Comcast tried the old bait and switcheroo!
We have never had cable until this past year. We have really enjoyed it until our year was up, our package deal was over and we were switched to regular billing. Reality check! I immediately contacted Comcast through their chat feature which obviously is some foreign country (take your pick). I was flabbergasted at the blatant switch and bait going on. Luckily, I saved my chat transcription so you can see it for yourself. I have added some of my comments in purple italics for your amusement. Your welcome.
Let me say that all I had to do was call my local number, press the button to cancel the service, confirm I was speaking with the "Cancellation Department". I told them I had been very pleased with my service over the past year, but that the new bill did not fit our budget. I made myself aware of what the current packages were and which one best matched what we currently had. *Surprisingly* my customer service rep immediately made me an offer of that exact package which I signed up for. Yeah, I know, I'm a glutton for punishment. It was only a 6 month package deal so we will have to go through this process again in 6 months (groan) but at least I know to skip the whole scam that is their online customer service.
Here is the transcript of the online customer service chat:
Jay Carl>
Hello FrazzledMom_, Thank you for contacting Comcast Live Chat Support. My name is Jay Carl. Please give me one moment to review your information.
Jay Carl>
Comcast thanks you for your interest in our services. Welcome to the Sales Department! Please bear with me while I assist you with your request for today. You can call me Jay. (because you cannot pronounce my real name stupid American) It's really nice to have you on chat.
Jay Carl>
How are you doing today?
FrazzledMom_>
(Enough with these false pleasantries, let's get to it) Hey Jay. I'm an existing customer and I'm interested in signing up for the double play. I don't need installation, but it wouldn't let me go past that point on the online form without putting in a date for installation.
Jay Carl>
The process that you went through earlier was the online order request form. The actual order processing will be done here on my end. We need you to stay on the chat line while we go through the order process. Would that be alright with you?
FrazzledMom_>
okay (no, I'm going to disconnect and you can do it by yourself. Duh!)
Jay Carl>
I really do apologize for that inconvenience FrazzledMom. Usually, it will go through if the service you currently have is eligible for a no install upgrade.
Jay Carl>
May I have your phone number please so that I can locate the account?
FrazzledMom_>
***-***-****
Jay Carl>
I have accessed your account and I have checked the form you have filled out as well. As I can see on the form, you would like to have the Double Play Starter for $69.99, is that right FrazzledMom?
FrazzledMom_>
yes... tv and Internet
Jay Carl>
Wonderful! A very nice choice. A few moments please while I check the area and account for eligibility.
Jay Carl>
FrazzledMom, as I can see on your account right now, we might be having a problem with the order that you have selected.
Jay Carl>
As I can see right now, you currently have the Digital Starter and the Performcance Internet.
Jay Carl>
I really do apologize FrazzledMom but we could not reprocess the promotion that you were in last 2009.
(hang on gang, here comes the old bait and switch)
Jay Carl>
However, we can go ahead and upgrade your level of service to a promotional offer.
FrazzledMom_>
explain... (I would have loved to type "what the heck is going on here?")
Jay Carl>
FrazzledMom, I really would hate to trouble you like this. (can you hear the accent in your head yet?) But can you please specify on what you would like me to explain? Would that be the promotional offers that I informed you about?
FrazzledMom_>
I want the 69.99 double play special. Why don't I qualify for it? I am an existing customer and the form asked for my existing customer number. It can't be that this is only good for new customers or it wouldn't have asked me for the number... Is the 69.99 double play special not for digital start package and Performance Internet? (doesn't that made sense Mr. Jay?)
Jay Carl>
FrazzledMom. I am currently looking at your account right now. Basically, I am looking at the services that you have had from the start of your account up to now. As I can see, You were under that promotion form (sic)**/**/** to **/**/**.
Jay Carl>
I would just like to emphasize that we could not re apply a promotion that you already have had. (oh really....) I really do apologize for the inconvenience. I really would like to process the order for you right now. But basically, our system will block the order and it would not go through. (wow, BLOCK the order. We can't have that can we.)
Jay Carl>
I would just like to emphasize that we could not re apply a promotion that you already have had. I really do apologize for the inconvenience. I really would like to process the order for you right now. But basically, our system will block the order and it would not go through. (again with the blocking)
Jay Carl>
However, we can go ahead and upgrade your service. (oh, wow, seriously dude. At this point I clearly see what's going on and I am livid.)
