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Comcast Customer Service? FAIL!

No politics...but I thought I'd share a chat conversation I had with Comcast... Good for a laugh if it wasn't so frustrating...

The setup: I ordered some equipment, and I noticed that they were sending the confirmation and shipping tracking emails to my work email. I prefer to get those at my personal email address. So, I emailed customer service asking them to make sure my personal email was active.

They replied saying that in order to change owners on the account, I had to completely cancel my Comcast account and re-start it. Otherwise, if I just needed to change the email address, I could contact them via chat. So, that's what I did:

ME: My email address may be wrong in the system for account notifications.

REP1: Hello Patrick, Thank you for contacting Comcast Live Chat Support. My name is (REDACTED). Please give me one moment to review your information.
REP1: It's good to have you on chat. How are you today?

ME: frustrated

REP1: Oh, I am so sorry that you are feeling this way, Patrick. I see here that you have a concern or problem with your online login. I understand the trouble that this has caused you, and I want you to know how sorry I am for the inconvenience. As your service representative today, I want you to know that your satisfaction is of my topmost priority and I assure you that we can resolve this issue together on this chat.
REP1: Don't worry, I can help you with this now.

REP1: To ensure the integrity of your account information, kindly verify to me the last 4 digits of your SSN, please?
ME: 4 digits of my SSN=XXXX

ME: not a trouble with my online login

REP1: Oh, I am so sorry. It's about the email address then. Let me give you the primary email address now.
REP1: Patrick, may I know what email address are you using?

ME: it should be (CORRECT EMAIL)
ME: I am getting emails at (WRONG EMAIL)...that is wrong

REP1: Alright, I understand. Patrick, here at Comcast, information security is a major priority for us. To protect your personal information from unauthorized access, we recently changed the way you access your online account, and this is by using your Comcast email address.

ME: ok...my comcast address is (COMCAST EMAIL)

REP1: Patrick, kindly answer ther security question on your account, (REDACTED)

ME: (REDACTED)

REP1: Perfect! I checked here and the primary username is (COMCAST EMAIL).
REP1: Kindly use that whenever you want to login online.

ME: ok...why are you sending me emails at (WRONG EMAIL)?

REP1: Kindly disregard that, Patrick. It may have been sent wrongly.

ME: i know...but I want those notifications to be sent to the correct address

REP1: I can confirm that on your account here, the recognized email is only (COMCAST EMAIL).

ME: this is why I am frustrated...

REP1: Let me check here why this has happened.

ME: I know my comcast address
ME: but I get marketing emails to (CORRECT EMAIL)
ME: and shipment notification emails to (WRONG EMAIL)
ME: I WANT them to come to (CORRECT EMAIL)...that is the only one I regularly check

REP1: Again, I am so sorry for this. This is the first time that I have encountered this and I find this really weird.

ME: otherwise I am going to miss information

REP1: Yes, I understand. I am checking here now for this, Patrick.

ME: ok

REP1: Again, I am so so sorry for this.
REP1: Thank you for your patience. I really appreciate it.
REP1: Patrick, will it be alright if I transfer you now to our Email Department so that they can change the settings for this and make sure that your emails are directed exclusively to your Comcast.net email?
REP1: This will not take long.

ME: ok

REP1: Thank you so much.
REP1: I will transfer you now.
REP1: Kindly stay online.
REP1: Please wait, while the problem is escalated to another analyst


REP2: Hello Patrick_, Thank you for contacting Comcast Live Chat Support. My name is (REDACTED). Please give me one moment to review your information.
REP2: How are you doing today, Patrick ? Please allow me to assist you with your concern, and i do apologize for whatever concern that you have with your Comcast services.

ME: are you in the Email Department?

REP2: yes Patrick

ME: ok

REP2: I understand that you have problems regarding your email access, am i correct Patrick?

ME: no

REP2: I see. I am sorry to hear that, and i do apologize for the inconvenience this had caused you, Patrick.

ME: Can you see my chat transcript or am I going to have to go through this AGAIN...

REP2: I will be more than happy to assist you with your concern. Please give me a minute to pull up your account and look into it for resolutions. Rest assured i will assist and resolve your concern at the end of our chat for you to enjoy your Comcast services.
REP2: Patrick,before anything else, may I have the last 4 digts of your Social/SSN please for verification, to protect your privacy by ensuring that we do not discuss account information or make changes to your account without your knowledge and consent.

ME: (REDACTED)

REP2: Can you provide me as well your account number?

