No, this isn’t about Scientology.
For about 3 years, I’ve been writing about the 4G WiMax system that is going to change your world, bringing high speed broadband Internet access to your car, and all that means. Remember that I used to run FindAnISP.com, that was used by several million people to choose dialup devices about 10 years ago… I know a bit about the subject…
Sprint hopped early on the WiMax bandwagon (trying to beat AT&T’s LTE 4G service to market) – WiMax is true 4G wireless services with speeds comparable to fast DSL or Cable Internet. They turned it into a joint venture under the name Clear. Clear has arrived in my area, according to mailers I started receiving. Poor Internet access is part of the reason maintaining this streaming radio database got out of hand (with all the streaming video ads).
So I called Clear today. I live in a low area and so I’m concerned that it might not work or only give me 3G or 2G speeds. So I called to get information – this is approximate.
“Hello, what service can I activate for you?”
You may not activate any service. I called because I have some questions about the Clear service.
“What’s your address?”
123 main street
“Yes, the computer says the service is available in your area”
That’s good – but I live in a low area – I’m concerned that it might not work where I need it
“Well, the computer says the service is available in your area.”
I understand that – if I go forward and order the service and it doesn’t work, what happens?
“I can’t answer your question – all I can say is the computer…”
That’s not answering my que…
“Don’t interrupt me. The computer says that…”
I don’t think you understand I’m the customer (maybe). I need to know what happens if I sign up and the service won’t work.
“Well, you’ll get transferred to tech support and they’ll work with you”
Okay – if they can’t make the service work here, what happens?
“Well, my computer says the service is available in your area. – beyond that, I can’t answer your question”
Can you transfer me to someone who can answer my question?
“I’ve told you that the computer says…”
Thank you for wasting my time. [Click]
Keep in mind this is the “customer service” I’m getting before I’m locking myself into a 12 month contract…
So I won’t be getting Clear.
Before I get pounced on, I understand she works for an order fulfillment service. She didn’t answer the phone “Hello, this is Clear”. She probably also takes orders for T-Mobile cellphones, Netflix and DirecTV. She has no idea what she is selling and her authority goes no further than what she said. I’m certain she is under strict orders to never say “Yes, I’m sure the service will work for you”
If you’re selling a leading edge risky technology and you can’t afford trained staff to answer basic questions, you’re sending a Clear message.
She could have said “well, you have 30 days, and if we can’t make it work for you, we’ll send you a box to return the equipment and we’ll refund your money and cancel the contract”. Had I heard anything close to that, they would have a customer right now.
To be honest with you, I think she would have pretty much lost me at “Don’t interrupt me. The computer says that…” That’s a pretty rude thing to say to someone, especially if you’re trying to convince someone to buy your product. Or, depending on how argumentative I’m feeling, I might try asking to speak to her supervisor so I could complain about her service. I’m sure my name has some comments beside it in Verizon’s computers for all the times I’ve harassed some bumbling CS rep and their supervisor.
With Verizon, I know the complaints probably have virtually no bearing on their operation. They’re so large that they’re practically a juggernaut. Clear obviously doesn’t have that advantage, so I wonder just how well run they are. Bad customer service seems like it would stem from one of 2 issues: underfunding or lack of concern for the department/treatment of the customers, and both of those point towards my idea of bad management and a disastrous way to start.
She lost me at “What service would you like to activate?”. The question is a trap if you aren’t clear in your response, keeping in mind the call is being recorded.
Clear has real serious problems. In the beginning, they were using phone company T1s to “backhaul” to the Internet… meaning you might have a wireless pipe of say 4Mb/sec to the cell tower, but the entire capacity of everything on the cell tower (including the voice calls) was only 1.44 Mb/sec. That doesn’t work. They since have ordered microwave backhaul gear, which might work okay. There is a rumor they have a deal with Wal-Mart to put WiMax antennas on the roofs – partly to avoid NIMBY delays – your typical town code enforcement person wouldn’t know a WiMax antenna if it was sticking up…. Errr ummmm
I am an AT&T customer. Their phone service is fine but I am, from time to time, having problems with their internet service. I pay for 3MB service but all they really need to supply us with is 1.8MB. There are times when I notice the system is slowing so I check with several “speed” sites and yes, I am running at 654KB for example. I call the phone company, they run some test from their end, say everything looks good and tey will send someone out in two or three days. SORRY, it will be fine then.
I am debating changing to the only other choice, DigitalPath…..But what happens if there is a problem with their service. There is not a serviceman in the area. So yes, I would like to call but don’t want to get into the same conversation as you had with clear…..I am not ENTIRELY disgusted with AT&T, BUT…..
Consumer advisor Clark Howard thinks highly of Clear, which is part of the reason I called. Back in the FindAnISP.com days, Clark Howard mentioned my web site several times – his media mentions were the only ones that ever generated a flood of traffic on the web site.
Clark’s advice though is to not commit to a multi-month contract. Only buy one month until you’re sure it works and you’re actually getting 4G speeds. Clear’s bandwidth is not infinite. As they acquire customers, expect the real world speeds to drop – especially the inbound side where you send stuff into the internet (most people don’t do much of that)
http://forums.clear.com/clearcom/topics/clears_bandwidth?from_gsfn=true
for some typical chatter among their customers
There is another company called Cricket that offers cheap cell phones, and they also have a wireless internet plan, but it’s significantly bandwidth limited.
I’ll be damned if I’m going pay $10/GB to download Clear Channel’s streaming video advertisements over wireless internet just so I can listen to a 20th century radio station signal for “free”.