Customer Rep says one thing, Technician says another

[Angel Rodriguez]

I already had Comcast for internet and was locked in for two years, first year had a decent price. A representative through a third party representative called me about switching to Xfinity at a much better price for higher speed internet with cable. I agreed. There was only a few channels I was actually interested in and named them specifically. She said yes, we would be getting those channels.
Bet you know where this is going.
We didn't get the channels. I called Comcast and they said we weren't supposed to get those channels. I got transfered to Customer Loyalty where a really nice representative was really apologetic and said he can give me one of the channels I asked for. And threw on premium movie channels for free and dropped my monthly bill a couple dollars.
I got the premium channels. But not the only one I actually wanted. I called again. Representative said I should be getting it. Resetted my box three times before scheduling a technician. Technician comes and explains that we aren't going to get that channel because they can't do ala carte, only packages. He was kind enough to check my cables first and do minor repair before leaving.
So now I'm stuck wondering if all three representatives lied to me, or if the technician is. I am really dreading having to call them again just to get another broken promise and more lying.
I just want the channels I was promised, not more of what I don't want (I don't really care if they're premium movie channels or not, I doubt I'll ever watch them) without having to pay an extra forty dollars! Never had this much problem with a cable company in my life.

 

[Joe Farrell]

If it is not in writing . . . .it did not happen.

Sorry - but thats the problem. You should not have let the original install tech leave the house without making sure you received the channels you were promised. Once you signed on the dotted line you were committing to what they gave you -

I JUST switched back to Time Warner from FIOS even though I like fios internet speed better - TWC has a working app - Frontier is just crap. On TWC I can watch on any device any channel I subscribe to - in a single place. With Frontier - I cannot watch local channels on a device at all, news channels must use the specific app - which means I need to have 30 apps on my phone all of which needs to reinstalled or reverified with a log in every time I use them - a royal PITA. I could cast the channel I'm watching - but it is hit or miss whether it comes across in HD - and some channels the Frontier app will not let me cast or airplay - its a kludgy pos.

I just gave up. I switched back - and am paying slightly more per month but have it the way I want it - and the internet speed is a little faster because I'm paying for it -

 

[Angel Rodriguez]

Unfortunately, it was a self-install kit to avoid installation fees.
And I would love to switch to Time Warner (I had them most of my life and never really had a problem that one call couldn't resolve) but unfortunately they aren't available in my area. Only Comcast and Century Link.
Thank you for your help, Joe. Have a good day

 

[Joe Farrell]

Unfortunately, it was a self-install kit to avoid installation fees.
And I would love to switch to Time Warner (I had them most of my life and never really had a problem that one call couldn't resolve) but unfortunately they aren't available in my area. Only Comcast and Century Link.
Thank you for your help, Joe. Have a good day

@Angel Rodriguez - if it is still not acceptable - then you can call them back - say

"I have reconsidered your offer and I really want these channels that your sales staff told me I would receive. I relied upon your customer service rep when I ordered the install kit. While I understand completely that your reps cannot change your policies, and respect that, if they are wrong I should not have to live with what you can provide in my budget. Please let me know how to return your equipment."

 

[SierraRose 49]

Over the years, we've dealt with US West,Qwest, AT&T, Century Link, DirecTV, DISH and now Cox. Cox has given us the best service - either by phone or at the local store - but they are VERY expensive. With ALL of them, we have found that customer reps say one thing and reality delivers something totally different, whether it's a product, a service, or the price promised for either. US West (US Worst) Qwest (QWorst) were absolutely horrendous and Century Link was not much better.

 

[Just A Guy]

Angel, what are the channels you've been trying unsuccessfully to get? If you give us a bit more information, we might be able to be more helpful.

 

[AAGK]

I have had time warner my entire life. I have every single channel that exists and every time I try to cancel them, they cut my bill in half and insist I keep them anyway. I guess this is the non a la cart system? Nobody watches 90% of these dumb channels but you have to buy them all anyway. Could you specify which one you wanted?

