AT&T Woes

[chet]

I just gotta vent a little.  :(

Da wife tried today unsuccessfully to use our fax machine. Turns out the second phone line we put in for the puter and fax no longer have long distance. After about an hour of trying to talk with someone from AT&T ( that could barely speak English) we were finally told we were disconnected for non payment.        Balogna..........we have never been even late,  and as proof we assured the person on the other end that we had and could provide canceled checks dating back to 1974. The person decided to check with her manager, leaving us on hold again for about 20 minutes. Then we got disconnected.  :
We called  back and again another very lengthy wait. This time we go lucky (this person could speak English). Now the story was we were disconnected because we had asked to be on Sept. 27, 2004. Dats strange ........seeing as how we had the line installed in June of 2005.  :  Now this lady wants to go talk with some one, so back on hold.  And after sitting on hold again for 15 more minutes, guess what?  Disconnected again.

[DanG]

Chet, ya gots ta be a bit more careful when titling your posts.  "AT&T" and "Woes" is redundant.  Ya got one, ya got the other. :

[Jeff]

Were having problems with Centennial wireless and I am real close to going down to the first office wit ha live person and telling them if they dont get this fixed RIGHT NOW I am going to drag them over the counter and get even.  We canceled the service when the contract was up last November. They told us "You cant do that, you added another phone 9 months ago and every time you add a phone it adds a year to your contract from that point".  BULL PUCKEY! But O.K., fine, we will pay the penalty because we went earlier in the day and got 3 alltel phones and service for Me Tammy and stacy.  Centennial never cancels the srervice even though we requested it live at the office, and also repeatedly over two weeks. We new it was not cancelled because the phones kept ringing.

They keep adding monthly fees even though the service was cancelled. We have waited on line and talked to people repeatedly and told them we will ONLY PAY FOR WHAT WE OWED AT THE TIME OF CANCELLATION which was only the penalty amounting to about 80 bucks. Centennial calls our house by machine EVERY MORNING. EVERY MORNING.  EVERY MORNING between 9:00 and 10:00  with a recording and a number to call them about an important matter. You call the number and you cant get anybody. I have waited up to an hour.  Once a week a live person calls on a random day, and we explain that we are refusing to pay for any service (Now they have it at over 3 months apparently they stopped adding to it) other then anything due the day of cancellation. I know that day because it is the same day we got the alltels.  I tell them send a bill reflecting only that, and I will pay it. They never send the new bill. I know am getting mean when they call. They say they understand, Then the following morning THE PHONE RINGS. Then the following morning THE PHONE RINGS. Then the following morning THE PHONE RINGS. Then the following morning THE PHONE RINGS.

If you see something in the papers at some point, THIS WAS THE REASON! >:(

I feel now we are being nothing but harrased.

[metalspinner]

If they call me one more time to switch my internet back to them I'll get nasty.  First they call and offer me connection with all sorts of free stuff.  So I jump on it. I even get the "high speed " variety.  After two days of disconnections and incredably slow service, they send a tech out to the house.  He says "Well you don't have the right kind of phone line."  After he tells me the cost of installing the right one I said "I'll do it myself."   I go down to the big box , buy 150' of the "right" line, crawl around in my attic, barely make it out alive, and plug the computer back in.  Again I get kicked off and slow service.  So they send the tech out again.  He tells me the problem is my house is to far from the Station ( what ever that is) and they can't even deliver me the product they are selling me!  Since then, they called here at least a dozen times trying to sell me the same thing! :

[metalspinner]

Jeff,
I had the same run around with an alarm company.  I cancelled one month before the contract was up, but it turns out  I should have cancelled two months before the contract was up.  They signed me up for another year.  It took a loooong time for them to realize they were not going to get another dime out of me.

[chet]

Looks like I'm not alone.    :(

[Jeff]

Yea, but yer rant probably made ya feel better. Mine just got me madder. >:(

[chet]

Wonder if they would consider givin' all my money back seein' as how their records show I was disconected 9 months before I was ever connected.   :

[scsmith42]

Here's a little inside information about resolving poor customer service issues from a retired Fortune 200 VP...

Send a cordial letter outlining your problems to either the "Investor Relations" contact at the company causing the problem or alternatively to the sales VP responsible for your area.  State that you're surprised and disappointed with the poor customer service that you've received, because the company had a reputation for caring about their customers and providing a high level of service.  Also state that you're really surprised at the continual fumbling from their customer service team, and if Investor relations / Sales VP can't help you're to the point of contacting the media to ask them for assistance in resolving your problem.

Ask them to have someone look into your problem within 10 days, and to follow up with you (and provide them with a daytime contact number).

