Another adventure in customer service

Tam tries to work out some problems with her cellphone.

Me: "I'd like to replace this old Audiovox."
Him: "What features do you want on a phone? We have..."
Me: "Cheap. All I want is covered buttons and more talk time. Your cheapest phone should be fine."
Him: "Well, even our cheapest phone is going to be $109."
Me: "That sign says $69.99 and the phone looks like what I want..."
Him: "That's for new customers."

How to chase customers away. I for one have resolved never to get involved with cable TV, because I'm unwilling to expend the energy to even consider the prospect of dealing with Comcast. Last night, talk over dinner with friends turned to cell phone companies, the first thing out of anyone's mouth was, "Remember, they're all weasels."


Related: From a story^[1] in today's Wall Street Journal:

A vote today on a proposal that could lead to stricter regulation of the cable industry was in jeopardy yesterday, as internal squabbling at the Federal Communications Commission and outside pressure from Congress and the White House threatened to delay, if not completely derail, the plan...

A rejection... would be a blow to [FCC Chairman Kevin] Martin, who has come under pressure from fellow Republicans and free-market advocates to back off his cable-regulation plan.

Given the public's hatred for cable providers, instead of fooling around with more regulation the Republicans ought to be calling for a Waco-style assault on the cablecos' headquarters, taking care to sow the grounds with salt afterward.

It'd set 'em up to win in 2008, for sure.

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^[1] FCC Proposal on Cable Industry May Die in Last-Ditch Haggling, WSJ, November 27, 2007, page A3

Posted by: Old Grouch in Rants at 17:56:28 GMT | Comments (1) | Add Comment
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