Are Customer Service and Pride in Product Dead?

A few months ago, we switched our television, internet and phone service from a “dish” company to a “cable” company.  It seemed that every time it was windy or raining, the dish TV service went out.  With only slight exaggeration, whenever we sneezed, the dish lost service.

My husband watches TV a lot.  I watch it far less, but in the little time I do watch it, I like it to work.  The cable company came out and installed all the new equipment.  The installer then programmed the remote control to sync with our TV.  He raced through the instructions on how to use it, because there are many features.  We couldn’t follow him, so we asked for a manual we could read to learn how to do everything.  He said, “We’ve been out of manuals for months.”  Excuse me? 

Before he left, we wanted to try using the remote for the basic things at least.  Most features work, but not all.  The installer told us we’d have to call their office if we were not happy with the remote, because everything they use is used equipment.  He told us that they couldn’t throw away the equipment every time someone cancelled an account.  Can they not at least totally refurbish the equipment and test it prior to bringing it to a customer?  He told us we’d have to get another remote from the office.  

Wait a minute… Used equipment?  We looked closer, and we could clearly see that it was worn and scratched.  In fact, the first box he installed didn’t even work. He had to get a different one from his truck, which did work.

We did contact the company and were told we had to go in person to their office to exchange the remote since it would not turn the television off, only on.  We exchanged the remote; brought it home, and then we discovered that on the “new” remote, the volume didn’t work.

We put up with that for a couple weeks.  Then the controller box in our bedroom started making odd noises, and finally it “died.”  We once again called the office to schedule someone to come out.

A different, technician came out with a new box.  He got it all set up for us and programmed the remote to sync with the new box.  He went around the house making sure the phones and other TV’s and Internet worked.  Meanwhile, I decided to try the remote.  The on-off feature worked, the volume now worked, but the sleep timer did not.  Call me fussy, but it seems if the features are offered, they should all work.  When I reported the sleep timer problem to the technician, he said, “With these things, there’s always a tool or two that doesn’t operate correctly.”  Then he left.

We only have the option of the one dish company or the one cable company in our area, so it isn’t as though we have options here.

This company is a nationwide, huge company, making lots of money.  What am I missing here?  Is this the new normal in customer service?  Do companies no longer take pride in the products they sell? 

In my business, if we didn’t deliver what our customers ordered, we would have no customers.  I am glad that my company has great integrity, and we are proud of the products we sell.  I am certain there are many other companies that provide good service and products, but it seems that the number of companies that do not is increasing all the time.  How sad.

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