Shaw Cable…

There are few things that cause me as much angst as the internet connection being slow, or worse… not working.

In the past few weeks, I’ve been having trouble sleeping, and as a result, waking up in the middle of the night.

When I wake up, I try to go back to sleep, but if it doesn’t happen, I’ll get up and go to my computer.

When the internet doesn’t work at 3 am, it’s rough, because you can’t call and talk to anyone… Because the call will wake up everyone in the house.

By the next morning, it’s inevitably working… So the first time, I wasn’t going to call and say “Well… SURE it’s working NOW !”

My ISP (Internet Service Provider) is Shaw Cable.  They also provide my home phone and cable.  I have always thought their service was good, but this intermittent internet issue was ticking me off.

 Over the next few days, I started paying attention, and on Twitter, quite a few of my Tweeps are talking about how they are trying to get help from Shaw Cable, but having trouble getting a resolution of their issues.

However, after a few nights in a row of the same thing happening, I’m prepared to deal with calling Shaw.

I called, and was waiting about an hour, and after getting through to a Customer Service Rep, and explaining the issue… was told I had reached the wrong extension. When they transferred me to the correct department, I was connected briefly, and then dial tone.

Dang.

Waited a few days, and a few more problem-filled nights, and then called again. Got the correct department this time, and spent over an hour with their specialist… Plugging and unplugging… Pinging and I can’t remember what else… but in the end, he apologized and said he really didn’t think there was anything he could do.   He said he’d make a note of it, and to please call if it happened again… if possible, when the internet wasn’t working.

I kind of wrote it off, and have been sleeping better, so haven’t gotten up in the middle of the night, for a week or so.

Today, there was a knock on the door.

Turns out it’s Phil from Shaw Cable.

He’s out tromping our neighbourhood in the rain, going door to door, asking folks if they have noticed any issues, and whether there is anything they need.

By the time he got to me, he’s talked to over 50 customers, and he admitted that more than 20 of us have mentioned the slow or dead internet in the evening or night.

So, they’re going to install a new Hub.

We are in an age where, when we have difficulty with something, we call for assistance… wait to speak with someone, and sometimes they can’t help us, but they say they’ll make a note of it… and we say thank you, but realistically in our heart of hearts, we believe that nothing is going to change, because nobody cares.

It was refreshing and reassuring to know that Shaw Cable cared enough to actually make notes about this matter, and have sent someone out to consult, and confirm that there is an issue, and will (we presume and hope) follow through, and act on their findings !

Thanks Shaw Cable for restoring my faith in what I’ve always found to be top notch customer service and care !