4 Reasons People Hate Their Internet Provider
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It’s no secret that ISPs have trouble earning the loyalty and respect of their customers, but with a monopolized service, it can be almost impossible to get away from the biggest providers (who also happen to have terrible reputations). For instance, just a few short years ago, both AT&T and Time Warner (now Spectrum) were rated the worst internet companies in terms of customer service.
These huge corporate entities offer some of the fastest and most comprehensive internet services available, and yet, somehow, they’ve still managed to earn the distaste of their customers via poor customer service. Here are four reasons people hate their internet service provider.
(If you’re looking for a new provider, you can compare internet service providers on internetadvisor.com)
1. No Reward for Loyalty
You’ll never hear of an ISP offering a loyalty discount or program to its customers. Since internet is pretty much a requirement for the modern household and business, internet providers are less interested in earning their customers’ loyalty with rewards.
The attitude seems to be something like “ the customers need our products, so we don’t need to reward them for using it.” Companies know that they don’t have to offer a loyalty program since most people can’t live without the internet, and will endure poor customer service and faulty equipment to get it.
With many ISPs, there’s actually a penalty for being with the company longer. You’ll get an introductory price for the first year, but after that? You’ll be subjected to (more than one) price hike, often nearly doubling your bill.
That’s the reward for staying loyal for the first year? It hardly seems fair that a brand new customer would have access to far better pricing than a customer that’s been with the company for a year or more, and yet, that’s just how it is.
With no incentive to be loyal, why do people stick with their ISPs? It’s simple; the process of switching is time-consuming, stressful, and often involves long wait times for installation or mailed equipment. Most customers simply endure the treatment out of convenience.
2. Price Changes
Price changes are nothing new when it comes to internet service. Whether it’s a sudden fee, an upgrade to your service, or a random extra the internet company decides to make mandatory (like a rental charge for equipment), there are always extra fees. When you lock into a contract, the last thing you want is an extra fee, price hike, or change every month; or else, what’s the point of a contracted service?
So many ISPs these days offer terrible deals for simple services, and most of them reserve the good prices for bundles. To even get a good deal on internet, you almost have to include phone and TV services so you can get the bundle price. Otherwise, you’re paying an obscene amount each month for just one of the services.
Make no mistake; this is designed that way to keep you locked into one service provider for as long as possible, and to convince you to buy more services. Once you’ve gotten cable TV, you need a cable box, their own special remote, special cords and installation, and more.
Speaking of installation, let’s talk about those fees. Have you ever wondered why a $60+ installation fee is necessary for setting up cable TV/internet? Even if you choose satellite service, someone has to come to your home and put up the dish, costing you more money for the initial setup.
3. Terrible Customer Service
As if the first two reasons weren’t bad enough, let’s not forget the terrible customer service that ISPs have become known for over the past few years. If your internet modem isn’t working or your connection is spotty, good luck getting ahold of the right department to fix it; let alone someone who doesn’t get nasty over the phone.
ISPs are notorious for bad customer service, but since there are basically only a few main choices nowadays, they get away with it. Treating customers poorly would be detrimental to business under other circumstances, but once you’ve got a monopoly on your industry, you’re basically untouchable. Unfortunately, it seems ISPs have made it a habit to treat their customers like numbers rather than people.
4. Shady Terms and Business Practices
Poor customer service, soaring prices, monopolized services, and no rewards for loyalty all encompass the shady business practices and terms of use that many ISPs adopt. With pretty much unlimited funding and a monopoly on services, these companies often abuse the terms of use agreements and manipulate them to benefit the company and not the customers.
Not to mention, several ISPs and communication companies have been caught outright lying to customers, treating them terribly, or coercing them into shady contracts with hidden fees and more.