What should have been a simple router exchange turned into an incredibly frustrating experience, made worse by an employee's dismissive and unprofessional behavior.
On Tuesday, October 13, I called Spectrum to order a network extender for my apartment. The following day, I visited a different Spectrum store to pick it up. The associates told me I needed a Wi-Fi 7 router for the extender to work, but after approximately 45 minutes, I left with two boxes that turned out to contain an extender and a Wi-Fi cube, rather than the router I needed.
After several calls to technical support that evening, a representative ordered what I was told would be the correct router. The next morning, however, the shipping confirmation listed a Wi-Fi 6 router. I called again, and another representative arranged for me to pick up a Wi-Fi 7 router at this location.
I checked in and waited approximately an hour and 20 minutes. When I was finally helped, I explained that I was there to exchange my router. The employee reviewed my account, noticed two extenders listed, and began pitching Spectrum's Invincible WiFi package. I was returning one of those extenders because I did not need it.
I declined the package and explained that I only wanted to pick up the router. He continued the sales pitch, so I repeated that I was just there for the router. At that point, he became defensive, accused me of cutting him off, and said I was unwilling to listen when he was trying to help.
He then told me he could not provide a Wi-Fi 7 router because I did not have Spectrum Mobile. I explained that my understanding of Spectrum's website was that customers qualified with either Spectrum Mobile or Gig service, which I already have. Despite an order being arranged over the phone, he refused to provide the router.
When I asked for a manager, he said the manager was in a meeting. When I asked whether someone else could help, he told me they would all say the same thing. He then turned to his colleague, Ben-Hur, and asked him to explain "why we don't give random people routers." To Ben-Hur's credit, he immediately responded, "Man, don't talk to people that way."
While Ben-Hur was speaking with me, the original employee continued interjecting. I told him I no longer wanted to engage with him because the interaction was escalating. His response was, "Well, you can get the hell out of my station then."
I also asked to be helped by someone else and was told I would have to go back to the end of the queue. When I pointed out how long I had already waited, he responded, "Well, everyone's been waiting."
I left without the router and with a support number for the same company I had already spent hours calling.
I understand that employees have policies to follow. If there was an eligibility issue, it could have been explained respectfully and clarified with a manager. Instead, after I declined a sales pitch, the interaction became argumentative and insulting.
I came in to exchange equipment, not to have a public confrontation. Customers should be able to decline an additional package without being pressured or spoken to this way. The conflicting information was frustrating enough. This employee's behavior made an already exhausting situation significantly worse. read more
