Tuesday, March 10, 2015

Comcast Customer Service Will Get Worse

It seems like you hear about more and more Comcast complaints online with each passing day. Comcast used to stand for excellent customer service. Now profits and margins get more attention.

Today I came across a revealing article written about the Ombudsman’s Services, which helps customers resolve complaints about Comcast and in many other industries. The report was called the consumer monitor, and it revealed something that was almost unbelievable at first glance. 

When I read the data I was shocked. Here are some amazing facts from the report:

66 million complaints about products or services were made in 2014, almost double the number made in 2013.
47% of Comcast consumers made a complaint when faced with a problem with a product or service, compared to 34% the previous year.
Customers increased appetite to complain is reportedly underpinned by a growing cynicism about Comcast motives with 33% of consumers reporting that they believe Comcast is only interested in money.
80% of Comcast consumers say they are unlikely to put up with poor service without taking action, which is up from 67% the previous year.
One thing is certainly clear to me about Comcast after reading this data. Companies like Comcast are being held accountable for their actions at a level never before seen in history. The rise of the online marketplace, Amazon, and Facebook has empowered an entirely new generation to share their complaints about Comcast and their poor customer service.

Social media has also contributed in a powerful way to these trends. Customers are exposed to a deeper kind of transparency, seeing sides of Comcast which were normally kept under lock and key. It's getting harder and harder to hide your true colors when you place customers on hold or ignore their problems. 

Has technology and global communication boosted customer expectations so fast that companies like Comcast can't keep up?

Will Comcast customer service get worse before it gets better?