Warning!!! Bell Canada = HORRIBLE Customer Service = Thieves = Scam Artists

I placed an order with Sympatico Canada dry-loop for the internet service and was told that there would NOT be any charge for the work being done by technician they were sending in. I asked if I can pick up the modem package from a nearest location but I was told that they had to send in a technician regardless.

So the technician came in and did some wiring works and installed a jack in the basement. A few days later I got a invoice of charge for $104.94 (for inside wiring - work) from Bell Canada apparently for the wiring and jack work he'd done.

Now, here is the problem I have with Bell/Symaptico. I was told there would NOT be any charge for anything. Also I specifically asked the agent if there would be any extra fee for dry loop line and he said no. However, I was charged for something I wasn't informed of AT ALL. I mean, even if they were gonna charge me, the technician should've mentioned the fee before doing any work.

I surely felt that I was being cheated.

Now, first of all, I did eventually get the matter resolved but it took me about an hour and a half and had to spoke to 6~7 different agents. The experience overall was disgusting to say the least and especially the agents I spoke to were the most incompetent creatures on the face of Earth.

• The first and second ones I spoke to had very bad attitude problem and had hard time understanding the core issue. (one of them tried to argue the difference b/w installation of a jack v.s. wiring work. she's being a complete moron)
• The third lady I spoke to try to defend Bell's shabby business practice when I said that what Bell is doing is taking advantage of customer, a hidden charge, a way of stealing $$ off people. Her defense was that there are a lot more hidden charges out in the world and blah blah blah. How SHAMEFUL... So what she was saying is that Bell is like any other cricks out there...
• I went through a few more agents and finally... I was advised to call back at Sympatico to see if they could credit the charge. (This charge was on a separate system [Bell Canada], so technically it had nothing to do with Sympatico)
• All of the reps I spoke to kept giving me all kind of excuses and kept transferring me. I got hung up twice... LAME!!!!
• The last rep I spoke to at Sympatico was very very professional, very friendly and understandable. He took care of the issue in about 3 mins time.

I've never had such a horrible experience with any company before. After this fiasco I can conclude that Rogers has a much better customer service than Bell...

On the side note, if I had no concern for money, I would've sued Bell for this. For not informing the customer for the hidden charge.

Originally Posted by earthman

I've never had such a horrible experience with any company before. After this fiasco I can conclude that Rogers has a much better customer service than Bell...

They go neck-in-neck in terms of the quality of customer service, or lack thereof.

At least you got the problem resolved eventually. That's good

Originally Posted by earthman

I placed an order with Sympatico Canada dry-loop for the internet service and was told that there would NOT be any charge for the work being done by technician they were sending in. I asked if I can pick up the modem package from a nearest location but I was told that they had to send in a technician regardless.

So the technician came in and did some wiring works and installed a jack in the basement. A few days later I got a invoice of charge for $104.94 (for inside wiring - work) from Bell Canada apparently for the wiring and jack work he'd done.

Now, here is the problem I have with Bell/Symaptico. I was told there would NOT be any charge for anything. Also I specifically asked the agent if there would be any extra fee for dry loop line and he said no. However, I was charged for something I wasn't informed of AT ALL. I mean, even if they were gonna charge me, the technician should've mentioned the fee before doing any work.

I surely felt that I was being cheated.

Now, first of all, I did eventually get the matter resolved but it took me about an hour and a half and had to spoke to 6~7 different agents. The experience overall was disgusting to say the least and especially the agents from Bell.

• The first and second ones I spoke to had very bad attitude problem and had hard time understanding the core issue. (one of them tried to argue the difference b/w installation of a jack v.s. wiring work. she's being a complete moron)
• The third lady I spoke to try to defend Bell's shabby business practice when I said that what Bell is doing is taking advantage of customer, a hidden charge, a way of stealing $$ off people. Her defense was that there are a lot more hidden charges out in the world and blah blah blah. How SHAMEFUL... So what she was saying is that Bell is like any other cricks out there...
• I went through a few more agents and finally... I was advised to call back at Sympatico to see if they could credit the charge. (This charge was on a separate system [Bell Canada], so technically it had nothing to do with Sympatico)
• All of the reps I spoke to kept giving me all kind of excuses and kept transferring me. I got hung up twice... LAME!!!!
• The last rep I spoke to at Sympatico was very very professional, very friendly and understandable. He took care of the issue in about 3 mins time.