The investor relations VP or local Sales VP will send the letter down the chain for urgent follow up - sometimes under the CEO's signature.  You can bet your last dollar that when the local manager receives an urgent CEO/VP Escalation, they will get involved and stay involved until the problem is resolved.  The sales VP lives in fear of negative publicity, and they will usually act quickly to avoid the possibility of the "New's 11 Watchdog Report", etc on their company.

The key thing here is to be the "voice of reason" in your letter and subsequently on the phone. The people who follow up with you are not the ones who created your problem, and if you rant and rave to them they will probably lable you as a flake and (and probably assume that your local reporter would too), thus mitigating the threat of negative publicity.

Scott

[chet]

Thank you Scott for the advice. How would a person go about finding who these people are within a company that you refer to?

[scsmith42]

Chet, start by checking the companies web site.  Typically all major companies will list an IR contact.  I just went to Centenialwireless.com and they had a tab for Investor Relations on their home page.  The "contact us" section of the tab list the address for the IR person in Wall NJ, along with their phone number.  The next step would be to call that office and ask the receptionist for the name and title of the IR person.  THEN send them a personal letter.

Alternatively - for the Investor Relations VP, call the company's main switchboard and ask the receptionist for the name and address of the IR VP. 

For the local Sales VP, call a local company office and ask the receptionist.

Right now, due to all of the mergers AT&T is a little tougher.  I'd contact Southwestern Bell (SWB - parent company of the merged ATT / SWB) and go through their IR person.

Good luck.

Scott

[Paschale]

I had a terrible time with one of those chain brake/muffler repair places.  Long story short, they really took advantage of me--didn't do what I asked them to do, (turning the rotors), and they insulted me, implied that I knew nothing about cars, etc.  I was SO STEAMED!  I wrote a letter to their corporate office complaining about the service I received.  I used their statements on their website about how, "service is our number one job," and that in this case, they certainly fell far short of their credo.  I stated how that I would never use them again, and that I would tell my friends, family, and neighbors that I would never recommend this company.

Anyway, the upshot of the letter is that I received a personal call from the president of the chain, which is based here in Michigan, as well as brand new rotors, for free!  They didn't just turn them, they gave me some brand new ones.

Man...you shoulda seen those guys in the shop when I pulled in to get my free rotors replaced!  I know they had been reamed big time on the phone from the main office, because they told me, "hey...if you ever have a problem again, there's no need to write a letter.  We'll take care of it here for you, OK?"

;D ;D ;D :D :D :D  Man...that letter was one of the most satisfying things I've ever done, and it was a way to turn all of that irritation and frustration into something positive.  I like what scsmith42 suggests!  Writing letters works! 

[chet]

In our case AT&T merged with SBC, and we were already doing business with both. At one point today, the AT&T rep blamed our other service company for our problems. They changed their tune in a big hurry when they found out who that other company was.  :-\ 

[scsmith42]

I'm showing my age... SBC was SWB many years ago... <grin>  I meant SBC!

Funny how things like that work out, eh?

Paschale - great story.  Back when I was a market Director, I'd cringe whenever I'd get an escalation from the CEO.  That guy didn't take any prisoners and he really didn't like it when the customers weren't happy.  I used to send his administrative assitant candy so she'd slip me my market's escalations before they crossed his desk!

Reminds me of a funny story on me...  I once spent a lot of time improving a department that fulfilled the customers orders.  Response time was 15 days when I took over the department - we got it down to 3 days and I was feeling pretty full of myself.  About that time I attended a customer feedback session, and I asked one of the regular customers how they liked our new service level (expecting a lot of pats on the back).   The guy cocked his head, thought for a minute, and replied "well, you suck less than you used to". 

I learned several things from that - first, don't let your statistics mask the customers expectations.  Second, we'd made good progress and the customer had noticed.  Third - we still had a ways to go.

"Ya suck less than you used to"...  - what a great line!

[crtreedude]

scsmith42 is right on line. Cause pain at the top, and it rolls down hill.

Tell you another trick. Look for things on the bill that are written in the smallest point they can get away with. For example, on the cable bill, it is the FCC toll-free number. They usually have their support number above it in much bigger type.

When on the phone with them, just casually mention that since things aren't being resolved, you guess you will need to call the other number...

I bet they take care of you really quickly.

I was a director in a Company who took over printing of the bills for Time Warner Cable - and we were instructed to make the font as small as we could, within the limit imposed by the FCC. And whatever else we could do so that people didn't call it.

It seems that with enough phone calls, bad things happen.

I don't know, perhaps making a call to the public service commision.

Of course for me, I just tell them that the following call WILL be recorded. ;-) So, the next one I get had better say what the first one did - because they will be listening to the recording.

