If there’s one thing, other than performance issues, that consumers hate about their ISPs and TV providers, it’s the lack of human decency or basic communicability in customer service situations. Now, though, one of the industry’s worst offenders might have gotten a facelift in just the right places.
TV Predictions first reported that Amazon has begun selling Comcast Internet, phone and TV bundles through a portal its calling the “Amazon Cable Store.” Though Comcast is the only ISP listed as part of the program, the name may indicate the arrival of more similarly despised cable companies in the near future. Pricing appears to be no great deal less than industry standards, though Amazon is promising a customer service hotline that guarantees someone on the other line will pick up within 60 seconds — a substantial improvement over the indefinite sentences handed out by current ISP customer service reps.
Although he didn’t say it in so many words, Comcast Cable Executive Vice President of Customer Experience Charlie Herrin all but confirmed that his company’s reputation for less-than-stellar customer service had a hand in the decision to sell with Amazon.
“Amazon is not only the biggest online retailer and a place where millions of our customers shop every day, but it’s also a brand that’s unrivaled when it comes to customer service,” Herrin said in a statement. “Amazon’s new marketplace provides an immersive online destination to showcase our terrific suite of products, including Xfinity X1.”
The partnership is a no-brainer for Herrin and Comcast; not only does Amazon take the brunt of customer service-related bumps and bruises from here on out, but it also lets its retention experts focus on what they do best. According to TechCrunch, any customer looking to downgrade or cancel their bundle purchased through the Amazon Cable Store will be rerouted to an official Comcast representative.
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