25 Reasons Cable Guys Hate You

a reply to: NarcolepticBuddha

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.

Or loves to have their work.

Not saying you're a problem, just be careful about letting resentment build about those you 'serve'. You're supposed to wade through all that with glee.

a reply to: NarcolepticBuddha

Then your employer sucks. Both AT&T and Time Warner pay hourly wages.

originally posted by: reldra
Wow, just wow.

1) after i get customer service and tech support to understand my problem...after 7 hours of calling over a week, I get an appointment.

2) I am told to stay home from 8am to 12 noon. At 12 noon, no one has yet come. I call and am told someone will arrive by 4.

3) someone comes at 3 and they have no idea why they are there- is completely different from what I have expressed to no less than 10 customer service reps and 5 tech support reps ovwr the course of the week in calls that last longer than an hour with many transfers.

4) The cable guy acts like i am asking for something unusual when I have already confirmed what is to be installed over the phone, over the course of the week. At some points wanting to scream and wondering if I will spend my entire life on the phone. Wondering if my cell phone will live as the battery gets hot after 3 straight hours on some calls.

5) Now a cable guy complains? You at least get paid to come out. I get zero for the hours upon hours I spend to get someone to undestand what is needed and then wait for people who do not show up in the scheduled time.

6) Blame who you work for. They did not tell you exactly what they promised and did not make sure you were there at the given time.

I am a bit confused, have you been lurking around my appartment(in germany) when i switched to 50Mbit?
It happened exactly the same!
Or when the cable guy has been here to for the internet access of my neighbour, but cutted the telephone line of the older lady above us? And after calling them to fix the crap they did, the cable guy started to complain, till we got a bit rude at the end, that helped him to do it as fast as possible.

Excellent post! Thanks for the reply. No, I didn't write the article, but obviously share many of the resentments. Believe me though, the only time I'm angry at work is because of how early I have to get up in the morning. I am collected by the time I hit the road.

originally posted by: KyoZero



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.

I am very happy we don't schedule this way. We have a 1 hour window. If the person assigned can't make it, someone else picks it up and still gets there within that hour. There's plenty of us who would love to get there and get started. This is how we make some money.

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

I have learned to just shut off and focus on the job. It has definitely taught me much about reserving judgement and treating people like human beings no matter what.

6. Just a minor pitiful complaint. But these days it seems like some companies are doing that god awful router/modem combination.

Modem/router combinations are annoying! Luckily we don't provide those. And we're usually able to use whatever the customer wants to use.

I think those fees are just for 'activation of service' or whatever.

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

One reason I turn down drinks is because I've been drinking water and coffee all morning and have to pee like mad. More liquids is not the answer.

How about an offer for a restroom break? haha

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

And they always seem surprised like "Oh is all this crap in your way?"

And offended when we don't do extra stuff not related to their services.

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

There are steps a customer can take to make the job quick and smooth. And there is a lack of preparation that can make it more frustrating and time consuming.

Testing boxes on your TV, for example, helps out a lot. Faulty boxes will test normal, but still not work. I can't verify until I see Drew Carey asking us to bid the closest without going over.

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.

Our office requires a very good reason to reschedule or not see a job to completion. It's very rare that I have had to do this.

However, I am shocked from the number of co-workers who call me up asking to borrow certain tools. Why would you go to a cable job without your wood bit to drill? It's like a jedi without his lightsaber

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.

In the end they all do the same thing, yes. But I have my favorite pieces of equipment to use and brand names, mostly because they either boot up quicker, or give me fewer issues during activation. Unfortunately, we just have to use what we get. If we can get it to function, that's what we provide.

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.

We get blamed for everything haha. And we get charged for it. Part of our install and customer education is to cover all our bases and not get a complaint called in.

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

The don't do it yourself part in my mind is more to do with people trying to tell me where their cable is and where it goes etc. (Every time, it just goes straight up to a dish.) If I take every bit of advice and help from the customer, the installation would never get done properly. f

The writer of the article was talking about using customer-provided materials.

Also, while pleasant conversation is welcome, some people seem to call us out there just to have someone to talk to, and they just unload nonstop! It gets tiring trying to make small talk and trouble-shoot issues at the same time.

I had one guy trying to show me his gun collection while I was trying to focus on work. It made an hour job last over 3 hours because he just wanted to chat. He followed me everywhere I went...even into the crawlspace to continue talking haha.

The drink I don't mind so much. I'm not going to get offended because I usually have drinks with me.

