This morning, I woke up to sit at my computer to do my work and my internet was shut off. This happens because I have a million and one things to do, I need a reminder of when bills are due sometimes, and I am supposed to get a bill via email and Charter cable’s billing system never sends it to me.
Let me take you on the ride I went on this morning.
Automated System: Welcome to Charter. What is your 10 digit phone number?
ME: xxx-xxx-xxxx
AS: Thank you. What is your four digit pin number on the top of your bill?
Me: xxxx
AS: Thank you. That matches our records. What is your account number?
Me: I don’t have it.
AS: That’s ok, we can try this another way. What is your billing zip code?
Me: 90802
AS: what is your street address
Me: xxxxxxxx
AS: Sorry, I didn’t understand that. What is your billing address?
Me (speaking extremely slowly and clearly): xxxxxxxxx
AS: Sorry, I didn’t understand that. Let’s try this another way. What is the name of your street?
Me: xxxx
AS: Ok your street is xxxx, right?
ME: YES
AS: Sorry I didn’t get that. Your street is xxx, right?
Me: YES
AS: Sorry I didn’t get that. I’m transferring you over to a representative.
ME: AGH!
Agent: Thank you for calling Charter Customer Support how can I help you?
Me: yes. I would like to pay my bill so I can have my internet turned back on.
Agent: I can definitely help you with that. What is your name?
me: Christina
Agent: Thanks Christina, what is your four digit pin number on the top of your bill?
me: xxxx
Agent: Ok great that matches our records. What is your account number?
me: I don’t know it.
Agent: We can look it up by your address, what is your address:
me: xx xxxxx xxxx Long beach, CA
Agent: ok great. You owe <astronomical amount of money for internet>
Me: Ok. Is there a fee to pay with you? I don’t want to pay a fee.
Agent: Yes, it’s $5. I can send you over to our automated system and it’s free, or you can pay online.
Me: well you guys turned my internet off and I just tried to pay through the automated system and it doesn’t work, is there another way? Can you give me my account number?
Agent: We aren’t allowed to give your account number over the phone because of security purposes.
Me: Um. Can I speak to your manager?
Agent: The manager is going to tell you the same thing I just told you.
Me: Well what am I supposed to do? I don’t have a bill in front of me, your automated system doesn’t work, and I don’t think you deserve $5 so I can pay you.
Agent: We can do a three way call with the automated system and I can input the account info you don’t have for you.
Me: Ok.
<<Cue automated system again>>
AS: What amount do you want to pay?Me: $100.
AS: OK, you would like to pay $100 is that correct?
Me: YES
AS: I didn’t get that. How much would you like to pay?
Me (interrupting the system because I’m livid at this point): $100.
Agent: Maam, you can’t interrupt the system, that’s why it’s not working.
At this point, her voice actually confuses the system and then it starts to send me to another operator. I get extremely mad and scream at the agent that I am just going to hang up.
So then I hang up.
I call Verizon because I’m SO OVER CHARTER COMMUNICATION at this point that I just want FIOS. Unfortunately, it is STILL not available in my area so I have NO choice but to be stuck with Charter. I can’t do AT&T or Dish or anything like that because for my job I need fast internet.
I collect myself, realize I’m wasting time that I could be using working, and try to log into Charter’s website on my phone to pay. Nope, the password that I’ve used for the last 3 years yet again doesn’t work. I reset my password on their website every month and every month I have to call their tech support department to have it reset yet again. I try another password that it might be, and am warned that I have one more attempt before I’m locked out of my account. I give up and call Charter back.
I went through the automated system a second time. It still didn’t understand me even though I spoke to it like a robot, and even tried typing in my answers instead of speaking them. I was sent to another agent, who actually helped me. The reason I hadn’t been getting notified of my account being past due was because they had a phone number on the account that I did not authorize as a contact number. The agent told me that the other girl was WRONG and that she is totally able to give out my account number. I got my account number and paid within minutes. This could have all been avoided if the first agent had just given me my acct #.
Seriously, Charter. Your company is SO POORLY ORGANIZED. You wasted 45 minutes of my day. If you had to pay me for the time that I spent trying to pay you for my damn internet, you would owe me $37.50.
If I had a choice between companies, I would cancel my service immediately without question. Charter Cable Sucks.
EDIT: It makes me even MORE Mad to see the ad that is showing up to the side of this screen right now. $29.99/month no contract for internet/tv/phone bundled? I pay 3 times that amount and I’ve been a customer for about 3 years!!! What the hell!?
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