Automated Phone Systems

[High_Side]

Six years ago I moved into my current house and the cable company wanted $75 to "hook up" the cable. The cable was still working when I first got here, I had been a customer of the same cable company for 9 years, and they were advertising "free reconnection for anyone who was coming back to cable from owning a satellite dish". After 5 minutes of frustration on the phone with them, I asked them if the only way that I could get free reconnection was to go to a dish for a while.....they said yes! That was 6 years ago and the satellite company has been getting over $40/month out of me ever since. I am amazed these companies can stay in buisiness......

[CNF2002]

Your cable company stays in business because like mine, they probably have a total monopoly over all cable service in the region.

And it does make sense for businesses to go to these automated systems...its cheaper, they can handle a large volume of calls, and lets their customers know they don't need to treat people like human beings in order to stay in business.

[High_Side]

Your cable company stays in business because like mine, they probably have a total monopoly over all cable service in the region.

But they can't control which dish I buy......

[Loonette]

Even small offices with staff levels under 10 employees have turned to automated systems, and many do not have the feature allowing connection to a real human.

When automated answering started to become the norm for a lot of companies, the office where I was working at the time (12 years ago) considered going automated. They figured it would free my day up a bit (I was the secretary some days and raw materials buyer other days). I protested because I would hear from many of our customers how nice it was for them to reach a real human on the other end of the line. Besides, I always knew where everyone was, whether they were at lunch, out in the shop, or elsewhere - if the customers had recieved voice mail, it would have only prolonged getting them the information they needed. I think that company has since switched to automated answering though - too bad.

Cheers,
Loonette

[basshole]

We have an automated phone service in my office but it's only operation during a company wide meeting or after business hours. Other wise a "live human being" will answer the phone here. And who knows, it may even be my hot sexy voice!!!

[CNF2002]

But they can't control which dish I buy......

True, but I want cable internet and $15/mo basic cable channels...I dont want to pay 70 bucks for 200 channels I'll never watch.

[High_Side]

But they can't control which dish I buy......

True, but I want cable internet and $15/mo basic cable channels...I dont want to pay 70 bucks for 200 channels I'll never watch.

Funny, but that is THE reason to get a dish where I live. If you want speed vision here, you've gotta spring for just about everything else. With the dish it was a hellova lot cheaper.....

[CNF2002]

I dont know if the cable company requires cable to get the net access. I bought my net access through an independent company that simply uses the cable company's lines, then I ordered basic cable from the cable company itself.

[basshole]

Satellite is the only way to go. I only use cable for my modem and my phone. The cable company in my area got pissed because I dumped their TV for Satellite. So they then jacked my cable modem up by $10.00 a month because I only had "single service" in my house. So then then told me i could get a $10.00 discount for "multiple service". So I asked how much for basic phone service. They said $9.99 a month. So I made a penny on the deal! Free phone service basically. And I only use my cell phone for long distance call.

[CNF2002]

I wish my cable had that phone deal...mine wants $39.99 a month. I'll stick with the regular line thanks

Sat is good but its too expensive...I dont watch TV and I dont know why I'm paying $15 a month for it...but I guess someday I might turn on that thing.