WHY IS THIS SO CONFUSING?

A few of us just came back from a friendly visit to the office of our local cable/Internet provider — WAVE. I doubt we could be any less happy with a service. I swear they are taking billing lessons from the airlines. There appears to be no rhyme or reason to the bills.

Gail and I went together last month to try and get a handle on the mass confusion they produce. The changes offered and billing practices come more often than aunt Myrtle changed underwear. We received a noticed in the mail on July 2^nd, about new ways to save money. We went to the office on July 5^th to check into the apparently grand offers. It turned out to be even grander for Gail than we have expected. If she would upgrade to a higher level of service it would not only give her more channels but she could get the cable box free and also get Stars and encore free. All that was for a price of $39/95 for 12 months. She was already getting that level of service with the exception of stars and encore, but was told this would save her approximately $20 a month. When she got her bill this week, the price went up. Huh?

Mind was less confusing. I also upgraded to get a broader selection of channels for the same price I was paying for the minimum number I had been receiving. I really wanted to get the history channel (see what a serious minted person I am) so I could see American Pickers, Pawn Shop, Restoration, etc. (there goes my improved image). But I also love several of the shows on USA like White Color and Burn Notice. So I was happy about the change. He mentioned that I one free year of a higher speed Internet was ending in two days. So I dropped back to a slower speed to keep my price approximately the same. When the bill came, I was changed for 10 mbps, not 3. And he could not back that up to the date when they actually came and made the change. Yikes!

The billing office does what they want and tells the local office completely different things. Gail lost her discount for bundling, she was charged for the cable box that she was to get free and her lower price dropped to only $7. We haven’t talked to everyone, but found another tenant at the office when we arrived. Same problems.

So whatever happened to clarity? What ever happened to the desire to help the costumer? Whatever happened to a fair price rather than price gouging? I know this is ancient history, but the only contract my father ever signed was to purchase a house. Everything else was done with a handshake that was more binding that most of the present contracts.

I know that is gone. It’s too bad. So many of us fear everyone is out to take advantage or deceive us. I don’t know if it is personality of training, but I trust everyone by their word until they prove to me they cannot be trusted. I don’t advocate this approach it’s just how I have operated. Have I been taken advantage of? Yes, multiple times. I’m afraid this will not change. Not because I couldn’t change, even old dogs can learn new tricks, but I don’t want to. I like believing in people. I try to be cautions, but when it is a big corporation challenging us, getting them to do the right things is nearly impossible.