I remember as a kid we had HBO and Cinemax but not showtime so I complained and my parents said no-so that experience suggested there is an a la cart option for premium channels but they may have been spreading bad information.
I also have wireless through the same company but channels and wireless are totally seperate issues so I'm not sure the interplay here. For ex, You don't need a tech to upgrade your channel package.

 

[Carrie Livingston]

If it is not in writing . . . .it did not happen.

Very true!

its a kludgy pos.

Too funny!

 

[Ltlizard]

Ive got comcast and it works fine but the bill is high and thats that.

To unplug has been a thought in our heads for years. But ive run the numbers every which way and it doesnt work in our favor.

You can have apple tv and roku and a digital antenna (if it even works in your area or in any valley you may reside in) and you can say youll do without cable all you want, but not everything is doable and the mix match of stuff you need to buy and set up and tinker with is mind boggling.

As well, some of those channels or shows you want just aint anywhere else without buying a package.

For us, to not have cable but still have phone and internet, it would cost only about $30 less a month. We need the net but I wont do Fios (had to claim against them years ago) and theres no real good net only services here where I live. Dish dont work here either. I need phone because I am in one of the only set of towns in the country where Verizon wireless doesnt hold a reliable signal and inside the house a cell call almost always drops. So having no home phone aint an option. Vonage does not hold up where I live either. Had a real fun time canceling that!

So in the end, sadly, I have decided that there will be some things Ill have to just pay full rate for. Like comcast, which does work nicely for us, or good toilet paper (why do some families and sports stadiums still insist on the cheap gray stuff? Lol), or good beer (has to rate 95+ on beeradvocate.com or I cant justify having it). Ill save my money doing credit card and gift card schemes for free and discounted travel instead.

 

[sas80]

I already had Comcast for internet and was locked in for two years, first year had a decent price. A representative through a third party representative called me about switching to Xfinity at a much better price for higher speed internet with cable. I agreed. There was only a few channels I was actually interested in and named them specifically. She said yes, we would be getting those channels.
Bet you know where this is going.
We didn't get the channels. I called Comcast and they said we weren't supposed to get those channels. I got transfered to Customer Loyalty where a really nice representative was really apologetic and said he can give me one of the channels I asked for. And threw on premium movie channels for free and dropped my monthly bill a couple dollars.
I got the premium channels. But not the only one I actually wanted. I called again. Representative said I should be getting it. Resetted my box three times before scheduling a technician. Technician comes and explains that we aren't going to get that channel because they can't do ala carte, only packages. He was kind enough to check my cables first and do minor repair before leaving.
So now I'm stuck wondering if all three representatives lied to me, or if the technician is. I am really dreading having to call them again just to get another broken promise and more lying.
I just want the channels I was promised, not more of what I don't want (I don't really care if they're premium movie channels or not, I doubt I'll ever watch them) without having to pay an extra forty dollars! Never had this much problem with a cable company in my life.

The channel deciding is in/on the box. It is possible your box can't handle decoding those channels. Can you swap out for a different box? If they sent you a box knowing what packages you wanted then it is their error. If they sent you out a box to generally accommodate your cable needs, whatever they might be, they are in the wrong. Of you picked this box up from a third party to save yourself some money, this may be your bad. What's the scenario on the box?

Please, start documenting your phone calls. Note the time you dial the number, the name of the person you speak with, their location (city/state) the time they answer the phone, and what they say. Its okay to say "hang on 2 seconds while I write that down" then be sure to review everything with them that you wrote.
If you get transferred, document the new information, person time, location, conversation. Finally, write down the time you hang up the phone.
This has paid off for me big time in the past as I have been able to cite exactly who I was talking to, the time, location and what was said. When you can do that, cs reps understand that you did have these conversations. Maybe take some time to recall your prior conversations.
I would also ask to speak to the supervisor at the location. Sometimes they go by "floor supervisor". Ask BEFORE you get upset. I woke ask immediately at this point

 

[joycexyz]

Ah, Comcast! No surprise there. The reps lie through their teeth, the billing department raises the bill on a whim (hoping you won't notice), and the techs are clueless.

