Charter Spectrum → [CATV] Does Charter care about their customers? I

For anyone contemplating subscribing to Charter services, I'm not having such a great time.

A tech came out on Sept 28 and diagnosed my TV problem as needing 400' of feeder line replaced. It would take 4 weeks

I wrote a letter to Charter corp reminding them of their obligation a week or so later.

On November 13, I called Charter's corporate Escalation line. This is the special line where they take extra care of customers who have had terrible service and an awful experience. I spoke with Kxxx (x'd out per posting rules) and told her that the 4 weeks were up and I even gave them an extra 2 weeks. There is also the little matter of me needing credit for not having TV. Kxxx, of the special corporate escalation line, told me that she would get back with me by November 15 with a resolution and credit.

November 15 came and went. Kxxx, of Charter cable's corporate Escalation line did not bother to call me back. I had even given her two telephone numbers to reach me 24 hours a day.

I called Charter cable's corporate Escalation line again today and spoke with a gentleman about my problem. He may be very concerned with me but the only thing he is able to do is schedule me a Trouble Call for Wednesday, Nov 21. This is their corporate escalation line, mind you. In case you don't know, A trouble call dispatches a tech who is trained to troubleshoot inside wiring problems and little else. If he can't fix the problem, he sets up an SRO, which is what I already had on Sept 28.

So, it looks like I'm going to have to sit at home on Wednesday so they can waste a trip out here to determine that the Trouble call tech can't finish it, then he will schedule an SRO, which, by the way, has no appointment time. It's basically when they can get around to it. It took three days the last time this happened and that was only because I called and raised heck several times a day.

Bottom line, I have no TV except for rabbit ears. Charter is in no way going to have this fixed for Thanksgiving, a heavy TV watching day at my house.

Does anybody think Charter appreciates me or even wants me as a customer?

Did you every get a refund or credit?

I think they hope you cancel then they can disconnect the line and not offer it any more to that address.

Disgraceful!

I would send a snail mail return receipt requested to the
CEO of Charter Tom Rutledge and inform him of your problem explain in a concise a way what has happened, like that original idiot at the "escalation line" not returning a simple call ect.

Considering how they are now going to milk the cows dry but no longer offering incentives to long time customers to stay with them, ask how they are going to keep your business?

Corporate Escalation have been the good to me. Got charter HSI and phone now. new pricing, new modem, new speeds, new wiring...no more problems.

I doubt that a phone number with an 864 area code is corporate ANYTHING at Charter. I live in that area code and the location is upstate SC (Greenville, Spartanburg area) Charter has NO corporate presence here.

Perhaps depending on what state you live in, there are regional "escalation" offices.

82 Digital Place | Simpsonville, SC 29681.......Why don't you drive by there and see if you see a CHARTER sign ? ? ? ? ? ? ?

The only two "corporate" offices Charter has where the actually executive offices are in in MO which is moving to CT soon.

Again if you actually want to contact the REAL brass tack executives you need to send a snail mail return receipt requested to their actual executives offices located in Saint Louis MO.

Here is the telephone number that will get you to the executive offices HQ. 636 207 5100

I'll bet if you call DirecTV or Dish Network tonight, they can have you installed by the holiday.

It's a shame. It seemed like Charter was making real strides in improvement, but has suddenly started to backtrack.

SO AGREED. When CEO Mike Lovett was running the show before it seemed like Charter was becoming a great company with a genuine interest in providing good value and great service.

The change for the worse now.......
Blame it on NEW CEO Tommy Boy Rutledge.

That is why I say it is important to send a snail mail return receipt requested, directly to him at the executive offices in St Louis.

Return Receipt Requested does not guarantee that Rutledge himself gets it.

I believe you would have to send it Restricted Delivery option with only his name listed as authorized to sign, and perhaps Return Receipt if you wanted something back to you showing the signature.

Good point.

I'm sure that his "executive underling" minions would try and shove letters like this under the rug. LOL

Dunno what's at 82 Digital Place | Simpsonville, SC...but they have the power to make things right the call centers and supervisors can't, and more power than charter direct.

I don't know that they'd send them under the rug, but if you want to know that Rutledge himself was served the letter then I think that's how you'd have to do it.

Further, even if he personally does sign for it there is nothing that says he will personally respond.

But at least he'd likely read the letter if someone went to the trouble of using RD.

In any case I will be doing what you said soon. I am NOT pleased about Charter dropping the lower speed tiers at a more value oriented price point. If they won't price my service accordingly I will be leaving them. I don't bluff either, I did the same with DirecTV.

Charter, in now way, shape or form, has EVER "cared" about their customers, just as most big businesses don't. The ONLY thing they, or anyone cares about, is that last ungodly dollar they can extract from you!!

They might act like they care, if the issue is so simple a monkey could fix it, otherwise, plan on several calls, e-mails and lots of frustration.

I won't get into the specifics, but I disagree strongly. Ultimately, customer satisfaction HAS to be a concern for the company or they don't sell a product. It may take 50 years for them to go under, but eventually it will catch up.

So, please, throttle back on the big business bashing.

Did you try the charter direct forum? I have always had great luck on there...

To answer your question - NO.

Good luck.

You mean ultimately customer satisfaction SHOULD be their #1 concern, but Charter, and most big companies, don't give a rats a** about it, if share holders are making money. It's always quantity over quality!

Exactly why I try to deal with local business on any level as much as possible.

If most big companies, as you call them, don't have a significant percentage of happy customers they are going to have a VERY hard time making a profit and won't be able to pay dividends to shareholders. No profits means no shareholders. Without making any profits these big companies will not be able to offer any new or improved services or products to keep old customers and gain new ones. Customer satisfaction requires new and enhanced products and services and that requires money.

Most big companies have such a dominance that you have very limited choices, is the only reason they stay in business!!

Sure, they will come out with new products and the such, but that is purely for making more money off the same suckers who have no choice!!

In some regards I agree, but even though I have only one (IMO) practical alternative to Charter here...it's still a choice I can make.

That's the part I don't understand. There is a small number of very vocal folks here that seemingly have nothing but bad to say about Charter. If it sucks that bad the only reason I can think of for not going elsewhere is that the alternative sucks worse. Are you over on those forums telling them how bad they suck and if they were better you'd jump ship and sign with them?

If you're asking me if I'm over on the other forums telling them how bad they suck, yes, I was, while I had them anyway.

My only other choice, and I'm NOT counting satellite internet as I would go with dial up before being raped by their prices, is Frontier.

Had them for 2 years just to see if they might be better than Charter. They were so much worse I finally got wife convinced to drop them totally, phone and all, and switch to Vonage. Do not have a single complaint with Vonage either, so far in 2+ years now.

As far as service from Charter, mine has always been excellent, and I have never complained about that. My complaints about Charter have always been about how stupidly the company has been run and how much worse they have recently gotten at that even! It doesn't help when I am constantly seeing people post on here just how bad they are treated and/or serviced. Could get into a whole lot more, but hoping you get the picture by now.

The primary "bad treatment" seems to be not getting promo price forever. Where else do you get sale price forever?

Again,
If you're statement is directed at me, then that type "bad treatment" was never part of my opinion of Charter as I never did the promo hopping thing.

The only time I was ever on a promo was after that 2 year test of Verizon/Frontier DSL, when I came back to Charter and that was only a 6 month promo, which I intentionally wanted. I dread calling Charter so much, I wanted to get on a regular plan as fast as possible and not have to deal with them anymore than absolutely necessary!