An Open Letter to Time Warner Cable/Roadrunner Highspeed
The technical support people whom I dealt with were pleasant and polite. They were sympathetic to my problems, thanked me for my call and were always respectful and kind. I cannot say enough nice things about them.
Your system, however, leaves much to be desired. It took multiple web searches to find a phone number. The first and most prominent number I called was sales, with no option to proceed to support. You apparently have multiple accounts for my phone number, which you should not have because we have been at this address and had this phone number for nearly 8 years. There was no opportunity to resolve this. Your bureaucracy is impossible for a customer to navigate. It makes me think you are more interested in selling services than supporting them.
Since I became a Time Warner/Roadrunner customer 8 years ago, service has declined steadily. You have "upgraded" the software on my DVR multiple times, and it now runs much slower than it did when I first got it. The online cable menus, internet technical support, and other features have gotten worse. It took 3 calls to resolve my problem. This was made especially problematic by the fact that my phone call was dropped whenever they reset my modem. The support people were prepared for this and warned me, but it should not be this way.
Your tech support people are obviously working in a noisy, chaotic environment (I can hear the background noise when I call them.) They sound nervous and tired. I feel sorry for them.
If things do not change, I will not renew my contract. I may end my contract early.
Again, many many compliments to the technical support people who answered my call. I don't know how they do it. If I were working for you, I'd quit.
Congrats, TWC, you've qualified for Melinda's Shameless Jerk Award. This is a cumulative award, starting with the part where you stalked me on Twitter, continuing with the progressively worse DVR service, and culminating in the 7 days 7 FREAKING days it took me to navigate your support system.
Meanwhile, NetGear wins the "I didn't know anyone still did this" award.
Dear NetGear:
Wow. I just installed your router, and--Wow. It took 5 minutes. Your hardware worked without prompting. The installation software was obviously made with care and precision and not by some poor guy you're keeping chained in the basement. The interface was smooth and easy to follow. When it came time to register, the default options were the ones I was more likely to want rather than the ones that would make it easier for your marketing department to track me down and hard-sell me until I bought something to make them shut up.
Well-done, NetGear. You'll have my business next time.
Your system, however, leaves much to be desired. It took multiple web searches to find a phone number. The first and most prominent number I called was sales, with no option to proceed to support. You apparently have multiple accounts for my phone number, which you should not have because we have been at this address and had this phone number for nearly 8 years. There was no opportunity to resolve this. Your bureaucracy is impossible for a customer to navigate. It makes me think you are more interested in selling services than supporting them.
Since I became a Time Warner/Roadrunner customer 8 years ago, service has declined steadily. You have "upgraded" the software on my DVR multiple times, and it now runs much slower than it did when I first got it. The online cable menus, internet technical support, and other features have gotten worse. It took 3 calls to resolve my problem. This was made especially problematic by the fact that my phone call was dropped whenever they reset my modem. The support people were prepared for this and warned me, but it should not be this way.
Your tech support people are obviously working in a noisy, chaotic environment (I can hear the background noise when I call them.) They sound nervous and tired. I feel sorry for them.
If things do not change, I will not renew my contract. I may end my contract early.
Again, many many compliments to the technical support people who answered my call. I don't know how they do it. If I were working for you, I'd quit.
Congrats, TWC, you've qualified for Melinda's Shameless Jerk Award. This is a cumulative award, starting with the part where you stalked me on Twitter, continuing with the progressively worse DVR service, and culminating in the 7 days 7 FREAKING days it took me to navigate your support system.
Meanwhile, NetGear wins the "I didn't know anyone still did this" award.
Dear NetGear:
Wow. I just installed your router, and--Wow. It took 5 minutes. Your hardware worked without prompting. The installation software was obviously made with care and precision and not by some poor guy you're keeping chained in the basement. The interface was smooth and easy to follow. When it came time to register, the default options were the ones I was more likely to want rather than the ones that would make it easier for your marketing department to track me down and hard-sell me until I bought something to make them shut up.
Well-done, NetGear. You'll have my business next time.