Comcast Confessions: when every call is a sales call
By Adrianne Jeffries
When AOL executive and Comcast customer Ryan Block recently tried to cancel his internet service, he ended up in a near-yelling match with a customer service representative who spent 18 minutes trying to talk him out of it.
Rep: Im just trying to figure out here what it is about Comcast service that youre not liking.
Block: This phone call is actually a really amazing representative example of why I dont want to stay with Comcast. Can you please cancel our service?
Rep: Okay, but Im trying to help you.
Block: The way you can help me is by disconnecting my service.
Rep: But how is that helping you? How is that helping you? Explain to me how that is helping you.
Block: Because thats what I want.
Rep: Okay, so why is that what you want?
Block posted a recording of the call online, where it has been listened to more than 5 million times. During the ensuing media frenzy, The Verge put out a call and sought out current and former Comcast employees, hoping to shed light on the inner workings of the largest broadcasting and cable company in the country. More than 100 employees responded, including one who works in the same call center as the rep in Blocks recording.
These employees told us the same stories over and over again: customer service has been replaced by an obsession with sales, technicians are understaffed and tech support is poorly trained, and the massive company is hobbled by internal fragmentation.
more
http://www.theverge.com/2014/7/28/5936959/comcast-confessions-when-every-call-is-a-sales-call
randys1
(16,286 posts)how they train them, of course.
They probably make the ability of the guy on the phone to survive and eat based on making sure the caller doesnt cancel their service
capitalism doesnt work, at all
arcane1
(38,613 posts)TlalocW
(15,372 posts)In the early 2000s when I was laid off from a programming job, I took a job doing tech support for Sprint cell phones. The Do Not Call List law had just been signed into law, and no one could predict who laughably useless the registry would be so while we were helping customers with their cell phones, we were supposed to flip over to a screen that showed what services they were eligible for but didn't have and try to sell them. We were supposed to do that at least 70% of the time, but there was a big rebellion against doing so, and I eventually quit over it.
Now with caller ID being ubiquitous, if a phone call isn't originating from certain area codes, I either let it go to voicemail, or I Google the number, and if the results tell me what the number is calling about (like a Google placement scam), I'll answer and try to sell them the same service.
One guy actually got through because it was from one of my "safe" area codes, and I couldn't believe how it started off - with the guy asking, "Is this a business?" The call went like this...
Them: Is this a business?
Me: Is this a telemarketer?
Them: Is this a business?
Me: Is this a telemarketer?
Them: Is this a business?
Me: Is this a telemarketer?
Them: Is this (name of my side business)?
Me: Yes.
Them: I'm calling about credit card processing services that will save you...
Me: How eager do you think I am to talk to you considering our conversation so far?
Them: Aw, c'mon, man...
Me: Put me on your do not call list.
*click*
TlalocW
4dsc
(5,787 posts)This is nothing new.
Fuddnik
(8,846 posts)I canceled my membership, by mail, as required by the contract, at least 5 business days prior to their next auto debit on my credit card.
They took out the next payment anyway, but according to the contract, if that happened, they would credit the account quickly. I waited two weeks, and no credit back yet, so I filed a dispute.
On Sat, they called me ad said my credit card was declined (for the next months payment). and they could get it straightened out, and wave the penalties and fees. I had anticipated them pulling this bullshit, that's why I took the actions I did.
I told the rep that there will be no fees, penalties, or payments, and that I had canceled my membership more than 5 weeks prior, and when they charged me again, I filed a dispute with Chase, and they won't let them charge any more payments to my account.
They said, never mind.
Ash_F
(5,861 posts)People should not have to work under a cloud of fear.