Customer Service

[Debbbie]

I had so many calls at my home from 1-866-541-2905, never leaving a message and just an unknowned name on the dial. I finally called them and it turns out to be Comcast and I did have a payment past due which I took care of . What a strange business practice to leave no message and be unknown name on the dial. I would appreciate a call with message as a reminder but this practice of repeat calls is harassment and /or punishment, Please see my records I was on the phone yesterday with comcast getting assistance to put a block on this number and the assistant never mentioned a late payment or that the number I was trying to block belong to comcast. Is this a practical business practice.? BTW why did the block I put in place yesterday, not work today? Calling me with a reminder message is more likely to get a payment. And as a customer I would appreciate a polite reminder call. For sure you should identify yourself. Customers deserves respect..

[CCCarole]

I have notified the Administrator of your post.

CC

[hme882]

I agree that this practice is unacceptable. I have called comcast about my past due bill; however, I have continued to recieve calls with the most recent being at 8:45pm. I don't mind getting calls during the day, but calling this late in the evening from an unknown caller with no message is not a great business practice. 

[Shumbala]

Same here...  They do not leave a message, and call at least twice a day.  I finally called them today and they tell me that I have a balance with Comcast.  I do not have a balance.  I double checked to make sure.  So.... the nice lady tells me that I need to contact Comcast and tell them that I do not have a balance or ELSE I will continue getting these ridiculous calls.

 I just blocked the number. 

JJ

[soulwise2]

Agree with the rest - once is enough i don't need them calling every day more than once a day and especially not leaving any message - although the practice for that is that if they (being that its really a collection call even though they say a friendly reminder) do not make contact with a live person, they can call more than once a day.  My problem and I have told them this is I do not like being billed in advance for service i have not received yet!!! Too many times over nearly 20 years I had been promised a credit for an issue that deserved one (an extended outage, etc etc.) and never received it which is my reason for not wanting to pay in advance.  I pay every month - yes its late but its after I have gotten my services.  And yes due to the economy and lower wages the bill is hard to choke down every month - I am leaning towards removing the phone service and going to a double play or something - the problem with changin now tho is they rope you into having to keep the package for 2years or pay an early termination charge like the cell phones were doing that most have stopped i believe or atleast going down to a 1yr keep - regardless I need to make sure of the package I will change to because if it too is way expensive - and I can't keep up with the payment then I will be penalized for reducing it to one that is manageable. I will say these constant reminders (mind you its right when the bill is considered due also its not when its mid point which is also irritating) are really pushing me to the point of going ahead and lowering my package, removing the phone service and just having basic cable and internet ---- or going to another company altogether.  

[Customer-EDH]

I agree! This is absolutely ridiculous. Why the calls and then hangup? IF you MUST do this, atleast place a caller ID on your call instead of  "Out of Area". That is what I see when another COUNTRY calls in. Why not identify yourself? I do not need this type of abuse. If I am late, I am sorry, I will pay. But PLEASE STOP ANNOYING ME, because it is NOT WORKING.

You are making me (and I am sure OTHERS) angry. Phone abuse is a crime-consider that.

Thank you.

[Pistoffenmadd]

CCCarol states that she has "notified the administrator of your post". (circa August 2011) Merry Xmas !

I doubt any administrator has received any feedback concerning the answer phone / hang-up issue, the inability for Xfinity (our phone / cable / internet provider) to provide their (us) customers with the courtesy of at least a Caller ID when using the Xfinity 866 area code exchange auto-dialer courtesy (collection) call.

