money and local phone service. No biggie.
Irma > Did he get your services up and running?
Brad_ > Nope.
Brad_ > It's like he never came. According to my wife he left puzzled
Brad_ > If he came between 1 & 3 I could have dealt with it, but he was here at like 12:20
Brad_ > And didn't seemingly know about Michael's promise
Brad_ > Another Comcast disappointment, Irma
Irma > I apologize for all the trouble Brad, we will see what we can get taken care of
with my supervisor.
Brad_ > It's a glimmer of hope that won't materialize
Brad_ > I'm Tina to Comcast's Ike
Irma > Are you ready for me to get you over?
Brad_ > I get smacked, Comcast tells me it loves me, I love Comcast again, and get smacked again
Brad_ > Yes, please
Brad_ > Thank you Irma
Irma > Your welcome.
Brad_ > Thank you for the hope you’ve given me in my darkest hour
Irma > Thank you for contacting Comcast Online Support Brad, you have a good and safe night!
Brad_ > I will
Brad_ > You too
Irma > Please wait, while the problem is escalated to another analyst
Brad_ > Anthony, you gotta help me brother
Anthony > Hello, my name Anthony. I am a supervisor on the floor today. I have
reviewed your previous chat and am more than happy to assist you.
Brad_ > Great. Send me a modem, and we'll be all set.
Brad_ > Or a battery for the one I have.
Anthony > Can I send it with a technician?
Brad_ > Another tech that won't show up when I was promised? Politely, no.
Brad_ > I've been worked over, lied to, dropped and ignored since Thursday night
Brad_ > I've already lost today waiting for a tech, and I canot lose a work day to boot.
Anthony > I am really sorry. Those technician no shows are my worst nightmare.
Brad_ > The tech that came today was actually early, and still managed to screw it up
Anthony > Let me do a little research. One moment please.
Brad_ > If you have access to the chat logs that Katrina, MaryJo, Michael, Aarti, Susan
and Irma made, you'll get the jist of the story.
Brad_ > And only an inkling of my pain.
Anthony > Do you have the old battery?
Brad_ > Still in the crappy modem
Brad_ > Irma doesn't think I'm qualified to swap it out.
Brad_ > Or to install a new modem. 4 plugs, I can handle, you know?
Brad_ > I'd love to wait around the house tomorrow for the tech, but my job doesn't allow me
to lose time due to bureaucratic companies and their screwups.
Anthony > I know that we do allow customers in some markets to replace the battery.
The root of the issue is that the modem belongs to comcast, so if a customer messes it up
( I'm not saying that you would. You sound quite knowledgable)
then the customer would be responsible for the replacement. Comcast would way
overcharge you ofcourse for the cost of that modem.
Brad_ > I'm already out 11 hours at $150 per hour. COmcast's cost me $1,650 so far on this, Anthony.
Brad_ > If I screw it up, I'd say it's a wash.
Anthony > Let's try this. There is a whole chat room devoted to battery replacement. I suspect
they would be able send you the battery and provide support for the replacement.
One moment please.
Brad_ > It's coming up on 8:00... that's another $150 I could be earning.
Anthony > Please wait, while the problem is escalated to another analyst
Lisa > I will be happy to assist you today! May I please have your first and last name?
Brad_ > It's still Brad Gagne
Lisa > Hi Brad, I'll be able to assist you with your modem. One moment please while I
retrieve your information and run a services health check.
Brad_ > Send me the battery, so I can get started.
Lisa > Brad, the modem battery is there to act as a backup in case or power failure.
It's not required for regular use. Do you currently not have a dial tone?
Brad_ > Can you pull the chat logs I've done since Thursday night? It's all explained there.
Lisa > Yes, one more moment please.
Brad_ > I've been told that a tech would come out with a new modem, that did not happen.
I have just been told by Irma that the battery needs replacing. I don't know if it's the truth or not Lisa.
Brad_ > I've been lied to, dropped, dumped, worked over and abused.
Brad_ > I just want to use the service I'm paying for.
Brad_ > We'll get to reparations later. Let's get it working first.
Lisa > I'm sorry for the difficulty you've experienced getting a straight answer Brad.
The health check we run does indicate an issue with your modem's battery. However, I can
only order replacement batteries for modems that have been audited as missing a batter,
unfortunately, your modem doesn't fall into this category
Lisa > This being said, the only issue that comes up on the health check is that the battery is
not responding. Your modem is showing online with all services properly provisioned and
responding.
Brad_ > So Anthony gave me some bad information just now.
Lisa > When the technician was out, was he able to get a dial tone and dial out?
Brad_ > Intermittently. Sometimes long distance, never local.
Lisa > No, it's just that other groups know about my group, they unfortunately don't know
the fine details sometimes.
Brad_ > He was puzzled and according to my wife left without any resolution.
Brad_ > Ahhh... the nature of bureaucracy. One hand doesn't know what the other is doing. Got it.
Lisa > Ok, that sounds like a issue on our switch, not an issue with the modem itself.
If it was a modem issue then when service cut out it would be all services.
Brad_ > I would have been here, if he was here between the 1-3 window, but he arrived at
12:20, outside that window.
Lisa > I'm sorry about that Brad.