ME: i don't have my account number...

REP2: No problem with that Patrickif you don't have it handy at the moment.Can you provide me instead your phone number?

ME: (REDACTED)

REP2: Thank you for all these information you had given me,Patrick

(LONG DELAY)

ME: hello?

(LONG DELAY)

ME: is anyone there?

REP2: May i ask for the error message ?

ME: it's not an error message.
ME: I am getting shipping notification emails from Comcast to my email address (WRONG EMAIL)
ME: They need to go to my primary address, (COMCAST EMAIL)
ME: The person on before said all emails from Comcast should be going to (COMCAST EMAIL). I am telling you they aren't and I want it fixed.
ME: I can't believe how hard it is for you to understand it. I have to three different people now

REP2: I see. I am sorry to hear that, and i do apologize for the inconvenience this had caused you, PAtrick.
REP2: I will be more than happy to assist you with your concern. Please give me a minute to pull up your account and look into it for resolutions. Rest assured i will assist and resolve your concern at the end of our chat for you to enjoy your Comcast services.

REP2: Patrick,before anything else, may I have the last 4 digits of your Social/SSN please for verification, to protect your privacy by ensuring that we do not discuss account information or make changes to your account without your knowledge and consent.
REP2: Can you provide me as well your account number?

ME: I DON'T HAVE MY ACCOUNT NUMBER...

REP2: please disregard.
REP2: Yes, please disregard.
REP2: I do apologize

ME: You are about to win...I am about to give up
ME: I thought it was simple...I have now spent 30 minutes on this

(LONG DELAY)

ME: Hello?

REP2: I do apologize Patrick. Customers may experience connectivity issues accessing and login into the Comcast.net page. Microsoft has pushed a new code update that is causing this to occur. We are instructing customers to clear their browser cookies to resolve this issue. NSD has posted these instructions to the outage board. The clearing of the browser cookies has fixed 80% of the problems being reported by users. The remaining 20% are currently being investigated for resolution

ME: THIS IS NOT CONNECTIVITY!
ME: THIS HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH BROWSERS!
ME: Are you even reading what I am typing?
ME: I have no problem logging in to comcast.net

REP2: Patrick, i fully understand your sentiments, but please try to optimize your browser first.

ME: I don't even use Internet Explorer
ME: I use Firefox

REP2: After that, i have to refresh your account by resetting your password
REP2: please pull up a browser.
on top of your browser, please click on TOOLS
scroll dwon, click on INTERNET OPTIONS
click on DELETE FILES, click OK
click on DELETE COOKIES, check delete all offline content.
then click OK
finally, click on OK on the bottom of the page
please do these for five times.

ME: IT HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH MY BROWSER. WHY DON'T YOU UNDERSTAND THAT. YOU ARE THE ONE SENDING THE EMAIL TO THE WRONG ACCOUNT!
ME: You are not reading what I am typing
ME: I don't even use Internet Explorer

(LONG DELAY)

REP2: Okay then Patrick, i will be resetting your password now

ME: NOOOOOOOO"!

REP2: would this be okay with you?

ME: DO NOT RESET MY PASSWORD!
ME: DO NOT RESET MY PASSWORD
ME: DO NOT RESET MY PASSWORD

REP2: OKay

ME: I am not going to do the steps you outlined, because it has nothing to do with the problem I am reporting.
ME: You win...I give up.
ME: You won't listen to the description of the problem
ME: before giving a solution

REP2: that is why i was asking you earlier for the error message.

ME: There is no error message
ME: It is an email that comcast sent me

REP2: Okay?

ME: This has been the single worst customer service experience I have had.

REP2: what was the email?

ME: It was a shipping notification for some equipment. It was sent to the wrong address

REP2: Oh i see.
REP2: Im sorry for the misunderstanding

ME: I explained this now 5 times

REP2: you mean the shipping address?

ME: I think I will post this chat transcript to my blog so everyone can have a good chuckle
ME: no, the wrong email address

REP2: As i have said earlier Patrick, i do apologize fir this.

ME: not the shipment itself, but the emailed shipping notification and confirmation
ME: I don't accept your apology

REP2: OKay.

ME: I am tired of Comcast treating me like a complete moron.
ME: I know the difference between an email sent and a web connectivity error

REP2: Okay Patrick
REP2: I have noted here the corrections, and we will be sending all your emails for shipping notifications to your comcast email account now, which is (COMCAST EMAIL)
REP2: I do apologize if the emails were sent to your other account

ME: Are you able to test that? Or do I have to take your word for it?

