In a partnership between two corporate giants that is set to make TV viewing in the United States a lot better for consumers, Amazon launched the Amazon Cable Store, a dedicated landing page that allows customers to order Comcast's Xfinity cable, Internet and phone services through the e-commerce giant's website.
Sources, who have opted to remain anonymous, stated that the deal between the two giants was first explored about a year ago, when Comcast CEO Brian Roberts and the company's cable division's president Neil Smit visited Silicon Valley.
During the visit, the Comcast executives met with Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos, resulting in the idea of selling Comcast's services through the e-commerce giant's web store. Smit described the meeting in a previous interview.
"They helped us in our thinking about how to simplify the experience and just make it clean," he said.
Analysts stated that the deal between the two companies seems to be mutually beneficial. Through the agreement, Amazon would be taking a fee for each successful transaction that is completed in the Cable Store. Comcast, on the other hand, would benefit from Amazon's stellar reputation in customer service.
Comcast gained notoriety for being one of the least ranked companies in America when it comes to customer satisfaction. Through the years, Comcast has attempted to repair this image, but the stigma of being a company that bares its fangs to customers frequently has never really disappeared.
Through the deal with Amazon, customers who sign up for Comcast's Xfinity services through the Cable Store would enjoy numerous benefits, one of which is a dedicated, special customer service hotline that is separate from Comcast's infamous call centers.
"We're partnering with a company that's so good at the customer experience," Smit said. "I think that's really what excites me."
A dedicated hotline that promises no headaches is but the tip of the iceberg as the Amazon-Comcast partnership promises far more for its future customers, such as gift cards and other exclusive online offers.
Despite only being partnered with Comcast for now, the Amazon Cable Store seems designed to offer deals from other cable companies as well. Charter Communications Inc., for one, has already announced that it is currently in discussions with the e-commerce giant about a possible retail partnership.
If that happens, and more cable providers partner with Amazon, acquiring and maintaining TV, Internet and phone services in the United States would never be easier.
