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New Chrome Extension Automatically Negotiates With Comcast For Rate Discounts (fiercecable.com)
A technology company called Trim aims to take away the stress and displeasure associated with talking to Comcast service representatives. They have created a bot via a Google Chrome extension that negotiates with Comcast reps over the internet, seeking discounts for various services offered by the cable giant. FierceCable reports: Trim is marketing the tool in this somewhat hilarious YouTube video, which shows the subscriber, "Brian Roberts," typing his Comcast customer information (name, phone number, email, etc.) into the application. The bot takes it from there, initiating chat with a Comcast "analyst" named "Sukhwinder."
"Hi. I'm trying to lower my bill," the bot says. "I don't want to upgrade anything or change my plan at all. I just want to get the best possible rate for my area. Can you help?" As the video shows, users can engage in one of four classic video games as the chat slowly runs its course. (The Trim developers in the video choose Pong.) The bot has two settings: "autopilot," which lets you sit back and watch it negotiate for you; and manual, which lets you step in.
"Hi. I'm trying to lower my bill," the bot says. "I don't want to upgrade anything or change my plan at all. I just want to get the best possible rate for my area. Can you help?" As the video shows, users can engage in one of four classic video games as the chat slowly runs its course. (The Trim developers in the video choose Pong.) The bot has two settings: "autopilot," which lets you sit back and watch it negotiate for you; and manual, which lets you step in.
No, they aren't saving anything, it is pretty clear from the video. They are a non-functioning startup with false claims, both on the video and their website, which still has job openings about developers so they can actually ship anything that remotely works.
This article is false, this is just in ideation phase, with some mockup.
If you watch the video, most of all they are a company for harvesting personal data, like correct addresses, names, phone numbers and services, which is valuable to marketers. These bozos don't do anything for you, you are a product for them.
Will get you an automated reply which once Comcast figures out you are a bot, will immediately set you up to be charged the highest rate possible.
Of course, all the information you provide the "bot" (Name, address, phone number, account number and anything else you offer up like a fool) will be sent to the nice company who is just trying to get you the best deal from Comcast possible (or more likely, just create a customer list of known Comcast customers so they can sell your information to interested parties.)
Besides, Comcast, like other carriers, only offer their *best* deals to people who are leaving (turn it off! Now!) or New Customers who are shopping around and know what questions to ask. Usually the absolute best deals come with strings, like a 24 month term with an early termination fee that would make Warren Buffett weep and a *discount* only applied to the first month so they can legally advertise the too good to be true deal.
No BOT can manage this.... Trust me.. It's a scam trying to pass itself off as a way to get around a scam.
"File to fit, pound to insert, paint to match" - Aircraft Maintenance 101
This is a complete rip off. After getting your name and email address, they ask for cell phone number, then ask for login to your bank account. _Not until you do all of that will you get access to the software_. And then it doesn't work. Stay far far away.
BeauHD, take this garbage down. This is a scam. That ask for all your info and bank account number. BE RESPONSIBLE FOR WHAT YOU DO FOR ONCE.
Since the bulk of the Comcast reps on the other end of the line are doing little more than entering the customer's comments and choosing from a list of pre-made responses, this truly is a bot vs. bot conversation. I've designed and built call centers for companies like American Express. The humans in the call centers are glorified text-to-speech engines with almost no knowledge or expertise on what they're discussing. They follow scripts and don't know how to deviate very far from their loops.
In the end they will lay their freedom at our feet and say to us, Make us your slaves, but feed us. - Fyodor Dostoyevsky
This is a scam. To work as an editor on a site for tech news surely some technical knowledge is required. Even my aging mother knows that zapping the monkey doesn't really mean you get a million dollars.
I suppose I can't expect much critical thinking, common sense, or hell, basic brain stem function from an avowed Democrat. BeauHD - bringing Slashdot scams your grandma is savvy enough to avoid and Trump hit pieces. I guess it beats jacking it to Hillary droning "stronger together" or whatever that crooked old bitch was on about.
I'm not suggesting you dismantle Comcast in order to get lower prices. I'm suggesting you dismantle Comcast because they are too damn big and have too much control of the marketplace.
I'm old enough to remember when there were a bunch of local ISPs and that's what brought prices down.
Sometimes, just enforcing the law is enough. There's far too much consolidation in telecommunications and cable television. Comcast is a perfect candidate for being made an example. Corporate consolidation and the resultant power they can wield is undemocratic, un-American, anti-capitalist and anti-consumer.; Screw 'em.
You are welcome on my lawn.
Define "alt-right" in such a way that isn't propaganda coming from the left.
What exactly does the "alt-right" believe. Who is its leader? Who funds it?
My guess, it is the new "Racist!" cry from retards who can't actually articulate what they themselves stand for.
Agent K: A *person* is smart. People are dumb, stupid, panicky animals, and you know it.