Stressful Morning

One of the biggest problems I've encountered in my old age is handling stressful situations. I don't know if it is because this is the digital age, but times just seem more stressful now.

A prime example: I spent several hours this morning on the phone with Comcast again trying to straighten out a billing problem. Over a year ago I turned in my Comcast modem rental because I got tired of the ever increasing monthly cost. When I started the modem used to rent for seven dollars a month. Gradually the monthly rental went up from eight, to nine to ten then eleven. That's when I decided to buy my own modem.  I turned in my Comcast modem and my bill was reduced accordingly. Then in March I returned home to find an envelope from Comcast with URGENT! printed in red on the envelope. They needed my modem serial number.  I called and got someone with a heavy foreign accent who recorded my model and serial number after I had to crawl around on the floor the try to read black on black serial number on my dusty modem/router.  Then he tried to convince me to rent a Comcast modem.  I told him I didn't want to rent a Comcast modem, I had bought my own modem/router.  He put the hard sell on me.  I couldn't convince him that I did not want to rent a Comcast modem.  I finally had to hang up on him because he wouldn't take "NO!" for an answer.  His supervisor called me back.  He did the hard sell again to rent a Comcast modem. Had to hang up on him too. 

I thought that was the end of it. Oh how wrong I was. A couple of months later I noticed on my paperless bill (which I did not give them permission to stop my paper billing), I was being billed $11.00 a month for a modem rental!

I called Comcast and went through all the menu items and identifying myself.  I explained my situation.  The Comcast customer service person on the other end of the line understood my situation but said they were having a problem stopping the billing. She said she would "turn it over to her supervisor."  I thought the problem was solved, foolish me.  

This morning, while I was talking to my friend Lar and lamenting at how the past few weeks have been relatively stress free, I mentioned my problem with Comcast billing.  I told him how Comcast was billing me for a modem that wasn't theirs.  I thought I would check my bill.  What I discovered got me hot.  They were still billing me!

I called them this morning, went through the menu choices and identifying myself.  I finally get a live person.  He wants my modem's serial number.  I tell him "I've already given that to you several times. Don't you record this information?"  He found the information.  He listened to me and understood my billing problem.  He tried to correct it but after about twenty minutes of trying, he couldn't.  He put me on hold.  I waited another fifteen minutes.  Nothing.  I call back.  I go through the menu items again, identify myself and then get a live person.  I explain my situation all over again to "Sharon."  She understands my billing problem. She tries to correct it.  She can't.  She said she will have to "write a ticket to her supervisor".  I tell her I've been told this before.  What makes this time different?  She gives me a ticket number.

I marked my calendar for this time next month. What are the odds this problem will be corrected? I have to tell you folks, I don't have a lot of faith. Comcast is the only game in town down here in Sussex County, Delaware.  

If this isn't corrected by next month I call the fraud unit of the Delaware State government.  This is ridiculous. 

DirecTV - Great Service!!

Servicemen "Gregg" of DirecTV

Time for some good news folks.  

Yesterday I had a visit from a DirecTV serviceman. My whole house system needed upgrading.

I've been dreading this visit.  I dread any visit by a serviceman (or "person", although usually I don't see women as service persons).  

One of the reasons is that I have wall to wall carpeting and I don't like people traipsing around in my house with their shoes/boots.  Who knows where those shoes/boots have been walking on.  You know what I'm talking about.  

Another reason is that Bill and I, in our advanced years (old folks here) don't like our daily routine disrupted. 

And yet another reason is that I feared a service person messing around with all my in house wiring and WIFI would disrupt my Comcast Internet connection.  And that folks was my BIG fear because if my Comcast connection got messed up, I would have to call Comcast and you know what that's like.  Comcast is notorious for awful service.  I have my Comcast Internet connection working now, after a lot of frustration several months ago when my rented Comcast modem/router failed, and I just didn't want to go through that very frustrating experience of trying to get Comcast service.  Sorry for the long run on sentence but I get riled up when talking about Comcast and their lack of service.

Well folks, I need not have worried.

"Greg", the DirecTV service man showed up exactly on time when I was informed prior to his arrival.  Contrast this when I was to receive a Comcast service call and no one came.  No call, no visit, no apology.  In fact, Comcast never did show up and I had to do the hookup over the phone (took hours) but I won't go into that now.  

Greg got out of his truck, greeted me with a smile and showed me his photo ID.  Wow.  Good start!

Then he explained what he was going to do.  Changed all four of my stations.  Upgrade the coaxial cable and upgrade the connections on my satellite dish.  

And . . . . he put on booties to cover his work boots. I thank him and apologized for the inconvenience. He said "It is inconvenient but I don't mind if that is what you prefer."  Hey folks, could you imagine one of those surly, sub-contracted Comcast service workers saying that?  I can't. 

He told me "I see where you are a 17 year customer of DirecTV and we appreciate your business."  Folks, I'm just not used to this kind of service and I have to tell you I was mighty pleased.  

When Gregg encountered the first dos he was to replace he said "You DO have some old equipment."  Tell me about it Gregg.  

Gregg was here about three hours.  Of course our routine was disrupted but  you know what folks, it was all worth it.  I now have the most current equipment and all kinds of new features. And you know how much this cost me?  

ZERO

Not to keep bashing Comcast, (but I will) which does have excellent Internet connections, can you imagine what the cost would have been had they sent a service person here?  I can tell you one thing, they would never have honored my request to wear booties.  

Yesterday I experienced something very rare folks, good service!