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

And I would say the same for some apartments too. If your apartment has one cable port, don't be so shocked when stuff doesn't work after putting a ton of splitters to create 5 outlets.

originally posted by: 123143

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

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

I never get tipped by the well-to-do. It's always the common Joes who recognize what extra stuff I'm trying to do to help them out.

As the writer of the article stated, you tip the pizza man and the waitress. Some techs (like me) try to go above and beyond our jobs.

If you don't want to tip, call in the provider and give some compliments. We get a bonus.

originally posted by: intrptr
a reply to: NarcolepticBuddha

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.

Or loves to have their work.

Not saying you're a problem, just be careful about letting resentment build about those you 'serve'. You're supposed to wade through all that with glee.

No resentment. I recognize my customers are my livelihood.

originally posted by: bender151
a reply to: NarcolepticBuddha

Then your employer sucks. Both AT&T and Time Warner pay hourly wages.

We have the option to claim hourly rates and overtime rates. It always comes out more claiming our piece-rate totals. I am getting paid very well. The more I put into the job, the better I am at my job, the more I get paid.

I have had some days where I made excellent money before lunchtime. That's not something I've ever been able to say before.

a reply to: NarcolepticBuddha

Are you paid for the services you provide? Yes? Then STFU and do your job.

Sorry to be blunt, but people complaining about the career path they, themselves chose gets old fast.

a reply to: burdman30ott6

You've never come home from a stressful day at work and needed to vent? That's queer.

a reply to: burdman30ott6

Respectfully, I disagree with several points in the article, but that's kind of a bogus statement.

I am a psychotherapist. I love my career. I am in my permanent job. Cannot fathom ever doing anything else. But I have some really bad days that I vent about. Doctors have an exceptionally fulfilling job but there are very many bad sides to it...drug seekers, insane paperwork, and just plain awful days.

I love what I do and will never hate it...but I could point out several things that bug me a ton. I have ridiculous amounts of paperwork to do to see a person once. To uphold that person and actually earn my pay, I have to do nonstop battle with Blue Cross, Medicaid, Medicare. I cannot stand when people come to me to try and get a fake disability in order to get an ADA allowance, disability pay, or an animal pass.

I can name another ten things...but none of that changes the fact that I would never do anything different. The pros far outweight the cons...but the cons always exist

originally posted by: NarcolepticBuddha

originally posted by: 123143

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

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

I never get tipped by the well-to-do. It's always the common Joes who recognize what extra stuff I'm trying to do to help them out.

As the writer of the article stated, you tip the pizza man and the waitress. Some techs (like me) try to go above and beyond our jobs.

If you don't want to tip, call in the provider and give some compliments. We get a bonus.

How about a nice lunch while you're there? I'm a great cook.

And you are always welcome to use the bathroom.

originally posted by: 123143

How about a nice lunch while you're there? I'm a great cook.

And you are always welcome to use the bathroom.

One nice lady made me an awesome grilled cheese!

Have also been given some fresh baked cookies and rice crispy treats. There have been some great customers on my routes. That part of the story didn't make it into the thread (because it was based on someone other tech's rant.)

Bathroom...some customers I do ask because they seem pretty chill and down-to-earth. Some customers I don't because they come off as kind of snobby and elitist. With those--I just do everything I can to appear professional.

Had a talk with SKY yesterday. The SAT-receiver died. So I called up the hotline so they can send me a new one. Guess what, even though, I had the code, the bitch on the telephone wanted me to reinstall the hardware to go through that non-sense wizzard on screen. That I did before, or else I would not have to code.

But the super assholish female hotline operator wanted me to go through it all again. So I took the manual and pretended like I was setting up the box while looking over the points in the manual to satisfy her.

In the end, she decided to send me a new power supply. DOH. It´s not the power supply, it´s the #ing receiver that I tested with other hardware before!

I hate such people. Am I not paying your monthly income?

a reply to: verschickter

The hotline and call center people are usually annoying to deal with, and sometimes even the techs have to talk to 3 or 4 of them before getting the right help

a reply to: NarcolepticBuddha

Update about sky:

Talked with tech again last thuesday. Same again. He wanted me to look up the diseq configuration (totally moronic if you consider I said the receiver started to fail now and then without reason. But still, I did what he wanted. The box needed 10 minutes to startup just to give me error code 302. That one I gave the unfriendly lady in the first call. So he wants to send a technician. I also said to him I don´t need a technician because I´m electrical engineer and able to connect two coaxial cables without a problem. He mumbled something into the telephone that I did not understand becasue either bad statics or his headset and then the line was dead.