 

[sas80]

On phone, Can't edit that last post, Sorry. Channel Decoding is on the box.

The call centers tecord their calls, so there is documentation.

Ask for supervisor first from now on, be patient, kind, understanding

 

[DorothyL]

The channel deciding is in/on the box. It is possible your box can't handle decoding those channels. Can you swap out for a different box? If they sent you a box knowing what packages you wanted then it is their error. If they sent you out a box to generally accommodate your cable needs, whatever they might be, they are in the wrong. Of you picked this box up from a third party to save yourself some money, this may be your bad. What's the scenario on the box?

Please, start documenting your phone calls. Note the time you dial the number, the name of the person you speak with, their location (city/state) the time they answer the phone, and what they say. Its okay to say "hang on 2 seconds while I write that down" then be sure to review everything with them that you wrote.
If you get transferred, document the new information, person time, location, conversation. Finally, write down the time you hang up the phone.
This has paid off for me big time in the past as I have been able to cite exactly who I was talking to, the time, location and what was said. When you can do that, cs reps understand that you did have these conversations. Maybe take some time to recall your prior conversations.
I would also ask to speak to the supervisor at the location. Sometimes they go by "floor supervisor". Ask BEFORE you get upset. I woke ask immediately at this point

 

[sas80]

Ha. Ha! Typos...
The call centers record their calls, some may even take screen captures and keep them, in case the situation gets escalated

 

[sas80]

Cs rep situations vary. There is no benefit to them lying, the calls get recorded, screen shots gets captured.
They could be poorly trained, not "meant" for this type of profession, not clearly understand the packages being offered, not speak English well, etc.

Also, package combos, tiers and prices change on a whim. When a cs rep gets in and makes changes to your account, they may not understand how the new p configuration will affect your monthly bill.

Again, document, document, document the conversations

 

[DorothyL]

I did all of this with ATT U-verse and still got screwed repeatedly. For example, I was promised a promo: channels I did not want but the hook was that my rate would be reduced. Instead, they increased my rate. When I asked to have the increased rate removed 1) they asked where was my proof since the rep did not record what he promised, and 2) the Sup. said, "You enjoyed the channels so pay for them." I had similar problems, one after another. So I cancelling after 18 months, before my 24 months were up.

 

[sas80]

I did all of this with ATT U-verse and still got screwed repeatedly. For example, I was promised a promo: channels I did not want but the hook was that my rate would be reduced. Instead, they increased my rate. When I asked to have the increased rate removed 1) they asked where was my proof since the rep did not record what he promised, and 2) the Sup. said, "You enjoyed the channels so pay for them." I had similar problems, one after another. So I cancelling after 18 months, before my 24 months were up.

Wow, that sucks! I wish you had escalated to review the conversations in an auditory manner. Cs reps will get penalized for making repeated mistakes, even fired. I would suspect that, in your situation, you were obviously frustrated annoyed and angry, and the poor CS agents get beat up on every day I frustrated and angry people, sometimes that causes them to make poor judgment against the consumer. I am surprised that you did not start writing the ATT contacts to get your situation resolved.

 

[sas80]

I will never claim to be all knowing on any subject but the man I date has worked for a company, for 10years, that contacts with companies (apple, Microsoft, Amazon, Comcast, direct tv, etc) to host their call centers (yes, the ones we call) train their employees, govern their employees, set up the call center network, etc. The sum total of it is quite fascinating. He is my point of contact when someone posts on these forums regarding call center issues. As well as offering my own advice (based on what has worked me) I turn to him and say "what can they, the poster, do?"

So there is definitely durne real wisdom there

 

[AAGK]

Ive got comcast and it works fine but the bill is high and thats that.

To unplug has been a thought in our heads for years. But ive run the numbers every which way and it doesnt work in our favor.

You can have apple tv and roku and a digital antenna (if it even works in your area or in any valley you may reside in) and you can say youll do without cable all you want, but not everything is doable and the mix match of stuff you need to buy and set up and tinker with is mind boggling.

As well, some of those channels or shows you want just aint anywhere else without buying a package.

