Customer Service. We’ve all had experiences with the good, the bad, and the ugly when it comes to this subject. Lately I’ve experienced great customer service when I call into places after finally getting past the long wait times (which is the frustrating part to me) and speak to an actual human being. However, one couple’s experience with the dark side of customer service has recently gone viral. Now as a disclaimer, before I actually read any articles or listened to the eight minute clip of the call I was warned that this was the “call from hell”, “a nightmare”, “horrifying”, etc. Needless to say I was definitely going into my research expecting the worse. Don’t get me wrong I’m not saying this call was acceptable. I’m looking at it from the perspective that it could have been a lot worse.
I began listening to the eight-minute clip, and it doesn’t seem as bad as I expected, at first. This entire clip could have easily been solved if the Comcast representative simply did what the customer asked him to do. The customer wanted to end his service but the representative wasn’t taking no for an answer. I understand not wanting to lose customers but being extremely pushy is not the way to retain them. Finally, after going back and fourth countless times the representative gives in to the customer’s request.
During the call the representative and the customer referred to a questionnaire or form that the representative had to fill out in order to document why the customer wanted to end his service. I think that in the future Comcast may want to allow this form to be sent via email in the form of an optional survey. Chances are when a customer is calling to cancel, they’re already upset with your service one way or another and asking them more questions will only further push them away. Also I’m not sure if over the phone was the only way to cancel service but offering the option via the Internet would be very convenient.
In regards to how Comcast can overcome this “PR nightmare”, the public apology from the Comcast’s Senior VP of Customer Service was a nice start. I also think the customer service representative may want to look at another career. It is obvious he was very passionate about convincing the customer to stay; maybe he’d make a good salesman one day. With the amount of information that passes through the internet daily, this trend will come and go. Although this was a huge negative for Comcast, soon it will blow over and another “scandal” will take over. I don’t think this one viral incident will damage one of the largest broadcasting and cable companies in the USA.