Random
outages that disrupt our Internet connection, interrupt a favorite
television show or drop an important phone call. Agonizing calls to
customer service representatives, whose promised fixes don’t
materialize. A long wait for an Internet connection, erratic phone bills
and surprise TV fees.
These customer service issues attract enough static from our members
that Internet, phone and TV services annually rank among the most
complained about categories on Angie’s List.
Nationally, Internet service ranked as the No. 2
most complained about category
on the List in 2011, while phone services ranked No. 8. All three
ranked among the top 10 in 2009 and 2010, according to member reports.
And out of about 500 Angie’s List members responding to a recent online
poll, 54 percent report having a poor experience with one of these
services, with most complaining about technical difficulties, poor
customer service and billing or fee issues. In addition, nearly 40
percent report spending more than $200 on their monthly bill.
Yet despite the issues, we continue to go back for more. According to
the Federal Communications Commission, more than 5,300 cable TV
companies served 60 million customers in 2011. Satellite TV providers
DISH Network and DirecTV claim nearly 24 million customers. More than
1,800 companies nationwide offer broadband, according to the National
Telecommunications Information Administration. And the International
Association for the Wireless Telecommunications Industry (CTIA), a
nonprofit representing the wireless industry, reports more than 331
million wireless subscribers in the U.S. in 2011.
Can you hear me now?
Angie’s List member Betty Woodward of Deltaville, Va., says she
continues to pay Verizon $140 a month for her landline and cellphone
even though she gave the company’s Danville, Va., location a below
average rating for poor service. “I only get [cellphone] service when I
stand out in the yard,” she says. “Verizon is the best of the worst
because we live in a ‘dead’ area for cellphone service. We use them
simply because the service area for them is better than for most. But
I’ve talked to customer service many times when problems come up and
that’s where most of my frustration comes from. Their agents don’t
always know what they’re talking about.”
Verizon corporate spokesman Tom Pica says the company tries to meet
the needs of customers by offering a variety of ways to report problems.
“We encourage our customers to take advantage of all the customer
support available to them from our network of Verizon Wireless stores to
our online experience,” he says, noting that there’s no such thing as a
one-size-fits-all option. Pica declined to specifically address
Woodward’s issue.
How to get the best deal
Experts say consumers need to do their due diligence before signing a
contract and understand exactly which cellphone services, TV channels
or Internet broadband speed they need. “Start the process by doing your
homework and use every means possible to find out information about
companies that provide service in your area,” says Regina Costa,
spokeswoman for CTIA. “Obviously, people who have had experiences with
this can post it on Angie’s List. Word of mouth is very important.”
Costa says consumers should focus on price, reliability and quality
of service when comparing telecommunication companies. “The best price
might not be the best deal if the service doesn’t work very well,” she
says. It’s also important to thoroughly review the contract before
signing it. “Your rights are right there,” says Patrick Deignan,
spokesman for the Citizens Utility Board of Illinois, a nonprofit
organization that represents the interests of residential utility
customers. “As boring as it sounds, read the fine print before signing.
At the end of the day, you are your own best consumer advocate.”
Who’s got your back?
Consumer protections vary among states when it comes to Internet,
phone and TV service providers. “For the most part, they aren’t
regulated,” Costa says. “Or they’re regulated by the FCC, which doesn’t
offer a lot of protection.” If the provider fails to address your
problem, Costa suggests calling the public utilities commission, state
attorney general or the local franchising authority (the government
organization authorized by your state to regulate Internet, cable and
satellite TV services).
Consumers can also file a free, informal complaint with the FCC.
Customers not satisfied with the response of an informal complaint may
file a formal complaint for $200, which starts a legal process that
requires them to appear before the FCC. “The more of these types of
calls they get, the more likely the states and FCC will take action,”
she says. Calls to the FCC were not returned.
Costa points out that consumers hold little negotiating power when it
comes to what’s included in the contract, so understand what’s in it.
“You should demand, when you’re signing a contract, information on being
able to cancel the service if it doesn’t work properly, and if it
doesn’t work as advertised,” she says.
Member Stephanie Guttman of Tallahassee, Fla., learned how
nonnegotiable some service contracts can be. After a doctor diagnosed
her sister with cancer and she moved to hospice, Guttman called an 800
number for DirecTV to cancel the service. “They refused,” she says.