FrazzledMom_>
This doesn't make sense to me at all. I have read the fine print and it doesn't say anything about not qualifying for this unless I have an outstanding balance. (you don't know who you are dealing with Mr. Fancy Pants. I read fine print for a living.)
Jay Carl>
I really am so sorry FrazzledMom. It is really hard for me to inform you this but I never did say that we could not apply the promotion because of an outstanding balance. (more gibberish and hand waving.)
Jay Carl>
What I was trying to explain in simple terms (did he just call me an idiot?) is that you already had that promotion before. To be specific, last 2009. We cant give it to you now since you already had it.
Jay Carl>
Again, we are so sorry if it seems misleading. (Oh it is not misleading. You are pulling a bait and switch.)
FrazzledMom_>
Exactly... so I don't understand why I can't get this promotion? (let me see if he will slip up here)
Jay Carl>
But please do not worry. Again, we can upgrade your service to a promotional price. (nope, he's going for it)
FrazzledMom_>
I don't want to upgrade my service. I am satisfied with what I have. (I am seeing colors right now. Urgggg)
Jay Carl>
You can not get the promotion since you already had the promotion. As what I was explaining earlier, we cannot reapply the SAME promotion on an account. You can not have the promotion twice. Again, I know it can be an inconvenience but if your problem is your bill, my suggestion is for you to upgrade your level of service. (maybe if I say it three times she will give up and sign up with the more expensive package)
Jay Carl>
We have the Digital Preferred Double play. That would be for $79.99.
FrazzledMom_> (I am so mad that I've had it. I'm calling an elephant an elephant.)
Jay - I have not read anywhere in the fine print that you cannot get a similar promotion again. My other promotion has expired. I feel like I am being pressured into purchasing something I do not want. If you cannot help me I guess our conversation is over. Thank you.
Jay Carl>
I really do apologize FrazzledMom. I am only trying to save you $30.41 dollars of your monthly bill. Plus you get better service than what you have now. Again, I really do hope you understand that I would love to process the order that you like for you. It is just that our system would not allow it.
Jay Carl>
Is there anything else I can help you with? (hello, hello.... where has she gone? Surely she was going to sign up. I was going to save her so much money.)
Let me say that all I had to do was call my local number, press the button to cancel the service, confirm I was speaking with the "Cancellation Department". I told them I had been very pleased with my service over the past year, but that the new bill did not fit our budget. I made myself aware of what the current packages were and which one best matched what we currently had. *Surprisingly* my customer service rep immediately made me an offer of that exact package which I signed up for. Yeah, I know, I'm a glutton for punishment. It was only a 6 month package deal so we will have to go through this process again in 6 months (groan) but at least I know to skip the whole scam that is their online customer service.
Here is the transcript of the online customer service chat:
Jay Carl>
Hello FrazzledMom_, Thank you for contacting Comcast Live Chat Support. My name is Jay Carl. Please give me one moment to review your information.
Jay Carl>
Comcast thanks you for your interest in our services. Welcome to the Sales Department! Please bear with me while I assist you with your request for today. You can call me Jay. (because you cannot pronounce my real name stupid American) It's really nice to have you on chat.
Jay Carl>
How are you doing today?
FrazzledMom_>
(Enough with these false pleasantries, let's get to it) Hey Jay. I'm an existing customer and I'm interested in signing up for the double play. I don't need installation, but it wouldn't let me go past that point on the online form without putting in a date for installation.
Jay Carl>
The process that you went through earlier was the online order request form. The actual order processing will be done here on my end. We need you to stay on the chat line while we go through the order process. Would that be alright with you?
FrazzledMom_>
okay (no, I'm going to disconnect and you can do it by yourself. Duh!)
Jay Carl>
I really do apologize for that inconvenience FrazzledMom. Usually, it will go through if the service you currently have is eligible for a no install upgrade.
Jay Carl>
May I have your phone number please so that I can locate the account?
FrazzledMom_>
***-***-****
Jay Carl>
I have accessed your account and I have checked the form you have filled out as well. As I can see on the form, you would like to have the Double Play Starter for $69.99, is that right FrazzledMom?
