Dear Comcast, Good Riddance!

Dear Comcast,


Good riddance! Seriously. I never want to have anything to do with your company ever again. Based on the conversation I had on Tuesday, July 13, 2010 with Joseph, one of your account representatives, I am completely convinced that you have no desire to actually provide customer service, but rather just want to push as many of your "services" on people as possible, disregarding the customer's, excuse me - account holder's - actual need for this "service."


I called to see about transferring my service to my new apartment. I asked about getting the promotional rate as I personally know several people who have been able to get their rates dropped. You would be proud to know that Joseph said that the promotional rate was for new customers only and refused my request. However he was quick to point out that I am currently on the double play bundle, and if I moved to the triple play I could save money. I said I wasn't interested in the triple play and continued to argue my case for the promotional rate. He held his ground and I held mine.


By this point I was extremely frustrated. I asked to speak to a manager. He refused that request too. He suggested again for the third or fourth time that I move to the triple play which included home phone. Here's the deal - I have absolutely no use for home phone service! That's why I kept saying no. Finally he wore me down to the point where I finally asked just how much I would save by switching to triple play. Even though I have no use for home phone, if the savings are as great as he seemed to insinuate then what the heck, I'll add a service I'll never use. His response, not quite verbatim, was, "Well your base rate is currently $140, and the triple play would lower it to $130." Excuse me? $10.00 is my "savings"?! That's not even ten percent off! I told him that was no discount to which he said, "but you get your home phone in that rate." Again, I have no use for home phone service!!!


I'd had enough by this point. I told him just to cancel my service completely effective at the end of the month. Finally a request that he agreed to immediately!


Here's what I find most frustrating about this situation. I've been a Comcast customer for the past nine years. You don't even need all the fingers on one hand to count the number of times I've been late with a payment; I can't even remember the last time that happened! If Joseph had just held his ground by saying he couldn't give me the promotional rate as I'm an existing customer, or if he had suggested reviewing my account to see if there was a lower package available that could save me money, you'd still be getting my money. But instead you had him constantly push services that I don't need or want claiming that I'll be saving money. 


This by no means is an isolated incident. A few years ago when I called to add DVR service I was told I had to go to the silver tier or whatever the heck it was called at the time in order to get the DVR. Again, I was already happy with the channels I was receiving, but your account representative pushed more stuff on me which I didn't need. Yes, I fell for it then, but no more!


Do you know how refreshing it was when I called a Comcast competitor that their representative first asked what channels I was interested in, and did I want internet and phone service. When I said no to the phone service she didn't bring it up again! After talking with her I looked online to see what kind of package she was recommending. Would you believe it was one of the lowest packages they offered? No frills that I didn't want. And it's at least $50 a month lower than what I was paying with you - and that's after any promotional rates! I haven't signed on the dotted line yet with your competitor, but again, you don't need all the fingers on one hand to count how many days until I do.


So to you Comcast I again say, good riddance!


Cynthia