Lisa > When long distance service cuts out, what happens exactly?
Brad_ > IT doesn't cut out per se, but we get the same faux-British lady giving a message
Brad_ > Lemme dig up what she says. I think she's actually Welsh and not faux-British at all.
Lisa > Ok.
Brad_ > We're sorry, due to telephone company trouble, your call cannot be completed at this
time. Will you try your call again later?
Lisa > Thank you.
Lisa > And to clarify, this is when you call local or long distance?
Brad_ > Happens all the time for local, once in a while for LD
Lisa > Thank you.
Brad_ > It's like 50/50 for LD
Lisa > I did find an existing an open ticket regarding this issue. I'm going to update that with
additional information then call the group responsible for handling these issues to find out
what's happening.
Brad_ > I gave that info to MaryJo Bacolod on Thursday night
Brad_ > It shouldn't be new news, you know?
Lisa > I do see the notes Brad.
Lisa > Yes, I'm just trying to provide as much additional information in the ticket before I contact
the group responsible.
Lisa > I also see that one of the representatives got a couple example phone numbers, would
you be able to provide a couple more, both local and long distance?
Brad_ > Wow, I can't belive this
Brad_ > No phone book over there?
Brad_ > I tried numbers I have some control over and my pharmacy
Brad_ > gave them to MaryJo
Lisa > I see a couple local numbers in the active ticket, however, the more information we
can provide to the technicians the better.
Brad_ > I also tried [redacted], my parents, 437-3700 a local pizza place
Brad_ > All failed.
Lisa > Thank you.
Brad_ > All adding to my frustration
Lisa > I'll be a few moments while I attempt to reach the group responsible for these issues Brad.
Brad_ > Another bounce. Great.
Lisa > No, I'm going to stay with you and I'll be contacting that group myself.
Brad_ > Comcast's messages to me have had more key changes than
"Paradise By The Dashboard Light"
Brad_ > Please, stay with me on this, I'm begging you
Lisa > I'm not planning on going anywhere. I will be a few moments though.
Brad_ > I've got nowhere else to go. Cancelled my plans for a no-show tech
Brad_ > Good thing too I guess, the Pats lost
Brad_ > Would've been nice to see it in person though, you know?
Lisa > Yes, TV doesn't compare to in person and I'm sorry that the technician didn't show up.
Brad_ > It's par for the course.
Brad_ > Good thing Comcast is so big, they can afford to lose a few customers along the way
Brad_ > 75 minutes on this chat, and no progress
Lisa > Brad, the specialist reviewed the ticket and went over all of the setup of your
phone number and couldn't find any issues in the provisioning that would cause an issue
with making calls.
Brad_ > Now, why wouldn't the switch have been checked already?
Lisa > What he did say though is that it could be related to the fact that the number was
transferred from another phone provider and that the issue may be related to this and the
original provider's switch.
Brad_ > We’ve been here for three years
Brad_ > Try again
Lisa > The specialist I spoke to is in tomorrow and will contact the old provider to try to work
this out for you.
Brad_ > Unbelievable
Lisa > Either way, this issue isn't related to your modem, this is a switch issue and on the 27th
a ticket was generated and sent to the correct group. I'm not sure why other representatives
tried scheduling a technician for this issue.
Brad_ > How could a loose end pop up over 3 years later?
Brad_ > How could Comcast screw this up so badly, Lisa?
Lisa > I can't say how that might happen. We have been experiencing some issues in your area
over the last few weeks which could have triggered this Brad.
Brad_ > So, the signs were there and nothing was corrected?
Lisa > No, there is nothing to indicate why you're experiencing this problem. As I mentioned,
the specialist I contacted couldn't find any issue on the switch and his best assumption is that
the problem is related to the port. If he rules that out tomorrow after he speaks to the other
provider he'll need to explore other possibilities.
Lisa > He did say that he's in at 1PM CST tomorrow.
Brad_ > OK, I'm due back home at 6 EST tomorrow. I hope it will be resolved then
Brad_ > If you have dirt on this rep, Lisa. Now is the time to use it
Lisa > So do I. I'll leave detailed notes on your account along with who needs to be
contacted if you chat back in regarding this.
Lisa > He seemed like a nice guy so I don't want to push too hard Brad.
Brad_ > Push hard,Lisa. Destroy him if need be.
Lisa > Will do Brad.
Brad_ > I have had it. I’m on the edge.
Lisa > I've also credited your account for $30 which is a month's service.
Brad_ > Thank's for the start, Lisa. 12 hours I'm out at my rate of $150 per hour makes $1800
I could have earned in that time
Lisa > You're welcome and I understand that the $30 isn't much in context. Unfortunately,
that's the maximum I'm allowed.
Brad_ > Free service for '09 and '10 would come close to making up for all this
Lisa > Once this is resolved, you can try your local office to get something more from them.
Lisa > Is there anything else I could assist with at this time Brad?
Brad_ > I will.
Brad_ > Lisa, thank you
Brad_ > I’m all set pending 1:00 CST tomorrow
Lisa > You're welcome.
Lisa > Ok.
Lisa > You can end our conversation by closing this chat window Brad. Thank you for choosing
Comcast. Have a good night.
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