Poor Customer Service and Time Management

[Lynn 007]

I would like to get your feedback on my recent experience with trying to install cable television and the service I received.

To make a long story short I arranged to have cable or a satelite dish installed. My first choice was to install a dish, then the back up would be cable. Both companies did not show up for the appointed time. One of them mentioned my order was cancelled due to a computer glitch iin their new system and I had to reschedule. The other one confirmed they would be here between a certain time - they didn't mention they will call first when they're on the way to make sure someone was home. As it turned out I was on the phone when they called and they left a message for me to call back and reschedule.

There is a lot more to this with the number of phone calls I had to make to both companies and information I received, etc.

I have a tough time viewing this as acceptable customer service.

In terms of time management what would you do? Leave it at is or spend time on the phone lodging my complaint and being compensated for my time waitng for these people to show? Compensation (ie free service for a month) is secondary but my main point I want to make is it is not acceptable to waste customers time.