Thank you DirecTV!

Another "What a Morning!"

Early this morning I was again awoken by a power outage.  I always know when there is a power outage because my white noise air filter machine cuts off.  Folks, this is the SECOND DAY IN A ROW I've been jarred out of my deep rim sleep by a local power outage.

Remember yesterday?  At around 4:12 AM , nine time the power flipped on and off.  NINE TIMES FOLKS.  

This morning the power flipped on and off then back on again then off for 40 MINUTES.  Yep, over a half and hour the power was off.  As I lay in my bed, wide awake, wondering if I'm living in a Third World country, I have to remind myself I'm actually living in Lower Slower Delaware, or "LSD" to those of you in the know.

The power finally came back on about half past 5 am only to go on and off again twice before finally coming back on permanently, or until tomorrow when they do it all over again.  I don't know what's going on. 

Another drunk or drug addled Sussex County native slamming his/her car into a utility pole?  
Or more likely, the local power company repairing switching stations (their usual explanation).  

So, I went back to sleep and (thank goodness) was able to get back into my deep rim (unconscious state of sleep) for another few hours.  I got up at 9:03 am, well rested but my eating schedule seriously disrupted for the whole day.

After breakfast I my goal was to make a call to my favorite (said with a great deal of sarcasm) monopoly Internet service ("service" being an oxymoron in this case) to ask about the $19.95 charge for a "Self install service kit" I received from them to replace my RENTED modem from them.  Folks, this has to be a new path we're traveling here.  My Internet service company is charging me for replacing their defective equipment.  Unbelievable.  You have to give Comcast props for gall.  What?  Are they taking lessons from our medical industry by charging the patient for everything from tissues to compression socks?  Honest to God, their chutzpah is breathtaking.

So I called this morning knowing full well it would be fruitless exercise in getting them to take that charge back.  

After spending ten minutes going through the usual automated menu options I finally get a real person whose voice I can hardly hear.  Now folks, you know this is on purpose.  You just know it.  Anything to discourage the customer. 

I tell "Teresa" I can hardly hear her.  She amps up the volume a teeny weeny bit.  I can still hardly hear her.  

I whine again about being able to hardly hear her.  Finally she increases the decibel volume to the level where she sounds like I'm talking to her from the house across the street.  

I tell her that I was without service for a week and then when I get the new modem/router, which I had to install myself because the service person never came which, by the way is why I rent a router so I won't have to pay for a service person to service (and I know I'm overusing the word "service" in the context of Comcast).  She says "That is the charge sir."  Uh huh.  $10 for the equipment and $9.95 for "handling and processing."  Folks, I'm the one doing the "handling and processing." 

Alright, so a strike out on this one.  I could rant and rave and threaten to take my business elsewhere but the only problem there is I have no "elsewhere" to take my business because Comcast is a monopoly in this area where I live (and thrive).

My next move is to address the fact I was without service for a week and I want credit for that service.  I was willing to let that go but since Comcast is going to charge me for sending their replacement equipment to me, I'm going to get a credit.  And I got it.  It was $18.94, almost a wash.

And that folks is how I'm staring out my day.  

Tomorrow I have a dental appointment.

Friday I get my haircut.

Saturday and Sunday I veg out and get ready for my trip to La La Land Los Angeles. 

Me and Pat with our California Friend Nadege

I'm ready for that ten day sojourn in sunny Californina, especially now with the newly frigid temperatures around here.  And I do so need a break from the trials and tribulations of just everyday living.  That's why personal holidays like this are so important to me now.  Four times a year, Pat and I get together for more adventure.  

Life is good folks.   

Customer Service - Comcast Style

Standing in line this morning at the Comcast Customer Service Center in Lewes, DE
(yes, I know using "Comcast" and "Customer Service" in the same sentence is a classic oxymoron)

Well that's an hour and a half I'll never get back.  

I choose this morning to return my old Comcast modem.  You know, the one that I'm renting for $8.00 a month that gave out last week during their outage.  The one that triggered two very boring blog rants posts by me about our local Internet service provider, Comcast.  

I knew I was in for a long wait this morning to just return my old modem. I was prepared.  Or I thought I was.  I guess one is never prepared to wait (standing the whole time) in line for almost an hour and a half to complete a transaction that takes less than two minutes.  

Now admiringly I had the option of boxing up my old (now useless) modem and sending it back via UPS to Comcast.  But I figured that since I would have to go to the UPS store on Route One anyway why not just stop at the Comcast Customer Service Store (now there is an oxymoron if I ever heard one - "Comcast Customer Service") and drop off my old equipment.  I would literally be going by the Comcast Customer Service center (does me repeating "Customer Service" in the same sentence with Comcast make me a liar?) on my way to the UPS store on Route One.  Oh sure, I've been to the aforementioned Comcast place before.  How bad could it be?  Well, pretty bad as it turned out. 

At least two disgruntled customers bolted out the door while I was there.  One of the Comcast customer service employees shouted out "Anyone here returning equipment you can return it at the United Parcel store at the Rt. 24 turnoff of Rt. 1". 

Oh NOW you tell me.  Well, I had already been in line for about a half an hour and had bonded with the guy behind me in line (I asked him if he would like to be the executor of my will) and I wasn't about to go out on the rain slicked Route One, make a U-turn and go the opposite direction of my home JUST.TO.RETURN EQUIPMENT.

As I was standing in line, in renewed amazement at how Comcast is so consistently insistent on maintaining their well deserved reputation for atrocious customer service,

I noted that they could do a FEW things to improve our little corner of the customer service world this morning.

