Complaint Review: INSIGHT COMMUNICATIONS

I sent the following complaint to Insight Communications customer service dept and several company officers 7/15/09. It's not my first experience with unfair practices, price gouging and rotten service, certainly won't be my last, but I'm usually much more passive about it, just try to become more cautious. But I'm not taking this one lying down. I've had enough.

I have received some of the worst customer service from Insight I've ever received. Bad enough, and unacceptable enough that I feel as though it's worth my valuable and unavailable time and energy to pursue.

I contacted Insight 7/8 to report transfer of service because I was moving 7/11, requested that service be activated. I was told by an employee that service would need to be activated on site, an appt was made for 14:30-17:30 on 7/11. I received a call from Insight on either 7/9 or 7/10 to confirm my appt.

On 7/11 at 17:30 I called Insight to get an eta. I was told by a VERY RUDE rep that he was running late, she rescheduled my appt for 20:00 that evening. Not only was my original appt not kept, but I had to contact Insight, Insight did not contact me. Then, the new 20:00 appt was not kept, and Insight did not contact me. I called Insight last night at 19:00, asked the rep to describe to me the activity showing on my acct, before I mentioned the problems. I wanted to find out if your system actually showed this activity. Both activation appts were showing on my acct, and both no-shows were showing on my acct, still no one contacted me. I received an apology from the rep I spoke to last night, and a reschedule for 7/16, but nothing else, after I said I've never been so dissatisfied with service. An apology is NOT customer service, it's a beginning to customer service. You don't hesitate to shut off service if my payment is late, but you don't exist when I need the smallest thing out of the ordinary. And, your rates are twice as high as they should be. You're charging me $68 a month for TV. $68 a month for TV. It's wrong, it's just wrong, no grey area about it. $68 a month to be able to sit on my couch for a little while after work and unwind. $68 a month to watch TV. Not clean my house, make dinner, and drive me to work, just TV. No internet, no phone, just TV.

This morning, I received a call from Insight to confirm the 7/16 appt. I told the young man that all my cable connections seem to be working well, to cancel the 7/16 appt. But, I also took the opportunity to tell him about the rotten customer service I've received. He said "Ok, I'll cancel your appt." That was it, he said nothing else. I said "I'm not surprised that you have nothing else to say, but you should care because I'm working with my landlord to allow me to switch to Direct TV. Not only is your customer service the worst I've ever experienced with cable TV, but your rates are twice as high as they should be." He said "Ma'am, I'm just doing my job, confirming appointments." I said "No, your job is also customer service." He hung up on me.

I wear many hats in my work, one of which is customer service. If I treat my customers the way Insight has treated me (not to mention the rudeness and indifference) not only would I lose my customers, but my job and my business, as well. I want someone who actually cares about their job, their reputation, acknowledging the fact that their job is provided by their customers, to call me, on my time. I am available after 18:00. You are charging me twice or more what your television service is worth, and I'm not getting my money's worth. I want you to back up your claims for excellent service and excellent customer service. Again, an apology is not customer service, it's just the beginning. And, in the meantime, the least you could do is take that outrageous amount of money you are charging me, and others, and use it to pay for employee training. And, my message to your employees: There are thousands of people out of work. If you don't like your job, if you aren't capable of doing it, give the job to someone who wants and needs it.

Karen
louisville, Kentucky
U.S.A.