Comments on: Comcast spared the electric chair http://www.buzzmachine.com/2008/07/30/comcast-spared-the-electric-chair/ by Jeff Jarvis Fri, 19 Mar 2010 17:44:59 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.1 hourly 1 By: Scott Westerman http://www.buzzmachine.com/2008/07/30/comcast-spared-the-electric-chair/#comment-380229 Scott Westerman Mon, 04 Aug 2008 20:39:39 +0000 http://www.buzzmachine.com/?p=3762#comment-380229 Hi Jeff! I'm proud of the corporate initiative that Jenn mentions. We want to do it right and understand that it will be an iterative process. In the meantime, you're welcome to check out how we're testing the concept on a smaller scale in my Albuquerque market. A wonderful woman in our town started up a social network on Ning. www.dukecityfix.com, that has gained a lot of traction as a gathering place for locals. We're engaging there, totally in the open and I'm the guy who is listening and interacting. Here's how to find it., http://bit.ly/uj11Z Is this a bit closer to what you envisioned? Scott Westerman Area Vice President Comcast Southwest @ComcastScott on Twitter / identi.ca scott.westerman@comcast.net Hi Jeff!

I’m proud of the corporate initiative that Jenn mentions. We want to do it right and understand that it will be an iterative process. In the meantime, you’re welcome to check out how we’re testing the concept on a smaller scale in my Albuquerque market.

A wonderful woman in our town started up a social network on Ning. http://www.dukecityfix.com, that has gained a lot of traction as a gathering place for locals. We’re engaging there, totally in the open and I’m the guy who is listening and interacting. Here’s how to find it.,

http://bit.ly/uj11Z

Is this a bit closer to what you envisioned?

Scott Westerman
Area Vice President
Comcast Southwest
@ComcastScott on Twitter / identi.ca
scott.westerman@comcast.net

]]> By: Tree Frog http://www.buzzmachine.com/2008/07/30/comcast-spared-the-electric-chair/#comment-380019 Tree Frog Fri, 01 Aug 2008 17:35:40 +0000 http://www.buzzmachine.com/?p=3762#comment-380019 Still can't get over the Comcast rep talking out the side of her mouth thing. Heck, look at what Showtime did with community participation: http://www.wikinomics.com/blog/index.php/2008/07/10/showtime-presents-the-ultimate-20-fan-experience/ Still can’t get over the Comcast rep talking out the side of her mouth thing. Heck, look at what Showtime did with community participation:

http://www.wikinomics.com/blog/index.php/2008/07/10/showtime-presents-the-ultimate-20-fan-experience/

]]> By: Liz http://www.buzzmachine.com/2008/07/30/comcast-spared-the-electric-chair/#comment-380004 Liz Fri, 01 Aug 2008 14:58:39 +0000 http://www.buzzmachine.com/?p=3762#comment-380004 JJ likes the ads. JJ likes the ads.

]]> By: Marissa http://www.buzzmachine.com/2008/07/30/comcast-spared-the-electric-chair/#comment-379964 Marissa Thu, 31 Jul 2008 23:15:33 +0000 http://www.buzzmachine.com/?p=3762#comment-379964 Love the corporate initiative. But less about Comcast, more about that American Apparel ad. Wow. Love the corporate initiative.

But less about Comcast, more about that American Apparel ad. Wow.

]]> By: Tree Frog http://www.buzzmachine.com/2008/07/30/comcast-spared-the-electric-chair/#comment-379911 Tree Frog Thu, 31 Jul 2008 02:41:06 +0000 http://www.buzzmachine.com/?p=3762#comment-379911 Why does it take a few months? I could give a knowledgeable nerd a 6 pack of Red Bull and 50 dollars, and he'd kludge something workable together in two nights. It doesn't have to be beautiful, but it does have to be real. Nobody loves Comcast. They love what Comcast facilitates: actual content. You guys (cable companys all over the US) are the complete opposite of Google and have been screwing us over for years. I can tell you stories of techs sent over with the wrong equipment, to the wrong house, cable box cut-outs for no good reason and x number of problems. There's millions of people like me. I hope your facetious company teeters and utterly collapses when content finds alternate delivery methods. Why does it take a few months? I could give a knowledgeable nerd a 6 pack of Red Bull and 50 dollars, and he’d kludge something workable together in two nights.

It doesn’t have to be beautiful, but it does have to be real.

