Cable operators turning to Broadband Reports to provide customer service
New Comcast Direct Forum Launched [Broadband Reports]
Back in 2006, I discovered a treasure chest of Insight customer comments at Broadband Reports. I did so out of necessity as we were having a really difficult transition of our Broadband services on to our own backbone network. It helped us identify the customer problems we were having and get them solved. Since then, we have developed a regular process where Insight Broadband professionals frequently check the forum to monitor issues that our customers are having. When identified, we work with other members of the team to make sure that we're resolving those issues. Today, I continue to check in there myself as well and, if you're a regular to the Inside Insight user forum at Broadband Reports, then you've likely seen one or more of my own comments on the posts there.
I noticed yesterday that Comcast, the nation's largest cable provider, is partnering with Broadband Reports to create their own technical support forums, hosted at Broadband Reports. I think this is a great extension of their customer outreach on Twitter, in an attempt to meet customers where they are. The new Comcast Direct forum will allow Comcast users to message members of the Comcast Customer Connect team with issues they are experiencing. The forum has the capability of allowing each customer to provide their private customer information to the Comcast representative in a private message so that information isn't compromised. Though I can't read the contents of the topics on the Comcat Direct forum for this reason, I notice that since this announcement yesterday, there are a number of topics and responses that have already started popping up.
In addition to Insight and Comcast's efforts at Broadband Reports, Charter Communications also provides technical support to their customers in a similar manner.
Comcast recently got some kudos for dramatically improving their score on a national customer service index, with some of the credit going to their Twitter outreach program. I think their BBR plan is another great example of providing pro-active support to customers on a medium that's familiar to them and lends itself well to helping customers.




