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Tech Blogger Tries To Cancel Comcast Service, Hilarity Ensues

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Re: Tech Blogger Tries To Cancel Comcast Service, Hilarity Ensues

#91

Post by verisimilitude »

zerohp wrote: post #57

There's only one easy way to cancel service with a company like Comcast. You have to lie and tell them you're moving to a city that they don't serve. They don't transfer you to customer retention and you'll be off the phone in a few minutes.

Accidentally downvoted you, meant to upvote... sorry about that.

Anyhow: I was actually moving, told Comcast so, and I was indeed off the phone in a few minutes. "I wonder what everyone's concern about Comcast is anyway," I wondered. Then, a few days later, the "follow-up" calls began. It got to the point that I had to block the Comcast number just to get some peace.

Re: Tech Blogger Tries To Cancel Comcast Service, Hilarity Ensues

#92

Post by mst »

fpgeek wrote: post #14
gst wrote: post #6

I've heard multiple times now that it's hard to cancel contracts at various providers, but I don't really see how this is an issue. If the official way (according to the contract) to cancel a contract is a phone call, what difference does it make if the remote party accepts this cancellation? Just state that you are cancelling the contract, make sure to get a recording (if legal in your jurisdiction) and chargeback a…

And then they'll eventually send your account to collections, where it will be an even bigger pain to straighten out. Something similar happened to me with AT&T (now Comcast, I believe) in Chicago. I was moving away so I canceled service, returned my equipment in person and even got a receipt! But someone forgot to log something somewhere, so they kept sending me bills. For months, I kept calling and (foolishly) beli…

The last time that happened to me, collections took one look at the notes on the account, apologised, informed me that his manager was now writing an extremely annoyed email to billing, and had it fixed before I was off the phone.

Collections tend to be more likely to play hardball, but they often also tend to contain smarter humans. Sometimes this helps.

Re: Tech Blogger Tries To Cancel Comcast Service, Hilarity Ensues

#93

Post by kstenerud »

I only had a little bit of difficulty canceling my comcast service. After I figured out what the customer service guy was doing, it went a little like this:

- I don't owe you an explanation.

- I'm in a hurry. Cancel my service now.

- I have your name. I will call back to complain about you.

- If another bill comes, I will not pay. If you send a collection agency and it affects my credit rating, I'll take you to court.

- You have 30 seconds to comply.

Re: Tech Blogger Tries To Cancel Comcast Service, Hilarity Ensues

#94

Post by hyperliner »

oneandoneis2 wrote: post #59
zerohp wrote: post #57

There's only one easy way to cancel service with a company like Comcast. You have to lie and tell them you're moving to a city that they don't serve. They don't transfer you to customer retention and you'll be off the phone in a few minutes.

I usually cover all bases by claiming I'm emigrating and leaving the country - only way to be sure :)

"I an in the Navy, and will be in a submarine for the next two years"

Re: Tech Blogger Tries To Cancel Comcast Service, Hilarity Ensues

#96

Post by wildpeaks »

TomGullen wrote: post #46
gst wrote: post #6

I've heard multiple times now that it's hard to cancel contracts at various providers, but I don't really see how this is an issue. If the official way (according to the contract) to cancel a contract is a phone call, what difference does it make if the remote party accepts this cancellation? Just state that you are cancelling the contract, make sure to get a recording (if legal in your jurisdiction) and chargeback a…

It is a huge problem, it's bullying people into staying with them. Not everyone would be capable or willing to go through what you say you should do. If you're willing to go through it, good for you as it's a good form of protest (they'll get charged a lot for each chargeback). But if it ever gets to the stage where this it is now, it's totally broken.

Exactly. Another horrifying example of this is eFax: never ever EVER subscribe to that thing :(

Re: Tech Blogger Tries To Cancel Comcast Service, Hilarity Ensues

#97

Post by rickyc091 »

icebraining wrote: post #53
ceejayoz wrote: post #44

Earlier quoted context omitted.

"The customer declined to continue with the cancellation process."

Can they cut you off? In the call centers I know, they need the supervisors' permission to hang up on someone.

What usually happens to me is that they'll put me on hold, and after five minutes, I'll get disconnected.

Re: Tech Blogger Tries To Cancel Comcast Service, Hilarity Ensues

#98

Post by Cthulhu_ »

VLM wrote: post #2

Its a corrupt market. Their job is to lie to you, your job has to be to lie right back. "I'm moving to (insert name of city owned by competitor)"

Alternatively, call, say you want to cancel, and if they give you shit just claim firmly you are unhappy with the service representative and hang up. With any luck they were recorded / reviewed. Just move on to the next guy.

Of course, usually these numbers are paid, so you pay a small fortune just to get to call someone that will do his job.

Re: Tech Blogger Tries To Cancel Comcast Service, Hilarity Ensues

#99

Post by squeaky-clean »

chatmasta wrote: post #39
personZ wrote: post #19

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The guy who he was talking to works for Comcast, is pursuing Comcast goals (which aggressively punishes agents who don't have high enough retention rates), and is recorded and often monitored by Comcast. The Comcast agent clearly has a list of complaints/responses that they use to try to defuse all complaints -- not that they've actually solved your problem, but rather that they made you think the call was no longer…

I was able to cancel my account with comcast, just two weeks ago, in under twenty minutes. Are you saying that if he had hung up, and called again, he would have faced an equally long phone call? My point is that he did not have to put up with this. Obviously there are going to be some bad apples amongst the thousands of comcast customer service employees. He could have hung up on this guy, called back, and gotten a…

Under twenty minutes is short? Seems like this blogger got it taken care of in 8:14, and that was still frustratingly long for all of us to listen to.

Re: Tech Blogger Tries To Cancel Comcast Service, Hilarity Ensues

#100

Post by snotrockets »

VLM wrote: post #2

Its a corrupt market. Their job is to lie to you, your job has to be to lie right back. "I'm moving to (insert name of city owned by competitor)"

"I've recently discovered God, and decided to disconnect from the Internet, as it is the tool of Satan. Tell me, have you accepted Jesus Christ as your savior?"
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