Comcast Lets Customers Track Technicians by GPS

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One of the biggest complaints about Comcast customer service — long waits for technicians to show up for home service — may soon be resolved.

International Business Times reports: “In dual announcements this week, Comcast Corp. and Dish Network Corp. both said they are rolling out apps that use GPS and mapping technology to offer real-time data about technicians’ whereabouts. The products, the companies say, will help alleviate wait-time frustrations for customers by arming them with information about when technicians will arrive at their homes, thereby taking some of the guesswork out of scheduling and keeping appointments.”

Comcast originally tested technology in Boston last year to alert customers when technicians were 30 minutes away from arriving.

“You have things to do,” Charlie Herrin, the executive VP of customer experience said at the time. “Waiting for us to show up shouldn’t be one of them.”

“The apps released by Comcast and Dish will not necessarily get technicians to customers’ houses any faster, but a little knowledge can go a long way in terms of peace of mind,” IBT observes. “Think of the countdown clocks on subways and other public transit: Just knowing when a train will arrive somehow makes the wait a little more palatable.”

Comcast’s “ETA Tech” has been launched in Oregon and southwest Washington state. The company says it plans to expand the tool to other markets soon.