Customer service call from hell: Listen to what happens when a man tries to cancel his Comcast

[Himanshu Arora]

Are you planning to get your Comcast service disconnected? Turns out this simple request is quite difficult to do, just ask AOL product manager Ryan Block, a former editor with Engadget, who had a blood boiling experience after he decided to ditch Comcast in favor of smaller cable company Astound.

Last week, Block's wife, writer Veronica Belmont, called to disconnect their service with Comcast. She was transferred to the cancelations department but the customer rep virtually stonewalled their request by repeatedly asking questions about the reason behind their decision.

Visibly upset, Belmont handed over the phone to Block, who was already overhearing the conversation. "I am declining to state why I'm leaving", Block said, adding that he's moving to Astound. But that didn't deter the rep, who was literally demanding explanation about what's wrong with Comcast.

"Tell me why you don't want faster speed," he said. Block reiterated that he isn't interested in answering his questions and just wants to disconnect, asking why this might be a difficult task. "Because my job is to have a conversation with you about keeping your service," the Comcast employee replied.

This went on for several minutes as the Comcast representative insisted to know the reason why Block and Belmont wanted to move away from Comcast, which he repeatedly described as "the number one-provider of Internet and TV service in the entire country".

The exchange provides a good example of why the cable company has twice been voted Worst Company in America. The audio clip embedded below covers the last 10 minutes of the call, which only ended after Block said he would just stop talking and wait until the cancellation goes through.

"This isn't how our customer service representatives are trained to operate", a Comcast representative told Mashable after the recording went public, adding that that they were investigating the situation.

Comcast is currently seeking regulatory approval to merge with TWC.

Permalink to story.

https://www.techspot.com/news/57412-customer-service-call-from-hell-listen-to-what-happens-when-a-man-tries-to-cancel-his-comcast.html

 

[Dimitriid]

BS, not only are they trained to behave exactly like this but the poor guy's comission and sometimes even job depends on not cancelling or "saving" as many accounts as possible. They just hope they can blame a particular outsourcing partner for it, which in turn will fire the employee in question in violation of labour laws because it's a foreigner who gives a **** right? and move on with Tom Wheeler's blessing.

 

[oldikes]

Lol number one rated internet service.
Its the only one I know of (apart from dial up/satellite) that gives you a bloody data cap at your home. the only reason anyone uses them is because they really dont have much of a choice....

 

[TomSEA]

I would switch from Comcast in a nano-second if I had ANY other resource to do so. They are deservedly the worst company in America, and it's not even close.

 

[Skidmarksdeluxe]

Boy that customer was extremely understanding. I would hate to do that telemarketers job because if I was that customer, I wouldn't have been so patient and pleasant.

 

[captaincranky]

I frankly don't understand why, "a former AOL product manager", gets to even open his mouth about something like this. Have any of you ever try to cancel AOL?

I did. I called about an hour past the deadline, had to listen to a bit of a harangue , but was finally issued a cancellation number. Imagine my surprise when I was billed the next month for internet service I didn't have!

Yep, a hour is a month in AOL time standards. My credit card company had to intervene.

 

[yRaz]

I bet I'm the only person that has never had a problem with Comcast. I've been using their internet for I believe 9 years now and the only interruption in my service was the few days following hurricane Katrina. As much as I hate their price, I get the fact that the hurricane wasn't their fault. There are some, however, that would have you believe otherwise.

 

[vernonlvincent]

"This isn't how our customer service representatives are trained to operate"

I agree - they're trained to operate so they don't get caught doing this. Clearly, they need to be better trained so they can monitor when they are being recorded.

 

[captaincranky]

"This isn't how our customer service representatives are trained to operate"
.

The problem with this whole story is a simply question of legality. Since Comcast, (and many other companies), flatly state that, "this phone call may be monitored for blah, blah, purposes", they have a legal right to do so. It's not really legal for the consumer to do the same, without announcing they are going to do so.

As far as AOL versus Comcast in a, "who's the worst company ever", one has to give the nod to Comcast, as that evil empire is thriving, AOL I don't think quite so much.

OTOH, average American consumer is a spoiled imbecile in his or her own right, and ripe for the plucking. Do you, can you, or why would you even want to, watch every NFL game on every given Sunday in the NFL? I can even do without HBO, and am willing to buy Game of Thrones", on Blu-Ray.

I keep telling everyone this, hoping one day it will someday, make an impression, Comcast has the tallest building in Philadelphia. They are planning an even taller one, with a half mile underground concourse to 30th Street Station. You don't come up with that kind of cash or credit rating, without bilking hundreds of millions of dollars from consumers for overpriced services, period.

 

[rub900]

I would say Cox cable is just as bad

 

[Guest]

Legally you could argue that the message states this phone call may be recorded for quality or what ever purposes. That message never states who can do the recording. To me that message gives me permission stating I may also record the message as well to ensure the quality of my service is being upheld.

