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fan13027
join:2008-10-26
Kelowna, BC

2 edits

fan13027

Member

[ALL] (RANT) A Comedy Of Errors But I'm Not Laughing

Is it no longer possible for SHAW Customer Service and other front line staff to handle anything beyond the most basic and simplest of transactions?

Firstly, some background. My 88 year old father lives in a high-rise condo. Basic SHAW TV service is included in the condo fees. He also has SHAW High Speed Internet (the old classic 7.5mbps service) which he pays for monthly ($45 plus taxes). His billing cycle ends on the 5th of each month.

Now the chronological sequence of events ...

In early September 2012 Dad has a fall and is admitted to hospital. October 19th he is 'paneled' for admittance to a nursing home -- he will be permanently going to a nursing home as soon as a room becomes available somewhere - he will not be going back home.

At that time a decision is made to sell his condo, but that will not happen until the end of this month (January 2013).

On December 5th 2012 he receives his regular bill and on Dec 6th it is paid in full via pre-authorized debit from his checking account which has been in place for many years. The current balance on the account is zero.

On December 10th Dad is finally admitted into a nursing home. On December 12 I call SHAW to order new internet service for him in his nursing home. I make it very clear during that call that I do not want ANY of his existing services at his old condo stopped/cancelled or changed in any way whatsoever.

At this point here's my train of thought. I'm not worried about TV at all because it's included in the condo fees. I want internet service at the condo to remain intact because my sister (from out of town) will be visiting and using the condo and will need internet services. She plans to arrive Jan 1st and stay until Jan 19th.

On December 12th, the same day I ordered the new service, his account history reflects a $78 charge for un-returned equipment (the TV digital box - we own the internet modem a Motorola SB5102).

I actually notice this new charge online on the 19th of December and fearing they have cancelled service and that my sister will not have internet available when she arrives I place another call to Shaw on December 19th.

Sure enough they have cancelled all services at his old condo as of the 12th. I tell them this is not what I asked for - I don't really care about the TV but I need internet service until Jan 19th. As today is Dec 19th and being aware of the required 30 days notice to cancel services I officially tell them to cancel service on the 19th of January, but for now to re-establish service.

So now, his online account history still shows the $78 charge for un-returned equipment plus a $30 Reconnect Fee along with the associated taxes. Also amongst the charges shown is a fee for one month worth of TV -- WTF, TV was never billed, it's included in the condo fees which we are still paying.

On January 2nd I visit the SHAW offices in person to try to straighten this out. I am told there is nothing they can do about the un-returned equipment fees - it is policy to bill this and issue credit when the equipment is returned when cancelling service. I point that I never requested cancellation of ANY service to begin with. I ask about the other fees - a month of TV billing and the reconnect fee on the Internet. A senior person comes over and looks at the computer screen and after several minutes declares she cannot give a valid reason for the charges -- they relent and refund all fees and including the $78 un-returned equipment charge.

Don't forget that this is Jan 2nd, the billing cycle ends on the 5th and pre-authorized debit is scheduled for the 6th. While I'm there they assure me that the current $231 bill will be reduced to $71 and that that is all that they will debit the account.

On January 6th $231 is debited from my father's checking account. I decide another visit to SHAW is in order ...

So yesterday, January 9th, I visit again in person. I bring the digital box for the TV. They accept return of the box, they assure me we now have a credit on the account and that this credit will be applied to Dad's new internet service at the nursing home. Before I leave I ask them to confirm that internet service will remain available at the old condo until January 19th -- ten days from now. They say "Yes - of course!"

Half an hour after I leave SHAW's offices my sister calls me and says internet at the condo has stopped working.

My sister call SHAW, they have shut off the Internet and the account is completely closed. She points out their error to them. The CSR admits this was an error and that internet service will be restored, but they can't do it immediately, she might have to wait an hour or so. Finally they call her back and advise internet is restored. The icing on this cake? The CSR insists they will have to charge a $20 reconnect fee, no ands ifs or buts.

Meanwhile I have a receipt in hand, after returning the equipment yesterday, that clearly shows the account is paid in full UNTIL Jan 19th.

I have no more patience to deal with this now -- I will wait until the end of the next billing cycle (Feb 5th) to deal with it. But I fully expect that this sequence of events is not yet over.

(End Rant)
ilianame
join:2002-06-05
Burnaby, BC

ilianame

Member

My advise:

Formulate what it is you think Shaw owes you, write it down in two-three sentences, send it to shaw_alex, then to BBB 7 days after if no corrective action was achieved.

Also, authorizing any company for direct withdrawal (unless required as with ICBC) is a bad proposition, since you put your money at a mercy of a computer system, designed by people, maintained by people, updated by people and running on automation. There's no technical reason why such system could not drain your account of thousands of dollars in error, and you will be the one stuck trying to bring it all back.
Even if the error is proved and ultimately corrected, you'll end up waiting for 30 days at a time for anything to happen - and you'll have no money in the account.

kevinds
Premium Member
join:2003-05-01
Calgary, AB

kevinds

Premium Member

And any other legitimate charges bouncing in that time (speaking from experience).

