RadioDoc
58ef2c0
Premium,ExMod 2000-03
join:2000-05-11 | reply to mtmra70
Re: Pay For A Modem With A New Account?
May be true in central Michigan. Certainly isn't here.
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Toolmaster of La Grange. |
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jsinaiko
Premium
join:2001-04-25
Chicago, IL
 ·AT&T Midwest
1 edit | We've both talked about how cable technology is limited and old. But for me the biggest issue is CUSTOMER SERVICE. yeah, ATT's ain't award-winning, but Comcrap's is as bad as any I have ever encountered anywhere, any time, any place, including socialist countries I have had to work in at various times.
Everything breaks sometimes. So it's a matter of being able to not spend hours and hours dealing with it when it does, and having minimally competent personnel and support infrastructure to deal with the problems when they occur.
For example:
-- Almost any issue with Comcast will require a truck roll, and we all know about the cable guy - missed appointments, etc.
-- Comcast denies they have an executive complaints department when in fact they do. It's an outright LIE.
-- The issue elevation process at Comcast is obscure - you don't know who you are talking to or what level they are on.
-- ATT has a tangible tier structure - you can demand to get elevated to tier 2.
-- Although not always the case, tier 2 personnel tend to be more competent, have more experience, and have more effective tools at their disposal.
So the differences are clear to me, even taking away my opinion about the "elegance" of DSL vs 75 ohm coax and the built-in problems both systems have and the issues all of us have faced with ATT.
Finally, for whatever it is worth, ATT seems to at least try to fix their broken support infrastructure. A good example is Direct, on this site. Comcast has done nothing as far as I can tell, even after the monitor-smashing grandma made the national media. It's about SERVICE!
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RadioDoc
58ef2c0
Premium,ExMod 2000-03
join:2000-05-11
·AT&T Midwest
2 edits | The irony is that ATT's customer service structure was spawned by their regulated environment which holds them to at least some minimum level of both product service and customer service. Cable (Comcast in particular) has never been in that situation and their organization grows from the wild early days of cable (1970's) when cities were kissing their asses just to get wired with 25 channels.
ATT is nobody's poster child for service excellence, but let me relate a true Comcast story from last month:
Location, Naples, FL.
My soon-to-arrive tenants want HBO. Being the nice landlord I am I said I would take care of that for them while I was there so they didn't have to waste their time. The building is totally wired and has cable, and has had converter boxes before. Called Comcast. Earliest truck roll: 12 days out.
Me: Well, all I need are the two converter boxes. I won't be here 12 days from now.
Them: That's the earliest we can have someone there.
Me: Can I just come and pick them up? I have no problem installing myself since the outlets are live and I've done it before.
Them: Yes you could do that I guess.
Me: When can I pick them up? (It was about 6 PM at the time).
Them: Tomorrow morning.
Me: You already have my account information, right?
Them: Yes.
Got address of closest Comcast office (a brand new one not even on their website yet.)
Went in next day and picked up converters. Total time spent: 30 minutes.
Now...I bring them home, hook one up to the brand-new 20" HDTV in the master bedroom. After it goes through it's initialization it works fine.
Next day: Install the second one in the living room. Nothing. Just sits there after init. Checked status page on box. Reads same as bedroom unit.
Call Comcast's tech support number that box is displaying.
Me: Have a problem with one digital box. Other one is fine.
Them: You got one of them to work without calling in? Wow!
Me: Uh, yeah. Can you tickle this one and wake it up?
Them: I can't believe you got one to work on the first try!
Me: I guess I should go buy a lottery ticket.
Them: I'm sending the signal now.
Me: Yup, it's working. Thanks.
Total time on phone: 5 minutes.
For this they needed me to wait 12 days for a truck roll. 
Moral of story: There are people at Comcast that know what they are doing, can actually do it, and probably wish they were allowed to do it. Unfortunately the corporate atmosphere does not nurture competence. That the phone tech was surprised anything worked was sad. Even sadder is "not working" seems to be the norm instead of the exception. I wonder how much money they waste on totally unnecessary truck rolls? I doubt they care though...the cost is just passed onto the customers and there is no incentive to do any better. Which is the real problem.
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Toolmaster of La Grange. |
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jsinaiko
Premium
join:2001-04-25
Chicago, IL
·AT&T Midwest
| Occasionally I have gotten someone who knows what they are doing, but 99% of the time it's lies or BS or plain old idiocy and ignorance.
