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This form was submitted by AYNtK <@yahoo.com> on Friday, January 18, 2008 at 21:26:59
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Referring URL: http://www.rcn.com/contact/index.php
city: Chicago
state: IL
zip: 60618
account: 1001-079XXX1-02
comment_related_to: hdtv
comment: I recently switched to RCN from Comcast and have had a few problems already. First, the installation person did not show up on the designated day/time after we took off of work to be home. He ended up coming the following day. Now we are having problems getting the DVR to work properly - it keeps giving us an error message and will not allow us to record programs as intended. And then we just received our first bill and it has a $25 installation fee on it! This was never detailed for us in any discussions we had with sales staff. We were not notified of this charge and were unpleasantly surprised to find it tacked on after the fact. No one explained that we would be responsible for this, and we do not feel we should be required to pay it. Especially in light of the problems we have had to start.
I hope someone will be able to remedy this situation to our satisfaction as we had hoped for a different experience with RCN than we had with our previous cable services provider.
Sincerely,
AYNtK
----- Original Message ----
From: Lanae
To: AYNtK
Sent: Sunday, January 20, 2008 9:54:14 AM
Subject: Re: RCN - Customer Feedback Form Submission <<#28223-151855#>>
Dear Customer
My name is Lanae. Thank you for contacting the Email Support Staff. We are happy to provide you with the exceptional customer service you deserve.
In response to your recent email, I would like to apologize for the inconvenience caused. At this time the account is noted that the $25 install fee was to be charged onto the account. Thus, at this time I can not remove the charge, due to the fact that it shows to be a valid charge. Also, if the DVR is still giving you an error message, please contact RCN Technical Department at 1-866-832-4726, 24 hours a day seven days a week.
Thank you for your patience in this matter. If you should have any further questions or concerns please feel free to contact the Email Support Staff. We appreciate the opportunity to serve you.
Lanae
--- Original Message ---
From: AYNtK
Received: 1/20/08 10:36:31 AM EST
To: Lanae
Subject: Re: RCN - Customer Feedback Form Submission
Lanae,
Thank you for responding. I did call RCN technical support and they were able to resolve the issue with my DVR. Hopefully it will work now!
As for the installation fee, I still do not understand why I am being assessed this additional charge when it was never made known to me that I would be responsible for such a charge. Neither the phone representative or the serviceman notified me that there would be a charge for installation. I feel like I am being penalized for switching from Comcast and should not have to pay this. Had I been aware of the fee up front, it may have influenced my decision to switch. It is unethical to withhold the actual cost of anything. Why wouldn't RCN disclose its installation fees at the time service is requested? Doesn't that seem a bit dishonest to you? This is the kind of corporate harassment I expected out of Comcast - which is why I switched to RCN. I had hoped for a different experience with RCN, but right off the bat I'm being hit with hidden fees and charges.
Please remove the $25 install fee as I DID NOT AGREE to pay for an installation charge, and it was at no time disclosed to me that any additional installation costs would be incurred.
Thank you for your understanding,
AYNtK
----- Original Message ----
From: Tarneisha
To: AYNtK
Sent: Monday, January 21, 2008 7:11:13 AM
Subject: Re: RCN - Customer Feedback Form Submission <<#28223-151855#>>
Dear Customer,
My name is Tarneisha. Thank you for contacting the Email Support Staff. We are happy to provide you with the exceptional customer service you deserve.
In response to your recent email, you can remove the installation fee from your account, by signing up for automatic payments, or having your credit run.
Thank you for your patience in this matter. If you should have any further questions or concerns please feel free to contact the Email Support Staff. We appreciate the opportunity to serve you.
Tarneisha
--- Original Message ---
From: AYNtK
Received: 1/24/08 10:23:23 AM EST
To: Tarneisha
Subject: Re: RCN - Customer Feedback Form Submission
Tarneisha,
Thanks for your response. I do not believe I should be required to sign up for automatic payments in order for RCN to waive an installment fee I never agreed to pay in the first place. This is a suspect business practice I will be reporting to the Better Business Bureau. A company cannot assess fees that were not disclosed up front and then agree to waive them in exchange for a separate and unrelated consumer behavior. This is an egregious violation of business ethics and tantamount to holding my money for ransom.
