Comcast is in trouble again over its customer service.
According to Mr. Conal O'Rourke, after he received the world's worst customer service from Comcast, the cable company allegedly called his employer and had him fired from his job. Now, he's suing Comcast for costing him his job, according to his claims. Here's a quick recap, from Consumerist:
1. Conal O'Rourke signed up for Comcast's Internet service. (Arguably, his first mistake.)
2. A long, 11-month saga unfolded of O'Rourke being overcharged and his requests and complaints going unanswered.
Wait, hold up ... You mean Comcast delivered poor customer service? That's just crazy talk!
3. O'Rourke took firmer action by going around customer service and contacting the next person up the totem pole: the Controller. Understandably fed up, O'Rourke suggested that the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board ought to look into Comcast's practices.
4. Some suit at Comcast noticed that O'Rourke worked for accounting firm PriceWaterhouseCoopers (yes, the same ones always mentioned at the Oscars) and allegedly called up one of PWC's partners.
It just so happens that PWC and Comcast are business partners; PWC earns about $30 million a year from consulting for Comcast.
5. Here's the kicker. The conversation between PWC and Comcast execs might have resulted in O'Rourke being fired from his job. Comcast was allegedly so perturbed that one of their customers was complaining so much that they made a phone call and had him fired, according to claims made by Mr. O'Rourke.
6. O'Rourke has now filed a lawsuit against Comcast for both its horrible billing and service practices, and for illegally using its power and influence to have his employment terminated. He also points out that it's against the law for Comcast to disclose O'Rourke's private subscriber information and status to anyone (like say, his employer) without his permission.
O'Rourke and Comcast differ on the circumstances of O'Rourke losing his job at PWC; O'Rourke believes the mega-corporation stomped on him like a bug with its great big boot, while Comcast says that O'Rourke attempted to use his employer as leverage to get the results he wanted.
Where the two parties don't differ is on how things escalated to this point: 11 long months of being mishandled, mistreated and outright ignored by Comcast. Comcast readily admits that this did indeed happen, and has apologized for it. But they won't cop to involvement in O'Rourke's dismissal from PWC. This is obviously what the lawsuit is attempting to get to the bottom of, one way or the other.
While we don't know enough about Mr. O'Rourke to pass judgment on his moral fiber, Comcast's unpopular record with customers is Very. Well. Documented.
O'Rourke is seeking $1 million in damages and legal fees.
Photo: Mike Mozart