For us, to not have cable but still have phone and internet, it would cost only about $30 less a month. We need the net but I wont do Fios (had to claim against them years ago) and theres no real good net only services here where I live. Dish dont work here either. I need phone because I am in one of the only set of towns in the country where Verizon wireless doesnt hold a reliable signal and inside the house a cell call almost always drops. So having no home phone aint an option. Vonage does not hold up where I live either. Had a real fun time canceling that!

So in the end, sadly, I have decided that there will be some things Ill have to just pay full rate for. Like comcast, which does work nicely for us, or good toilet paper (why do some families and sports stadiums still insist on the cheap gray stuff? Lol), or good beer (has to rate 95+ on beeradvocate.com or I cant justify having it). Ill save my money doing credit card and gift card schemes for free and discounted travel instead.

@Ltlizard You raise a good point. I have no idea whether my bill is even high. The only basis for comparison is the company's insistence at how amazing my rate is. I really don't know what others in my area with the same features pay. I am kind of curious now. For all I know my great rate is double what the others pay. If it is less, then of course I am fine with that

 

[divinemsmstl]

Ive got comcast and it works fine but the bill is high and thats that.

To unplug has been a thought in our heads for years. But ive run the numbers every which way and it doesnt work in our favor.

You can have apple tv and roku and a digital antenna (if it even works in your area or in any valley you may reside in) and you can say youll do without cable all you want, but not everything is doable and the mix match of stuff you need to buy and set up and tinker with is mind boggling.

As well, some of those channels or shows you want just aint anywhere else without buying a package.

For us, to not have cable but still have phone and internet, it would cost only about $30 less a month. We need the net but I wont do Fios (had to claim against them years ago) and theres no real good net only services here where I live. Dish dont work here either. I need phone because I am in one of the only set of towns in the country where Verizon wireless doesnt hold a reliable signal and inside the house a cell call almost always drops. So having no home phone aint an option. Vonage does not hold up where I live either. Had a real fun time canceling that!

So in the end, sadly, I have decided that there will be some things Ill have to just pay full rate for. Like comcast, which does work nicely for us, or good toilet paper (why do some families and sports stadiums still insist on the cheap gray stuff? Lol), or good beer (has to rate 95+ on beeradvocate.com or I cant justify having it). Ill save my money doing credit card and gift card schemes for free and discounted travel instead.

@Ltlizard, I can relate to so much of what you've said here.

We have AT&T U-verse for TV, computer & phone (bundled). Our monthly bill started out at about $135/month, but has now managed to creep up to $215/month (of course, at least $20 of that is various federal, state, & local taxes). I'd love to get the bill down below $200/month; I've tried calling & talking to AT&T reps to do that but they'll throw you a bone (like free HBO or SHO for 3 mo.), then 3 mo. later when you call again to check for other promotions available, nothing doing. And we're talking the lowest-price tier available that still gives us FOX Sports Midwest, so we can watch Cardinals baseball games. (Which has been pretty painful these last few days.)

I could get Charter (which is owned by Comcast), but it'd be the same nonsense when the bundle promo expired. Besides, I don't want the hassle of having to change our e-mail addresses for God & everybody (credit cards, a gazillion friends, vendors, utilities, you name it). BTW, I hate Charter's TV ads ... SO annoying.

We've had DirecTV and DISH in the past, and it wasn't much cheaper. We live at the bottom of a hill, at the intersection of 2 streets, and the intersecting street is uphill as well. Every time we had a hard rain or snow event, no satellite reception. Finally, when the contract expired, we went to U-verse and have had almost no issues. Our U-verse includes Wi-Fi in the neighborhood, which helps cut down on data usage. We also bought a Roku box a few months ago and use it sometimes. (Our cell phones are not part of the bundle -- we use Consumer Cellular [which uses AT&T towers], own 2 old iPhones, and have plenty of talk & data time for under $60/month.)

You're absolutely right ... with some things, you get what you pay for (like TP)! And like you, we play the (no-fee) credit card games and get the gift cards in return. It's worked fine for us for years.