If this is RCN's best and only compromise to the situation, then I will agree to sign up for automatic payments to have the fee removed. But when I do I want to be absolutely sure the $25.00 charge is credited to my account, as it was never disclosed to me and should never have been assessed in the first place. Please advise me as to the best way to sign up for automatic payment so that I can be sure the charge is removed.
Thank you for your help.
AYNtK
----- Original Message ----
From: Tarneisha
To: AYNtK
Sent: Thursday, January 24, 2008 2:31:49 PM
Subject: Re: RCN - Customer Feedback Form Submission <<#28223-151855#>>
Dear Customer,
This is Tarneisha and thank you again for contacting the Email Support Staff. We are happy to provide you with the exceptional customer service you deserve.
In response to your recent email, I could imagine how disappointing this is for you, and I apologize for any inconvenience this has caused you. You can signed up for automatic payments by contacting our Customer Service department. Once you are signed up, the representative will reverse the $25.00 installation fee. Our Customer Service department can be reach by calling 1-877-RCN-BILL (1-877-726-2455) between the hours of 8AM and 5PM, Monday - Friday.
Thank you for your patience in this matter. If you should have any further questions or concerns please feel free to contact the Email Support Staff. We appreciate the opportunity to serve you.
Tarneisha
--- Original Message ---
From: AYNtK
Received: 2/11/08 3:51:27 PM EST
To: Tarneisha
Subject: Re: RCN - Customer Feedback Form Submission
Tarneisha,
Thank you for getting back to me with this information regarding the installation fee that was tacked onto my account without warning. Unfortunately, the solution you provided was deemed "incorrect" by the customer service representative I just spoke with on the telephone. In the e-mail attached below, you instructed me to call the RCN Customer Service department and sign up for automatic payment to have the $25.00 fee waived, but when I called the number to have this done, I was told that this is not RCN's policy and you should not have told me this was the case.
I don't know who I need to talk to about this, but I am growing very frustrated with the situation. I have contacted RCN 5 times now to have this fee removed and I keep getting excuses and the run-around. I was told that there was NO WAY to have this fee removed, which I know for a fact is not true. This installation charge was not disclosed prior to installation and I did not agree to it. I will be reporting this matter to the Better Business Bureau unless the matter is promptly resolved and the fee removed. RCN is one of the shadiest companies I have had the displeasure to do business with and I will be sure to let everyone know what they can expect from you.
Thanks for nothing.
AYNtK
----- Original Message ----
From: Landry
To: AYNtK
Sent: Tuesday, February 12, 2008 9:03:17 AM
Subject: Re: RCN - Customer Feedback Form Submission <<#28223-151855#>>
Dear Customer,
My name is Landry. Thank you for contacting the Email Support Staff. We are happy to provide you with the exceptional customer service you deserve.
In response to your recent email, I apologize for any inconvenience this has caused you. I can understand how this could seem very confusing to you but our installation fee is something that is paid by all of our customers and the fee can not be waived due to the fact that you were made aware of the fee at the time of the install and you agreed to have the install done.
Thank you for your patience in this matter. If you should have any further questions or concerns please feel free to contact the Email Support Staff. We appreciate the opportunity to serve you.
Landry
--- Original Message ---
From: AYNtK
Received: 2/12/08 10:00:45 AM EST
To: Landry
Subject: Re: RCN - Customer Feedback Form Submission
Landry,
With all due respect, I am not entirely convinced you know what you are talking about.
If you had taken the time to read through the threads below you will notice that I was NOT - at NO TIME - EVER made aware of this fee. The fact that you would ignore this important fact is somewhat insulting at this stage in the dialogue. Had I been aware of this charge and agreed to it, as you stated in your e-mail, then I would have no reason to be upset right now. The fact that I was not made aware of this fee is central to my complaint. It is, in fact, the basis of my argument. I do not believe I should be made responsible for a charge that was not disclosed in advance.
This complaint has all the makings of a good class action lawsuit. I imagine there are a LOT of customers like me who were not told about this fee in advance - but were later assessed it as a matter of "policy." Since most consumers won't spend the time to fight a $25 installation fee, and those who do are told there's nothing RCN will do about it, RCN gets away with it. Shameful.