FrazzledMom_>
yes... tv and Internet
Jay Carl>
Wonderful! A very nice choice. A few moments please while I check the area and account for eligibility.
Jay Carl>
FrazzledMom, as I can see on your account right now, we might be having a problem with the order that you have selected.
Jay Carl>
As I can see right now, you currently have the Digital Starter and the Performcance Internet.
Jay Carl>
I really do apologize FrazzledMom but we could not reprocess the promotion that you were in last 2009.
(hang on gang, here comes the old bait and switch)
Jay Carl>
However, we can go ahead and upgrade your level of service to a promotional offer.
FrazzledMom_>
explain... (I would have loved to type "what the heck is going on here?")
Jay Carl>
FrazzledMom, I really would hate to trouble you like this. (can you hear the accent in your head yet?) But can you please specify on what you would like me to explain? Would that be the promotional offers that I informed you about?
FrazzledMom_>
I want the 69.99 double play special. Why don't I qualify for it? I am an existing customer and the form asked for my existing customer number. It can't be that this is only good for new customers or it wouldn't have asked me for the number... Is the 69.99 double play special not for digital start package and Performance Internet? (doesn't that made sense Mr. Jay?)
Jay Carl>
FrazzledMom. I am currently looking at your account right now. Basically, I am looking at the services that you have had from the start of your account up to now. As I can see, You were under that promotion form (sic)**/**/** to **/**/**.
Jay Carl>
I would just like to emphasize that we could not re apply a promotion that you already have had. (oh really....) I really do apologize for the inconvenience. I really would like to process the order for you right now. But basically, our system will block the order and it would not go through. (wow, BLOCK the order. We can't have that can we.)
Jay Carl>
I would just like to emphasize that we could not re apply a promotion that you already have had. I really do apologize for the inconvenience. I really would like to process the order for you right now. But basically, our system will block the order and it would not go through. (again with the blocking)
Jay Carl>
However, we can go ahead and upgrade your service. (oh, wow, seriously dude. At this point I clearly see what's going on and I am livid.)
FrazzledMom_>
This doesn't make sense to me at all. I have read the fine print and it doesn't say anything about not qualifying for this unless I have an outstanding balance. (you don't know who you are dealing with Mr. Fancy Pants. I read fine print for a living.)
Jay Carl>
I really am so sorry FrazzledMom. It is really hard for me to inform you this but I never did say that we could not apply the promotion because of an outstanding balance. (more gibberish and hand waving.)
Jay Carl>
What I was trying to explain in simple terms (did he just call me an idiot?) is that you already had that promotion before. To be specific, last 2009. We cant give it to you now since you already had it.
Jay Carl>
Again, we are so sorry if it seems misleading. (Oh it is not misleading. You are pulling a bait and switch.)
FrazzledMom_>
Exactly... so I don't understand why I can't get this promotion? (let me see if he will slip up here)
Jay Carl>
But please do not worry. Again, we can upgrade your service to a promotional price. (nope, he's going for it)
FrazzledMom_>
I don't want to upgrade my service. I am satisfied with what I have. (I am seeing colors right now. Urgggg)
Jay Carl>
You can not get the promotion since you already had the promotion. As what I was explaining earlier, we cannot reapply the SAME promotion on an account. You can not have the promotion twice. Again, I know it can be an inconvenience but if your problem is your bill, my suggestion is for you to upgrade your level of service. (maybe if I say it three times she will give up and sign up with the more expensive package)
Jay Carl>
We have the Digital Preferred Double play. That would be for $79.99.
FrazzledMom_> (I am so mad that I've had it. I'm calling an elephant an elephant.)
Jay - I have not read anywhere in the fine print that you cannot get a similar promotion again. My other promotion has expired. I feel like I am being pressured into purchasing something I do not want. If you cannot help me I guess our conversation is over. Thank you.
Jay Carl>
I really do apologize FrazzledMom. I am only trying to save you $30.41 dollars of your monthly bill. Plus you get better service than what you have now. Again, I really do hope you understand that I would love to process the order that you like for you. It is just that our system would not allow it.
Jay Carl>
Is there anything else I can help you with? (hello, hello.... where has she gone? Surely she was going to sign up. I was going to save her so much money.)
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