Whether delinquent on a bill due to an oversight or inability to pay, Comcast (formerly AT&T Digital) aka Xfinity, aka ____fill in new slick name here next year when we raise your rates again____ ,  should have the common sense, good business ethics, and moral standards to at least identify themself, leave a message concerning the issue (e.g., why the unknown "866" calls repeatedly a.m., p.m., weekends, and holidays) and allow the people (us) who pay their salaries, have the ability to communicate and make ammends when it is necessary. If we fail to respond by "X" date to a repeated unknown 866 number, Xfinity, will then effect a disruption of service; resulting in customers being required to pay back, current, one month in advance, and of course... a "re-connection fee" before restoring service. Wait a minute... now I get it !  Great easy way to keep shareholders happy; whilst alienating their customer base from their service provider. Smooth corporate marketing angle; and for what ? Failing to communicate properly with their customers ? Maybe the "administrators" will be able to bring this matter up at the water cooler or an upcoming Xfinity corporate picnic, paid for of course, by the Xfinity customers. Fair trade rules should apply. Other than switching to a crappy dish and DSL as an alternative to Xfinity, what are the options ?
Can you say "monopoly" ?  Xfinity's ability to jump the stop-gaps of an anti-trust violation, borderline unethical business practices, and the uncanny ability to ignore the customer, other than contacting the customer via stealth phone calls the day after their bill arrives, about a past due amount, leaves me quite unimpressed. Color me "Unknown"; better yet, just refer to me by my nickname... 866 .

Our provider, the people who "listened to our customers and made some changes", should listen up now or get out a checkbook to cover the expense of a class-action. Gee. Did I go on a rant or what ? Booyah !

[stopcalling]

I note that forum user names "yourekidding" and "annoyedcustomer" are already taken.  This alone should be a hint.  There is pretty much no way I believe that "Carol" ever fed this feedback up the foodchain.

My phone shows multiple calls on the same day from this number.  Yet they cannot be bothered to send me an email (I guess they won't use the gmail address I provided for them).  Seriously?  How is it effective to call me from a number that does not indicate it is Comcast, and not leave a message?  I don't answer calls from unknown numbers (which is now a common practice, at least among GenXers) so an email would be much more effective.

I don't need "caller ID," I need "caller search and destroy."

[Farmer13]

I am getting rather annoyed at receiving multiple "Friendly Reminders" daliy from the comcast collection department. The calls start at 8:30-8:45 am and continue till 8:30-8:45 pm  to a total of 3 to 5 calls per day, yes, my bill is often late but it always gets paid. The thing that gets me is I pay for the xfinity service but I can't use half of the features with my time/warner->comcast cable box and I was told that was because of the service agreement that time/warner had when comcast took over the area and that comcast has to honor it, because of that I am stuck with a cable box that I can't upgrade and nobody can tell when i can. So maybe I should start to harass comcast about my cable box issue the same way they harass me for late payments but i think it would be easier to change to qwest or minneapolis Wi-max and get direct tv.

[soulwise2]

Yup at it again.  called 4 freekin times a day for the last couple days.  I just paid my dam bill u happy now xfinity and its still 2 days left of service being billed that i have not yet received so it better not go out for any reason.  No messages left, unavailable name just their toll free number - but i recognize it now as to who it is and it generally starts about the day after the bill was due....I know others will say just pay your bill when its due - well 2 reasons for me 1) again I HATE paying for something I have not yet received (they bill a month in advance so my new bill due now is for 1/23-2/21......and 2) It just keeps going up and up and up and they have their packages structured so that trying to reduce the package nets you only about $10-$20 savings so you just say crud never mind leave as it is - sad thing is going down to a double play doesn't even reduce the $200/mo bill that much and the phone service amount on the bundled bill is around $45+ and I don't even want all the features with it but there is no choice to have pots line or maybe just the cid and call block and thats it.  at least ma bell had packages like this that you could get, because I always have always will detest call waiting.  and stop calling me 4 times a day with your friendly reminders - i really don't need any reminder - i know my bill is due, and i especially don't need called at 8:45pm!  oh lordy it says i used a bad word i have to clean up - did you know cr** i s a bad word?  well its better than sayin s***

[AmberB]

It is absoulutely ridiculous! This practice is still ongoing. I have even requested I be removed from any calling lists. It still happens.

I have complained numerous times. Comcast has absolutely no respect for their customers. Courtesy is not at all practiced. Nothing will be done about it.

[AmberB]

Perhaps we should all contact the Better Business Bureau and file a complaint.

[Pistoffenmadd]

Contacting the BBB won't resolve this on-going practice; they'll simply keep a record of the complaint(s) .

Complaints to the FCC would be the only effective step. Comcast/Xfinity having to answer to the FCC as a result of these numerous individual or group complaints, would result in the FCC conducting their own background investigation prior to confronting Comcast.

