Welcome to a tiny painful jaunt through the modern corporate credit rating easy system of NO! Hyperbole and general humor aside AT&T has some intelligent folks behind the scenes but with the exception of the sales people who aren’t management I haven’t dealt with them yet.
So 8 years ago I had service through AT&T, my contract was almost up and I was about to start a job working for Sprint. One of my last deeds as a “loyal” AT&T wireless customer was to refer my parents. At the time they were offering $50 per line for referral activations. This would have brought my account down to the point to pay off the remainder of my contract would have been under $50 nice right? Well too bad for me since AT&T never actually gave me the referral bonus. I was taught by my wise and cynical mother when it comes to corporations to NEVER throw money at a problem so I told AT&T until they fixed the issue I wasn’t paying them anymore or using the service either. Well the kind folks at AT&T customer service said no problem it would only take a few days to resolve the issue.
Let’s fast forward now to last July when I bought my iPhone. I was as excited and giddy as a young schoolgirl (pay attention and get the thoughts of those plaid skirts out of your head) as I plugged my iPhone into my Macbook Pro and awaited the iTunes activation. I entered in my SSN and omg! declined. What the hell I thought and called AT&T to find out why. Apparently I owed them over $400.00 for some reason. Wanting to learn more I got a copy of my credit report and discovered not one but two separate (yet identical) debts on my credit report. It seems that AT&T charged me a full $300.00 disconnection fee plus money owed with interest.
At this point I called AT&T back and asked them to look into it (I also notified the credit bureau of the double listing and they said it was verified that I owed both companies? (wth??)). Hilariously enough I was told that the records from that far back probably don’t exist so there is no way to honestly resolve the issue with full information.
Fast forward to this year when I tried to move from a gophone account with my iPhone (yeah I had to get a pay as you go plan which is really code for “gouge the people with bad credit plan which doesn’t actually improve their credit while being gouged” which is a mouthful and makes perfect sense as to why they shortened it), anyways I wanted to add Zoe (my wife) to my plan and make it a contracted family plan (which means her buying a phone and them earning more money off of us both on a contract since I bought my iPhone at an Apple store.
DECLINED! (or we could pay $400 per line deposit). The gentleman I spoke to at the AT&T store said no problem we can get the deposit waived. This sounded excellent. So thus began the dreaded 6 hours at the store. Everyone there was fairly helpful except the asst. manager on duty refused 2 hours worth of requests for a chair for the aforementioned wife (who is 7 months pregnant).
This same assistant manager also made a habit of frequently interrupting and even better ignoring politely worded questions. Amazingly (especially to the 5 or 6 customers who saw my treatment) I managed to keep a clear calm head until the bitter end when I did drop a harsh word the last time he interrupted me. I was trying to ask for his manager’s number as well as the district manager’s number to complain about him and he interrupted to tell me “he was done helping me”. I said continued interruption of a paying customer who wants to give the company more money is a really douchebag thing to do. At this point the elderly security guard told my wife and I to leave since we were hurting the feelings of the staff. At this point 2 of the staff members volunteered to go on record that my family was ill treated by the asst. manager.
Fast forward to me calling customer service the next day to make a complaint. The customer service rep took my complaint and said that behavior wasn’t tolerated and then offered to call another store saying “it’s an easy situation to override a deposit and give a waiver”. I said sure and he contacted the downtown Portland branch. The salesperson and he talked for about 5 minutes and then I was warm transferred to the salesperson and he got my email, mobile number and name and said he’d get back to me within 3 days. Excellent I thought finally some resolution.
3 days later I received an email from this salesperson letting me know that the PacNW operations dept said no. At the bottom of the email (which also contained the email to and from the operations center I noticed:
- My full legal name
- My mobile number
- My home address
- My internal customer id number
- MY SOCIAL SECURITY NUMBER
I immediately called the store and asked for a manager was told “none were on duty” and so called customer service who said that there was no way to take a complaint about email.
So I searched the consumerist.org website until I found the CEO’s office and called. The person who answered the phone put my call through to an executive care specialist who could barely speak english (no accent just not that coherent in his speech patterns) who told me “yes that’s against policy but there’s not anything we can do besides say we’re sorry”. Sorry? I’d like to buy a home soon and with the possibility that my SSN was sent in clear text and to who knows how many departments and I have no way of knowing who has my SSN now? For the record I gave the sales guy my email over the phone with no one ever verifying my identity. So apparently you can get SSN’s from AT&T by simply social engineering them now. Hooray for security.
To think this all started with my simpleminded idea that I’d be able to sign up to give more money to the corporation. It’s sad that AT&T is the only company in the US able to offer the iPhone. The worst part is I paid full price for the iPhone. Not subsidized by Apple or ATT like most other phones are. If AT&T had paid for part of the phone then I’d see it from their side but asking me to make a deposit almost equal to the cost of the phone is ludicrous.
