25 Reasons Cable Guys Hate You

originally posted by: NarcolepticBuddha

originally posted by: RAY1990
a reply to: NarcolepticBuddha

The placement of the router/modem, should be at the discretion of the customer

Yep, this is usually what I do. If I can't convince them to choose a location nearer their port, then unfortunately out comes the drill and cable clips...which they complain about.

That's good then, the customer is always right even if they are wrong. Especially in their own home.

originally posted by: NarcolepticBuddha
a reply to: reldra

I am sorry you have had some terrible experiences.

To be honest, I have been that tech at one point or another that aggravates you. It's something I try my best to learn from and improve on so each experience is better for the customer.

I can't speak for everyone out there, but I do everything I possibly can to satisfy my customers. I know many don't. I have seen some sloppy work. And that sloppy work from previous techs is something that makes my job annoying and stressful too.

True. The thing I was describing that had to be done again...the tech had a trainee with him. He was showing the trainee how to fit wires into the new connecters (they look like the plastic end of a phone cord) easily. I asked to be shown. He said 'sure and I will leave you a few of these". There are some good ones

originally posted by: intrptr
a reply to: NarcolepticBuddha

Sounds like you hate it, actually. Or love to hate it.

Sometimes hate is part of the passion. I've never been passionate about a job before.

It can be annoying and exhausting in many ways. But I volunteered to work a 6th day a week. Certainly not the act of someone who hates their work.

a reply to: RAY1990

As long as they aren't asking me to do something that will present a hazard, or something that will cause a device to fail (and yes, they do sometimes make such requests. That's why I'm there)...I will do it.

Not every tech is the same though. They all have different approaches.

a reply to: reldra

As I said I was lucky, I didn't have to make much of a complaint and I found out the person installing had a lot more authority than any call center staff.

The call out was actually to see why my internet was dodgy originally. I do hate dealing with middlemen.

a reply to: RAY1990

The breakdown seems to happen between customer service and the work order sent. But, in th end, they all represent the same company. The cable technician will take the brunt of the frustration, but they should be used to that by now.

a reply to: reldra

I hate dealing with our customer care agents just as much as the customers do. I am on the line with them a great deal of my day trying to correct wrong work orders and such.

a reply to: reldra

Never been a cable guy but I have worked "front of house" in a bar/restuarant. It most certianly is the person on the floor who gets it in the neck when things go wrong.

It's why I'm usually appreciative and tip good work. I know exactly what it's like being on the recieving end of hate when others have screwed the customer over.

a reply to: RAY1990

No. No. No
Try being a carpenter and building a house the way someone wants it because "They know what they're talking about".
Dog houses do not make you an experienced carpenter.

a reply to: NarcolepticBuddha

1-10 I‘m with you. Except for the drinking part. Yes, it's friendly but not a must. Bring your own stuff for consuming at work, like everyone. If you are nice and friendly, you will even get cookies from me. But don't make it a duty and don't demand it.

11. Absolutely not. It´s the responsibilty of the cable company to provide you with test-gear.

12. Look, you have a test phone. But if your company offers Internet and TV services, you should also be able to test what you did.


Sorry. I had it with a Telecom guy ten years ago. I could have done it myself but decided to order a technician. The installation of an ISDN telephone system at my fathers office. I could have done it myself but since they provided specific hardware and did not had the time for such nonsense I ordered a technician.

Although, I was adviced in advance to plug it in, except for the line, so I did.

He came in his private car, with what seemed was his wife on the co-driver seat.
Plugged in the last remaining cable, asked me if it‘s okay to use my laptop while hitting space to get it out of sleep mode. I took it out of his hands and asked if he does not have propper equipment with him. So I pinged google.com myself and got through. Said, internet is working.

Then he wanted me to sign a piece of paper that would cost me 175€.

