The worst customer service you've ever received

[BirdOfWar]

I cancelled Mediacom yesterday because the rates have gone up. It was actually surprisingly easy to cancel and I didn't get hassled at all.

They called me back today and offered one year for just about 50% of what we were paying, and the second year for $20 more per month.

It's actually a better price than if I was a totally new subscriber, so I took the deal.

I do still hate Mediacom.

 

[sigh]

Due to my annual "threaten to cancel Direct TV to get Sunday Ticket for free" phone call, I had to cancel Comcast to bundle direct tv w/ CenturyLink internet. I gave Comcast a reason though and they cancelled very quickly and even sent me a box to ship my modem in. Was quite the opposite from that sound bite.

 

[GTO]

cox's is just as bad

That's what she said? But seriously, the real fault here lies with the laws that prevent having multiple cable providers in the same zip code. Because of that, your only choices are: a) cable provider for the area you live in or b) satellite TV. If you're the only cable provider in town, you can charge whatever you want and provide whatever crappy service you want, knowing your customer's only other option is satellite.

I cancelled cable altogether because of this and have never been happier I did. I get everything I need from Netflix, Amazon Prime, Firstrow sports, ESPN3, etc for about $20/month (not counting what I pay for internet service). A lot of people are going this route every day. Maybe these cable companies will get their act together someday.

 

[jdoggivjc]

That was exceptional customer service, unfortunately it was also frustrating. I hate when they transfer me to "Frank" with a thick Indian accent and I continually say "what?" and they say it slower which makes it worse. I have to admit when I worked at an certain "big bank" out of college I would love to mess with people who were ****** off...its the small things.

Speaking of which, this leads me into my worst customer service experience ever - with McAfee. I used to have their antivirus suite on my computer (it was free through work). McAfee downloaded the latest suite of their software and auto installed it - and the suite completely locked my computer off the internet. I called their customer service and got someone from India. After trying to figure out what the hell was going on, it was determined that old installations of McAfee antivirus interfere with the new installation, even if you've uninstalled the previous versions, and I had to install a program onto my computer that specifically removed remnant McAfee files. So I do this and reinstall the new suite - and my computer gets locked off the internet again. Then she tells me that it must be old Norton antivirus files that are causing the problem and I have to go to their website to download the Norton equivalent of their "cleaner" program (which as far as I could tell then doesn't exist because Norton's programs were never this volatile) and she can't help me any further. So several hours on the phone and I essentially got no help whatsoever.

Oh - and they charged me $300+ for not helping me. I believe I got that money refunded (it was many years ago now) after calling and complaining about the lack of help I got, but it was a shock to find that charge on my statement.

And this is why I will never deal with McAfee ever again, and why I have to be extremely careful when updating Adobe Acrobat because for whatever reason the downloader wants to install McAfee antivirus onto my computer any time I try and update Acrobat.

 

[jsb]

I've been a happy Mediacom customer for years but I've had it up to here with them.


During the the tornado warning two weeks ago my internet went out. It took 2 weeks to get a tech to my house. He came on Saturday and it worked for 2 hours. Then it went out again. They got a tech to return and he claimed that it was some flaw with my cable line and there was nothing for him to do. He made an appointment for the "line" crew to come out. They came on Sunday and it still didn't work. Next appointment available was Sunday. That's 3 weeks with no internet.

We'll see if it works on Sunday. I have doubts. They don't seem to understand that it was something with the storm.

 

[Cyclones_R_GR8]

Speaking of which, this leads me into my worst customer service experience ever - with McAfee. I used to have their antivirus suite on my computer (it was free through work). McAfee downloaded the latest suite of their software and auto installed it - and the suite completely locked my computer off the internet. I called their customer service and got someone from India. After trying to figure out what the hell was going on, it was determined that old installations of McAfee antivirus interfere with the new installation, even if you've uninstalled the previous versions, and I had to install a program onto my computer that specifically removed remnant McAfee files. So I do this and reinstall the new suite - and my computer gets locked off the internet again. Then she tells me that it must be old Norton antivirus files that are causing the problem and I have to go to their website to download the Norton equivalent of their "cleaner" program (which as far as I could tell then doesn't exist because Norton's programs were never this volatile) and she can't help me any further. So several hours on the phone and I essentially got no help whatsoever.

Oh - and they charged me $300+ for not helping me. I believe I got that money refunded (it was many years ago now) after calling and complaining about the lack of help I got, but it was a shock to find that charge on my statement.

And this is why I will never deal with McAfee ever again, and why I have to be extremely careful when updating Adobe Acrobat because for whatever reason the downloader wants to install McAfee antivirus onto my computer any time I try and update Acrobat.

I can't stand how they always try to piggy back other software on you. So many people just keep clicking ok to get through it.

 

[mganzeveld]

This was a Hardees so I guess that sets it up right there. Got a big ol' burger. Took one bite and there were hairs in it. Took it up to the manager who was running the register. I showed her the burger and the hairs in it. Her response? "What do you want me to do about it?" Uh, make me another burger. My wife and I once had our order ticket lost at Hickory Park and thus forgotten by any of the waiters. Finally, our waiter shows up and asks how our meal was. When she/they realized our ticket was lost and we had sat there for 30 minutes they were almost falling over each other trying to make it right. Even knocked a huge chunk off the bill. THAT'S how you are supposed to do it.

 

[fwiw]

I wish I could get Mediacom. Sadly their territory ends one suburb away from me in the Twin Cities. Comcast is the worst.

Be careful what you wish for. As low of a bar as Comcast might be, Mediacom is at least 10 rungs below that. Consistently rated the worst cable, phone, and internet provider in the country.