I've never had such a horrible experience with any company before. After this fiasco I can conclude that Rogers has a much better customer service than Bell...

On the side note, if I had no concern for money, I would've sued Bell for this. For not informing the customer for the hidden charge.

1)They do innform you very few people read it in the contract.

2)Is it really worth it to sue for $200.

3)Rogers and bell are they same in terms of customer support.

Originally Posted by hightechfan

1)They do innform you very few people read it in the contract.

2)Is it really worth it to sue for $200.

3)Rogers and bell are they same in terms of customer support.

I did read the contract and there is no mentioning of any fee for the fee I was being charged. Thank you.

bell's billing department is extremely bad pure and simple.

Originally Posted by earthman

I did read the contract and there is no mentioning of any fee for the fee I was being charged. Thank you.

Its right at the back bottom right hand side.I still don't know why you would want to sue for $200.

Drop Bell. Did the customer rep gave you enough of an impression to drop them yet? If you stay with them long term, you are bound to contact them again in the future for whatever reason. You will go through hours of waiting on their line just to get crappy service. This goes for Bell mobility as well.

Acanac.com or Vonage.com dude!

Leave Bell to the past... their time was long overdue... people still with Bell?

Originally Posted by MrDisco

bell's billing department is extremely bad pure and simple.

I totally agree. I had Bell Expressvu for about 5 years. I phoned to cancel as I was moving and not going to have satelite where I was going. Told me that I had to pay a month from the date I cancelled (even though for 15 days I no longer owned that house). I reluctanly paid but they kept sending me bills for the following months. It took 5 phone calls, 3 emails and finally 2 letters to the head office before it was fixed. Needless to say I would never use BELL for anything ever again.

same here
i also order dry loop
they say there will be a technician to come to my place to install it, give me a time period. no charge for the install but $15 shipping fee
i called bell during the time and said i don't have my modem yet, will the technician cames with it. also asked will the technician be coming (just to confirm) they said yes and the technician will come with the modem and ask me to wait.
waited for 3 whole hours, no one came. called bell. the person said they will never sent technician for free because it is too much cost for bell. I told them I called before to confirm someone will be coming but they said no note stated that I called.
totally wasted my time

Originally Posted by lb1

same here
i also order dry loop
they say there will be a technician to come to my place to install it, give me a time period. no charge for the install but $15 shipping fee
i called bell during the time and said i don't have my modem yet, will the technician cames with it. also asked will the technician be coming (just to confirm) they said yes and the technician will come with the modem and ask me to wait.
waited for 3 whole hours, no one came. called bell. the person said they will never sent technician for free because it is too much cost for bell. I told them I called before to confirm someone will be coming but they said no note stated that I called.
totally wasted my time

ya! that's exactly the kind of problem I was having. Every one at Bell is telling you something different every time you call in...

To be fair, there aren't any large businesses that have good customer service.

My parents keep a Pay as You Go cellphone for emegencies.. they originally used Bell, but because their billing dept. is so screwed up the had to switch to Rogers.

Since they use the phone so seldomly, Bell told my dad they would top up his minutes automatically at the end of each month on his credit card- so he wouldn't lose his unused minutes. What happens? Every month- for 4 straight months- he lost his unused balance. Phoned them each time, they assured him each time it was fixed, but it kept happening. They must be frickin idiots there.

Originally Posted by broc

My parents keep a Pay as You Go cellphone for emegencies.. they originally used Bell, but because their billing dept. is so screwed up the had to switch to Rogers.

Since they use the phone so seldomly, Bell told my dad they would top up his minutes automatically at the end of each month on his credit card- so he wouldn't lose his unused minutes. What happens? Every month- for 4 straight months- he lost his unused balance. Phoned them each time, they assured him each time it was fixed, but it kept happening. They must be frickin idiots there.

There not much better at rogers.In some cases there much worse at rogers.

Originally Posted by civ@uw

To be fair, there aren't any large businesses that have good customer service.

+1

I can't think of one.

Rogers is better? Not really. I usually can't get a problem solved without going through 3 CSRs and at least 10 minutes waiting with the crappy music they play.