Comcast Makes Final Four in Comsumerist's Worst Company in America 2008

Most companies would normally be excited to be a semi-finalist for an award, but not this time. Comcast has managed to bump off Menu Foods, The American Arbitration Association, Ticketmaster and even Exxon in its quest to become Worst Company in America 2008. It now faces off against Diebold, stealer of elections and maker of faulty voting systems, for the, er, "privilege" of going head-to-head with the "winner" of the Walmart vs. Countrywide faceoff.

Overall, telecom was heavily represented in Comsumerist's annual choosing of a winner/loser. Charter, Time Warner, Sprint, Dish Network, AT&T, Cox, DirecTV and Verizon each grabbed one of the initial 32 spots, giving cable, television and phone companies more than a quarter of the roster. Is it any wonder that these companies also consistently place near the bottom of the American Consumer Satisfaction Index?

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2 Responses to Comcast Makes Final Four in Comsumerist's Worst Company in America 2008

  1. Capt. Video says:

    This is where the “opportunity” lies for UTOPIA and iProvo. When those networks were conceived their strong suit was as much the strong LOCAL customer service and LOCALISM as the technology.

    That is why iProvo included a LOCAL STUDIO and a requirement for a LOCAL (in Provo) customer service/call center..

    The plan was to beat them (Big Cable/Big Phone) by providing better customer service while offering a competitive or better product at a competitive price.

    Neither UTOPIA nor iProvo was able to deliver.

    As both big cable and big phone improved their customer service UTOPIA and iProvo created processes and procedures that made delivering good customer service almost impossible. Finger pointing between networks and service providers, no one controlling end to end process or having end to end responsibility.

    Both networks failed to hire (or listen to when hired) experienced cable or phone people that had operated networks. They focused on network as a computer network and computer guys that knew nothing about field services or construction. (Computer guys are needed and very important but have little to no experience in cable/phone network operations. NETWORK means something different to these groups.)

    Setting up a dispatch, installation and in-home service call operation. Setting up a customer service operation for this type of operation.

    They continue to make the same mistakes today. Who at iProvo, Broadweave or UTOPIA has actual operational experience of this type. From years at a phone company or cable company in an operational management role?

    I don’t think you will find any of that type of badly needed experience.

    So the focus has shifted to trying to get subscribers because they offer “fiber” of “faster internet”. When the focus should still be competitive services at competitive prices with BETTER customer service.

  2. kg says:

    “When the focus should still be competitive services at competitive prices with BETTER customer service.”

    Key words here – COMPETITIVE, SERVICES, and BETTER. Until they get the above figured out and implemented, they can’t even begin to compete with the big guys.

    We switched to Mstar and were sorely disappointed in the video compared to what we had with Comcast. The equipment is woefully lacking, but we refuse to go back to Comcast because of their pitiful customer NONservice. Maybe we’ll have to try Dish.

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