When we bought our house in August I called all of the utilities to have them switched over to our names. (To back up a bit, on the morning of our final walk through before we closed the city showed up to shut off the water because the previous owners were delinquent. This gave us a hint that there might be problems.) Each of the utilities; electric, gas, and city(which is our sewer, water, and garbage) told us the accounts were delinquent but that they would just start a whole new account in our names. The phone company set up a new account and made dates to have installation.
The first appointment I decided to cancel because it was to set up internet, and we had yet to unpack or set up the desk and computer. This appointment was for the day after we received household goods. When I called to cancel I was told then that it wasn't going to happen anyway, because they couldn't turn off the old phone number until it was paid for. Sounded like a load of stinky stuff to me, but okay, let's just reschedule. We were okay about not having phone in the house right away because we were staying with Hero's parents until our new kitchen appliances were delivered. The second appointment approaches. No one shows, and no one calls to say the installation rep would not be coming out, they had my cell number. Agitated that I wasted a whole day waiting for them to show up I called. Again I was told that they didn't come out because they couldn't start a new number to the house until the old was turned off, and they wouldn't turn off the old until it was paid for in full. To me this seemed rather odd since all the other companies could and did do it. I set up yet another appointment because the customer service rep told me that since it had been more than 30 days since we requested to have a new number installed the old one would turn off. Third appointment day, no show. At this point Hero and I decided where phone company could go, how they could get there, and what they could do once they got there.
I began calling other phone service providers to seek other options. Once we decided on digital voice and internet with another company and made arrangements with them to have it installed, I called bad phone company and told them to take a flying leap off a short pier. Not really, I am ashamed to say I told them where to go in very unlady like terms. Customer service rep rather rudely told me that without them we couldn't get phone service from anyone! Boy was she WRONG! But amazingly after being told to reside in the depths of hell, the old number was shut off. I know this because the phone immediately went from having a busy tone when picked up to dead silent. I was told they could only turn it off from the house, I knew this was a lie, I knew there was some magical button they could push from their location.
Appointment day with new phone company, really the cable company arrives. They tried to set up phone service when it was discovered that the previous owners had cut the cable at the street. Installation dudes assure me they can still install phone and internet, but they need to wait until their company can come out and reinstall the cable from the street to the house. After a new appointment time was made to install the new cable and for the installation of services they leave. This company kept it's appointments and we have happily had phone and internet since the middle of October.
Now, part of the original order with bad phone company was to bundle our satellite with them. Satellite company came out and installed on the day the phone company was originally supposed to be here. We have been very happily entertained with a gazillion channels ever since.
Month goes by and I am wondering where is our satellite bill. I call satellite company and am informed that phone company has paid bill so we should receive bill from phone company. I am told that until phone company "unbundles" us we will not receive bill from satellite company. Frustrated from lack of customer service from phone company we decide we want nothing to do with them, and call to ask that they unbundle us. I call in November, told no problem it is taken care of, you will not receive another bill from us. Call in December after receiving a bill from them, same story. Guess what I got in the mail today? That's right, another bill from bad phone company. After yet another hour on the phone with them, I have wasted so many hours on the phone with them, I think I finally ran into a customer service rep who might have a few brain cells. Today I was told that the problem is not taken care of, she doesn't know why, but has requested that a supervisor contact me within 24 to 48 hours to have this taken care of.
Now, if we paid our bills the way this company handles their issues, which is never....we would find our happy buns in court, and paying all kinds of fees and fines. I wish I could charge bad phone company for my time wasted on the phone with them, I wish I could charge them fees and fines. But most of all I wish they would just do their job so that we wouldn't have to deal with them ever again!
For those who are curious, the bad phone company starts with a Q and ends with a west. When I managed for a popular fast food chain it was stressed to us that a happy customer tells one person, an angry customer tells at least 10 people. My family has gotten an ear full over this...and now since I have blogged it; guess it is safe to say I told at least 10 people.
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