Absolutely terrible customer service…read more
We've been Spectrum customers for 9 years and have visited this location many times. Unfortunately, this isn't the first time we've experienced poor customer service here, but we've always let it go and given them another chance.
We had to come in for a new physical SIM card because of an issue on Spectrum's end. For the past 2 months, we've had an open ticket after a random phone that doesn't belong to us was mistakenly added to our account. Once Spectrum finally began resolving the issue, they told my husband to visit the store for a replacement SIM card.
After the new SIM card was installed, his phone completely stopped working. He couldn't make or receive calls, send or receive texts, or use cellular data. We scheduled the very first appointment available, which wasn't until 4:00 p.m. We came in as soon as we could.
While we were in the store, we were also on the phone with Spectrum Customer Service trying to activate one of our watches. The representative on the phone was incredibly patient, kind, and spent over an hour and a half helping us until the watch was finally fixed. We truly appreciated her.
The experience inside the store was the complete opposite.
The employee helping us was polite at first, but once he couldn't fix the SIM card issue, it felt like no one wanted to help anymore. My husband simply said, "This is ridiculous. I shouldn't have to buy a new phone just because of this."
Without anyone even speaking to her, the manager--a shorter woman with short hair--yelled across the store that we couldn't trade in or buy a phone because it takes over two hours, that we should have come earlier or made an appointment, and that they were closing in 20 minutes. I repeatedly explained that we did make an appt as soon as one was available, and the earliest opening was 4p.m. She ignored what I was saying and just kept repeating, "Not my problem."
When we briefly considered getting a new phone, we even showed the staff that the next available appointment online was also around 3or 4p.m., just like ours. If the process truly requires over 2 hours, then why are appointments still being offered that late in the day? That makes no sense. Honestly, if you're reading this and thinking an appointment matters, based on our experience, it really didn't. The store was nearly empty. There were 4 other representatives, including the manager, standing around at their desk while walk-in customers were being helped as they came in. If appointments are required or are going to be used as an excuse, then they should actually serve a purpose.
She also told us if we wanted help, we could go to Best Buy and see Geek Squad instead. Hearing a Spectrum manager tell paying customers to go somewhere else because she didn't want to help was incredibly unprofessional.
Every time I tried to calmly explain the situation, she interrupted, raised her voice, and continued repeating that it wasn't her problem. Eventually my husband became frustrated and raised his voice as well. While he later apologized--which was the right thing to do--I honestly don't think she deserved one. I normally believe everyone deserves an apology when things get heated, but she was never respectful, welcoming, or warm throughout the entire interaction. As the manager, she should have been the one setting the tone and helping de-escalate the situation, not making it worse. Instead, she continued threatening that she didn't have to sell us a phone and that we could leave, even though they weren't actually helping us in the first place. I'm honestly not sure how someone with that attitude is in a management position.
Even the Spectrum Customer Service representative on the phone overheard the interaction and commented that the employees were not speaking to us appropriately. She also mentioned that every Spectrum store should have staff who can assist customers with technical issues, not just sales.
If you're in Oxnard and need to visit this Spectrum location, I would recommend going somewhere else. The manager's attitude was rude, dismissive, condescending, and completely lacking in professionalism. A manager should lead by example, de-escalate difficult situations, and treat customers with respect. Unfortunately, that was not the experience we had here.