Cablevision Systems Corp.

Cablevision - NY/NJ Metro Area

There is no question that customers are treated differently depending on the services that they have purchased. I presently have 3 premium services from Cablevision (does not include Optimum Voice) and get terrific representative service. But, I do not get well-trained, well-coordinated technical service. Too many war stories to tell here.

In reading one of the complaints, I noticed that a customer complained about service representatives trying to sell/promote other Cablevision products. I was subjected to that also (because I didn't have Optimum Voice). There is a way of handling that annoying practice.

I called Cablevision and told them to put in my account screen the following message: "Do not under any circumstances attempt to promote/sell any products to this customer. Customer will refuse to respond to any promotional activity and will file a complaint."

I was polite, assertive, firm, articulate, and knowledgeable on who I would complain to. I.e., NJ Division of Consumer Affairs, Better Business Bureau www.bbb.org, and contacting the Chairman of Cablevision in writing to complain of the practice.

After I did that, I called Cablevision again and requested to "Optout" of any promotional/marketing Cablevision mail (not billing) or telemarketing activities.

The result: No Cablevision representative has ever tried to promote/sell me anything. All direct-mail and telemarketing activities have ceased.

Now, to my personal beef. I believe that the technicians/training personal/supervisors are trained inadequately. There is no teaming of efforts and their repairmen routinely generate redundant efforts in repairs. For instance, I was told by a repairman that my IO box was not operating correctly and that I needed a new one (he came to this conclusion after 3 hours of checking cable connections, etc.) He phoned this information into his manager and asked that a repairman be sent over to exchange my IO box for a new one (BTW: all cable boxes are refurbished, they are not new.) The next day a different repairman appeared without any knowledge of the previous problem and no new IO box. He then proceeded to waste my and the company's time by duplicating every effort that the previous repairman had done the previous day. After mentioning that all the work he was doing had already been accomplished, his response was "they (Cablevision) do not like to exchange old boxes for new ones because it's too expensive and they don't have enough of them to go around. He also told me that the communication system between repair and customer service is non-existent. His frustration was palpable.

I am now writing to the Chairman, President and CEO, and President & Communications Officers to complain about a recent problem I had last evening. I no longer complain to customer service or to the repairmen. The problem belongs to the Executive Management of Cablevision - they are not doing their jobs. And, I suspect, don't care. But, I will be greatly satisfied that I've contacted the right people.

For your information, the following people should be contacted if you have trouble with Cablevision. They are the people who make policy on every aspect of their business. They train their people to sell, sell, sell and they are the ones to establish training methods and how much to spend on training and other aspects of their personnel decisions. (When I recently inquired why a customer service respresentative had asked me a question unrelated to my problem, her response was "I have too, that's what they told me to do.")

The Executive Management core are the ones making the bucks to take the heat, not the minions who are working for them. Here are their names:

CHARLES F. DOLAN

Chairman

Cablevision

1111 Stewart Avenue

Bethpage, NY 01714

JAMES L. DOLAN

President and CEO

Cablevision

1111 Stewart Avenue

Bethpage, NY 01714

JOHN BICKHAM

President, Cable and Communications

Cablevision

1111 Stewart Avenue

Bethpage, NY 01714

Note that Charles Dolan and James Dolan are related, Charles, father and James, son. Charles Dolan is currently involved in an ugly takeover of the business from his son.

I will contact Complaints.com again, after I receive a response from the above people. I will also let you know if I do not receive a response at all.

Jax

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