I asked him, what about the ISDN? The numbers have to be programmed in…
He said to me there is a manual!!!!!
I nearly exploded but tried to keep a calm voice over this sentence.
I asked him calmly what his purpose is and why I should pay 175€ for nothing, when the only thing he did was plug in the last remaining cable. What if an old lady called him? He laughed at me, how rude.

He wanted me to sign the paper or he will take the gear with him. I informed him I already paid the hardware and I also ordered installation service because I have no time for such endeavours. In the end, I had to programm the ISDN myself (had to buy a seperate RS232 converter). But I also did not pay the 175€ and got him out the front door.
175€ for pluggin in one cable? Try somewhere else.

Don‘t get me wrong, I worked in service for some years. Fire, security and camera systems.

But that was just straight up impudent. On the other office before, a new ISDN-system had to be installed. Guess what, back then, a technician spend two hours just programming the system. We paid for it and everything was fine.

He got his coffee, cookies and mineral water, was friendly and competent.

This all made me laugh like crazy.


You forgot one very crucial thing tho....

FFS! Clean off the back, front whatever of your cruddy nasty TV, Modem, & behind TV stand!

I'm not a saint, but I would NEVER let the cable person back up in there without a good scrub first. I have no idea how that got like THAT, but I'll be damned if I want a stranger seeing it!!

Tradesmen talk, I'd prefer it wasn't about me.
The worst I've had happen was a nice cable guy come in to set up things an he insisted he was a cat lover so leave fluffy out. I TOLD him not to leave his bag open. Yep, my cat's a "shopper". He boosted a couple of small screwdrivers and a bunch of various small connectors and was STILL shopping when I busted him.

The cat "lifted" a bunch of wire ties and wire nuts off the furnace guy.
He got some allen wrenches off the washer repair guy.
Fluffy got a bunch of brass screws off the locksmith, a few small cover plates as well.

Forget watching my dog, watch the cat!
My dog is sitting in your work truck cause you left it open waiting for his "ride". He'll sit there all day too.
He's patient thatways.

a reply to: Caver78

I had a phone near a stove the other day that had acquired a patina of grease. Was nasty!

And yes, this is how we vent, sharing our horror stories in the warehouse every morning.

a reply to: NarcolepticBuddha

My hubs did HVAC, electrical & plumbing.
The "war stories" were awesome!


Open the closet with the furnace in it and wall of roaches pour out.
Old lady needs air conditioner to "stop talking to her", he turned off radio for her.
Furnace is broken, it's blowing smelly air, yeah....dead rat.

The best were calls where the homeowner did their own repairs before calling for help.
Also the most lucrative!
Heeheehee!!!

Keep learning until you're a headend tech.

Shut their channels off while you are watching it.

It's air conditioned in there...

a reply to: whyamIhere

Nice haiku!

Talk about your crappy attitudes. Please DON'T install my cable.

The customer can do certain things themselves? That ain't what the customer is paying for.

I was thinking of having someone set up WiFi in my home because I don't know the first thing about it, but f*** it. I'll just increase the bandwidth on my phone since YOU don't want the business.

Tip? Get real. Have you seen what your own company is charging for cable lately?

We aren't all f***ing millionaires.

As you did not write this article, I will direct my answers TO the article

Bear in mind that many I absolutely agree with. Also...before I even post my responses, know that many (mot) of my responses are towards the company and not the specific tech. I know the tech has their imposed rules.

1. Yes I am sure that happens. But let's talk about the many people who have an appointment in a four hour window, take off of work, then get missed and have to do it all over again because the company overbooked.