 

[CarlHungus]

Mediacom, Jos A Bank, and US Cellular are my worst

 

[Bipolarcy]

Am I the only one that just give a made up number. I just want to buy my stuff and not hassle with explaining why I don't want to give my number, so I just string some random digits together. I thought everybody did this.

I only do this when they ask me for my name. They have no need to know my name. I'm not applying for a loan or an adoption. I give them a false one, usually Bob, but it depends on my mood.

 

[SerenityNow]

I've been with mediacom for 14 years and while I've had the occasional issue, nothing has ever been so bad I wanted to switch. In fact every time my promo is up, I simply call and say that and ask for a new promotion, without having to threaten to leave. I always get a new deal. They're not perfect, but I've had very good luck with them.

 

[Agkistrodon]

I recently got rid of Cox service in favor of AT&T U-verse. The sales person I talked to when calling to cancel my Cox service was almost as aggressive. Telling him that I wanted my service turned off because I had already activated my AT&T service was not apparently not satisfactory. He also just barely stopped short of calling me a liar when I told him how little AT&T was charging me for equivalent internet service and more channels.

 

[bugs4cy]

Mercy Medical has sent three or four minor medical bills to collections. I have an appointment or something done and never get a bill so I assume it was all taken care of by insurance. Boom, six months later I have a collections agency crawling up my arse. After painfully long waits on hold I get through to someone at Mercy. They say they were sending the bill to an address we lived at from 1997-1999(!?!?!). And each time we supposedly go through the process of updating this address. And at each appointment I double check my address and it's right. After the last go around, as I'm seeing sparkles behind my eyes because I'm so p*ssed off, billing admits they do not have access to the records with my personal info that I reviewed the day of the appointment. So, last November I instituted the Lifetime Ban Hammer on Mercy due to the billing issues as well as how two close friends being treated there in last nine months. I will die in an ambulance before I let them drop me off at that Hades hole. Mercy joins the a Lifetime Ban Hammer Club that includes Magnavox, Windstream, the wedding dress store that handed me my wedding dress in a wadded up trash bag three days before the wedding, Hummel's Nissan and another car dealer that failed to put oil in my car after an oil change.
:realmad:

 

[GrindingAway]

I had a bad experience early in the days of India call centers. I had a TV and the picture tube went bad shortly after I bought it. I don't remember all the details, but a few highlights...

About 30 min of troubleshooting that mostly involved the guy asking if I had any speakers next to the TV. Finally get agreement on taking it to a service center.

Support guy: What's your address
Me: Something Epworth, IA (at least that's where I think I lived at the time)
Support guy: Ok let me find the nearest service center
Me: All right
Support guy: Um excuse me could you tell me what state Iowa is in
Me: Are you serious? It's in the state of Iowa
Support guy: Ah ok, hmm do you know where 53rd street is? (I don't remember the actual street number)
Me: In Epworth? There aren't 53 streets is Epworth
Support guy: Well that is your nearest service center you'll need to find it.
Arguing for a while....
I finally happened to glance down at the owners manual laying face down on the coffee table the back page lists 6 locations one on 53rd street in Chicago.
Me: That's in Chicago I'm not driving my TV to Chicago.
Support Guy: Sorry I can't help you further then.

I ended up calling the local TV repair shop in Epworth and found out they were an authorized service center for that TV.

 

[tm3308]

Of course that's part of their job, I don't know why anyone would expect anything different when calling to cancel a service. He's trying to find out what, in particular, the customer is dissatisfied with so he can offer a solution, thereby keeping a customer and putting money in the company's coffer. That's just good business.

Having said all that, at some point you're just badgering the consumer, which is never good business. You should ask politely once or twice if there's anything you can do to keep their business, but at some point you just have to accept that some people just want what they want, even if it doesn't make sense to the company.

This.

 

[00clone]

I only do this when they ask me for my name. They have no need to know my name. I'm not applying for a loan or an adoption. I give them a false one, usually Bob, but it depends on my mood.

And then you use a credit card, right?

 

[CloneinWDSM]

Due to my annual "threaten to cancel Direct TV to get Sunday Ticket for free" phone call, I had to cancel Comcast to bundle direct tv w/ CenturyLink internet. I gave Comcast a reason though and they cancelled very quickly and even sent me a box to ship my modem in. Was quite the opposite from that sound bite.

Will you call direct tv and get that for me? I don't want to pay 40 bucks a month for that.

 

[Freebird]

While I certainly don't agree with how the rep went about it, it sure didn't help that the customer was being a **** from the very get go. Honestly, if I'm at work, and I'm having a rough day, then this ******** customer gets on the line and immediately starts being a ***** about everything, I'd probably antagonize him a little bit too. And the fact that he had the audacity to record and post it leads me to believe he's had many experiences like this, likely due to the fact that he seems like a miserable human being and kind of brings it upon himself. Just my opinion.

This was ten minutes into the conversation. They had provided answers to the rep's questions already. I'd be a **** too.

I can't believe there are actually multiple people on here siding with the rep on this one. Is customer service that horrible now that some of you people actually excuse this? Unreal.

 

[mcblogerson]

Time Warner and Adelphia were pretty annoying to deal with, but I've never been jerked around by Cox in the 5 years I've had them. Cox seems a little more liberal in giving away premium channels for free for a few months, especially during the summer.

 

[cyrocksmypants]

This was ten minutes into the conversation. They had provided answers to the rep's questions already. I'd be a **** too.

I can't believe there are actually multiple people on here siding with the rep on this one. Is customer service that horrible now that some of you people actually excuse this? Unreal.

If I'm not mistaken, they were in the phone total for ten minutes before. That could very easily be 3-6 minutes one hold, couple minutes talking to another rep before being transferred to the guy that "convinces people to say" etc. Again, I said I don't exactly agree with the rep and how he handled it, but I certainly don't know enough about what happened before to say the guy was just in being a **** off the bat.