There’s a lot of talk about what Twitter’s valuation is. Millions? Billions? Who really knows, but I can tell you what Twitter is worth to me; at least $960.
If you’ve been around Twitter for awhile you know how a few companies have mastered the art of customer service via 140 characters, and Comcast/Xfinity is one of those companies. A few years ago, a former Comcast employee named Frank Eliason decided to start handing customer complaints via Twitter. Since it was uncharted territory, the communication flow was awkward and slow but Frank had the power to get things done (unlike most of the customer service reps working the phone banks). Today, they run a well oiled customer service machine through the @ComcastCares user name.
Earlier today I saw a Comcast promotional rate being advertised that was $40 cheaper per month then what I was paying, for the same package and services. Being a good consumer, I followed the normal routine and called the 800# provided on my bill and had a short, frustrating conversation with a first-level customer service rep. I even selected the “Retention Department” option, thinking they would be willing to negotiate, but they were having none of it. I buy every service they have (cable, Internet, & phone), pay my bill on-time/all the time, and have been a customer for over 5 years; you’d think they’d jump through a hoop or two to keep me happy.
Since I had a good Comcast customer service experience in the past with Frank, I figured I’d “send up the Comcast Bat Signal” via Twitter and see what happens:
@ComcastBill Tons of frustration with call I just had with a CSR. Can you check to see if I qualify for promo pricing? I’ll DM # on account
Dave Gambrill
gambrill
I wasn’t really expecting much to happen, so imagine my surprise when (within minutes) I got this response:
@gambrill sure but then i will have to have the local market call you they control the promos
ComcastBill
ComcastBill
About 20 minutes later my phone rang – it was Kathy from Comcast Corporate. Not only was she able to offer the promotion I originally wanted, she offered me two other options. So I went from having no options when I called customer service to three options via Twitter. When all was said and done, I kept the same exact service (essentially the “Bells, Whistles, and Then Some” package) but managed a bill that will be $40 cheaper per month. The price Kathy gave me is a promotional rate that is good for 24 months, so my Twitter interaction today saved me a total of $960.
So the next time someone asks me what I think Twitter is worth, I can tell them it’s worth at least $960 to me.
{ 0 comments }