I’m not a greedy person I just want to be able to talk to my wife regularly without having to pay a ton for the privilege. At this point however I do have some specific terms that AT&T can fulfill to keep me as a customer and to make right on a horrible run of bad customer service. I just want the plan I originally wanted, no contract, 6 months free (for the 48 hours plus invested that seems fair) and for risking my SSN an upgrade to a 16gb iPhone. All told it’s vastly less then the courts have awarded other people who’s SSNs have been released by corporations.
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Wow. That’s quite a tale. If I wasn’t wrapped under a contract and if I didn’t have an iPhone, I might show my support by stopping my business with AT&T.
Wow. That’s quite a tale. If I wasn’t wrapped under a contract and if I didn’t have an iPhone, I might show my support by stopping my business with AT&T.
About 9 years ago I had a similar experience with ATT. I moved from SoCal to Michigan to attend grad school. Before renewing my contract with ATT, I asked if service would be available in rural SW MI. I was told it would – and if not, I could get out of the contract.
Sure enough, I arrive in SW MI and have no service. BUT, I couldn’t get customer svc to understand my plight. Everytime I asked to speak with a supervisor or mgr, I was told no one was available.
Finally, I canceled my account and told them I would NOT pay the early termination fee. “Ha!” I shouted. “I have you now. “
I ignored the bills, and two months later I received a collection account notice on the $400. Trumped by the largest corp in the world. Resistance is futile. I payed the bill and vowed to never go back.
It is the one thing keeping me from getting an iPhone.
PS: I cancelled my worldnet.com svc too. Take that ATT – you’ve lost about $7000 because of your stooopidity and Steve Jobs is out a few hundred too.
About 9 years ago I had a similar experience with ATT. I moved from SoCal to Michigan to attend grad school. Before renewing my contract with ATT, I asked if service would be available in rural SW MI. I was told it would – and if not, I could get out of the contract.
Sure enough, I arrive in SW MI and have no service. BUT, I couldn’t get customer svc to understand my plight. Everytime I asked to speak with a supervisor or mgr, I was told no one was available.
Finally, I canceled my account and told them I would NOT pay the early termination fee. “Ha!” I shouted. “I have you now. ”
I ignored the bills, and two months later I received a collection account notice on the $400. Trumped by the largest corp in the world. Resistance is futile. I payed the bill and vowed to never go back.
It is the one thing keeping me from getting an iPhone.
PS: I cancelled my worldnet.com svc too. Take that ATT – you’ve lost about $7000 because of your stooopidity and Steve Jobs is out a few hundred too.
That really sucks. I used to work at an ATT store in Spokane and it should have been no problem for the assistant manager to waive the deposit and get you folks on your way. I agree with Gary, I don’t have an iPhone because it’s only with ATT. They’re a really badly managed company.
That really sucks. I used to work at an ATT store in Spokane and it should have been no problem for the assistant manager to waive the deposit and get you folks on your way. I agree with Gary, I don’t have an iPhone because it’s only with ATT. They’re a really badly managed company.
I have had similar experiences with AT&T store clerks as well. Because of that I try to do everything I can online. It sucks that these kind or people are allowed to work in customer service. Its a shame. I will never support at&t going foward.
I have had similar experiences with AT&T store clerks as well. Because of that I try to do everything I can online. It sucks that these kind or people are allowed to work in customer service. Its a shame. I will never support at&t going foward.
your an idiot asking for all that shit because your ssn was at risk…did anything actually happened….. no… get over it you didnt pay your bill… i hate people like you that are just trying to get something free all the time…. and i do work for att…. get over it!! for your loss we gain another and if our customer service was that bad why are we the biggest wireless company, even before iphone….
Well since you took such a harsh tone I’ll try and be as polite:
First off it’s “you’re” not your.
Next up, I did pay my bill (I just didn’t get the credit promised to me for referring more customers to ATT). I would’ve been owed $20 after credits. I didn’t want anything free either. I’d just wanted them to do what they’d promised, give me the referral bonus, and fix my credit (that your company screwed up). As for your attitude of “your loss”, how well would ATT be doing if it didn’t require 2 year contracts. The idea that businesses exist by making customers sign contracts is silly in this day and age. Besides for being the biggest didn’t that occur AFTER 6 different wireless companies combined under one brand? Prior to that what’s called ATT was actually the 4th largest in the US. Just for the record though biggest doesn’t always equal best.
As for the topic of my ssn being at risk, because nothing has happened yet means there is no reason to hold ATT accountable for the violation of its own corporate policy as well as in violation of federal law (maybe they can get immunity for that too). By that logic if someone stole my car but brought it back then they shouldn’t go to jail?