2-5. Not even a peep from me. I was a paramedic once and I have seen how people live

6. Just a minor pitiful complaint. But these days it seems like some companies are doing that god awful router/modem combination. Obviously that has nothing to do with the tech. It sucks. I gave it back and bought a surfboard and a Nighthawk 7000 series and my internet is now flawless. However, I WILL complain about these crap ass companies who make me pay $35 to install a modem I BOUGHT that takes a plug and a simple flip of the switch to turn on. I am doing ALL of the router/modem work. I am even packaging the old crappy system the company gives me and I have to pay? BULL CRAP

7. I get it...but I have offered water, lemonade, whatever every time and get shot down every time. So...not my loss

8 - 10. Again...not a peep...100% on target

11-12. I wanted to say something but couldn't formulate anything fair...so agreed again

13. This is another one of those that is far too simplified. How about the times I mentioned in response 1? How about the times where the cable installer comes and forgets this tool he always uses? Etc...Etc.

14. So in essence, you're telling me that the boxes are all designed to do the same thing, yet thousands of customers have a problem with a specific box and the company just doesn't care? Like when I dealt with terribly slow internet with constant drops on multiple computers. I looked up the box problems because frankly I can fix the software or firmware issues with far greater speed and efficiency that the company itself. Turns out many thousands of people had problems with the same box. So no, I can't accept that each is the same. Yes they are all modems or modem/router combos, but again, I bought a surfboard and suddenly my 150 speed went from dropping and 20 at best to 188 d/25 u.

15. I HATE THIS BULL CRAP. This is why I left AT&T and why I want to leave Xfinity now. The company ALWAYS blames every single problem on us. A tech could accidentally cut my building's line and it will still be my fault. See my example in 14. Not to mention that my "crappy computer" is not the issue. What with the ASrock x99, 32 Gb mem, SSD, liquid cooling, and on and on...no I am pretty sure it isn't this beastly gaming computer that is the problem. It's also not the computer's problem when we check it on several devices and run three different speed checks with massive ping and terrible up/down.

But then your last sentence is exactly why people hate these companies. "I turned the internet on...don't care anymore." That is a huge problem and exceptionally rude to the customers who pay for this. Make no mistake, I know you have plenty of rude customers. But for the rest, it's awfully conceited for the company to flip the switch and say "no longer my problem. And they do this...a lot

16-17. Spot on again

18. So wait...don't do it yourself....but do it yourself (see: router) - Don't chit chat with me....but offer me a drink....wow

19. Agreed...and I really wish people would learn this

20. Agreed

21. Agreed

22. I agree....but to say that after the crap we have to deal with in the company itself, we can be a little on edge. However, we should be adult enough to know that the tech is not the company

23-25. Agreed

your op made me laugh.

my husband installs kitchens and he comes home with the funniest stories sometimes. poop in the house, he's experienced that - omg! he told them he wouldn't install anything until it was cleaned up.

anyway, I feel kinda bad now. we had a cable guy out last week and I asked him to move the modem. he was very nice and moved it for me even though our house was a "problem house" because it's older and the work he needed to do took way longer than he expected. I now wish we'd tipped him as he was really a nice guy.

a reply to: EternalShadow

I'm surprised cable people still have jobs. I cut the cord about ten years ago before it even had a name. One of the reasons was I was paying over a hundred a month to watch cartoon network and mtv... YouTube is free.

Yikes.

This is why I am always super kind to any kind of service person that is helping me anywhere but especially if they are in my home.

I remember the Cincinnati Bell guy showed up, and all 3 of my darn cats and my dog just wanted to be right up his ass the whole time. I asked my sons father to put the animals away but the guy was like "nah they are okay this is their house, they aren't messing with anything or getting in my way its cool." And he petted them. He even talked to our - at the time- newborn son, and was smiling at him and jingling his keys for him. I thought it was really sweet, because I would have been okay with him coming in, doing what he had to do, and high tailin' it back to the next job.

Service jobs have the potential to be a real bitch because everyone has high expectations for service people. It can be draining to keep on a front of ' Why yes, I LOVE this job, and I LOVE you as a customer, and I'd LOVE to bend over backwards for you and make you happy so that you don't complain about the stupid # I know you'd like to complain about." Espeically if you've been going through your own issues.


So, fyi, most of us really appreciate everything all of you service bros and gals do.

-Alee