Suffice it to say I am not a happy Cox customer. Emails to the Oklahoma head of Cox have resulted in no response. It was not until I finally forwarded the email to Customer Relations at the head office that I received a response.
Here's my initial letter, in part.
I've found the Cox services we've had remind me of the Nursery rhyme about the little girl with a curl in the middle of her forehead. When she was good, she was very
good, but when she was bad, she was horrid.
I am one of those who expect good and efficient service from a
service company. It's just not happening. We've had some technicians
who are superb, in fact "Chris" who came out today was great, but
others have me wondering -- just what's going on. But it's not all
their fault, there must be something wrong with the system, lines or
equipment for us to continually have the numerous and always different
problems we've had.
We've been Cox customers since mid 1980s. Last year alone we paid Cox
$2,951.03 for services. We've have telephone, Internet, and almost
everything on Cable. In January we discontinued some of the premium
channels that we were not using.
Over the years we've had numerous problems with the service, but the
worst time was about three years ago when I literally could not get
the Internet to work for days at a time. The customer field service
manager was here many times trying to figure it why it would go out
and come back on, I even had his personal phone number. But nothing
definitive was ever figured out and it started working again after
almost three weeks. This was the beginning of the real problems. At
the time the field service manager suggested we try the Business
Internet to see if it would help, we signed up for the service with
the promise of being able to discontinue it within 30 days if it
wasn't working as we felt it should. We did have a some small problems
called up the special Business Service number and got a ridiculous
response and discontinued the service after that. If the company keeps
records that goes back a few years, there should be notes on just what
happened.
All was well for a bit and after several friends mentioned they had
Cox telephone and never had a problem, we decided to bite the bullet
and try it during a promotion. Even though we had misgivings because
I've always had dial-up AOL as a backup for the times Cox went out.
Yes, I paid for dual services.
The savings are wonderful, but to us it's been a case of "you get what
you pay for". The first inkling was just two or three weeks after the phone service was started. A gas leak developed in the neighborhood and the gas company was
dispatched to fix it in the evening. Amidst the digging up and
hammering, they cut the cable lines to four or five houses. Everything
went dead. I was present and it was apparent what happened. Even the
gas contractors knew what they did.
I called Cox and was told that nothing could be done until more phone
calls were received. Well, at the time I was probably the only one in
the area who had the phone service. The rest on the cut service line
were not home (I went and checked!), but I was told nothing could be
until the next day UNLESS more customers called, even though it was
evident what happened.
When I expressed dismay saying I had no phone service, I had just
switched from SW Bell and they always responded promptly, I was told
-- the exact words were "well, we're not the phone company". Yes that
was apparent. It took over 48 hours to get the line repaired because
others in the area were either out or town, or elderly and didn't
realize they needed to call. I still don't understand how a line break
could be considered so trivial, I was tempted to try and fix it myself
since I knew exactly where it was!
Over the next year it was dismaying to see just how many times the
lines were dead, the Internet didn't work and we would have to wait
hours to get any relief. Now going back to the "phone company" -- when
the lines were dead or cut, there was the option to at least let
callers know that the line was down by changing the Call Notes
message.. With Cox callers have no idea what is going on. The phone
could be disconnected, or whatever.
Fast forwarding.. Over the past years the power box in the alley has
been replaced, rewired, etc the buried line in our yard has been
replaced at least twice, maybe three times. The connections at the
outside box have been tightened so many times, I assume the threads
are probably stripped by now.
Our service is typically out at least a half hour or so every two
weeks or so. I don't keep track anymore and I rarely call until 45
minutes has passed. I do happen to be more aware of it because I use
the Internet for research and to upload the articles I write for an
Internet publication.
The last two or three months have proved to be even more annoying.
When we decided to switch to a HD box I took the old boxes to the
local store on 39th Expressway. The customer service reps were so busy
talking amongst each other and working on crossword puzzles, they
could barely help a person in the door. I almost dropped the boxes
because of the strong wind whipping the door out of my hands, then
when I sat down to switch out the boxes. I said I need to replace the
two boxes with different ones. She ignored me as she kept typing
away, never saying a word, filing out the online form. Then she said I
would have to pay $20. to replace the cables I didn't bring in. Okay I
said, but I am replacing the boxes so I can leave the wires. Nothing
else from her, she typed away. I finally said -- probably a bit rudely
-- "are you listening to me or hearing anything I am saying"? She
finally looked up startled. I said I need to replace these, not just
turning them in. BTW, she did get up and help hold the door on the
way out as the wind was pretty bad in that area.
So I get home to connect the new boxes, and one HD box does not work
properly. Phone calls and holding on forever, and it's finally
determined a repair man has to come out. When he comes out, it's by
coincidence a TV technician friend is here. The Cox guy connects some
stuff and finds out that the HD service was not switched on or
whatever happens when I got the box. Meanwhile the TV tech friend says
-- there are more channels that should be working. Oh no, says Cox
service man, that's a paid for subscription. No it's not the TV guy
says. Finally it's determined that even more buttons haven't been
switched at the headquarters (or wherever the magic happens) and
everything finally works. For a while that is.
Last week service was out again for 30 minutes or so in the middle of
the week, but as usual I don't call until 45 minutes goes by so I
didn't call.
Yesterday everything went dead again. I called and was told someone
would be here between noon - four, no one showed up or called. I
finally called at 4:30 and was told they were running late. That's
fine, but I should be told that by a call to my cell phone.
The Cox tech finds some loose connections outside and all works well.
For a while. Last night it went out again. This morning another Tech
came out and this time found a connection that burnt out/melted (he
showed me) in the outside connection box and replaced it. For now
everything is working again.
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