A slap on the wrist by the FCC generally means... clean up your act based on our recommendations, do so within xx days, then demonstrate compliance. If Comcast subsequently fails to practice the improved standards, and additional complaints on the same issue are received, the FCC could then fine Comcast on a per-incident basis. Since fines = $ , Comcast will finally do something to put a permanent fix into place.

[sunflowerbaby]

And the user name "overit" has been taken as well. Which bummed me out because I really wanted to use that name. Explains just how I feel right now. They are going to drive so many customers away with this annoying 3rd party bill collecting. Go after the ones that have had their service disconnected. Don't bother the ones that have always paid, yes maybe late, but again, have always paid. If their service is still active, maybe shoot them 1 email reminding...don't call me on my cell phone while I am at work on a Saturday. Especially when I paid 3 days ago. I'm going to check out how much AT&T or Charter costs these days. I like knowing what channels are what....but I'm over dealing with Comcast.

[soulwise2]

oh yes yes still at it of course.  wanted of course the amount + the advance amount for a month of service i have not yet received -----don't think so i actually just found out I have been paying for a package for HD that i don't even have an HDTV nor their HD box....hmmmm REALLY!!? how dishonest is that? My rep I talked with today of course apologized for that issue - but hey he didn't do it so he has to apologize for some other rep s*****ing up or sliding something in on me that i have been paying near 200/mo UGH!! WELL this was last straw tellin me i had till midnight for payment to be in - ok fine so today i have DOWNGRADED that package...and it's because of this practice that has annoyed me for the last time i have been a Comcast customer for 20years! yes 20!!! the new package (double play bundle) is still gonna be high as far as i am concerned but it's an amount I can live with easier I hope, if not well then guess i'll just find someone else to provide internet and forget the tv as well....but for this change - no more phone i don't need any more annoyance calls i pay late because i HATE paying in advance for service i have not received yet because i have never gotten a credit when that service messes up and goes out - rare now days yes but still i don't pay for a meal i am not going to get for a few weeks and i feel the same about the services i pay for.  

[Pistoffenmadd]

Just a quick FYI after my original post to this board in December, subsequent (immediately after posting it) follow-up received from a "ramp supervisor" named Mike, and my 90 day add'l post just 11 days ago.

Since this past weekend, continuous incoming calls (unavailable / no name) and no message(s) have been logged through today 3:30pm MT. My first opportunity 15 minutes ago to call them... same old line of ca-ca* and expressions of "courtesy". I explained "courtesy". Told him I will be giving Comcast the same courtesy it has given me.

Great follow up progress Mike! More BS and schmooze pending? For what? Don't bother.

*Use of the common family-acceptable word for doo-doo was flagged and noted as "you used a bad word".
Guess I should go straight to my room. I'll wait by the phone with anticipation of a courteous scolding from an unknown caller.

[anilyn]

I've been getting these calls too. They just started this week. I've been a customer for 20 yrs across several states and although there have been times my bill was past due or even temporarily disconnected and I have never received a call until this week. I find it odd that they never leave a message and the number is "unknown". I'm not sure what they think calling and hanging up is going to accomplish. I called the number  back and spoke to the typical sub-par CSR named Draylon. Of course he assured me that he would make a notation so I'm 100% this is the last call I will get <insert sarcasm> What I found interesting is that since it was supposed to be a "courtesy" call about my bill, not once did he ever asked when I planned on paying the bill. Wasn't that the purpose of the call?

[dtatlanta]

The only way to stop this is to cancel the comcast service, otherwise Comcast will continue to do what it is best at and it is poor customer service and service overall.

Complaining on the boards or whereever without action is useless.

[AmberB]

I have reported this practice to the Better Business Bureau and Donotcall.gov. I have pleaded with Comcast to remove me from auto dialing. Nothing, I still get calls all the time!!!!! Yet I have never had a disconnection.

If I ever again have access to a southern sky I will drop comcast in a heartbeat. I would do it right now if I had any other options. If you know of ANY other provider in Orem I would love to hear about it.

This practice will not change if no one reports it. I encourage you to report this customer harassment as I have done. The more the better. We deserve courtesy and respect in receiving a service that we already pay WAAYY  to much money for.

[AmberB]

I will do it!! Thanks!!