Dear Comcast,
As a loyal customer for the last 10 years (god, don’t ask me how or why), I’ve learned to become complacent with regards to your seemingly never ending service and support let downs. While I occasionally get a kick out of your ads (“Everyone loves Money”), I certainly never get a kick out of your services (well, I do love HD regardless of where it comes from), unless you count getting kicked off the Net randomly or having my DVR “kick” me to the end of a program while I rewind or fast forward. But alas, I digress.
The real point of this love letter is to ask/plead with you to get your digital ducks in a row. It’s great that you’ve jumped on the iBandwagon and released this Comcast TV Listings app. However, after my brief experience with it, I don’t know how you can look at yourself in the mirror any more. Instead of providing something useful like remote DVR recordings (which your competition already does), all you’ve done is ripped off i.TV / other free TV guide-type apps and disguised it as your own disappointing iPhone / iPod touch application.
Sticking to the old motto – imitation is the sincerest form of flattery – are we? Bravo. Now, how about adding some remote DVR functionality in version 2.0? I mean, at least give it a try, you’ve really got nothing left to lose at this point.
Cheers!
Thanks for the feedback! I will make sure that it is passed on to the appropriate department for evaluation. I wanted to let you know, we are working hard to make improvements on our products. Hopefully, you will see more improvements soon.
Best Regards,
Mark Casem
Comcast Corp.
National Customer Operations
We_Can_Help@cable.comcast.com
Today is one of the (personally) saddest days I’ve experienced in many years. I’m moving into a new apartment, and I found out that I cannot have DISH Network anymore. Not because the knowledgeable and friendly DISH installation specialist was unable to install, but because my new landlord already installed wiring for cable, and is very stubborn. In the city of San Francisco, this means one thing: Comcast is my ONLY choice. I actually wanted to cry when I heard this.
I had Comcast for several years in my old apartment. The remote was barely functional, and the box was often non-responsive. Exchanging the equipment was a massive hassle, and did not remedy the problem. The “On Demand” shows and movies were old, limited, and generally uninteresting. The HD quality was very poor. The DVR more frustrating to use than a VCR. The menu reminded me of the original Nintendo console. But none of these things even bothered me, because I was CONSTANTLY battling with the rude and un-knowledgeable customer service agents about my bill which, every month without fail, would increase by a substantial and arbitrary amount.
Then I switched to DISH Network. My monthly bill was cut in half, and stayed that way to this day. We actually threw a party we were so happy to be rid of Comcast. I then experienced two years of glorious DISH service. I have friends with DirecTV, and they are very happy with it too. Anything but Comcast, essentially.
In terms of personal experience, there is not a company in the world that I hate more than Comcast. I have never, in my two years as a customer and hundreds of phone calls and in-person interactions, had a positive interaction with the Comcast. When I found out that one of my mutual funds invests in Comcast, I transferred all of my shares out of it. I’m not kidding.
There are many buildings in San Francisco that cannot support a satellite TV system. Comcast has a complete monopoly over these customers, and it makes me sick. Companies like Comcast are the reason antitrust laws exist. When I found out today that I’m being FORCED to become another unhappy paying customer of Comcast, I almost vomited. Again, I’m not kidding.
Until I have the time and resources to try to run Comcast out of business, all I can do is plead and beg that they stop spending money on massive advertising campaigns, and start spending money on quality equipment, quality people, quality service, and just an overall quality product.
Also, I wanted to share that I, and everyone I know, refers to Comcast as “Comcraptic,” which is far more appropriate and accurate than “Comcastic.”