So we were having problems with our Comcast broadband connection. For about 45 minutes, it would go down (per the modem lights), I would reset the modem, it would stay up about 5-7 minutes, then drop again.
I finally (once I, ahem, realized we were having a problem), I called Comcast customer service.
After about 5 minutes on hold, I was connected with a competent, patient, friendly lady down in Colorado Springs. We tried a variety of things, and she had no problems waiting for the modem to drop again (usually just as I was saying, “Well, it looks like that’s fixed it”).
She did note that the modem was having some problems — it had a bad boot record, somehow, and took some extra effort to reset and fix from her end. And, ultimately, that didn’t solve the problem.
The suggested answer was to take the modem to our nearest Comcast Connect Center, which is over near Centennial Airport. We still had a half-hour before they closed, so we did so
And that part was easy-peasy — queue up, explain the sitch, the gal labeled the old modem, and handed us a new one, sign here thanks, and “Once you hook it back up, call the number at the top.”
Went home, hooked up the modem, called the number at the top …
… which started walking me through an automated process for activating my DVR. Um …
Once I entered in the s/n of the new equipment, the system registered an error, and I got kicked over to a live body. Who seemed kind of confused, until I explained that I was trying to activate a cable modem. “Oh, I need to send you over to the Internet people.”
Which he did.
Which landed me in an automated attendant, who said that all the customer service reps were busy for the next 16-23 minutes, and if I gave my phone number, they would call me back, and I would NOT lose my place in line.
Okay.
Forty-five minutes later, the phone rang. I picked it up. “This is a Comcast return call for [my voice] DAVE HILL [/my voice]. When DAVE HILL is on the line, please press 1.”
“[1]”
“All of our customer service representatives are busy right now. Please stand by …”
Rrg.
Five minutes later (thank you, headset), I had a chipper gent on asking me how I was doing. Once I regaled him with the tale of everything since I’d gotten back home (quoth he, “I don’t know why that have that phone number on those receipts; that takes you to the cable box activation folks”), he send the Magic Signal to recognize the new cable modem, and all was right with the world.
So … Comcast gets kudos for …
- A competent initial contact, who finally knew when it was time to swap out the equipment (rather than scheduling a service call).
- A quick, painless system to to swap out said equipment.
- A system to allow for callbacks rather than having to wait on the line.
- A competent final contact who got me connected.
… and brickbats for …
- The wrong activation number on the cable modem receipts.
- A significant under-estimate on the time to wait for the call-back.
- Getting a call-back when there was nobody ready to actually talk to me.
Good people, bad automation. Which, if given the choice, is probably the right one, but it’s still irksome.
Got home yesterday to find no dial tone on the phone. After disconnecting and reconnecting all the phones (including a corded one from the closet), I called and made a report (with a computer) for a tech to come out today.
At around 8:30 am, I got a call from ATT to tell me that a tech was scheduled (and to make sure I had done the disconnect/connect thing since their computer thought I had a phone off the hook).
Tech arrived around 12:45pm, and found that the problem was in their lines (yea, it wasn’t going to cost me anything), and took about 2 hours to find and fix the problem, which was at the junction box.
Two good things-
1. I was able to have my cell phone number given to the tech, so he could call and let me know he was coming (which he did).
2. He gave me his card and said to call him directly if I have any issues in the next month.
Other than the waiting for the help, it was mostly painless. Who’d have thunk it? ATT can do things right!