We know one of the keys to a successful business is its customers and the service they receive. Customer service is of the utmost importance, especially in brands that live by a subscription-based business model. That’s why Comcast leaves a lot to be desired when it comes to its reputation with its customers. Comcast has made the wrong side of the news regarding its customer service more than a few times lately. But is it just that Comcast is a company people love to hate? For all of the negative headlines the multimedia giant receives, it is doing a lot of things right when it comes to improving customer service and customer experience.
Improving the customer service app
Comcast named Charlie Herrin SVP of Customer Experience back in September, marking a commitment to improve customer experience. With this change in leadership came changes to the Comcast My account app. This app now allows customers to track the location and arrival times of their service technicians. It will alert customers 30 minutes before the technician is scheduled to arrive. Gone are the days of waiting around for hours for a technician during the four hour window they said they’re supposed to arrive. This app also allows customers to schedule a call with a technician, as opposed to the longstanding tradition of waiting on hold for service. Comcast customers that experience issues may start troubleshooting with the app, and if necessary schedule a call at a time that works best with them. This app should prove to be a step in the right direction for improving customer service as it effectively solves a few main longstanding issues cable customers currently experience.
Improving the billing system
Most likely the most common issue customers have with a cable and internet service provider is the monthly bill. People can’t understand why they’re so high or what exactly they’re paying for. Comcast has started to address this issue in the way of implementing a new billing system in some areas in the Northeast. With this new system, there will be more transparency in customers’ bills each month, allowing them to see itemized charges. This is said to also benefit Comcast internally as well with more efficient technician calls. Once again, Comcast is hearing the complaints of many and tackling another key pain point on its way to improving customer experience. This is a small change but it shows the commitment and action that can be tested and rolled out in a larger stage later on if feedback is positive.
Improving experience for the blind
Another feature Comcast has improved comes in the way of its TV guide. Early in December, Comcast released a “talking guide” for the blind. This feature will speak out the listings to improve the experience for its blind customers. Comcast is said to have between 500,000 and 700,000 blind customers, so this could really make an impact on the lives of many customers.
For all of the criticism they receive, many companies can take Comcast’s example in constantly striving to improve customer experience. Customer experience will never be perfect for every single customer, but something should be said for the consistent effort to improve upon mistakes and issues. It is important to have a genuine interest in customers, and striving for the best customer experience possible is a great way to show that interest is there.
