It’s been over a year since I last mused on Comcast’s lack of communication. Well, I’m back. 31/2 months ago we sent to their offices the modem we had been renting – we bought our own. We are still being billed the monthly rental fee (only $3.00 but that’s not the point.) I know they received it because I tracked it online. So two nights ago I decided to call the number listed on their bill; I waited for 25 minutes on hold. Of course, during that time I heard several invitations to contact them online. So finally I resorted to that. I went to their website and used it to email my complaint. It states there that the sender will hear most likely in a few hours. I checked last night and they had responded – by saying that for security reasons they would not discuss personal items via email and that I should call the number listed below where there are agents available 24/7. So I called – after working my way the myriad of options on their menu, I finally got through to the department I needed, only to hear “the office is closed…” Hmm… So I sent them another email of very frim complaint and was again told that I would hear most likely within a few hours. It’s 24 hours later and still no response. Why did I ever think contacting them would be easy? When will I ever learn?

My last blog, it turns out, was only chapter 1. In it I shared my Comcast adventure and frustration. Much to my surprise, an ESL manager from Comcast read the blog and posted a very friendly comment, with an apology and an offer to help if help was still needed. I followed his comment by emailing him to share more of my experience and he responded with some more information. I am grateful and impressed. Only time will tell if the changes and improvements he says Comcast is working on will make a difference. It would be wonderful if they do – for people like me and for them. So my hat is off to one motivated, responsible individual who really does care about his company and their customers. Now if only he had answered the phone when I called…Maybe next time!

The Comcast Credo, printed on every bill, states: “We will be the company to look to first for the communications products and services that connect people to what’s important in their lives.” So the other day our internet and television connections were down. Being a loyal (with really no other choice) subscriber, I called the phone number Comcast listed for service inquiries. Now you need to understand that our phone service is through Vonage, and thus the internet, so I’m calling via my cell phone. Comcast’s automated answering device told me to press 1 for cable television and 2 for internet. I chose 1. Of course there are some options to follow, among them the question “Are you calling from your home phone?” No – I have no internet connection. So I use my account number. I’m than asked to describe the problem, so I say, “My cable television has no signal.” Then I’m told they are extremely busy and I will need to wait. After just a few moments I get a prompt that suggests, to save waiting time, that I go on the internet and try to sole the problem through their website. So, being the brilliant guy I am I figure I’ll redial and push option 2 for internet issues. Amazingly, once I press 2 I wind up at the same options list as I did when I pressed 1. So I go through the whole menu once again, this time describing the problem as “I cannot connect to the internet, only to again be told I will need to wait. I’m willing – until I once again get the message to try going to the website. Hmm…Didn’t I start this call by indicating I was having internet probelms, and didn’t I just say I couldn’t connect? No wonder their credo says we will look to them first – we have no choice – rather than we’ll be the most responsive company in connecting people to what’s important. It’s a scary world when a communications company communicates in this way!