The fact is, consumers are protected against this kind of business activity. We have a right to know UP FRONT what the total cost of something will be before we agree to pay for it. I assure you, I was not made aware of this up front. If you can access the sales call during which I agreed to service, you will note that I asked TWICE what my total would be. I also asked if there were any other charges or fees I should worry about. I was assured that my bill would be in the $90 range after taxes. There was no mention of an installation fee. None. When my bill arrived it was for $126 and included a $25 installation charge. Surely, as a person, you can identify with my frustration here. Imagine you order a meal at a restaurant and your waiter assures you the final bill will be no more than $50 - but when it arrives the bill is $75 because of some automatic restaurant policy that tacks on $25 for the heck of it. You would not be pleased, and you would likely refuse to pay - as I am doing now.
One final note. It is becoming clear to me that your "customer service" is little more than "lip service," as this is now the 5th e-mail I have received regarding my complaint and I remain wholly unsatisfied with the service I am receiving. How many times are we going to go back and forth like this before someone over there gets the attention of someone who has the authority to DO SOMETHING ABOUT THIS? Or is it your recommendation that I would have better luck getting my $25 back through litigious means? Either way is fine - I just need to know my next course of action.
I'm starting to understand why so many people think it's okay to "steal" cable. It's because the cable company thinks it's okay to steal from people.
AYNtK
----- Original Message ----
From: Landry
To: AYNtK
Sent: Tuesday, February 12, 2008 12:10:19 PM
Subject: Re: RCN - Customer Feedback Form Submission <<#28223-151855#>>
Dear Customer,
My name is Landry. Thank you for contacting the Email Support Staff. We are happy to provide you with the exceptional customer service you deserve.
In response to your recent email, I apologize for any inconvenience this has caused you. I know that is is hard to understand that we can not and will not be able to issues you the $25.00 install fee. As you were informed in the earlier email the only possible way that you may be able to receive a credit back for the $25.00 install fee would be for you to call in and request to speak to a supervisor and they may be able to work something out with you but I can not make an guarantees. Once again we are sorry and we hope that we may be able to assist you with this issues.
Thank you for your patience in this matter. If you should have any further questions or concerns please feel free to contact the Email Support Staff. We appreciate the opportunity to serve you.
Landry
--- Original Message ---
From: AYNtK
Received: 2/12/08 1:26:48 PM EST
To: Landry
Subject: Re: RCN - Customer Feedback Form Submission
Landry,
I appreciate your prompt response regarding this matter.
I have already been on the telephone with customer service and was not permitted access to a supervisor, if such a person truly exists. I was given, instead, the address of RCN corporate headquarters so that they might be copied on any formal complaints I might decide to file. Speaking of which, this morning I filed a formal complaint against RCN Cable with my local Better Business Bureau chapter and have requested arbitration to help settle the matter.
I have also launched a word-of-mouth campaign I am absolutely certain will cost RCN far more in lost business in the years ahead than the relatively insignificant $25 your greedy company would not budge on. I am also now in the market for a DISH satellite system, which will likely result in thousands of dollars of lost business from me alone over the next several years.
Have a very nice day.
AYNtK
----- Original Message ----
From: Landry
To: AYNtK
Sent: Tuesday, February 12, 2008 2:15:08 PM
Subject: Re: RCN - Customer Feedback Form Submission <<#28223-151855#>>
Dear Customer,
My name is Landry. Thank you for contacting the Email Support Staff. We are happy to provide you with the exceptional customer service you deserve.
In response to your recent email, I apologize for any inconvenience this has caused you and I could see how this could seem confusing to you. If you requested to speak to a supervisor then you should have been permitted access to one unless they all were busy at the time on other supervisor call and could not get to you in time. That is why you may have been given the corporate information so that you may have been able to file your complaint to get your issues resolved as soon as possible. If you still would like to speak to someone about this issues you may contact us at,
1-877-RCN-BILL (1-877-726-2455) between the hours of 8AM and 5PM, Monday - Friday or Technical Support at 1-866-TECH-RCN (1-866-832-4726), 24 hours a day seven days a week.
Thank you for your patience in this matter. If you should have any further questions or concerns please feel free to contact the Email Support Staff. We appreciate the opportunity to serve you.
Landry
--- Original Message ---
From: AYNtK
Received: 2/12/08 2:44:55 PM EST
To: Landry
Subject: Re: RCN - Customer Feedback Form Submission
Landry,
Thanks again for the prompt response. I am going to let Better Business Bureau case # 94165905 do the speaking from this point on.
Best,
AYNtK
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