Sadly, incompetence is the most egalitarian, universal, non-discriminatory human trait that crosses all cultural, regional and country boundaries.<br><br><div class="gmail_quote">On Tue, Jun 26, 2012 at 12:30 PM, Courtney Thomas <span dir="ltr"><<a href="mailto:courtneycthomas@bellsouth.net" target="_blank">courtneycthomas@bellsouth.net</a>></span> wrote:<br>
<blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin:0 0 0 .8ex;border-left:1px #ccc solid;padding-left:1ex">AT&T is even worse !<br>
<br>
Wasted 1/2 hr this AM trying to get a Canadian residential phone #, and<br>
though I<br>
literally tried 10 times {and failed} with resultant hangups, rudeness,<br>
incompetence<br>
and transfers to so-called supervisors......all to no avail :-( and<br>
I've been with 'em over 30 yrs.<br>
<br>
I'd change in a heartbeat if there was any competition.<br>
<br>
Finally succeeded by using a friend's Virgin cell phone....the first try.<br>
<br>
Hell, I got better service than this in Brazil 45 yrs ago.<br>
<br>
Welcome to the United States of Russia !<br>
<br>
C.Thomas<br>
<div class="HOEnZb"><div class="h5"><br>
On 6/25/2012 7:51 PM, Jim Lynch wrote:<br>
> Conversation with Comcast Chat.<br>
><br>
><br>
> Jim: Hi, we are purchasing a home on St. Simons Island and will be<br>
> closing on it next month. I have looked at the online offers. I see two<br>
> offers I might be interested in, one is the Digital Starter Package, the<br>
> other is the Preferred Package. The first says “more than 80 channels<br>
> available”, the second says “more than 100 channels available” however<br>
> if I click on the associated “channel lineup” for each, then compare<br>
> them, they are identical. What's the difference?<br>
><br>
><br>
> Ann: Hi, Jim, I'm happy to help you, can I have the address of the<br>
> installation?<br>
><br>
><br>
> Jim:<address given><br>
><br>
><br>
> Ann: What services do you currently have at that location.<br>
><br>
><br>
> Jim: Huh? What part of “we are purchasing … will be closing ...” do you<br>
> not understand?<br>
><br>
><br>
> Ann:<no response><br>
><br>
><br>
> Jim: Do you know we don't own the place yet?<br>
><br>
><br>
> Ann: Congratulations! We have multiple specially priced packages<br>
> available at that location. Can I have your phone number and have a<br>
> specialist call you?<br>
><br>
><br>
> Jim: no just answer the question.<br>
><br>
><br>
> Ann: what number can he call you back at?<br>
><br>
><br>
> Jim: Are you a robot?<br>
><br>
><br>
> Ann:<no response><br>
><br>
><br>
> Jim: Either you are a robot or a person pressing macro buttons sending<br>
> canned messages.<br>
><br>
><br>
> Ann: I am a person.<br>
><br>
><br>
> Jim: I seriously doubt that! My phone number is<given><br>
><br>
><br>
> Ann: I'll have someone call you within 5 minutes .<br>
><br>
><br>
> Ann: It's been a pleasure assisting you today.<br>
><br>
><br>
> Jim: bye<br>
><br>
><br>
> So about 5 minutes later (why can't service be that prompt?) I get a<br>
> call from Steve, with a heavy Indian accent.<br>
><br>
><br>
> Steve: I understand you want to sign up for services with us. Can I get<br>
> the address that you need service at?<br>
><br>
><br>
> Jim.<give address><br>
><br>
><br>
> Steve: I see that we can offer you many services at that location<and<br>
> goes off on telling me what he can do for me><br>
><br>
><br>
> Jim: Wait. I just want an answer to my question.<Steve rattles on for a<br>
> bit before I'm able to interrupt him. I then repeat my dilemma with the<br>
> channel lists><br>
><br>
><br>
> Steve: In addition to ESPN you get …. and with Nickelodeon you also get …<br>
><br>
><br>
> Jim: Wait, but why are the lists on the webpage the same?<br>
><br>
><br>
> Steve:<goes into another description of the differences><br>
><br>
><br>
> Jim: Hold it. Are you saying that the lists are the same because there<br>
> are differences not listed?<br>
><br>
><br>
> Steve: The listing shows the differences. Go to<some web page that is<br>
> an actual side by side comparison><br>
><br>
><br>
> Jim: But the page that came up when I followed the links when I put my<br>
> address in didn't show any differences in the channel lineup.<br>
><br>
><br>
> Steve:<Ignoring me completely went on to describe the differences blah<br>
> blah blah> … and with the $119 package you get<br>
><br>
><br>
> Jim:<interrupting> Wait, wait. Listen I only need to be able to watch<br>
> TV. I don't want a $119 package.<br>
><br>
><br>
> Steve: With the … package we can provide you with phone, TV and Internet<br>
> service …<br>
><br>
><br>
> Jim: I just want to watch tv. Don't you have anything more basic than<br>
> the Digital Starter service?<br>
><br>
><br>
> Steve: The digital starter service is only $... if you contract for 2<br>
> years it goes to $...<some higher number> after one year and then is<br>
> $... after that. Otherwise it is $... for the first<interrupted by me><br>
><br>
><br>
> Jim: I can read. Thanks. I don't see anything on the Preferred list I<br>
> want to watch so I guess I'll need the Digital Starter package.<br>
><br>
><br>
> Steve: Give me a contact phone number and I'll give you an order number<br>
> and a contact number for installation services.<br>
><br>
><br>
> Jim: I don't want to place an order just yet.<br>
><br>
><br>
> Steve: You don't have to pay for anything until after installation but<br>
> to lock in the price I've quoted you, you need to place an order.<br>
><br>
><br>
> Jim:<gives him the info><br>
><br>
><br>
> Steve:<recites order number and installation services phone number><br>
><br>
><br>
> Steve: We have an arrangement with<some company> to provide you a modem<br>
> and wireless router at a discount, can we place that on the order?<br>
><br>
><br>
> Jim: I thought I wasn't ordering Internet services from you.<br>
><br>
><br>
> Steve: that's fine. We also for $6.xx can provide service for your modem<br>
> and wireless router can I sign you up for that?<br>
><br>
><br>
> Jim: Why on earth would I need service for something that I'm not going<br>
> to order nor can I use? Are you sure you're not a computer? Or are you<br>
> reading from a sheet using as little of your mind as is possible? You're<br>
> last two questions are idiotic!<br>
><br>
><br>
> Steve: That's fine. Thank you for letting me assist you and please stay<br>
> on the line for installation services<br>
><br>
><br>
> Jim: What? I have no idea when we will close, when I will be there and<br>
> even if I'm going to order anything.<br>
><br>
><br>
> Steve: That's fine. Thank you for letting me assist you, goodbye.<br>
><br>
><br>
><br>
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</div></div></blockquote></div><br><br clear="all"><br>-- <br>-- <br>James P. Kinney III<br><i><i><i><i><br></i></i></i></i>Every time you stop a school, you will have to build a jail. What you
gain at one end you lose at the other. It's like feeding a dog on his
own tail. It won't fatten the dog.<br>
- Speech 11/23/1900 Mark Twain<br><i><i><i><i><br><a href="http://electjimkinney.org" target="_blank">http://electjimkinney.org</a><br><a href="http://heretothereideas.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">http://heretothereideas.blogspot.com/</a><br>
</i></i></i></i><br>