Amy Middleton Loves New York

Dear Time Warner Cable,

I’m sure you consider “customer loyalty” to be an oxymoron at the TWC headquarters. Not only do you basically have a monopoly (at least in NYC) of internet service, but the quality of your service is–shall we say–lacking, causing many of us to shake our fists at you.

Naturally, you get your share of complaints and rude remarks. I’m pretty sure you don’t listen to any of it. The fact that you have a twitter account with hundreds of followers and no updates is another good indication that you sometimes pretend to care but aren’t really interested in helping people. However, even if you were to tap into all the “time warner sucks!” and “#twcfail” comments and conversations, you may be left just as clueless as how to improve. So please read and learn from the source of my frustration today when I tried to cancel my account.

I’ve canceled an account before with you, so I know that I need to return some equipment to 23rd street. But I remember it being a big process, and waiting in that giant line without a required item would be terribly inconvenient for me. Plus I didn’t remember if an appointment was required. So I decided to look up this basic, general information. Here was my process

1. I pulled up my last email statement, in which you advised me: “You can access your statement, change your payment options, add services, and more at http://www.timewarnercable.com/nynj/services/default.html“
2. On website, there are about 50 things I can do. Cancelling is not one of them.
3. I used the Search function to run a query on “cancel.” There are several results, most dealing with cancelling a TWC Navigator program. I don’t even know what that means, but I know it’s not what I’m looking for.
4. I logged into my account, which required a new password to be generated. Not your fault that I forgot it, just an extra step here.
5. From my Online Account Manager, I’m told I can View, pay, and manage my account. I would think managing would include cancelling the service if I choose. I can update my payment options very easily (thanks, giant orange button) but I can’t change my services.
6. A visit to the FAQ section tells me how to transfer my service if I’m moving, or transfer the account holder to a roommate. Am I really supposed to believe that no one has ever asked how to simply cancel the service? How on earth is that not an FAQ?

Now I’m frustrated. It didn’t have to be like this. You could have made it easy, but you obviously VERY INTENTIONALLY made it difficult to cancel, perhaps hoping that inertia and lack of info will lead to customers keeping their service a few months longer. Of course, this means that probably everyone who calls you will already be angry before they even speak to anyone. Is that really what you’d like to use your customer service department for? Handling irate customers who, as a direct and intentional result of the online experience you’ve crafted, already feel frustrated and powerless?

7. In order to remain a bit more neutral (phones are not my preferred communication method), I try to chat with an online rep. This requires not only my full address, phone number, and account number (even though I’m already logged in), but my social security number and a PIN.
8. I resort to the phone.
9. The menu offers “downgrade or discontinue service” as an option. Nice job guys!
10. I talked to a VERY nice customer service rep who provided me with this VERY BASIC information I was looking for without too much problem. When I asked her how to find that information online, she put me on hold, and confirmed that there is no explanation of how to disconnect on the website. She pointed out that the “contact us” section should help resolve that.

So, Time Warner Cable, all I need to do is bring my modem and its power cable to your location (the first date for a technician to come pick it up is after I’ll have moved). If that is seriously the entire process, WHY did you choose to make it so difficult? Do you really make so much money from people not getting around to returning your equipment that it is worth having everyone hate you? I guess if you’re a monopoly, it might be. Might as well ride that wave until you get beat out by smaller, better, customer-centric service providers. Maybe if you refuse to adapt you’ll even get a bailout. Or maybe, just maybe, you could improve your service, respond to feedback, and not have to deal with your entire customer base hating you.