Few companies have managed to irritate and rankle their customers as deftly as Comcast. In fact, the sheer volume of outrageous tales is enough to make you think Comcast actually strives for this recognition. For each positive experience a customer has on the phone or with a technician in their home, there seem to be hundreds of stories that describe rude (and sometimes lewd), inconsistent and incompetent behavior. So severe is the outcry of infuriated customers (former and current) that websites devoted to spreading the stories have emerged. Here are 3 examples of Comcast customer support horror stories that will make you chuckle, shake your head and wonder how they manage to remain in business.

#1 – The Sleeping Technician

On one occasion, a Comcast customer was treated to a visit by one of their highly-trained technicians. The customer had a faulty modem. The technician had come to identify the issue and replace the modem. Unfortunately, the expert technician was stumped and forced to call Comcast technical support for backup. After waiting on hold for an hour, the Comcast customer found our crack technician sprawled on his couch, phone in his ear… happily sleeping.

Of course, because we live in the Age Of YouTube, the customer quickly recorded the scene and uploaded his 58-second video to YouTube for the world to see. Over 200,000 views later, the highly-trained technician was fired and an apology was issued from Comcast Corp.

#2 – Television Fans On The Job

One day, a Comcast customer noticed his internet connection had been dropped. His monthly bill had always been paid promptly. His equipment seemed to be working properly. So, he called Comcast customer support. Two crack team service technicians showed up. The customer left the room to allow the skilled specialists to resolve the issue. When the customer returned, both technicians were sitting on the customer’s sofa… watching a boxing match on ESPN (no doubt, a rarely-applied broadband connection test).

#3 – The Botched Installation (And Intermittent Technician)

Bob Garfield wanted nothing more than a seamless installation of Comcast’s service. What he received was a 1-way trip to customer service purgatory. The first installation appointment was missed entirely (wasting the day for Bob). Calls to Comcast’s customer support line (3 of them) resulted in promises to call back after they had investigated the issue.

Zero calls were returned.

Bob, ever the optimist, placed a fourth call to reschedule the appointment. The technician showed up and then left to find a drill bit. He never returned. Unfortunately, during his stay before departing for the drill bit, he had disconnected much of Bob’s DirectTV service and 2 of his phones. Bob called customer support (call #5). His request to speak with a supervisor was denied. However, the support rep promised to call Bob back with information.

The call never came.

The technician abruptly showed up at nearly 6:00 p.m. Because it was late, he left without finishing the installation. Bob called Comcast support and asked to reschedule. His request was denied as the support rep informed him that his installation had been completed (it had not). His subsequent begging and pleading failed to yield different results. Finally, a supervisor picked up the line and offered an apology. She promised to make everything right the following morning.

By that time, Bob had lost much of his optimism (and two weekends).

Comcast Horror Stories Become Commonplace

The 3 customer support horror stories above seem outrageous. They seem exceptional. Unfortunately (for customers of Comcast), these types of stories have become commonplace. Today, bloggers and those armed with video recorders have found a platform from which to tell others about their experiences with the cable provider. And like those who have been victimized by savage crimes, they’re finding that others with similar experiences with Comcast flock to share them.

Part of Comcast’s legacy will include their poor customer service exploits. In the wake of an exodus, providers such as the Dish Network (known for their history of outstanding service) wait with open arms.