For one thing they could have one of those number dispensing machines so everyone could take a slip of paper with their number instead of standing in line anonymously eyeing each new entrant into the Customer Service Cave of Frustration that is their local Customer Service Center.  I'm telling you folks, I'm feeling like a Republican candidate for president with all these lies I'm telling but I digress (again).  

Another suggestion would be to, now get this Comcast in case any of you are trolling the Internet for negative comments about your We Have No Competition in Lower Slower Delaware So We Can Do Anything We like company.  Now write down this revolutionary idea:

How about having more customer service representatives?  Of course you would have to pay for that, paying employees is going to take some of your precious millions (if not billions) away from your bottom line.  We all know that Comcast puts their money into sales.  MORE SALES! MORE PROFIT.  There is no profit in hiring more employees to provide . . . . what?  Customer service.  What's that?

See the photo at the top of this post?  I took that this morning as I stood at the end of the line which literally DID.NOT.MOVE for a solid 45 minutes.  See the customer service guy on the right?  After he was finished with his customer (which, he left unsatisfactorily, he told them to call Comcast on the phone to resolve their problem)

HE NEVER CAME BACK.

That's right folks.  By the time I got to the young black lady on the left, that other guy was STILL GONE.  I assume we went on lunch break.  Initially I thought he took a bathroom break but he was gone so long, it HAD TO BE lunch or else he was constipated. 

So that's how I spent my morning folks, literally standing in line for one hour and forty-five minutes to complete a transaction that took less than two minutes.  

Hey, here's another idea.  When they hire that other service person, how about have one who handles nothing but returns?  But hey, then if Comcast took that suggestion of mine, how would they continue to maintain their reputation as one of the worst service companies in the United States.

There were times this morning folks I felt like I was in the Russia of the 50's standing in a long queue for bread.  

Quite frankly folks, I do not know of another company that so relentlessly is so deficient on even basic customer service.  

Brian Roberts (Comcast CEO, who just happens to be the SON of the founder Ralph Roberts), do you hear that?  Probably not, he's in another meeting figuring out how to take over another company and become even a bigger monopoly.  

Yes folks, this is how a monopoly operations.  Remember Ma Bell before that wise judge broke her up into seven separate telephone companies?  

It's time someone took a long hard look at Comcast. And the Comcast bigwigs wonder why their merger with Time-Warner was turned down. 

Comcast needs competition.  Come one Verizon and bring FIOS into Lower Slower Delaware.  Surely there is at least one politician that Comcast doesn't own in Lower Slower. 

Up and Running!

Finally, satisfaction!  I'm up and running with my network.  Not that it didn't take a lot of effort on my part.  

Today was the day that the Comcast service person was supposed to stop by, one week to the day since I lost service.  

So here I am this morning, sitting at my computer with my screwed up network, on a rainy day (usually when Comcast comes, when it rains), thinking "I better check to see if he/she is really coming."

So I make a call to Comcast.  Guess what?  They DIDN'T have a record of a service call scheduled today for me!

EXCUSE ME?!?!?!?

UNBELIVEABLE!

I immediately asked to speak to someone "higher up".  If I didn't get this problem resolved (my network straightened out that was caused by Comcast's power outage last Tuesday) I was going to close my account.  Yes, I would do that and go back to Verizon's SLOW and frequently dropped Internet connection.  Big choice huh?  

After being told that their records indicated I was receiving their service. Well, I am but my network is still screwed up.  And no one told me that they cancelled my service call.  Some "service" huh?  Comcast continues to live up to it's reputation as one of the worst service companies in America.

Well, enough of slamming Comcast because I think I'm bordering on being boring now.  I made my point. So here is what happened.

So I was immediately connected to one of their  technicians. She apologized for my inconvenience and walked me through the routine for correcting my network.  DONE!  


However, I still had a problem with my Apple Time Capsule so I called Apple to help me with that situation.  DONE!  

Then I had a problem with my wireless HP printer.  Guess what?  I figured that out myself as I did my Wave Bose Radio Internet connection.

So folks, cross your fingers and toes, I am back to normal. Exactly one week after Comcast went down.  And I had to go through yet another Comcast Service Frustration.  Make those sales Comcast, minimize the service.

I just hope Comcast doesn't take over the country. That would be worse than the Republicans taking over the country.

More Frustations!

Folks, more frustration and angst in Casa Tipton-Kelly Land.  On Sunday I lost my Discover credit card.  

I. AM. LOST. WITHOUT. THAT. CARD

I used it at Lowe's, Best Ace Hardware (two of their stores) and on the Internet (Amazon, when we couldn't find what we were looking for at Lowe's or Best Ace, should've started with Amazon in the first place).

I've called both Ace hardware stores and Lowe's.  NO. CARD.

I called Discover yesterday and killed the card.  A new one will be in the mail in a few days.

Thank goodness there were no unauthorized charges on it.  

Now the pain is going on the Internet and changing my credit card number for at least ten companies which charge me automatically.  This is the second time I've done this in two years.  A real pain.  The last time I had to change everything was when my previous credit card number (also Discover) was stolen when I made a purchase in Buffalo, New York on my way to Canada to visit Pat.  

So in addition to my home computer network still screwed up, I now have this to contend with.  Bill is convinced that I am LOSING IT.  

Today (one week to the day), my Comcast service person is scheduled to arrive.  Of course it is raining as it always does when I have a Comcast serviceperson entering Casa Tipton-Kelly.  

