Yesterday’s Microsoft-created mania is behind me, amen. Today I hope to make huge progress on this project so the client can at least gain some headway on her deadline.
Side issue that seems to be growing – we switched our cable service from Comcast to Verizon Monday. The technicians were quick about it – I was offline five minutes. But then we had a Tivo that couldn’t seem to synch with the new cable system. I had spent over 30 minutes on the phone with Verizon on Thursday trying desperately to get an answer. Here’s how it went:
Called the main number to sign up for the service a week prior. I asked the Verizon rep taking my order this: “We have Tivo. Can we order a cable box with a serial 232 port?”
Her response: “I don’t know what that is.”
Me: “It’s a serial connection instead of a coaxial connection. May I order that now?”
Verizon girl: “I’m not sure. Let me finish signing you up and then I’ll transfer you to tech service.”
Me: “But I don’t want to sign up unless I’m sure Tivo will work with it.”
Verizon girl, not wanting to talk about it at all: “Once we’re finished, I’ll switch you over to tech service.” Note that she’s calling this Tech Service and not Support. The new politically correct version of fixing what ails us.
Me: “But it’s pointless if I can’t use it with Tivo.”
Verizon girl: “You’ll have time to cancel. A woman who ordered service last week has to wait until mid-October, so you’ll have time.”
Me, reluctantly: “Okay.”
She completed my order and gave me the installation date – five days from that date. Oy. Okay, she transferred me to Tech Service. Busy signal. Groovy. So I called back.
Me: “I just ordered a cable installation and I would like to make sure we receive a cable box with a serial 232 port.”
Tech Service: “I’ve never heard of such a thing.”
Me, a bit surprised that Tech Service has no idea what a standard serial port is when I, the complete tech idiot, does: “It’s just the standard serial port that comes on older printers and some laptops.”
Tech Service: “Let me put you on hold and check on that.”
Ten minutes pass. She comes back.
Tech Service: “Well, I can’t find any information on that request for you. I’m going to transfer you to Billing and Sales. They should know.”
Wait. Billing and Sales? For a technical question? But before I could say anything, I heard the sound of “on hold” reminders. After ten minutes of those, a person answered. Let’s just call her Perky.
Perky: “Hi there! How are you today?”
After thirty minutes of this crap, I wanted to say, “Ready to beat the living hell out of the next person who asks”, but instead I play along: “Fine. And you?”
Perky: “Just wonderful! What can I do for you today?”
Again, wanting to say “You can drop the perky attitude before I come through the phone and choke you” but instead opting to ask the same question I’ve asked most of that morning: “I ordered cable service. We have a Tivo. It requires a serial 232 port. May we get a cable box that has that connection, please?” Note that I’d begun speaking in short sentences. Less information confuses fewer people.
Perky: “Well I have no idea what that is! But let me put you on hold, dear, and I’ll check for you.” Amen. Hold. At least the canned voice on the hold message isn’t mocking me.
After 10 minutes, Perky’s back: “Well, I have an answer for you and two choices. I don’t really know if there’s a serial port on that cable box, but here’s what you can do. You can either rent a DVR from us at $15.99 a month or you can purchase a cable card for your Tivo at $3.99 a month. Since we have a special with your package that allows you a free DVR for a year, I suggest that one.”
Me: “But we have a Tivo already. We paid money for it. We can’t return it. We also paid for the service for a year.” And the correct terminology is “a choice” or “two options.” Not “two choices.” Sheesh.
At that point, Perky started rattling off the “unique” features of the Verizon DVR. Funny how identical those unique features were to my existing Tivo. I told her so. Her response: “Well, if you get ours, you don’t have the headache of figuring out how to make Tivo work.” Ooo. Great selling point!
It was then I decided to thank her and be done with it. We did get the service. The box did have the serial connection (how difficult is it to turn the thing over and look?). With some online help, we were able to get Tivo working late last night. Luckily, Tivo has a better user forum than Verizon.
Anyone else ever feel compelled to inflict bodily harm on people who aren’t hearing you, understanding you, or caring that you need their help? Anyone else think that Tech Service should at least live up to the name?
I immediately demand to speak to a supervisor. I refuse to speak to the morons who answer the phones.
Verizon is useless. They’re trying to force me to switch from DSL to Fios, which I DON’T want, and they won’t let me talk to ANYONE about it.
Anyway, after the conversation with supervisors, I type a quick letter to the executive office with the result of the conversation and its myriad frustations, and CC both the BBB and the AG’s office in my state and the home state of the exec office.
Within a week, I get results.
Without the letter and the CC’s — nothing.
I still think we should invoice these companies when they waste our time.
Devon, when you write to the executive office, to whom do you address your letter? Finding the right person can be a huge challenge.
I had a big problem with Verizon FiOs last year and it was a very frustrating experience. The sales rep made all kinds of promises that he did not deliver on, and it ended up costing us significantly more than he’d promised. A friend of mine who is a telecom consultant was able to get me the name of someone at Verizon who finally addressed the problem and gave me a modest credit. But I will forever after be wary of Verizon, and will make another choice whenever possible.
This sounds like trying to cancel a cell phone service! Their ploy is to make it as inconvenient as possible (numerous holds, transfers, people who claim to not understand you).
We switched our internet provider a while ago, and a few weeks later had a telemarketer from that same provider call to try to get us to switch to them. I had to cut her off after 3 full minutes of scripted yammer, and when I said, “We actually have it already,” I could hear the hamster wheel turning in her head, processing what I’d just said. I don’t think her script covered that possible response.
I’ve heard some negatives about Verizon’s tech service in general, and frankly I wasn’t too happy with the service I’d received when we had a minor glitch during our FiOS Internet switchover. I used my email from Comcast to mail weekly updates to my opted-in subscription list. Verizon disabled my Internet connection for 24 hours the minute I’d sent/received 500 messages in an hour. Naturally, I called.
The tech person actually said, “Go to the Terms of Service page. Are you there? Good. Now read along with me…” I felt patronized. He wasn’t understanding. He said if I wanted to “spam” people, I had to purchase an online email service from someone else. I couldn’t convince him that I wasn’t spamming, that these were legitimate subscribers, and that the terms of service needed to account for such things.
We went with the cable in order to simplify our bills and save a little money. Time will tell if we’re satisfied. In general, I wasn’t sure we should be switching, but we’ll try it.