But yes, try Shaw_Alex here, send him a private message with details, account number, address and other details.

He should be able to sort most of it out?

Shaw_Alex
Official Shaw Rep
join:2010-12-16

Shaw_Alex

Member

The whole situation is very confusing (our end, not yours), but if you send me a private message with the account number I will be able to sort things out.

fan13027
join:2008-10-26
Kelowna, BC

fan13027

Member

Thanks all! Mostly I just needed to rant

Alex the account # was sent by private message.

At this point, I don't believe we are out financially except for the final $20 reconnect fee on the Internet service.

But it's just VERY frustrating when twice I ask them not to stop Internet service before the 19th of January and twice they go ahead and do it anyway.
fan13027

fan13027

Member

said by fan13027:

Is it no longer possible for SHAW Customer Service and other front line staff to handle anything beyond the most basic and simplest of transactions?

(Major snippage ... see original post)

But I fully expect that this sequence of events is not yet over.

An update ... received (the second) FINAL BILL in the mail today. As predicted, the account balance is still not correct, though I had been assured it was. Sigh ... another trip down there in person next week to (hopefully) sort it all out

kevinds
Premium Member
join:2003-05-01
Calgary, AB

kevinds

Premium Member

Try talking to Alex again, see if you can save yourself a trip

fan13027
join:2008-10-26
Kelowna, BC

fan13027

Member

My mother taught me that if I can't say something good about a person I should say nothing at all.

kevinds
Premium Member
join:2003-05-01
Calgary, AB

kevinds

Premium Member

Bad experience with Alex? That is the first I've heard someone say that... Ok.

Good luck with your trip when you go then, and I hope it gets sorted out.

fan13027
join:2008-10-26
Kelowna, BC

fan13027

Member

Managed to get down to their offices this afternoon and dealt with a very pleasant CSR. She credited the account to bring it to a zero balance quite cheerfully and quickly.
ravenchilde
join:2011-04-01

ravenchilde

Member

There we go!
balur
join:2010-04-28

balur to fan13027

Member

to fan13027
There are strict rules about what a Front Line Agent can and cannot do. Once they tell you they can't do something

"Can I please speak with a supervisor"

Try to trim down your explanation though, just say that the agent must have misunderstood you, and that you didn't request services being cancelled so you would like the charges removed.

Also this is a very important thing of dealing with Customer Support, be as concise as possible, and make them repeat what they are going to do. When things get too long and convoluted (as above) mistakes WILL happen, it may make sense to you, but your just one in 30 people they will be talking to today.

Didn't get to the bottom when you said it was resolved, congrats on getting it resolved. My advice still stands though

kevinds
Premium Member
join:2003-05-01
Calgary, AB

kevinds

Premium Member

And allways be nice

You can be firm in what you expect, but don't be rude... Basically, would you like to be talking to you at that point in time.

Those I think are two rules in dealing with any customer service.

fan13027
join:2008-10-26
Kelowna, BC

fan13027

Member

Click for full size
FOR ALEX ...
fan13027

fan13027 to balur

Member

to balur
said by balur:

... make them repeat what they are going to do ...

That's funny! Because I thought I did ... see my original post above from which I quote ...
said by fan13027:

Before I leave I ask them to confirm that internet service will remain available at the old condo until January 19th -- ten days from now. They say "Yes - of course!"

Half an hour after I leave SHAW's offices my sister calls me and says internet at the condo has stopped working.

fan13027

fan13027 to balur

Member

to balur
said by balur:

When things get too long and convoluted (as above) mistakes WILL happen

Well, that's true ... but don't forget it seems complicated and convoluted to you because in my original post I'm summarizing a chronological sequence of events that spread out over 4-5 phone calls and two personal visits.

Don't forget though that was the thought behind my original post ... it seems that if it's the LEAST bit out of the ordinary they will screw it up.

The original phone call was basically ...

"I want internet service for my dad at address xyz. He already has TV and internet service at address abc but I DONT want you to move, cancel, or otherwise change the service at address abc, I just want a new service at the new address."

Is that really so difficult to handle? Am I expecting too much from the average CSR with that request?

kevinds
Premium Member
join:2003-05-01
Calgary, AB

kevinds

Premium Member

Personally, I wouldn't have mentioned his existing account at all in that first call... It had no bearing in what you were trying to do.

fan13027
join:2008-10-26
Kelowna, BC

fan13027

Member

In hindsight, I suspect you are correct.

C'est la vie

kevinds
Premium Member
join:2003-05-01
Calgary, AB

kevinds

Premium Member

For our theme of trying to keep things simple... haha