Memoirs from a coffee shop...or another complaint about Qwest

I'm writing this from a slow local coffee shop connection because my Internet service is still down at Midwest Command.  I'm tired and a little frustrated so I'll be brief:

1. Excitement:  I can upgrade my slow 1.5/896k DSL service to 12/896k for not too much money.
2. Supposed to happen at 5PM on the 8th of Sept.
3. My existing service goes down at 10AM on 8th of Sept.
4. Numerous calls to tech support later and resolution is "just wait til 5PM and everything will be OK"
5. Pain:  Things don't work at 5PM or 8PM or Midnight.
6. Call tech support on 9th.  After numerous people, I'm told a tech can be assigned for Sept. 10th AM.

Summary:
I ordered an upgrade of service.  They killed my connection during the day of the upgrade.  I'm not sure if that's supposed to happen but today they say, "no, it should remain uninterrupted".  It will be 48 hours later when I have Internet service because "the dispatcher just can't move things around".  I ask to speak with the dispatcher.  Response:  "Oh no...they aren't trained for customer service..."  Sound problematic to you?

If these semi-monopolies really want to improve customer service and perception...can you remove silos please and give someone the power to think for themselves?  The cost for making me happy would have probably been X hours of overtime for a technician.  Instead, I'm in awe of how it's MY PROBLEM that they cut off my service for no reason.  I'm in awe of how I'M SUFFERING because their people didn't identify this as their issue yesterday...when they could have scheduled someone for 8AM TODAY.  That would mean I'd not be typing this memoir from a coffee shop and adding to the cacophony of negative energy out there about telcos and cable companies customer service woes. 

Comments

[Josh More]

I had a very similar experience last month. After going through multiple techs, we got it working.

However, later this month, I'm moving everything away from QWest (DSL and phone). They've lost my business, they just don't know it yet.

[Josh More]

"there are NO alternatives that care either"

Try http://www.internetsolver.com/ . They offer both local phone AND DSL. QWest would still own the lines, but all service would be through them. They're small, but I've had good luck with them over the last four years.