I will verify that you’re an ATT employee. Most likely an offended CSR in Alpharetta Georgia I’m guessing. Sorry your job sucks Diana. I would suggest that you not take such a disrespectful tone when posting to the site of someone involved in litigation against your employer while using the corporate network (i.e. Don’t act like a twit “on behalf of your company” while doing so from work, that tends to appear as if your company implicitly takes your angry rude position).
Have a great day Diana :D
your an idiot asking for all that shit because your ssn was at risk…did anything actually happened….. no… get over it you didnt pay your bill… i hate people like you that are just trying to get something free all the time…. and i do work for att…. get over it!! for your loss we gain another and if our customer service was that bad why are we the biggest wireless company, even before iphone….
Well since you took such a harsh tone I’ll try and be as polite:
First off it’s “you’re” not your.
Next up, I did pay my bill (I just didn’t get the credit promised to me for referring more customers to ATT). I would’ve been owed $20 after credits. I didn’t want anything free either. I’d just wanted them to do what they’d promised, give me the referral bonus, and fix my credit (that your company screwed up). As for your attitude of “your loss”, how well would ATT be doing if it didn’t require 2 year contracts. The idea that businesses exist by making customers sign contracts is silly in this day and age. Besides for being the biggest didn’t that occur AFTER 6 different wireless companies combined under one brand? Prior to that what’s called ATT was actually the 4th largest in the US. Just for the record though biggest doesn’t always equal best.
As for the topic of my ssn being at risk, because nothing has happened yet means there is no reason to hold ATT accountable for the violation of its own corporate policy as well as in violation of federal law (maybe they can get immunity for that too). By that logic if someone stole my car but brought it back then they shouldn’t go to jail?
I will verify that you’re an ATT employee. Most likely an offended CSR in Alpharetta Georgia I’m guessing. Sorry your job sucks Diana. I would suggest that you not take such a disrespectful tone when posting to the site of someone involved in litigation against your employer while using the corporate network (i.e. Don’t act like a twit “on behalf of your company” while doing so from work, that tends to appear as if your company implicitly takes your angry rude position).
Have a great day Diana :D
that was beautiful; – I loved your “polite” intelligent come back
that was beautiful; – I loved your “polite” intelligent come back
I have had at&t for four months and so far the four months ive had them have been hell. I have spent close to 1,000 dollars for using their service. My finace and I went and got the family plan together. Our plan started the day we got it which was on the 14th of june. So when july came around we expected the bill to be on the same day as the day we had the phones activated.
So oneday my fiance was checking the balance and it said DUE IMMEDIATLEY. It was only the fifth so i called to see what was going on. Come to find out it was due the third!!!! But i had not recieved anything in the mail at all from them. No one had ever told me that that was the due date and i had nothing saying it was either. So how was i soposed to know? The bill was around 320 dollars they said it would be higher becauseof the activation fees ect. We had also used alot of data which raised it higher. So we changed it to where i had unlimited data on my phone. So August comes around and we get our bill that is 350$. They had not added the unlimited data to my phone and it charged me about 150$ for data usage. I went down to the at&t store and discussed all of this with them. They ended up being able to take off my data usage charges. That day i also changed it so that my fiance would have unlimited data on his phone too. So we have the full package now unlimited data (internet), 1200min, and unlimited text. So i was releived to know that the highest our bill would be for Sepetember was around 150! not to mention when i have to pay that much for the bill im broke for the next two weeks till i get paid again. So here we are to September and I recieve the bill and open it to see that we owe 290 dollars!!!!! once again i am frustrated and thinking how could this happen again. So i look and they charged my fiance for his data usage!!But we have unlimited. I made sure that when i went there everything was fixed so we wouldnt have a high bill. So my fiance looked at the bill and they are charging us from the 3d of august to the 14th of august for the internet usage. When i put the unlimited on there the 3d i expected it to work that day. The did not tell me otherwise so i told my fiance to use it up!!! So I am tired of this I do not have this kind of money to be spending on a phone and i want to get out of the contract. But i cannot afford the bill and the fee to get out of the service. at&t was not what i expected and once im out im never going back!!!!! If anyone has had these experiences let me know!!!
~starving nursing student
Just had my wonderful (HA) experience with an eagent – contract or no I think they are in breach and i intend to test it legally!!
Wooooooow! I was just gonna apply for a job with this company…and am very sorry to hear of their lack of integrity. But anyway, you go! on your posting this very informative stuff because the average consumer takes too much sitting down and most times due to the lack of knowing our rights! God bless you…I truly pray you will find restitution in this matter.
umm you used to work with att maybe you could help me!
see i have a samsung sgh-a737 phone i just bought. i was going through looking at it and everything and got the security settting set.i then turned the phone off to let it continue to charge (because it was a new phone).I go to turn the phone back on and it gives me a message saying somthing to the effect of enter PUK(personal unblocking key)i thought that ment to enter my password.
