REWahoo
Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso) Give
So...after 7+ years of “country living” and a snail-slow dial up Internet connection while waiting for DSL or any other reasonably priced option, I finally gave in and coughed up the $500 ransom installation fee to get a high speed connection via line of sight radio. The monthy rate is a disgusting $70, but I justified it by disconnecting the land phone line which, when combined with the $10 per month ISP cost savings, covers all but $7 of the monthly fee. Wouldn’t you know it, 60 days after I bit the bullet, a competitor shows up out here in the sticks offering the service for a $200 installation fee and $50 per month, higher speeds too.
I started looking into the new guys offer, figuring after amotizing the installation cost over 10 months I would then begin saving $20 per month on the fee. My current provider requires no contract, but the new guys have a 12 month agreement, so I asked to see a copy. (Yep, I’m a service company’s biggest nightmare...a retired guy who actually READS the fine print before signing it...and who spent the last 17 years negotiating service contracts. )
I noticed several things in the agreement I wasn’t comfortable with, so I called their sales desk to ask a few questions. The contract states that the installer is an independent contractor and the Internet supplier is not responsible for any negligence related to the work, items or service provided by the independent contractor. While it is common practice to have independent contractors install cable, etc., I asked the sales guy what happens if the independent contractor is in my attic and puts a foot through my ceiling? Does the contractor have insurance to cover my damages? And does the contractor have insurance to cover his medical costs if he falls off my roof and injures himself?
The sales guy said, “Just a minute, let me ask my supervisor”. A few minutes later he came back and said his supervisor was on a conference call and would have to call me back. That was two weeks ago and I haven’t received a call back even though I have attempted to call and email them asking to speak to someone about doing business with them.
My take on this is that they either
1. don’t know how to answer my questions and hope I will just go away
2. think I’m a pain in the butt and/or some nutcase and just don’t want to deal with me
3. fear I might be a competitor or a disgruntled customer trying to get information I may use against them
4. think I might be a high maintenance customer who will give them more trouble than my business is worth or might even find some reason to sue them
5. aren’t a reputable company
6. or all the above.
Whatever the situation, my take out of this is I don’t want to do business with them and I am telling all my neighbors about my experience. Although it is a little frustrating, I do find it somewhat humorous...especially the “Force Maneuver” clause in their agreement!
I started looking into the new guys offer, figuring after amotizing the installation cost over 10 months I would then begin saving $20 per month on the fee. My current provider requires no contract, but the new guys have a 12 month agreement, so I asked to see a copy. (Yep, I’m a service company’s biggest nightmare...a retired guy who actually READS the fine print before signing it...and who spent the last 17 years negotiating service contracts. )
I noticed several things in the agreement I wasn’t comfortable with, so I called their sales desk to ask a few questions. The contract states that the installer is an independent contractor and the Internet supplier is not responsible for any negligence related to the work, items or service provided by the independent contractor. While it is common practice to have independent contractors install cable, etc., I asked the sales guy what happens if the independent contractor is in my attic and puts a foot through my ceiling? Does the contractor have insurance to cover my damages? And does the contractor have insurance to cover his medical costs if he falls off my roof and injures himself?
The sales guy said, “Just a minute, let me ask my supervisor”. A few minutes later he came back and said his supervisor was on a conference call and would have to call me back. That was two weeks ago and I haven’t received a call back even though I have attempted to call and email them asking to speak to someone about doing business with them.
My take on this is that they either
1. don’t know how to answer my questions and hope I will just go away
2. think I’m a pain in the butt and/or some nutcase and just don’t want to deal with me
3. fear I might be a competitor or a disgruntled customer trying to get information I may use against them
4. think I might be a high maintenance customer who will give them more trouble than my business is worth or might even find some reason to sue them
5. aren’t a reputable company
6. or all the above.
Whatever the situation, my take out of this is I don’t want to do business with them and I am telling all my neighbors about my experience. Although it is a little frustrating, I do find it somewhat humorous...especially the “Force Maneuver” clause in their agreement!