SHOES OFF or were the booties please.

What else can go wrong?  

I'm looking forward to a few weeks of just coasting.  Playing online Scrabble, writing and reading blogs, listening to my new Bose Wave radio, follow the political clown show, etc. 

Oh, and Christmas is a few days away.

Wait a minute!  I almost forgot.  I had another disaster yesterday.  I was supposed to go into work in the morning at the hotel.  I was switching shifts with my co-worker Monica who had a doctor's appointment at 9:00 AM.

At 7:17 AM, as I was turning over in my bed for "another twenty minutes of sleepy time slumber",  I am rudely awaken by the ringtone of my iPhone on the bed stand next to my bed.  I look and see Monica's face on the display of my big iPhone 6S plus.  OMIGOD!  I was supposed to go into work this morning!  

I answered the phone.  Monica said "Where are you?  You were supposed to be in this morning." 

Uh, that's right.  I apologized and said I would be in about twenty minutes as soon as I got dressed and put my day face on.  

I arrived at work at about 8:00 AM, only about an hour and a half when I should have arrived at work.  No wonder Bill thinks I'm losing IT.

And then last night we went out to Bill's favorite "family restaurant" (mostly old folk like us who prefer cheap eats).  Not a good meal folks plus I had to drive home in the dark which is difficult for me these days with my growing cataracts.  And I didn't get that meal (Chicken Ceasar wrap without the Ceasar dressing) settled in my stomach until I made and downed a banana smoothie before I went to bed.  

And here I am on this rainy morning, waiting for The Cable Guy Comcast service person.

Let's hope this day goes better. Things could be worse.  I could have been named Miss Universe only to have my crown ripped off my head because Steve Harvey, the emcee MADE A MISTAKE!  God, can you imagine?

Computer Frustrations

 Well, this is a day I'll never get back.  But I did learn a bit more about being a computer technician.  Since Comcast service won't be out here until next week (Tuesday), I decided to take the bull by the horns and set up the new combination modem-router that I received via UPS from them yesterday in the rain as I was leaving for work.  How do you like THAT for a LONG sentence?  

I have to confess folks, I am a bit frazzled right now so bear with me.

As the above video indicates I played computer tech service guy this morning by setting up the new modem-router that Comcast sent to me.  Yes, I was the one crawling around on the floor, getting behind that computer cabinet, amidst years of dust cover wires to connect the new piece of equipment.

Again, in my never ending quest not to post a long and boring tech filled post, I will state that after several frustrating hours I did get everything hooked up.  Now bear with me.  I can now get WIFI with my new modem-router but I still cannot hookup the ethernet cable.  I put the ethernet cable in the back of my iMac and nada.  No Internet connection.  

I called Apple.  They walked me through several time consuming steps ending with me putting my computer in a Safe Mode and completely reinstalling the El Capitan OS operating system.  

This took some time (hours), resulting in call backs from Apple from different techs (of course) to try and make my ethernet connection work.  It didn't work.  

By this time I figured out that I didn't have a software problem with my almost new iMac Apple computer.  What I surmised (process of elimination) was when Comcast's had the power outage this last Tuesday that caused me to be disconnected from their Internet service.  

I called Comcast back and this time got a very nice woman ("Judy") from Manila (yes, the Philippines). I asked her "Do you have to activate my connection?"  She said "Yes" and she did.  Oh wait, I'm getting the cart before the horse.  Disregard my previous paragraph when I said I got an Internet connection RIGHT after hooking up my new modem-router.  I didn't get it until "Judy" activated it.  But still, I don't have an Ethernet connection.  She suggested that I call Apple back again.

Tech service center Manila, Phillipines

That I did and after another hour and a half in which two very help Apple employees walked me through several steps, and still no ethernet Internet connection, we figured out that I will wait until the Cable Guy Comcast service technician arrives NEXT Tuesday.  Yes folks, I'm almost there.

Another frustration.  I lost my Internet connection to my new Bose Wave radio but I was able figure out how to hookup to my new home WIFI signal.  Which, by the way, doesn't have my favorite home network name nor password.  Instead it has a password of 78 alpha characters and numbers which I am anxious to change but I don't want to mess around anymore with screwing up what I have working now.

Does this make any sense?  Folks, I have an Internet connection, albeit WIFI and I'm not using my good neighbor Barb's WIFI signal thus I am an honest if frustrated Old Gay Man (there he goes with the "gay thing" again).

So now I'm listening to some really cool sound my Pandora Internet radio station ("Beyond Ragi" DJ Krush) and going to have some dinner, catch up on my online Scrabble games (before I - God forbid - forfeit any of them) and who knows?  Maybe even a Netlix movie.  It's been awhile hasn't it Ron since you've had a relaxing night at the Tipton Cinema?

The "Tipton Cinema" or facsimile thereof

Comcast Service Outage

Yesterday morning I woke up to be confronted by Bill with his iPad in hand. Even before I poured my bran flakes into my cereal bowl, he said "I can't get on the Internet."  

"Oh here we go again" I thought.  Losing Internet service was almost a weekly feature when we have Verizon DSL Internet service.  Finally, back in 2011 I gave up on Verizon ever getting FIOS in our development in my lifetime and against my better judgement and because I had no other choice, I went with Comcast. Of course the service cost more than twice as much as my Verizon ($75 a month versus Verizon's $30 a month), at least I would have dependable service.  

