Charter Part II
So I was reading on StlToday.com, about Charter, which is making me think twice about having them provide me with service. They can still hire me though, if they want to.The cable company St. Louis loves to hateST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH04/20/2007
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So many Charter Communications customers are complaining of poor service that the Better Business Bureau thought it necessary to issue a warning this week to consumers.
"Customers doubt Charter's commitment to service," the headline reads.
In 36 months, the BBB received more than 2,000 complaints and reports of poor cable TV, Internet or phone service. Last year alone, 1,112 customers filed complaints.
"We noticed that the number of complaints was getting up there — and continuing to stay there," said Scott Thomas of the BBB.
The BBB has been monitoring complaints and meeting with Charter officials.
Thomas said Charter was "very nice," but nothing changed.
"In the last year and a half, it seemed that every day we'd get complaints."
Charter is the nation's fourth largest cable TV company with headquarters in Town and Country and offices nationwide. Nearly all the BBB complaints cited are local.
Customers complain about Charter subcontracting out much of its work. Consumers say the company acts like it doesn't keep records of conversations because each representative in turn gives a different answer.
Charter says it has 10 call centers in the United States, plus others in Mexico, Canada and the Philippines. Spokeswoman Anita Lamont says Charter has improved service in the past six months. "We're certainly trying to make it better."
The BBB points to a Kirkwood woman who canceled her service, turned in her equipment and was told not to worry that she still owed 30 cents. Three weeks later, she received a bill for $127 marked "seriously past due." Two weeks later, a collection agency billed her $144.
After calling to cancel cable and Internet service, a couple in Manchester reported that Charter missed four appointments. Charter said it would continue billing until its representatives could show up. The company finally disconnected after the woman threatened to "rip out the connection and place it by the pole."
A woman in Hazelwood signed up for Charter's "Triple Play" high-speed Internet cable and phone service, and was told she would owe $162.99 including installation. Her first bill contained fees she was never told about. When she complained, Charter claimed it didn't offer such a service package. She contacted the BBB and the company admitted its mistake.
A woman in St. Charles had Charter install Internet and phone service and upgrade her cable TV to digital. She said the Internet service didn't work on her computer, the phone was scratchy and the DVR (digital recorder) box overheated within five days.
She and her husband spent a total of three hours on the phone with Charter, and the company said it would charge a service fee even though the DVR had worked for only five days. The couple canceled everything but basic cable and the company promised to waive any additional charges. Charter then billed the couple $602 for breaking their contract. The couple has since switched phone and Internet providers.
Matt Poldan, assistant manager at a bank in St. Louis, said he spent three months calling Charter to have an undisclosed fee refunded and two months trying to have Charter pick up its equipment. Also, the company took payments from his checking account without his authorization, he told the BBB and this column.
He documented each of his conversations.
"Charter Communications has failed enormously in their effort to provide customer service to the St. Louis area, and I speak not only for me, but also for the many other former Charter customers I've heard from," Poldan wrote to Charter in February.
Steve Trippe joined Charter six months ago as vice president and general manager.
"Customers are Charter's lifeblood and I know that in the past we have let some of them down," Trippe said in a statement Thursday.
He says Charter has added technicians, dispatchers, call center agents, enhanced training and now offers "two-hour service windows for appointments."
"I know that today we are still making mistakes and have room for improvement," he wrote.
"If our customers have any suggestions on how we can improve our service, they may contact me directly at SteveGM@chartercom.com."
To contact the BBB, call 314-645-3300 or log onto www.stlouisbbb.org
posted by Erik @ 12:28 PM
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