I hope at least he has the receiver with him because, as I foretold, the power supply was NOT the reason.
Now it´s monday and nobody called or showed up. If they think I will pay for this unordered unecessary technichian...

I can´t understand why it was a problem to send a replacement receiver on the way and I send the defect one back. It´s not like to old one was for free. Currently I´m paying for nothing. I´m paying 60cents per call and sometimes the computer just hangs up. This is rediculous.

a reply to: verschickter

I went through a similar process trying to get a new modem from a provider a few years back. It's exhausting.

I understand there are many gripes against the providers as well.

I've had good experiences and bad experiences with the cable guys; just like you said sometimes there are some bad apples and there's nothing we can do.
I have 2 dogs but I always put them in my bedroom; I always offer the guy a cold drink, a coffee or some fruits. Always. I never tell them what and how to do; I want them out of my house just as fast as they do. They don't need to move anything to reach the outlets, I have no small kids to bother them. Usually while they work I just mind my own business and let them mind theirs.

But then I had a guy who took an incredible amount of time to find where the cable is coming from even if everything cable related is in the living room. I showed him but he knew better so he went checking every room in the house including the bathrooms without even asking permission; at this point I was ready to release the dogs on him. Turns out that he was looking for the big box from outside the building.

I had a guy who halfway through the installation left all his things in my living room and said he'll be back in two minutes; I thought he needed some tools or something from his car. Turns out he went out to pick up his kid from school, dropped him home and then came back after 40 minutes to finish his job.

Another one knowingly installed me a faulty router, when I called him the same evening he said "I know this brand makes problems, we need to install a new router". Then why the hell did you install it in the first place? It took him two weeks to find the time to come again and solve the problem he created. And when he changed the router I saw him putting the faulty one back in the cartoon box like it was new, ready to be installed at another sucker customer like me. You can bet I complained about this one.

So yeah, most of the time the guys are working hard, and I appreciate that, but there are some who give a bad name to all of them.

a reply to: NarcolepticBuddha

Well, I had a competent guy on the telephone yesterday. He explained to me that with error 302 (no signal) they don´t just dash out new receivers. Because the cause can be within the house installation.

However I told him I tested everything twice and with other receivers it works. It´s arduous to send a technician to come to the same conclusion, let alone I need to be at home to let him in. In the end, he promised me to send me a new one. I also said to him, finally thank you to have someone competent on the phone. I think we both went out of this happy. That´s how it can be.

originally posted by: NarcolepticBuddha

originally posted by: 123143

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

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

I never get tipped by the well-to-do. It's always the common Joes who recognize what extra stuff I'm trying to do to help them out.

As the writer of the article stated, you tip the pizza man and the waitress. Some techs (like me) try to go above and beyond our jobs.

If you don't want to tip, call in the provider and give some compliments. We get a bonus.

Please don't compare tipping you to tipping a waitress. I'm not saying you don't deserve a little extra for going above and beyond, but the way you say it makes it sound like tipping a waitress isn't as important. Wait staff's hourly wages are half of minimum wage. I get paid $4 an hour plus tips. Because I work very hard to give good service, I make decent money. But the waiter/customer relationship is built on tips. If you want to turn your job into a tip based job, be prepared to stop making wages. It's more like sales, where instead of wages you make commission. As a waitress, instead of a wage you get tips. Wages just cover the taxes.

a reply to: anotheramethyst

I totally get what you're saying. I really do.

My income is not based on tips, nor hours. It's piece-rate. I can go from making 40 dollars an hour, to 4/hour. It fluctuates a lot but usually ends up being decent pay.

The tip part comes in from risking my life to climb a pole where I can't tie off my harness because your neighbor parked underneath it and disappeared down to the beach, or from crawling under your house with a giant brown recluse.

Oh, and all the extra things I do that I certainly don't have to, like setting up old routers and connecting your wireless printers etc.

The more courtesy things I do for a customer, the less money I'm making. I have stayed with some folks over 3 hours!!! (!!!) just helping them get their @%$# together. Trust me, I ain't make money doing this. I choose to do it because I feel excellent customer service is part of my job (and it is.)

My supervisor has even got on me for taking extra time with customers. I just don't have the heart to tell a Vietnam vet to "F off! Do it yourself!"

So yeah, if I'm losing money and getting ragged on by supervisors and doing potentially lethal things, a tip would be a nice gesture at that point.

But that's all it is, a nice gesture from time-to-time. I don't expect them, and I'm cool not to receive them.