It’s been a rough time for Comcast. Already pinged for frequently making “Worst Company in America” lists, the cable giant has had some serious tap-dancing to do around a viral PR nightmare.
If you haven’t heard it, clear about eight minutes out of your day. Ryan Block, a product developer at AOL, and his writer wife called Comcast to cancel their service. What followed was a virtual haranguing by the Comcast customer service rep, who all but refused to help them, choosing instead to repeatedly question their decision. By about two minutes into the diatribe, it becomes clear that the rep will not budge, all but begging Block to stay with Comcast and insisting that the only way he could circumvent the call center would be to walk into a Comcast location to enact the cancelation.
I should back up and say the eight minute recording was actually preceded by ten minutes of similar foolishness. At the ten minute mark, Block and his wife were past the initial incredulity and decided to record the speakerphone conversation. That recording has since flown around the social media sphere at lightning speed, prompting a hasty apology from Comcast, assuring that quick action would be taken with regard to the employee involved and that they will be reinforcing their practice of treating customers with utmost respect.
The problem is, this isn’t the first time that Comcast has battled a negative customer service image. In articles going back to more than a year ago, the company has been called out for everything from proposing on-demand programming carry the same commercial load as regular programming, slowly tightening broadband data usage caps, and blaming a perceived high complaint level on a large customer base, essentially calling it a ratio issue.
It’s no wonder that Comcast’s apology elicited the proverbial eye roll across the board. For a company to apologize, its customers need to believe in them.
Size Doesn’t Matter
Part of Comcast’s image problem is that they are seen as a corporate behemoth whose lack of competition has put them in an unprecedented position of strength. Certainly not a favorable light, and one which should have been addressed seriously by the company’s PR team months if not years ago. No matter the size of a company, the target customer base should be lead to see them as focused on service and quality. If there is a dent in that image, it must be fixed. Quickly.
Transparency Isn’t a Choice
In discussing Comcast’s move toward tighter broadband usage caps – and subsequent increased overage fees – one article says that trials of the new model were rolled out in less competitive markets such as those in Augusta, Georgia and other parts of the south. While customers there reported being surprised at the slight increases in their bills, the bigger message was spread immediately: Comcast is squeezing customers. Rolling out a plan – especially one which doesn’t benefit the customer – doesn’t slide by based on geographical strategy; we are a world of instantly shared information, and companies need to operate within that scope.
Give Honesty, Earn Trust
When cost structures are shared openly, and concerns over near-monopolies are addressed quickly and well, companies will continue to retain customers and their trust, plain and simple. Speed, transparency, fairness and professionalism are valuable cornerstones in building customer trust and loyalty. You don’t have to understand the intricacies of the cable industry to grasp this one; just listen to Ryan Block’s recording. If you can stand it.
At Kovak-Likly, we will work with you to build a reputation your company can be proud of, and we’ll be there to keep it that way as well. To find out how we can work together, give us a call at 203.762.8833 or visit www.klcpr.com.
– BML