[jrokusek]

I had a bad expierence with VW one time - not the company but my local dealership.  It was my first new car and I was going to follow the recommended procedures and maintenence "by the book."  I did until I took the 2 year old Jetta in for a "tune up."  The bill for rotating the tires, oil change, top off other fluids and new spark plugs (4 cylinder) was $241.  I grudgingly wrote the check after talking to the service manager...what else can you do at that point?  As I drove away I noticed the "check engine" light was on.  I took it back and they gave me a loaner car for the rest of the day.  When I FINALLY got my car back (the next day) I went to negotiate the price I just paid.  No budging on the part of the dealership.  I later called and spoke with the shop manager, then some other manager, eventually the general manager.  I really didn't get anywhere other than to hear that is the "standard cost" for a tune up for a foreign car.  $241 is absolutely out of the question for a standard $69 tune-up.  The "check engine" light WASN'T on when I brought it in.

I later called, then wrote a letter to VW's national customer care office and did get a response from them.   Eventually I got a call from someone with a thick German accent explaining that he would be happy to assist me with this understanding.  A few minutes after I hung up with him I got a call from the owner of the dealership basically telling me I was a pain in the !@#$% and then he told me where to go....if you know what I mean.  I called the guy with the accent and he was furious at the dealership!  I later got a letter of apology from the company, then the dealership and offers of free or reduced cost service.   No way.  I'm done with them.  I don't blame VW, but I do blame the dealership for gouging me on the price (rates weren't published) and screwing up my car.  I know that the check engine light can be tripped real easy but you think they would notice that it's on when they pull out of the shop.

Moral of the story, don't take your to a dealership for service and don't buy a car from the VW dealership in Sioux Falls, South Dakota.

[getoverit]

I thought I was the only one....

I moved from NC to Fl in June of last year.... cancelled all of my phone service and transferred the cell phones (same company) to Florida. I found out that the cell phones didnt work at my home, and I had to drive into town before I would get any messages. I dont get to town that often, so I would go for sometimes a week or more before messages would show up.

I called to see when my contract would be up, and they didnt want to loose me. When they asked for my zip code, they replied... ummm, we dont provide service there and because of that we can cancel your account now without any penalty. I have 3 cell phones through them, and requested they all be cancelled. I went to a company that DOES provide the service at my home, and had the phone number transferred over to their service.

A month later, I get a bill from the first company which included a $175 early cancellation fee, and then a bill for the other 2 cell phones which I havent used in months and months. I refused to pay the bill, and called them and they wanted PROOF that I lived where I said I did. I faxed this info to them and waited for the bill.

THEN, I get a letter from the second company telling me that my credit is no good because of unpaid bills from company #1 and they are putting my account on a limited list because of it... I got furious !!

I'm actually thinking I'm going to have to hire a lawyer to straighten this all out. Verizon doesnt make me really happy right now. Great service from Nextel though

[scsmith42]

Getoverit,

If you would like to get your problem solved, quickly and completely (and at the same time twist Verizon's tail a bit), contact the "troubleshooter" at your local TV station, and ask them for assistance and to do a segment on your problem.  Take the perspective of the "little guy against the big company" and you need some help because now your personal credit is suffering because of Verizon's lack of ethics and concern about their customers.

The wireless phone companies hate this type of publicity - it negatively influences other people who are considering signing up for new service and also influences the local state PUC's.  I can just about guarantee you that your problems will be solved and your credit report fixed ASAP if you go this route.

You're biggest concern right now is probably to get your credit report fixed.  Often times this can take several months, but if the finance VP at Verizon gets involved and tells the credit agencies that it was reported in error they can fix it just about immediately.

Another option is to send the president of Verizon a cordial mail outlining your problem, and politely state that if it is not resolved and your credit report fixed within 30 days that you will lodge a formal complaint with the FCC AND ask the "Channel XXX Troubleshooter" to do a segment on your problem.

Glad to hear that you've had a great experience with Nextel.  I worked for them for ten years and they are a great company.  Good luck.  Scott

[SwampDonkey]

I get a call every day from Capital One to sign up for their credit card. As soon as they say 'Capital One' I pull the line from the socket. I can annoy them as much as they like to annoy me.  8)  :

In our area, we don't have deals on cell phones like you guys do down south. So, all I do is buy a phone card with a pin # that gives me a set number of minutes. It's alot cheaper for to do that because on a plan would be $60/month and using the card it's $25 a month.  : Can't call from the house, all I get is the Unicel tower on Mars Hill and I'm within 10 miles of 3 Aliant towers.  :

Chet when you lost long distance you should have tried 10-10-925 + number, the Yak dial around for $0.035 / minute.

[chet]

Donk,
My wife went and got one of them cards tour referrin' to and using that until we can get it straightened out. We have now been told they will reconnect us but it may take a week or so.  :(

[SwampDonkey]

No card, no obligation, no account required. Just shows up on your regular phone statement.