Thursday, August 28, 2008

Island Fun from Innovative Cable

Well a while back Innovative decided that to continue to get expanded basic cable you will need to rent a box and buy a remote or no CNN for you. They now require the box for expanded basic but they don't have any boxes. You have to call in the morning ask about the boxes then drive to Tutu and wait in line and hope they don't run out. They get them in when people cancel their cable and or occasionaly a new shipment arrives. They apparently don't have a budget to add additional boxes even though they are now required.
So yesterday morning around 9:00 Deb calls and low and behold they have some boxes. So I went in to get one. I was greeted at the door, well the desk inside the door by a less than enthusiastic West Indian lad. I gave him my best good morning explained that I needed a cable box and he pointed me into an office behind him to the left. I enter the room, read the directions for signing in. Even though the only two people in the room are me and the receptionist. I take my seat as instructed, she reads my name and again asks me what I need. I explain that I am there to upgrade to expanded basic and need a cable box. She goes in the back checks to see if anyone is available to help me. Comes back and takes me to cubicle number four. I again use my best good morning and get a grumble back. Then I hand the email from my landlord, my account number, ID etc to the lady. She looks at me over her glasses, pulls up the account on the screen, sighs and says, you need an original notarized letter from your landlord to get the new box. I kindly explain that my landlord is in North Carolina for the whole summer, she has called in and authorized the addition of the box and gave the customer service rep my name and information to allow me to pay for the box and the remote. She sighs again, yes I have the information on my computer that she has authorized the addition but your landlord was told to send a notarized letter authorizing you to pick up the box. "Only the supervisor can override the requirement for a notarized original letter. The supervisor is in a meeting, leave me a copy of your ID, your social security number and the email letter and I will see if they will override the requirement and call you back." So I am assuming they have requested an FBI background check, and will likely be calling to set up a home visit to assure that we have a suitable household to adopt a cable box. We still have no box. So we can watch the Chicago news, the New York News, QVC channel, tourist TV, Telemondo, and four different preachers, and occasionally the VI legislature at any given time.
Jay

6 comments:

poohwear said...

well, we have been trying to get wireless internet connection, they gave us the box but o router seems copatible with it. We asked and asked and they said that they do not support any of the routers Office Max offers, owever they do not have one of their own to sell us. Geez, still on dial-up......aso we bought a large screen HDTV however the cable box does not connect to the "monster" HD cable...what to do???? Aaaaah, the island is beautiful but filled with pitfalls...

Traveling Shaunda said...

Hey, at least you can see the news from my neck of the woods!

Anonymous said...

ah, glad to see someone else has experienced some of the pain that Innovative has to offer (not just me!). don't you just love these island companies that have a monopoly yet refuse to capitalize on it?

matt

Anonymous said...

We're on STX and got the same nonsense. We got our cable box thru a girl my hubby knew thru a work contact. What a hassle!! Good luck.

Anonymous said...

Did the ex-management from the hospital take over Innovative and not tell anyone/?

a said...

I am taking time to post in hopes that someone from Innovative will hear/read about this comment...I have done business w/Innovative several times in regards to cable/phone on rental properties...I've been treated fairly & nice several times..but on the other hand..it is very noticeable "they" pick/chose who they will be nice to on a given day..I have also been asked to take a seat when no one else was in line??? while many employees walked around,chatted and shared pie/cake and had no intentions of helping me in a timely manner. The rules/guidelines seem to vary greatlyfrom person to person...I have sent emails and given verbal permission to upgrade cable packages which allowed tenants to p/u boxes for upgrades and the process went smoothly...the latest ridiculous "jump through the hoop" request was Innovative asking for a notorized letter before they will allow a tenant to PAY THEM A DEPOSIT for a cable box!! It is a good thing that folks in the states are SMART and EFFICIENT enough to realize that if someone is taking the time and effort to PAY for a remote and box then that should be enough...what possible purpose can a notorized piece of paper do?? In the year 2008 (almost 2009) come on Innovative...it is easier to do things,complete the task,and move on to the next task...walk a little faster,and not spend so much time "trying not to work"...are you actually filing these notarized letters in ABC order..or do you still keep a paper file on each of your customers??? I know...I bet you take the time to scan each one!!

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