This month I got a bill for $143 ... I immediately contacted the customer service over 24/7 chat(which is a great option), and they perceived to give me somewhat confusing answers. After about an hour and a half in the conversation, the person that I talked to came up with some charges that magically added up to the amount of my bill. The problem however lays int he fact that these numbers had nothing to do with the information that he originally provided me with in the beginning of our discussion. I honestly got a feeling that he just pulled out a calculator and came up with some numbers to shut me up.
I usually try to be very nice to people in the customer service, since I worked similar jobs before and know that their hands are usually tied. In this case, however, I had a set of mixed fillings of both outrage and amazement by the "quality" of the customer service. I don't know if I am just being cranky because tomorrow is my birthday and I am getting old, or maybe because this guy really did provide horrible customer service. I will let the readers help me sort it out.
I am currently in the process of contacting Rick (see below) from Comcast to leave him the feedback about my experience with customer service. I'll keep you updated on the kind of response that I will get.
Please review the copy of my chat bellow, and let me know if you think I was being unfair to the guy, or the customer service was in fact a bit lacking.
LiveAssist Transcript
chat id :
Problem : High charges on my bill
Alex > High charges on my bill
Rowell > Hello Alex_, Thank you for contacting Comcast Live Chat Support.
My name is Rowell. Please give me one moment to review your information.
Rowell > I would be happy to assist you today.
Rowell > I see here that you have a billing issue.
Rowell > Let me go ahead and help you with that.
Rowell > Please allow me a moment to check on your account.
Alex_ > oj
Alex_ > ok i mean
Alex_ > here is my Account Number:
Rowell > Thank you.
Rowell > It shows here that you have internet and cable service
Alex_ > yes
Alex_ > So basically I had a problem with my internet bill earlier, it went
up to $77 but the customer service applied some sort of code and braught it
down to 25 which I paid. Then I ordered TV services on the same line which
was supposed to be $29 a month. Now I get the bill for $143 while 29+25 makes
out a lot less.
Rowell > It shows here that you before the service was upgraded the $34.99
promotional offer for the internet service was not in effect in your June bill
making your previous balance to $72.24. After the payment of $25.62 the
remaining balance was added to your current bill.
Alex_ > That is not what I was told on the phone, when they took the payment
Rowell > When you change your service level, the amount due on your first
statement after the change will be slightly off from your new rate because of
pro-rated charges or credits from your most recent billing cycle. These
charges or credits will be for the difference between the old and new service
packages from the date you made the change to the end of the billing cycle in
which the change was made.
Alex_ > ok, so what is the remaining balance?
Rowell > Your current balance is $143.14
Alex_ > in other words how did we get to 143
Alex_ > ok, what is my normal montly payment supposed to be ?
Rowell > Yoour monthly charge is $67.93. On this cycle your bill includes a
month in advance payment for the new service and remaining balance of the
previous bill cycle.
Alex_ > ok, so does the month in advance imply that I will not have to pay
for next month?
Rowell > You will still need to pay for the next bill. Be aware of the
way that Comcast bills for services. The way that our billing works is
that when you change services or have services installed, you are billed
from the date that the work order closed to the end of that billing cycle
and you are also billed for one cycle in advance. Due to the nature of
this billing, you will see an increased amount due on your first statement
following the upgrade. On the next cycle, the billing will be at the normal rate.
Alex_ > Billed from 06/24/2009 to 07/23/2009
Alex_ > Billed from 07/24/2009 to 08/23/2009
Alex_ > Billed from 06/24/2009 to 07/23/2009 - 72
Alex_ > Billed from 07/24/2009 to 08/23/2009 - 143
Alex_ > am I going to get billed for 08/24-09/23? and if yes, why since I
am paying double for 07/24-08/23 ?
Rowell > Your August to September bill is not yet generated. The current
bill is for your July to August bill.
Alex_ > But you are chagrin me for August to September, right? Thats the month
in advance?
Rowell > Yes this is the month in advance charge.
Alex_ > So than I shouldn't pay anything for August to Septermber, because
I allready paid double this month. Is that how it works?
Rowell > For your actual service date on June 14 to July 14 the charge will be
a month in advance making the billing cycle for this actual date to
July 24 - August 23.
Alex_ > I have no idea what that supposed to mean.
Alex_ > lets break it down
Alex_ > in june-july I owed you some money,t that you added to my bill for
july august.
Alex_ > I owed the difference, what ever it is lets say 40 dollors
Alex_ > than I get bill for 143 dollors.
Alex_ > 40 is that I owe from the previous month
Alex_ > 63 for this month
Alex_ > and 40 more for the next cicle.
Alex_ > so next cicle I should only pay 63-40(I allready paid) = 23 dollars
Alex_ > is that correct?
Rowell > Since the upgrade is processed in the middle of your billing cycle
prorations applies. A total of $37.51 for the prorated charge was applied to
your account.
Alex_ > ok, i get that
Alex_ > so I pay 34 for july-august + 37 from last month = 71
Alex_ > and the other 72$ is for 2 cycles of cable, right?
Rowell > You are now being billed a monthly rate of $67.73 for both service.
This rate along with the installation charge and prorated charges and taxes
and other fees constitute your current bill.
Alex_ > You are not answering my question.
Rowell > The other $72 is not for cable service alone it also includes the
charge for internet service for the current cycle and a month in advance.
Alex_ > What is my payment for august-September going to be ? 67.73?
Rowell > That would be that regular rate + taxes and fees less than $8.
Alex_ > Why is it going to be regular rate, if I am already paying extra
this month ?
Rowell > I mean your regular is $67.73 + taxes and fees
Rowell > The $67.73 + taxes and fees rate will be your regular rate for 12 months.
Alex_ > Do you see what my problem is ? I end up paying extra money, almost
double , this month for the "month in advance". But when that month in
advance, which is in my understanding the next month comes, I need to pay
once again the regular ammount. So if I have to pay regular for the next month,
what am I paying extra for this month?
Rowell > This month's rate is composed of $29.99 for the internet
service + $29.99 for the cable service + $4.95 HD service + $3 for modem
rent Extra charges includes installation charge, prorated charges, taxes and
other fees.
Alex_ > ok thats 67.9 I get it. And I also owe 37.51 pro rated from last month,
its messed up, but I also get it. What I don't get is why do I need to pay $143.
The charges that you explained add up to $105. Where do other $40 come from?
Rowell > It shows here that your total taxes and fees is $6.92 + installation
charge of $25.99 for cable service. It shows here also an assistance payment
fee of $3.99. This fee is charge when payment is processed by a customer account
executive.
Alex_ > OK, that adds up. Here is what you said earlier thought.
Alex_ > Rowell(Fri Jul 17 2009 01:12:58 GMT-0700 (Pacific Daylight Time))>
Yoour monthly charge is $67.93. On this cycle your bill includes a month in
advance payment for the new service and remaining balance of the previous
bill cycle.
Alex_ > You bill included month in advance?
Alex_ > but you just broke it down without month in advance. So were you
BSing me before, or are you BSing me now?
Rowell > The month in advance is the $67.73 on the break down. The current
charge is already included in the prorations.
Alex_ > Whatever you say. Can you please give me your employee ID number and
reference number for this conversation.
Rowell > is my ID number.
Rowell > You can save or print this transcript when you click on the end
session button. Those option will appear on the pop up after clicking the button.
Alex_ > OK, didn't meant to be an a-hole but, it took you over hour and a
half to explain me what the charges on my bill were for. Have a good night.Update: Since this post I attempted to contact Comcast once again, and have not received any reply whatsoever. It has now been 5 days.
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