How annoying is it when you have to stay home from work to wait for the cable guy, only to have them show up late?
Comcast knows it's an issue, and wants to make it better. The cable giant is taking a cue from the pizza delivery industry with a new promise to pay you back if your technician shows up late. If the cable tech is even a minute late to your house for the appointment, Comcast will credit you $20 for your troubles.
The move, expected to start in the third quarter, is part of an effort to reform the company's customer service woes, which have been well-documented as of late. Comcast said it plans to create more than 5,500 customer service jobs over the next few years as part of a goal to always be on time for appointments by the third quarter.
Comcast is also planning to make "major investments" in technology and training, simplify billing, and renovate hundreds of stores across the country to improve customer service. All employees will be required to attend additional customer service training, and the company is rolling out a new internal platform that will give employees a more "holistic view" of your account history so they can help you faster.
"This transformation is about shifting our mindset to be completely focused on the customer," Neil Smit, president and CEO, said in a statement. "It's about respecting their time, being more proactive, doing what's right, and never being satisfied with good enough. We're on a mission and everyone is committed to making this happen."
Comcast has budgeted north of $300 million for the new customer-service efforts, according to a report from The Wall Street Journal.
In November, Comcast said it was testing a progress-tracking feature for customers who have an appointment with one of the company's service technicians.
The move comes as Comcast was forced to abandon its bid to acquire Time Warner Cable amidst regulatory backlash.