 

[Guest]

Some advise to the next person who wants to cancel their service from Comcast (or another other company with a poor customer demeanor). When asked why you want to cancel your service - tell them that your physic advisor told you to do so, and they have never been wrong before! I'd like to see them argue that one!

 

[Jos]

I frankly don't understand why, "a former AOL product manager", gets to even open his mouth about something like this. Have any of you ever try to cancel AOL?

True. From his Twitter account: "Believe me, the irony is not at all lost on me that I work for AOL. "
https://twitter.com/ryan/status/488866341265219584

 

[Guest]

LOL All the cable and ISP companies are bad. Even up in canada SHAW and TELUS are horrible to deal with.... **** speeds and we pay an arm and a leg for it. This conversation was hillarious. I feel bad for the guy trying to cancel his service.... but applaud him for being so patient.

 

[tipstir]

They're job is to keep you in the service and keep your money coming to them. They'll do anything to keep your distracted to keep the service. I had the triple-play service and to drop CATV and Digital Phone was a real pain. It had taken 12 CSR and 2 E-CSR to get it completed. I had returned 4x STB-HD-DVR, with 4x Remotes and 2x STB-HD with 2x Remotes Rentals and 1 Cable Modem Rental Box had to be lugged back to the Comcast General Office. Plus wait in a very long queue for your name to appear. Over 1 hr of waiting and they say why are you giving up your service how are you going to watch HDTV. I said for free OTA - over-the-air. Use my cell phone for digital phone. Just keeping your internet that's all. After the first year I had to get them to lower the internet bill was almost the say as if I had the triple-play.

Comcast might be no. 1 but when it comes to money coming into this business they don't want you to leave them no matter what it takes!

 

[TheDreams]

First 30 seconds of the phone call~Would disconnect and call back

 

[S_Brideau]

If this is what it takes to be the worst company in America, then Bell is the worst company in Canada. I had worst experience than this guy as it took me 6 months to cancel my contract, and I was understanding every time I called which was once or twice per week when I got emails telling me my bill was ready. Everytime I called I was being told that they closed my account and that I shouldn't be receiving any bills. I still got them but never paid for service I didn't have as I didn't have the modem or devices. They fixed it in less than 5 minutes when I called again and threatened to submit a complaint to the office of consumer protection and the crtc, as well as possibly suing them.

 

[lalaman]

Haha the customer sounds like Ben from Parks and Rec!! =D

 

[Nima304]

This reminds me of a time when I was being hit by a DDoS attack and wanted Comcast to lease me a better firewall. I had Comcast Business Class which comes with a pretty shitty firewall, and after nine days and five phone calls lasting at least 30 minutes, all the while being pushed up all the levels of support, I had a nice conversation with someone who explained the shittiness of Comcast's built-in firewalls, and said the same thing that everyone else said: "If you want a decent firewall, you're going to have to buy and set it up yourself." Thanks. I had to wait for whoever was doing the attack to stop.

Pretty happy with Verizon now.

 

[tonylukac]

I frankly don't understand why, "a former AOL product manager", gets to even open his mouth about something like this. Have any of you ever try to cancel AOL?

I did. I called about an hour past the deadline, had to listen to a bit of a harangue , but was finally issued a cancellation number. Imagine my surprise when I was billed the next month for internet service I didn't have!

Yep, a hour is a month in AOL time standards. My credit card company had to intervene.

The way I canceled aol also was that the credit card expired. It's actually credit card fraud they do.

 

[tonylukac]

Att uverse is having major problems too. It was down for 2 hours sunday and 5 and one half hours yesterday, when I called them and all their servers were down. They said they'd call me back to credit my bill, but they never did. All att land lines are going to go thru uverse internet lines by 2020, so sell your att stock. One tidbit to save money on comcast is that most of their channels are unencrypted so just ordering internet will get you many tv channels.

 

[s0urce]

I'd hire the **** out of that phone rep for my business. Well done.

 

[Jad Chaar]

EXACTLY why I don't switch to Comcast... Optimum and Verizon FIOS FTW.

 

[cliffordcooley]

I frankly don't understand why, "a former AOL product manager", gets to even open his mouth about something like this.

Maybe that is why he was so calm and patient.

Yep, a hour is a month in AOL time standards. My credit card company had to intervene.

I believe it! I once put out a stop payment at my bank with AOL back in 97. AOL didn't like it and tried to collect for a month of which I never used their service. I paid for a few months but then had an issue finding cancellation methods, so I had the bank stop payment. I'm also fairly certain I paid for a month of service I didn't use, but that is besides the point.

 

[matrix86]

I can't believe this guy went on this long. I would have hung up after a minute and called again, which would most likely give me someone else who would just say "aww, sorry to lose your business. We hope that you change your mind down the road."