Another reason I was reluctant to go with Comast in addition to the high cost was because of my past history with Comcast.  I'm not going to bore you with all my past dealings with Comcast when we first moved into the development where we now live but suffice it to say Comcast more than lived up to it's reputation for having one of the worst customer services records in the industry.  Quite literally they are awful. 

Now I'll know I'll get a comment on this blog posting from a Comcast representative because they obviously spend a lot of money to monitor anything negative said about Comcast on the Internet.  The comment is always the same, from a customer representative who is willing to help me to assuage my bad experience.  My question is:  Why don't they spend the money on good customer service up front (like Apple for instance) than spend so much money on the end after the bad experience.  

So I made the call to Comcast yesterday.  After going through the usual automated menu options I got a live person, who I could only understand about 70% of the time (I couldn't determine if he had an accent or was just bored) and who was obviously reading from a script instead of actually listening to what I had to say.

I told him that I didn't have an Internet connect.  He did the usual apologies then proceeded to walk me through the usual "checking the connections."  He asked about my Wifi "connector".  I told him that I only have a modem, which was supplied by Comcast (now at $10 a month - up from the original $8.00 a month then $9.00 a month and now, viola! $10. 00 a month).  He said "Then you don't have Wifi.  Uh.......I DO have wifi.  In fact I have my own network.  He said again "No, you don't have Wifi, you probably have a hotspot."  Here we go again folks, reminds me of the time when I moved in here in 2006 and I was being billed by Comcast for service that I wasn't receiving.  I called Comcast and told them I wasn't receiving service only to be told "Our records indicate that you are receiving service."  I told them again, "I'm not receiving service."  Again, the Comcast service person told me "But you are."  They were arguing with me! 

I told them to come out and check for themselves to see what I was telling them was the truth.  The next day, in the pouring rain (of course), a sullen service person came out and did indeed confirm that I WAS NOT RECEIVING SERVICE.  Of course no apology, or anything.  He did set me up for service and left his wet footprints on my wall to wall carpet in my office (oh why did I ever opt for wall to wall carpet when I had this house built)?

I had several other interactions with Comcast, including their TV service with similar results.  An employee with an attitude that they were doing me a favor and argumentative and not at all customer orientated.

Back to my call yesterday.  The service tech that I was talking to yesterday transferred me to someone else (of course he did).  This was a young lady named "Shantel" (hope I got the spelling right).  She was nicer and DIDN'T have an accent (thank goodness).  She actually listened to me and thought that I needed a new modem-router combination.  She also scheduled an appointment to have a service tech stop by the house here at Casa Tipton-Kelly to see why I still don't have an Internet connection. But the earliest she could make the call was NEXT TUESDAY.  Wow.  Can you believe it?  Even she thought that was too long, so after a long hold on the phone she said a service tech would stop by today between 2 and 5 pm.  She said he would "try to squeeze me in" but could make no promises that he would actually be here.  Ah yes, Comcast continues to amaze with their customer service.  You know folks, when I call DirecTV, they would send me the equipment overnight and have a service guy (or gal) here the NEXT day.  But we're dealing with Comcast here, who apparently wants to maintain their reputation as one of worst customer service companies today.  Total time on the phone yesterday one hour and forty-six minutes of guy life which I will never have back again.

The time now is 3:43 PM.  No service man (or gal) yet.  No phone call either.  Do you think anyone will actually come today?  I don't.  And tomorrow I work so they can't come.  And what are the odds of them coming Friday or God forbid, on the weekend?  Not likely.  But folks, I am prepared to be amazed.  

So how am I managing this write this blog and post it on the Internet now?  Simple, I'm using my neighbor's Wifi.  Thank you Barbara. 

P.S.
And by the way, those of you who use Comcast and are tempted to tell me "Why I don't have a problem with Comcast" . . . all I have to say to you is "Well, aren't you special?"

I would use another Internet service company but there ARE NO OTHER INTERNET SERVICE COMPANIES IN MY AREA.  And Comcast knows it and it shows in their attitude towards their customers.  Believe me, I know.

Come one Verizon, get FIOS in here!

Update 4:29 PM

Of course the Comcast service person did not arrive.  No phone call.  I'm on Hold now with Comcast.  They said the next available time for a service call is NEXT TUESDAY, DECEMBER 22.  Yes folks, a WEEK since my Internet service went out.  

Now get this, they said they would give a $20 credit on my SERVICE CALL BILL because no one showed up today.  Uh, I am not supposed to be  charged AT ALL BECAUSE I RENT THE EQUIPMENT.  They checked and viola!  I was right.  No served charge because the call is equipment related.  

Folks, it take a lot of patience.  I blasted the person I was talking to on the phone a little bit but I understand how it is to be a lowly munchkin on the other end of the line being paid by an unfeeling corporate giant to be a punching bag for customer's frustrations.  

Ah Comcast, your reputation continues to grow.

Why Big Companies Fail

This morning I heard the news that Eastman Kodak filed for bankruptcy.  Yes, you heard it right.  Eastman Kodak, the Goliath of the photo industry has failed.  Eastman Kodak, the company that discovered digital cameras wasn't smart enough to figure out that the future was digital photography.  Basically put, the high salaried executives couldn't get their heads out of their asses and let their company fail.

I'm reading Steve Job's biography now.  It is a very insightful book, not only about Steve Jobs personality (he was an asshole) but about his frustration with dealing with companies like Eastman Kodak who couldn't or wouldn't get their heads out of their asses because of arrogance, inertia and incompetence.

