Another Comcast Problem

BC writes:

I obtained service from Comcast upon my move to a new home in May 2009.  With the Comcast service working intermittently and promised repairmen who didn’t honor appointments, we decided it was time for the breakup.  I was naïve when I thought this would be easy.  This move has cost me hours of frustration and high blood pressure. I was due $76.79 for service I was charged for in advance and did not use.  In addition, I was required to turn in a modem in order to qualify for the refund.  I jumped through hoops and did everything that was asked of me.  I obtained a receipt for the equipment I returned and was promised a full refund within 4-6 weeks.  Six weeks later, and no refund, I began calling Comcast to inquire about my refund.  I was told the equipment was never turned in so I provided proof by faxing a copy of the receipt I was given…checkmate.  In anticipation of this, they responded with the excuse that the equipment wasn’t in their inventory and IF they found it, then I would receive a refund…”back at ya, buddy”.  This was an unacceptable response for me and after speaking with CSA stallers at the street level, I could see the writing on the wall and quickly contacted the office of the President, Brian Roberts at 215-665-1700 on 9/22/2009.  My call was promptly intercepted and I spoke with Farrah Lively—executive assistant to the president.  She assured me that the actions of the CSA were not correct and that the problem would be resolved immediately; in fact,  I would receive a return call that same day….I held my breath….and passed out.  Here is a recap of the events:
8/10/2009 - Tonya (CSA #5770) tells me to expect a refund within 4 weeks (she was a street level CSA)
9/21/2009 – Spoke to another CSA who told me that Comcast would have to inventory equipment to see if they could locate the equipment that I turned in.  I asked to speak to a supervisor and was transferred to Shannon (employee #4380).   She tells me to expect a refund within a few days.
9/22/2009-  I called the office of the President, Brian Roberts (215-665-1700) , asked to speak with the President but was intercepted by Farrah (regional executive office).  She told me someone would call me back.
9/23/2009 – Gina (Comcast regional executive office 703-789-8171) calls and informs me a refund would be mailed on 9/28/2009
10/1/2009 – Where’s my check?  Elaine Squires (office of the President) tells me someone would call me….I hold my breath and pass out…again
10/2/2009 – Farrah Lively tells me a check was mailed 9/28/2009 and that it was in the hands of the United States Postal Service (I bet the USPS loves this endorsement from a fine organization like Comcast)
10/5/2009 – Elaine called me from the regional office and said the check didn’t really go out and it would be another 2 weeks due to lack of information.  When I asked what information she needed, she couldn’t answer me.  “Hey”, she informs me, “Washington Gas owes me money and it’s been six months”….oh, OK, that makes this ordeal acceptable?  Where do they get these people?
10/5/2009 -  I again contact the office of the President, Mr. Brian Roberts.  I asked to speak with the President and again I am intercepted, this time by with Tema Burton who tells me the “executive” office couldn’t do anything and that refunds are issued at the regional office (that would be Elaine) and I have haunting visions of a hamster on a wheel.
Here I am…still waiting for my money.  When I call the office of the President I doubt he really exists at this point since he won’t speak to me, and he appears eerily similar to the shadow man, Mr. Big, on the old Rocky and Bullwinkle cartoons.  “The check’s in the mail” is the quote of the month, and Elaine is still waiting for her refund from Washington Gas.   I just want my refund for service for which I prepaid and was intermittent at best.  I sure hope this story has a happy ending.  If I don’t get my refund by 10/10/2009  (this would represent 2 months I have waited for my refund) I am sending this  story to the Washington Post, I understand they have a great sense of humor and love a good story, especially the ones about the little people who have been jerked around by big business.  Truth really is stranger than fiction so I ask you to stay posted for the next chapter in this saga.  Let’s hope Comcast does the right thing and refunds my money…I’ll let you know after 10/10/2009.  Oh, I forgot to say that I am retired and have been looking for a new purpose in my life….I think I found it!  I’ll also let you know if the President, Brian Roberts, steps out of the shadows from behind the women who are his appointed “guards of the castle” and speaks to me.  I am sending this to him now at Brian_Roberts@comcast.com   Stay tuned!

What should have Comcast done differently:
Comcast should have been more professional in dealing with their customers.  They should also honor refunds instead of hiding from their financial obligations.

Taking a Whack Against Comcast

While it is the purpose of this site to expose Comcast's shortcomings though peaceful means, and old couple from Manassas, Virginia decided to take the matters in their own hands.

"...So, after stewing over it all weekend, on the following Monday, she went downstairs, got Don's claw hammer and said: "C'mon, honey, we're going to Comcast."

Did you try to stop her, Mr. Shaw?

"Oh no, no," he says.

Hammer time: Shaw storms in the company's office. BAM! She whacks the keyboard of the customer service rep. BAM! Down goes the monitor. BAM! She totals the telephone. People scatter, scream, cops show up and what does she do? POW! A parting shot to the phone!

"They cuffed me right then," she says.

Her take on Comcast: "What a bunch of sub-moronic imbeciles." ..."

Read the full story :) http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/10/17/AR2007101702359.html

My Comcast Story :(

Last month I received a bill from Comcast that I owe $77 dollars($44 higher than what I usually pay) for a regular Internet service. I called customer care, and the person that I talked to apologized for extra charge, entered a promotional code, and charged me the new/reduced fee for that month. I was so please with the customer service that I decided to add a cable services to my Comcast plan.

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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