Nobody loves Comcast. They love what Comcast facilitates: actual content. You guys (cable companys all over the US) are the complete opposite of Google and have been screwing us over for years.

I can tell you stories of techs sent over with the wrong equipment, to the wrong house, cable box cut-outs for no good reason and x number of problems. There’s millions of people like me.

I hope your facetious company teeters and utterly collapses when content finds alternate delivery methods.

]]> By: Jenn Khoury, Comcast http://www.buzzmachine.com/2008/07/30/comcast-spared-the-electric-chair/#comment-379903 Jenn Khoury, Comcast Thu, 31 Jul 2008 01:29:51 +0000 http://www.buzzmachine.com/?p=3762#comment-379903 I agree with you on the feedback email. Yes, it's definitely better to do this in a public forum. But until we get that up and running (which is going to take a few more months) the email Frank's team are ways that customers can give us feedback, or get help - and they ususally receive it quickly. I disagree that our model prevents people from doing what they want, whenever they want. With VOD and video on the Web, there are more options, not less. Same thing with Internet speeds, boxes and user-generated content. And in a few months it will have changed again. I think it keeps getting better. I agree with you on the feedback email. Yes, it’s definitely better to do this in a public forum. But until we get that up and running (which is going to take a few more months) the email Frank’s team are ways that customers can give us feedback, or get help – and they ususally receive it quickly.

I disagree that our model prevents people from doing what they want, whenever they want. With VOD and video on the Web, there are more options, not less. Same thing with Internet speeds, boxes and user-generated content. And in a few months it will have changed again. I think it keeps getting better.

]]> By: Jeff Jarvis http://www.buzzmachine.com/2008/07/30/comcast-spared-the-electric-chair/#comment-379898 Jeff Jarvis Thu, 31 Jul 2008 00:15:13 +0000 http://www.buzzmachine.com/?p=3762#comment-379898 But here's the problem with this: She doesn't address one of the substantive issues I/we still have with cable companies and their economic structure. It's cant. A script. That feedback page to which she links: It invites us to send an email to the exec. It's not in public, so we can't see the critical mass we gather. It's still in their control. Bzzzzt. You fail the bullshit test. Sorry. But here’s the problem with this: She doesn’t address one of the substantive issues I/we still have with cable companies and their economic structure. It’s cant. A script.

That feedback page to which she links: It invites us to send an email to the exec. It’s not in public, so we can’t see the critical mass we gather. It’s still in their control.

Bzzzzt. You fail the bullshit test. Sorry.

]]> By: Jenn Khoury, Comcast http://www.buzzmachine.com/2008/07/30/comcast-spared-the-electric-chair/#comment-379893 Jenn Khoury, Comcast Wed, 30 Jul 2008 23:11:25 +0000 http://www.buzzmachine.com/?p=3762#comment-379893 Thanks for recognizing that we are listening. We are listening to our customers and responding, but our work online just scratches the surface of what’s been going on at Comcast. We are investing in and creating innovative products and have rolled them out very quickly. The result is that customers tell us they love our products. The flip side is that we need to improve the customer experience. We are well aware of this, and the entire company is focused on it. We are taking huge steps to improve customer service, but big change takes time, and it will take time for everyone across the country to feel these improvements. There are more details from our new head of customer service on our site http://www.comcast.com/Corporate/Customers/customercare.html, which also has a place for customers to give us direct feedback. These are just a few examples of the massive effort we are undertaking. As for the changes we are making online, we will provide customers with a new place to talk with us directly, and it be up in months, not a year. In the meantime, we’ll keep listening and improving. Thanks for recognizing that we are listening. We are listening to our customers and responding, but our work online just scratches the surface of what’s been going on at Comcast. We are investing in and creating innovative products and have rolled them out very quickly. The result is that customers tell us they love our products. The flip side is that we need to improve the customer experience. We are well aware of this, and the entire company is focused on it.

We are taking huge steps to improve customer service, but big change takes time, and it will take time for everyone across the country to feel these improvements. There are more details from our new head of customer service on our site http://www.comcast.com/Corporate/Customers/customercare.html, which also has a place for customers to give us direct feedback. These are just a few examples of the massive effort we are undertaking. As for the changes we are making online, we will provide customers with a new place to talk with us directly, and it be up in months, not a year. In the meantime, we’ll keep listening and improving.

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