REP2: I had it noted here in your account for the emails be reset to your comcast email account regarding the shipping details

ME: Ok... you did nothing but note it.

REP2: yes Patrick, since we have another department who sends out emails.

ME: I thought that is who you were.
ME: Fine...You win, I give up...
ME: What a waste of time...
ME: You fixed nothing...

REP2: I am not the one in charge for sending out emails to customers, so that is why i have it noted for the email representative to process the sending out of emails to your comcast email account regarding your shipping details

ME: ok

REP2: I am fixing everything for you Patrick

ME: fine... Who do I call if the problem still occurs?

REP2: as much as i want to do the email for your comcast account, but i do not have access to send out emails to customers since i am on chat support for technical support

ME: who should I be contacting...

REP2: You may call 1-800-COMCAST for follow up

ME: Do you have a case number and/or an operator number that I can reference?

(LONG DELAY)

ME: Hello?

REP2: Here is the chat /op ID: (REDACTED)

ME: Ok...

I Support Tom Emmer for Governor

I caucused for Tom Emmer for Governor. Tonight, I was at my senate district BPOU meeting, and both Mr. Emmer and Marty Seifert spoke. All I can say is that my support for Mr. Emmer is stronger now.

Don't get me wrong. Marty Seifert would be an excellent choice. Should he win the nomination, I would be proud to support him and I am confident he would be able to win in November. But he is not the best candidate in the race as far as I am concerned.

Tom Emmer tonight said something that I have been waiting for a Republican to say. He took us back to the 1994 Contract with America, when Republicans took back the U.S. House. It happened by returning to the roots of fiscal, common sense conservatism.

The problem is that within a few years, Republicans broke that contract. And tonight, Tom Emmer said that. It's Republicans fault. Not because they acted like Republicans, but because they got away from the principles that got them elected.

Republicans cannot be afraid to "blame Bush". Not the knee-jerk, mean-spirited hatred that the left has (and continues) to pour on. But an honest (and respectful) evaluation of the mistakes that were made over the 8 years.

That's what I heard from Tom Emmer tonight. You don't often hear someone try to win by criticism of their own party. But it's what is needed.

And, that is why I am even more convinced that he is the person we need to represent our party in the 2010 Governor's race.

Is that all they got? (Tebow ad brouhaha)

In response to the Tim Tebow ad during the Super Bowl, one group found something, uh... a bit strange to get up in arms about?

The Women's Media Center, which had objected to Focus on the Family advertising in the Super Bowl, said it was expecting a "benign" ad but not the humor. But the group's president, Jehmu Greene, said the tackle showed an undercurrent of violence against women. (Source CBS Sports)

Are you kidding me? So, the ad wasn't as overtly pro-life as they expected, so all of a sudden, the Women's Media Center found themselves without a controversy to spout off on.

I thought the ad was perfect, by the way. I don't think the Super Bowl was neccesarily the place to bludgeon the pro-life message, but the ad made a good starting point for someone to consider the miracle of life. I understand that there is some criticism from the pro-life side for the ad being a weak message. I understand that, but I think it was meant to simply plant a seed of the full message in the audience, so in my opinion, it was a great start.

Uh...is this still on?

I think I should start posting again. I have been a little more active on Twitter lately (http://twitter.com/PatLorch), so you can follow me there, if you are so inclined.

I think I might start posting some stuff here again. Lots of things to watch this year. Things look hopeful for Republicans, both in Washington and Minnesota. Exciting Governor's race here in Minnesota, also exciting Senate races in lots of states (yes, even in Wisconsin)...

Anyways, I am going to try to post again some more... We'll see how long that lasts...

Cash For Clunkers: FAIL

As you may have heard, the government has run out of money in its vaunted "Cash For Clunkers" program, where you turn in your old gas guzzler for a $4500 rebate on a new, fuel efficient car.

The money quote?

"If they can't administer a program like this, I'd be a little concerned about my health insurance," car salesman Rob Bojaryn said. (source)

Thank you, Governor Pawlenty

Hat's off the Governor Pawlenty!

Some on the left are going to complain about his "go it alone approach", but, the DFL-controlled legislature passed tax increases that they KNEW the Governor wouldn't sign. The Governor has made a strong, principled stand. Government MUST live within its means, especially during a recession. Tax increases are not the answer. Cuts are not fun, but they are responsible.

Thank you, Governor Pawlenty!

(oh...and BOO to former RINO governor Arne Carlson)...