Do companies care about providing Customer Service?

Anyone who's had to renew a service (i.e. cable TV, broadband connectivity, cell phone) can relate to speaking with a customer service representative who wields the power of offering and / or approving a promotion. They hold us in their death grip as they contemplate if they're in a good mood or not. Feeling helpful or not.

Such was my experience with Charter Communications Cable. I've been a cable TV customer for as long as they've been in my town. Last year I opted for a one year cable Internet promotion that bundled the cable TV and Internet at a competitive price. The promotion expired yesterday prompting me to phone Charter Communications.

The first CSR, a male, tried to up sell me to a land line, TV and Internet bundle. I presently have land line service with AT&T and am content. I declined and inquired about any TV / Internet offer currently available. His tone became very cold and distant as he stated that the phone / TV / Internet bundle was the only option. I declined his more than generous offer after his assurance that I had been offered the best deal available.

I phoned again and was assisted by a female CSR who explained in great detail what my present TV package included, what my Internet package cost under the expired promotion and what it would cost now. She also explained that for a one year contract I could pay $30 monthly for Internet plus $3.95 for the modem rental. She could not assure me that my TV package would remain unaffected and did not counter with an offer.

Dissatisfied I phoned again and spoke with a female who seemed genuinely confused about my inquiry and offered to discontinue service straight away if I so desired, no attempt at retaining me as a customer. Has Charter Communications, like so many other conglomerates, forgotten the adage "It's less expensive to keep current customers happy than to attract new ones"?

After speaking with Boo we decided to make one final call, surely someone must care enough to use their skill and experience to keep us as a paid subscriber.

The fourth call was the charm a male CSR explained my expired plan versus what I would pay now then countered with a one year contract commitment for Internet at $30 monthly and a guarantee that my cable TV package options and pricing would remain the same. Bingo! We had a deal.

I have been a happy Charter Communications cable TV customer for years. My first year's experience of cable Internet exceeded my expectations. I experienced downtime only once and it was due to weather-related damage. As a customer I can't understand nor excuse why companies allow their customers to be disrespected and maligned with such shoddy customer service.

Customer service representatives should be discouraged from using brass knuckle tactics in customer retention and be encouraged to retain the customer through courtesy, patience and communication. I shouldn't become an adversary simply because my promotion has expired. It should not be incumbent on me to make numerous phone calls in an attempt to retain service at a reasonable price.

It's ridiculous that I had to phone Charter Communications four times before receiving satisfactory assistance resulting in positive resolution. Had the fourth CSR been unwilling / unable to assist me, I was prepared to make DSL Extreme my new broadband provider.

I'm sure that Charter Communications would have contacted me within two months after termination in an attempt to re-establish me as a customer, a tactic which is inherently flawed. By the time they would be willing to make concessions to woo me back, I would already have established rapport with the new provider, have a worsening image of their brand and service, likely be bound to the new service under contractual obligation and not desire to be inconvenienced by waiting for the installer, etc. and wasting more time.

Charter Communications the reason you're losing paying customers isn't because of Hulu.com or Apple TV or the Internet and illegal file sharing, it's because your customer service is atrocious! The sites mentioned were created out of frustration with your industry's lack of service and dearth of flexibility.