“They kept referring to the contract and said ‘when she dies, come back
to us.’” Guttman says repeated letters and phone calls to the company
proved fruitless. “A contract that you cannot get out of for any reason
seems absurd to me,” she says. “It’s not realistic and it makes me
question their business ethics.”
Guttman says she finally posted a negative report on Angie’s List,
and complained about DirecTV’s policy on Facebook. Within 30 days of
those postings, DirecTV terminated the contract and credited her
sister’s account. “I feel confident, with all the efforts I made, it
wasn’t until I posted online that the problem got resolved,” she says.
DirecTV corporate spokeswoman Meghan McLarty says supervisors typically
waive service agreements and cancellation fees when a customer enters a
hospice or a nursing home, but the agent who handled Guttman’s original
call did not follow proper procedure. “We apologize for the
inconvenience we may have caused Ms. Guttman or her family during this
difficult time,” she says.
Deignan says social media often produces a more immediate solution.
“Never underestimate the power of bad PR,” he says. “Your Twitter and
Facebook posts tend to attract the company’s attention a lot faster than
a phone call. If you’re having a real problem with a company, put it on
their Facebook page. They’re going to want to address it quickly and
help you resolve it.” Deignan also stresses the importance of being
polite and persistent, regardless of how you seek resolution. “Being
loud and rude doesn’t help.”
Mind your manners, please
Member Ray Lattof of Davie, Fla., says representatives who answered
calls to AT&T’s 800 number are the ones who need to learn how to be
polite: They hung up on him twice when he called to dispute unauthorized
long distance charges on his landline phone bill. “I was utterly
dumbfounded,” he says. “AT&T is such a worldwide business
conglomerate. You just get a sense that the company has no priority on
customer service at all.”
AT&T corporate spokeswoman Susan Newsham says AT&T places
customer care high on its priority list. “We have apologized to Mr.
Lattof for the inconvenience, answered his questions and found him a
long-distance plan that better matches his needs,” she says.
“Additionally, customers can get access to other support options by
visiting [our website].” For instance, U-verse customers can utilize an
interactive application to troubleshoot any problems, she says.
“AT&T is committed to its customers, but if issues occur, please
visit [our website] to get in contact with a support representative.”
Lattof, who filed an F report on the company’s poorly rated Miami
location, says he’s still upset that AT&T charges him $4.77 a month
for long distance calls as part of its minimum usage plan. “I will
continue to be stuck paying a minimal charge for long distance, even
when I make no long distance calls — and that is downright thievery,” he
says.
Member Beth Holmes of Henderson, Nev., says she’s happy with her
bundled Internet, TV and phone services from the highly rated Las Vegas
branch of
Cox Communications.
“We use them because they have the best rating on Angie’s List,” she
says. “We have no complaints.” The Atlanta-based company offers cable,
broadband Internet and phone services to 6 million homes in 19 states.
“Our goal is to be a friend in the digital age, helping our customers
get the most value from their services,” says Scott Wise, Cox’s vice
president of customer care.
The devil’s in the details
But Costa and Deignan recommend reviewing bundled packages with a
critical eye before purchasing from any provider. “They usually start
off at a really attractive price. Then they skyrocket, so be prepared,”
Deignan says. Costa agrees. “You have to dig a little bit beneath the
surface,” she says. “For instance, the quality of broadband service
might not be as good from your telephone service as it is from your
cable company.”
Member Kathy Frenklach of San Francisco says she bundled her
Internet, cable and phone services through Comcast to reduce her monthly
bill to $178, but she’s unhappy with the overall service she’s received
from the Santa Clara location. “On weekends, I often cannot access
on-demand movies,” she says. “When I call for help and give the error
code as requested, the representatives can never help me with the
problem.”
In response to Frenklach’s complaint, Comcast contends it’s made an
effort to thoroughly educate its representatives and technicians. “We
know that customers want things to be easy,” says corporate spokeswoman
Jenni Moyer. “We’re making sure our agents have the tools and the
training. The technician today compared to a tech 10 years ago is like
comparing the Commodore 64 with an iPad. We’re continually working on
making the experience better for the customer.” However, mistakes are
inevitable. “Our goal is to get it right every time, but things
happen,” she says. “And when they do, we want to quickly turn it around
and fix it.”
Illustration by William V. Cigliano