I am typing this blog on a Steve Jobs product, an iMac computer.  I use an iPhone.  I also use an iPad.  These are almost perfect consumer products in that they are very user friendly and ahead of the curve in anticipating the consumer's need in the 21st century.  Whatever Steve Jobs personal failings as a Feel Good manager of people (he was terrible), at least he had a vision of where and how consumer products and customer service should be in this day and age.

This morning I experienced another example of corporate arrogance, hubris, and incompetence.  Last January I signed up with Comcast for my Internet service.  Previously I had Verizon (yet another example of corporate arrogance, hubris, and incompetence) but I discontinued their DSL service because it was so unreliable and slow.  My only other choice was Comcast, the local monopoly.

Me with my Comcast paperwork, ready to sink into the Labyrinth of Frustration with phone calls this morning

I did not want to use Comcast because of my previous dealings with them when I moved into my new home in November of 2006.  I won't bore you the reader of my nightmare experience of just trying to get service set up on my new house but suffice it to say I was glad to be done with them.  I signed up with Verizon, and while they didn't have the arrogance of a monopoly company their customer service wasn't much better (too automated) and it was SLOW.  Rarely a week went by that I didn't lost my Internet service at least once.  After several years of constantly rebooting my modem and going through the Menu Hell of calling Verizon, I finally relented and signed up with Comcast in January of 2011.

Last March I got my first bill in the mail.  Of course it was wrong.  They charged me too much.  I called them (another Menu Hell by the way) and they said I wouldn't be receiving a bill because I had a credit.  Okay.

The months roll by.  Then I got to thinking last November "That credit must have been fulfilled by now."  I  still haven't received a bill.  I checked my credit card billing.Yep, there it is.  They're charging my credit card.  Funny, I don't remember giving authorization for that.

I meant to call them but with my Prostate Drama and the holidays rushing upon me I didn't get around to it until just this morning.  I call to find out why I'm not receiving a paper bill.  Yep, I was in Telephone Menu Hell again.

I heard that Comcast is losing about half a million customers a year.  I heard that they were "doing" customer service now.  Hey, BIG WHOOP!  So I call expecting to get an immediate answer to my phone call like I do when I call Apple support.  HA!  Foolish boy Ron!  I go through the menu options.  You know how it works.  "1 for something, 2 for something else, etc."  I finally choose "4 for other."  Then I"m on hold.  No surprise here.  So I stay on hold for about ten minutes and finally I get someone.  I tell her my problem.  "Why am I not getting a paper bill?"  She tells me that I'm getting "e-bills."  Funny thing about that, I don't remember authorizing "e-bills."  I asked her where the e-bills are going.  She tells me to my e-mail account.  I tell her that I don't get any Comcast e-bills to my e-mail account (which is AOL).  She tells me they go to my Comcast e-mail account.  Oh, and what account might that be?  I didn't know I had one.

She tells me I have to talk to Internet support.  Okay.  She transfers me.  Yep, you guessed it.  I got a long silence then a message from the telephone operation "If you would like to make a call...."  OH I'M NOT SURPRISED.  Comcast hung up on me.  And not for the first time either.

So I hang up and go through all the menu options until I get someone in the Internet department.  After another fifteen minutes I get someone.  I explain my problem and she tells me that she can't help me because she is in billing.  Yep, I'm back to Square One again folks!

Me patiently waiting on hold - at least I wouldn't be talking to someone from India

I patiently explain to her (barely surpressing my anger and frustration because I KNEW this would happen) and tell her I want to find out what my Comast e-mail account is so I CAN SEE MY BILLS!  I told her I've already been through the Phone Transfer thingy this morning so DON'T TRANSFER me to a dial tone.

She transfers me to another number and I wait another 10 minutes then I finally get someone.  We're going on 45 minutes now folks just to find out where my bills are.  This is why I didn't call last November.  I knew this would be an ORDEAL.

I talk to the new person.  I explain to her that I don't know what my Comcast e-mail account is but I would like to check my bills but I don't want Comcast to be my default e-mail account on my computer.  You know how that works with these companies, you check into them and the next thing you know Bing is your default search engine and not Google.

She assures me that Comcast won't be my default e-mail account unless I choose it.  She walks me through how to get to my Comcast e-mail account, providing me with a password which I didn't know I had.

I get to the Comcast e-mail and yep, it is not a user friendly e-mail site.  No surprise here.  Except for Apple and Discovercard, most Internet sites are notoriously non-user friendly.

With the Comcast representative on the phone (and she didn't sound happy probably because I didn't sound happy), we go into my e-mail account.  Only last month's bill is there.  Uh, how about LAST YEAR'S bills.  Oh, for that I have to do to Comcast's website under "ACCOUNTS".  We're up to an hour on the phone now folks.  Just to find out my bills.

After some more laborious searching around their Internet site I finally found my bills from last year.  Yep, they were e-billed.  I asked her why I was e-billed without my permission.  She said that the (excuse me, I just got an automated call from Comcast to answer a Customer Satisfaction Survey)...I'm back.

She told me that the customer service technician who installed my Comcast equipment last January should she explained to me that I would be e-billed through my Comcast e-mail account.  You know what?  He might have explained that to me and maybe I missed it.  I don't think so.  But I could be wrong.  One thing he did do, he installed the equipment in a timely manner and my Internet provider service is MUCH BETTER than it was with Verizon. Since last January I only had to reboot my modem once which was a VAST IMPROVEMENT over Verizon's service.

