Post by Master Shake on Mar 7, 2008 22:48:13 GMT
Yes folks, strap yourselves in, it's anecdote time once again.
Although they offer the excellent Moxi system (see pic. assoc.) which I wouldn't be without, our cable company are otherwise morons.
Last Friday I rang them to ask them if they'd consider replacing the Moxi Box as it's been acting finicky. Once I finally got to a real person she eventually said yes, a bloke could come on Monday, between 1pm and 3pm. She told me they'd call twice before coming, and if they hadn't got an answer on at least one of the calls, they'd cancel the appointment automatically. I say fine. She asks if this number (I assume our current phone number, 219-xxxx, the number I called them from, our home phone) is good for them to use. I say yes.
So, cut to Sunday night and looking at our current Charter bill online, it appears $35 or so more than last months. Surprised, I call them (using 219-xxxx). Woman informs me that my promotional bundle has ended and the $35 extra is the real price. But I can get the cheap price back if I 're-bundle' and can even add HBO and Cinemax for the same cheap price. I say yes, she does it, and I'm happy.
Monday, 1pm, no calls from the service bloke, but it's only 1pm, he has two hours, so I'm not worried. Cut to 2:30 and the phone rings. Caller ID says Charter. Relieved, I answer, only to be told that...my promotional bundle has ended and my bill will go up. But I can get the cheap price back if I 're-bundle' and can even add HBO and Cinemax for the same cheap price...
Deja vu, anyone? I explain to the Noddy on the phone I already did that and he goes away. Talk about closing the barn door AFTER the horse has bolted. Anyway... 3pm, no calls from the service bloke, no knocks at the door. And then the phone rings! Caller ID says Target. It's Renee calling from work to ask if Charter have been. I say no, resolving to wait till 4pm before I call them - anyone can be late, I decide, for several completely plausible reasons. You know, flat tyre, exploding engine block, van turns out to be giant transforming robot from space, that sort of thing.
By 3:15 I realize the whole transforming robot thing is my burgeoning impatience and I call them. When I EVENTUALLY get to a real person, I get told yes, my account is showing a service call for today. It was cancelled at 1:30.
Why, I ask. She tells me it was cancelled because the service bloke rang, at both 1pm and 1:30 and got no answer. I tell them that no Charter tech called (although the bloke from the office did). She says they called my home phone number. I query it: 219-xxxx. No, she says, 762-xxxx, which we had removed in APRIL 2007!
I explain this, and also explain that SOMEONE ELSE from Charter called me that afternoon on the right number. The number that appears on my bill. The number they called to offer me a promotion. The number they ask for when I call. The number I key in to access my account on their automated system. And so on. She apologizes but otherwise can't do squat.
Now I realize maybe I should have made sure when I made the appointment that the number she had was 219-xxxx but I wouldn't have thought I had to.
We only had that number installed in January. The company that installed it - CHARTER!
Bunch of morons.
Although they offer the excellent Moxi system (see pic. assoc.) which I wouldn't be without, our cable company are otherwise morons.
Last Friday I rang them to ask them if they'd consider replacing the Moxi Box as it's been acting finicky. Once I finally got to a real person she eventually said yes, a bloke could come on Monday, between 1pm and 3pm. She told me they'd call twice before coming, and if they hadn't got an answer on at least one of the calls, they'd cancel the appointment automatically. I say fine. She asks if this number (I assume our current phone number, 219-xxxx, the number I called them from, our home phone) is good for them to use. I say yes.
So, cut to Sunday night and looking at our current Charter bill online, it appears $35 or so more than last months. Surprised, I call them (using 219-xxxx). Woman informs me that my promotional bundle has ended and the $35 extra is the real price. But I can get the cheap price back if I 're-bundle' and can even add HBO and Cinemax for the same cheap price. I say yes, she does it, and I'm happy.
Monday, 1pm, no calls from the service bloke, but it's only 1pm, he has two hours, so I'm not worried. Cut to 2:30 and the phone rings. Caller ID says Charter. Relieved, I answer, only to be told that...my promotional bundle has ended and my bill will go up. But I can get the cheap price back if I 're-bundle' and can even add HBO and Cinemax for the same cheap price...
Deja vu, anyone? I explain to the Noddy on the phone I already did that and he goes away. Talk about closing the barn door AFTER the horse has bolted. Anyway... 3pm, no calls from the service bloke, no knocks at the door. And then the phone rings! Caller ID says Target. It's Renee calling from work to ask if Charter have been. I say no, resolving to wait till 4pm before I call them - anyone can be late, I decide, for several completely plausible reasons. You know, flat tyre, exploding engine block, van turns out to be giant transforming robot from space, that sort of thing.
By 3:15 I realize the whole transforming robot thing is my burgeoning impatience and I call them. When I EVENTUALLY get to a real person, I get told yes, my account is showing a service call for today. It was cancelled at 1:30.
Why, I ask. She tells me it was cancelled because the service bloke rang, at both 1pm and 1:30 and got no answer. I tell them that no Charter tech called (although the bloke from the office did). She says they called my home phone number. I query it: 219-xxxx. No, she says, 762-xxxx, which we had removed in APRIL 2007!
I explain this, and also explain that SOMEONE ELSE from Charter called me that afternoon on the right number. The number that appears on my bill. The number they called to offer me a promotion. The number they ask for when I call. The number I key in to access my account on their automated system. And so on. She apologizes but otherwise can't do squat.
Now I realize maybe I should have made sure when I made the appointment that the number she had was 219-xxxx but I wouldn't have thought I had to.
We only had that number installed in January. The company that installed it - CHARTER!
Bunch of morons.
Quite an essay that Paul!