All this speaks to the level of training that level one CSRs get from Comcrap. The funny thing is, I often get a call center in Edmonton or some such frozen Canadian place. In my experience, Canadians tend to be nicer and sometimes smarter than Yanks, but these folks seem to be hired under Comcast rules; communications skill not essential.
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mtmra70
Premium
join:2001-03-22
Portage, MI
·AT&T Midwest
| reply to jsinaiko
said by jsinaiko  :We've both talked about how cable technology is limited and old. But for me the biggest issue is CUSTOMER SERVICE. yeah, ATT's ain't award-winning, but Comcrap's is as bad as any I have ever encountered anywhere, any time, any place, including socialist countries I have had to work in at various times. Again, I disagree and again, it must be regional. Every time I called Comcast tech support, I was connected to an English speaking technician, in the state, that actually knew about my problem. Whether it was the fiber upgrade causing slow up streams, the local node loosing power or my past due bill, their techs that answered the call (usually in less than 5 min after placing the call) were very knowledgable and I was always left satisfied (whether or not my problem was fixed on the call).
Of course, I love how AT&T has this forum with very knowledgable techs...but I'll be damned if I will ever call them on the phone. Other than local billing person and ASI tech I spoke with once, all AT&T reps I have ever spoken with have been rude, unknowledgable and just plain frustraiting.
It's a love/hate relationship with both companies I guess. |
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jsinaiko
Premium
join:2001-04-25
Chicago, IL
·AT&T Midwest
| The language is never a problem, it's the relative state of service. As bad as it can get here in the Chicago area. Seriously.
AT&T is not so great, but Comcast is truly the worst I have ever seen.
I don't know where Portage MI is - and I spend a lot of time in SW Michigan - but they must have extraordinary management or something.
Not so much down here.
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borked
Cheese With That Whine?
Premium
join:2003-08-10
Kalamazoo, MI
| reply to mtmra70
I've had the opposite experence. I live in Texas Twp. (just down the road from Portage) and when I moved here a few months ago Comcrap quoted me $175.00 a month for the internet/cable I wanted.
Went with AT&T/Dish for the same programing for $130.00. Internet is 6M instead of 10M. The contact I've had with the AT&T CSRs have always been great and they have always had the right answers to any questions I've had. The DSL has been rock solid.
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It is much easier to suggest solutions when you don't know too much about the problem.
Malcolm Forbes (1919-1990) |
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mtmra70
Premium
join:2001-03-22
Portage, MI
·AT&T Midwest
| reply to jsinaiko
said by jsinaiko :The language is never a problem, it's the relative state of service. As bad as it can get here in the Chicago area. Seriously. AT&T is not so great, but Comcast is truly the worst I have ever seen. I don't know where Portage MI is - and I spend a lot of time in SW Michigan - but they must have extraordinary management or something. Not so much down here. Well, Portage Mi is exacly halfway between Chicago and Detriot. But Vicksburg is where Comcast is (about 10min south of Portage). I *think* their call center is somewhere in the middle to upper part of the state. |
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mtmra70
Premium
join:2001-03-22
Portage, MI | And one other thing, since they appear to filter content *cough* bit torrents* *cough* by region, I can see why Chicago might suck where as my area doesnt. I never once had issues with ant BTs I down/uploaded but many others cry wolf. |
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jsinaiko
Premium
join:2001-04-25
Chicago, IL | It's the service too - really, really, really, really bad.
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lgmayka
join:2001-08-21
Aurora, IL | reply to jsinaiko
My friend turned down the $50 modem. Will he still get a self-install kit that includes filters (probably for a $13 shipping charge)? |
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jsinaiko
Premium
join:2001-04-25
Chicago, IL
·AT&T Midwest
| Good question - I have no idea. my guess would be that he won't get anything - that the $50 is for the entire self-install kit - which would seem to be self-defeating on the part of AT&T in that a lack of filters will cause problems, which will take time, which will cost AT&T dough, although maybe not $50.
I'd call 877-722-3755 and ask.
It still may be offered for free or with the rebate card on the website.
Also, as others have pointed out, it's easy to find a 4100 or 5100 on eBay for about $20 - $30 bucks, and a lot of the time you get the entire self-install kit.
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RadioDoc
58ef2c0
Premium,ExMod 2000-03
join:2000-05-11 | reply to lgmayka
The $50 modem is the self install kit. They rebate that cost. Your friend won't be getting anything.
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Toolmaster of La Grange. |
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