But still, sloppy customer service by not informing my of the way I would be billed.  And then I still had to jump through all these hoops this morning just to get it straightened out.

Comcast may be on a new path to improving their customer service but quite frankly, after this experience I don't see it.  I get a better Internet connection with them (faster than Verizon but still not as fast as FIOS that I had at my home in Pennsylvania) but there is no excuse for this laborious procedure that I had to go through this morning just to get a paper bill in the mail.

I think big companies fail because sometimes they get too big.  They're like a huge ship, they can't turn around without sinking the whole ship.  They're especially prone to failure when they become a virtual monopoly without competition because the first thing that goes is customer service and the first thing that appears is the arrogance and the "take it or leave it attitude."

I hope Apple never gets like that.  Steve, I miss you already.

Patience Ron, Patience

Waiting in line at the Comcast office in Lewes

I hate to start out today with a blog posting bitching and complaining (not really) but here I go.  I really, really do try to post something positive and uplifting everyday to bring a smile to the faces of my faithful blog followers.  But with the way today has started out I have no choice but to BITCH.

The morning got started off all right.  I drove the ten miles down Rt. 1 to Rehoboth Beach and took my early morning walk on the boardwalk.  That always refreshes me, a brisk walk on the boardwalk with all the other strange people (me included of course), listening to the waves crashing in on the dull brown sand that is Rehoboth Beach (no whites sands of Myrtle Beach, SC on this Delaware coastline).

The drive home wasn't bad.  It was when I got out of my car that I spotted not one, but TWO dings on the back door of my NEW RED SUBARU FORESTER.  Yes folks, I now have THREE DINGS on my NEW CAR.  I blame the dings on the tight parking slot that I have to occupy when I go into work at the hotel in Lewes.  Hey, when those guests hit the town loaded down with luggage and bicycles all over their vehicles, I'm lucky dings are all I get when they unload.  I won't bitch anymore about the dings.    Of course I am upset and frustrated (I am very anal) but it is what it is.

Then I walk in the door and Bill tells me he's having problems connecting to the Internet.  OH NO.  Since I ditched Verizon's LOUSY DSL service last March and went to Comcast I have had NO PROBLEMS.  That need today.  I won't take you through the torture of all the phones calls I made this morning.  I'll sum it up this way, I kept losing the solid green light which indicates an Internet connection.  After an hour and a half and several phone calls, I scheduled a service appointment.  I was told the earliest they could come was NEXT FRIDAY.  Oh no, that won't do at all.  That would mean I would have TO LIVE WITHOUT THE INTERNET FOR A WHOLE WEEK.  EEEEEEKKKKKK!

So I put my Thinking Cap on and called back and suggested "How about if I take the modem down to the local office and exchange it for a new one?" See, what I was thinking that the MODEM WAS BAD.  The woman on the other end of the line from Comcast thought that would be an excellent idea.  Whoopee!

I unplug and disconnect my feeble modem and tell Bill that I'm going down to the local Comcast store in Lewes exchange it for a new modem.  He said he would drive me down. I'm figuring this will take minutes.  I think you know we're I'm going with this.

We pull up to the Comcast store at Five Points in Lewes.  I grab my Chinese made modem and enter the Comcast "store" (or whatever they call it).  Oh uh.  The line of OTHER COMCAST customers stretches to the DOOR !  The nice young woman who works for Comcast (she said she was the "greeter" - are you kidding me?) said there would be a forty minute wait.  OMIGOD.  So I settled in for the wait.  That is the picture you see above.

The wait went by fast because a gentleman came in behind me who was equally disturbed when he realized that he had also stepped into the Waiting In Line Quicksand.  He said Comcast had called him and told him his modem was old and he had to replace it.  Wisely (he told me), he didn't bring his old modem with him just in case the new one didn't work.  Of course he wasn't too thrilled about standing in line to fix something that wasn't broke.

My turn finally came and an elderly lady behind the window very efficiently took care of my situation and I was out the door, after saying "Goodbye" to my friend who was in the store to replace his modem that was still working!

I get home, take the new modem out of the box (which was assembled in Viet Nam - which for some unexplained reason made me nervous - sorry, I mean do disrespect Tai - my Vietnamese blogger buddy).  I plug in everything.  Pretty blue and green lights start popping on and off.  I go to my computer to see if I can connect to the Internet.  Viola!  A screen appears to lead me through the initialization of the new modem.  Way to go Comcast!  I don't have to make another phone call to activate my new modem.

So here I am, updating my blog.  Half the day is shot but it could have been worse.  I now have an Internet connection.  Now if there was someway I could get rid of those two new dings in my car door.

Hooked Up!

Comcast Service Man Installing High Speed Internet for me

I'm back!  The past few days have been crazy.


First things first, I am now hooked up to Comcast and it is great.  I noticed the difference in my bandwidth right away.  


I take back everything bad I sad about Comcast.  The service guy came right on time.  He was knowledgeable, polite an efficient.  Also cute (which doesn't hurt).  Straight guys like to be around pretty girls, gay guys like to be around cute guys even if they are straight.  I'm attracted to straight guys anyway.  


So, I get hooked up to a faster speed to the Internet and the first thing I do is start uploading my files to Carbonite.  Carbonite is an offsite (up in the clouds) location for my thousands of files (mostly photos, I have over 42,500 of the suckers).  


My new friend and mentor (who patience I fear I am about to wear out) suggested that I backup my files to an offsite location and I have to agree with him.  I have an external hard drive which has an automatic backup function but if a hurricane blew through here in the future, I would have to search through the debris of my house to find it.  I don't want to go there.  

