I'm Glad I Don't Have Comcast Right Now
I spotted a story about Comcast turning on digital service for all their customers -- and thus cutting service to thousands of mid-range cable customers who didn't have a digital TV or a digital set-top box. I was particularly struck by this part of a Sac Bee article:
... new set-top boxes are required for subscribers who want to continue receiving mid-level service - known as expanded basic - on all or some of their TVs.
[ ... ]
For weeks, Comcast said it has been informing local customers of the coming changeover via mailings, phone calls and on-screen crawl lines. The company also stockpiled thousands of boxes at a Natomas warehouse.
Nevertheless, [Comcast spokesman] Johnson said today that "we anticipated that some customers would wait until the last minute" to get the boxes.
Um, WRONG.
People bitch about Comcast being "the worst", even though in my experience the quality is about the same as the other services. What's different is this kind of attitude.
If people paying for your service require gadget X after an upgrade, you send them gadget X. You don't wait for them to request gadget X (like Comcast says customers can do online.) You don't send them letters in the mail telling them they can drive to your one convenient location in the area and pick up a box.
Comcast is charging for installation, but that's OK, because they are not charging for the boxes, which customers can install on their own. But you are supposed to be PROACTIVE. You don't shut off your customers' service and then say "we warned you guys."
DO NOT BLAME CUSTOMERS FOR YOUR ACTIONS.
... new set-top boxes are required for subscribers who want to continue receiving mid-level service - known as expanded basic - on all or some of their TVs.
[ ... ]
For weeks, Comcast said it has been informing local customers of the coming changeover via mailings, phone calls and on-screen crawl lines. The company also stockpiled thousands of boxes at a Natomas warehouse.
Nevertheless, [Comcast spokesman] Johnson said today that "we anticipated that some customers would wait until the last minute" to get the boxes.
Um, WRONG.
People bitch about Comcast being "the worst", even though in my experience the quality is about the same as the other services. What's different is this kind of attitude.
If people paying for your service require gadget X after an upgrade, you send them gadget X. You don't wait for them to request gadget X (like Comcast says customers can do online.) You don't send them letters in the mail telling them they can drive to your one convenient location in the area and pick up a box.
Comcast is charging for installation, but that's OK, because they are not charging for the boxes, which customers can install on their own. But you are supposed to be PROACTIVE. You don't shut off your customers' service and then say "we warned you guys."
DO NOT BLAME CUSTOMERS FOR YOUR ACTIONS.