I was a Comwave customer for the last three years and recently renewed another three year period.
However, a few months after my renewal, my Comwave telephone line began not working properly in January 2012.
After 5 - 30 minutes of its use, the telephone always gets cut off in the middle of conversation and there is no dial tone afterward.
To activate the phone again, I had to plug out/in the cables every 5 - 30 minutes. In order to keep the telephone line active, I need to stay home and repeat plug out/in the cables every 5- 30 minutes (it is practically impossible to do so). Otherwise, telephone line stops working.
Since early February 2012, I had called Comwave technical support over ten times and even switched ISP from Telus to Shaw to make sure that the cause of problem is not on the ISP side.
Even in late March 2012, Comwave still could not resolve the technical problem. For the last three months, I was not able to receive incoming coming calls and could not make phone calls no more than 30 minutes.
In the meantime, Comwave kept charging monthly billing on my Credit Card and air time charge on my cell phone increased significantly because of long-distance calls to Comewave technical support in Toronto.
Finally, I decided to cancel a contract with Comewave as I really needed telephone service.
I called Comewave customer service and their supervisor and requested not to charge an early cancellation fee and give credits for the last three months periods I did not receive the telephone services.
However, Comwave's supervisor refused my requests. He said, "You signed a three year contract. So, we have to charge an early cancellation fee". I replied, "I signed a contract based on the promise that Comewave provides the service, but Comewave failed to provide the services described on the terms of the contract.
Nevertheless, not only no credit for these months was given but also the early cancellation fee was charged on my credit card without my authorization.
An early cancellation fee is to be charged when a customer wishes to terminate services without just reason.
In this case, it is apparent that the Comwave made two unethical business practice.
1. Charging an early cancellation fee without a customer's authorization.
2. Without providing telephone services, charging a customer fees for the services.
I believe two months period is more than enough time for Comewave to resolve the technical problem.
I had no choice but switch to other telephone company because no proper telephone line for these months caused significant inconvenience to my daily needs.
I talked with my colleagues, friends and social network sites, they were shocked with my experience with Comwave.
At the management level, customer satisfaction and good reputation are of prime importance, but at the customer service/sale level, they have a different goal, that is sales increase even at the expense of customer satisfaction, Comwave reputation, and even violating the contract law.
0 comments