My Friend Don observing the Comcast Serviceman install

As soon as I started the backup I noticed a problem.  I had 93.325 Gigabytes of files (305,365) files to upload. Yes Virginia, I have THAT many files. I am not ashamed to admit it.  I am a photo hog.  


But here was the problem.  It took a hold day to upload a 2.sometthing GB.  At this rate I will be uploading into the summer.  All the time while I'm uploading I can't turn the computer off.  Can you say SCREEN BURN?  Thank goodness my friend Don showed me a Mac trick to put a screen saver on my 27 inch screen TV.  


So what have I been doing the past two days? For one thing I got up at 2:30 am Wednesday morning to order two iPhones, one for me and one for Bill.  Of course I had problems because I couldn't get through to Verizon.  Try as I might, I just couldn't make a connection.  They were swamped.  I went back to bed at 4:30 am but couldn't sleep.  Then I went back on my computer and went into the Apple store.  Viola!  They were taking orders.  I placed our orders!


Then Don came over for more Mac computer instruction.  I forget the sequence of events because the last two days have run together so much.  I had to work Wednesday evening and last night.  Neither day did I have an opportunity to take my nap.  Big mistake!  I was like a zombie at work.  


Last night when I went to bed?  I woke up this morning in the same position I went to bed.  That's how you know you're tired.  THE SAME POSITION!  It's a wonder I didn't stop breathing.  


Well, I had to call Don over this morning to help me figure out how to backup all my Flip Video files to a DVD-R.  I found out those files were over 23 Gigabytes due for backup!  Oh no, I can copy those to a DVD.  So Don came over this morning and helped me get started  He is so patient.  I am so nervous that I'm going to wipe everything off of my computer when I started messing around with it like this.  


Don got me started and left after a couple of hours.  Of course wouldn't you know it I screwed something up and almost lost all my remaining Flip video files.  I did something with the Time Machine and was able to recover them (don't ask me what I did, I don't know) and I copied them to a DVD.  I thew everything else into the Mac Trash Bucket and emptied it.  I think along the way I did lose one video file but I'm not going to jump off a cliff over that minor loss.  


Tonight we're doing the Friday Night Dine Out.  My friend Bob C. should be over in about a half an hour.  Tomorrow night we doing "Dirty Blonde" which is a show in Rehoboth.  


I got get back on my nap schedule.  I'm starting to look like the haggard old man that I am.  Where are those pins to put behind my ears to draw up my sagging face?


P.S
Anybody notice that I took the music off?  Is that all right with everyone.  I've been told that the music interferes with the reading of my blog.  I'm happy to oblige.  

One Down and One to Go

One down and one to go!  So far so good!


I couldn't sleep last night knowing that I had to get up by 3 am this morning to place my order for two iPhones using Verizon.  I got up at 2:30 and placed myself in front of my iMac computer and began my journey through ordering the new Verizon iPhone.  


I logged into my Verizon account and checked the different plans.  I decided that the senior citizen plan was right for me and Bill since we're both Oldie Goldies.  


Three a.m arrives.  I log into the Verizon website and click on the big button for ordering the new iPhone.  


Nothing.  That's right, NOTHING.


Okay, they're probably very busy.  I wait awhile and log in again.  Still nothing.  I roam around their website, thinking I'm missing something.  


No, I wasn't missing anything.  I saw no where were I could order the phone.  I log out and log in again.  I think you know where this is going.  After about 45 minutes of this time wasting exercise, I told Bill (who gets up early anyway) that I was going back to sleep.  Comcast is scheduled to arrive later today (from 8 am to 10 am which it is now 8:28 am and where is Comcast?)


I go back to bed.  I can't sleep.  I get up again and sit myself down in front of my computer and try logging into Verizon again.  Same result.....NOTHING.


So I'm thinking "What did I get wrong here?  I log in to the Apple Store.  Viola!  I get someone on the first ring.  Her name is Holly.  She says I am her first customer.  She is friendly and helpful (as have all the Apple people been to me ever since I started to use Apple products - they know all about customer service).


I proceed with my order but hit a road block because she wants to know my Verizon "billing verification code" for account verification.  Excuse me?  I have no idea what that was.  I look through my password file.  I find that over the years I've had six total Verizon passwords for one reason or another.  I read then all to her.  None work.  Okay, back to Go.


I go back to bed but I can't sleep.  I go to my computer and call the Apple store again.  This time I get Matt.  I explain my situation to him.  He tells me "I can work around that."  THANK GOODNESS!


Matt tells me that I can also order the iPhone through the Apple store.  He said that obviously Verizon was overloaded with calls.  Why am I not surprised that Verizon didn't plan for that possibility?  Customer service, that's what it is all about.  Apple knows customer service.  Most other businesses try to get by on the cheap and have less staff and more automation so they can save money and give their executives even bigger bonuses.  But I digress.  I don't want to go there this morning


Matt complete my order.  My phones will be delivered to me on or about the 18th of this month.  


Matt was professional, friendly and I could understand him.  He was working out Oregan and he has been up since 2 a.m. this morning after a long shift yesterday.  He provided me with a lot of helpful information.  He explained everything to me in a clear and concise manner and left me smiling.  How refreshing it is to deal with a company that places value on customer service.


Now I await Comcast.  I hope I can continue my good customer service streak today. 


Stay tuned.

My Mona Lisa Smile