I did and it flashes a message incorrect code try again. so i do thinking im just entering the code wrong i continue little did i know it gives you ten trys if you do not succeed it destroys your SIM card. i called tech support and they tell me this im like whf and they tell me its 25 to 30 bucks for a new SIM card and a 10 dollar activation fee. do you think if i go to my local att store and complain saying im completely dissatisfied they will waive the fee.
If you were the sales representative what would you do for me.
and what do you fell i should do
please help.
Well, first of all, if after a few tries you don't see your PIN working, and you have never heard of a PUK code, I would think that common sense would urge you to call Customer Service so they can assist you, which takes like… 15 seconds to get your PUK code :) Like I have said, ignorance is no excuse. This same thing happened today to one of the customers that called me. Sorry, I was unable to help as she also permanently disabled her sim. I told her it is $25 for a new one, but who knows? Customer Service might give you credit if you pledge ignorance of the matter, but don't expect the reps at the store to shed a tear for your situation.
Well, first of all, if after a few tries you don't see your PIN working, and you have never heard of a PUK code, I would think that common sense would urge you to call Customer Service so they can assist you, which takes like… 15 seconds to get your PUK code :) Like I have said, ignorance is no excuse. This same thing happened today to one of the customers that called me. Sorry, I was unable to help as she also permanently disabled her sim. I told her it is $25 for a new one, but who knows? Customer Service might give you credit if you pledge ignorance of the matter, but don't expect the reps at the store to shed a tear for your situation.
tried AT&T residential services for a short time in 2003, but cancelled by phone with their customer service. They continued to bill me – and I wrote on the bills, "Cancelled as of ddmmmyy" — They continued to bill me and I called customer service again. They said I was only required to pay for the balance of the original month, or $8 out of the $48 or so. I paid, and in the following months of continued billing they turned me over for collection. This has persisted for over 5 years.
– DON"T PAY ANY PORTION OF A BILL WITHOUT WRITTEN COMMUNICATION THAT IT FULLY SATISFIES YOUR ACCOUNT — And be sure the rep signs the note.
( I told them just this week that I was interested in an Iphone account, but wanted to setle this affair first. The VP Level respondee gave me the phone number of thier collection service. — Where I could pay the bill. Thanks but no thanks. Corporate Karma radiates on. Talk about short sighted business!
Wow, I was seriously thinking of switching to AT&T, but after reading the horrid blogs re: their customer service, I'm reconsidering. To all that posted comments (with the exception of Diana), thanks for keeping consumers "in the know"!
MY GOD! I have spent the last 3 days and many hours on the phone with AT&T! I can't believe their terrible customer service!!!!! Where can we officially make a complaint?
Same… exact… issue.
I was told that I had an old account that I never paid off. This was before the CIngular/AT&T merger, unmerger, remerger. I had left my contract early and even paid the fee. I then decided I wanted to drop my insanely cheap Sprint plan so I could get the iPhone. I went into the store to find out they couldn't even do a credit check because I had an old account and owed over $500…
So I figured my sister and I could just get a family plan and have her own the account so I can get my iPhone and she can build some credit. They wanted $500/line and she has no credit. My luxury apartment which cost $1200 didn't even require that big of a deposit when I refused a credit check.
Sorry AT&T you dug yourself your own grave. I've now paid 3 friends to leave their contracts with AT&T and join Sprint with much cheaper plans. With Apple working on a CDMA version of the iPhone I doubt anyone will continue to put up with AT&T's crap. Their free ride on the Apple train is about to end.
ATT sucks!!!! I have been a customer for over 10 years and have never been treated so badly in my life! ATT set up a second account under my name without me being aware and sent me to collections for an account that I didn't even know existed! I paid the collection company in attempt to save my credit rating and after 4 hours of phone conversation with ATT they admitted that it was their error but refused to send me back my money I was out to the collection agency and on top of it all they are threatening to turn off my current phone for lack of payment even though they have $275.oo of my money! They are white collar theives! Furthermore, they are giving Apple a bad name by their pathetic excuse for customer service. It is truly absurd that this multi billion dollar company does not give a damn about ruining a persons credit, a loyal customer of ten years, and refuses to lift a finger to repair their mistake! I know that they probably dont even read their reviews, because they dont give a rats ass. For all of the rest of us who have been screwed, Thanks for letting me vent!
Shayna, AT&T doesn't create an account with anyone's name just because they feel like it. Read up on something called FRAUD and IDENTITY THEFT. There is a special department that handles situations like these. As far as your money, I admit AT&T is fast for taking money and slow in giving it back, sorry, but the reps can't do anything about that, we only do and say what we are told to do and say.
For the record I work as a Customer Service Representative for ATT.
I see problems like this occur DAILY, and I will say one thing. CALL. I've found store agents the vast majority of the time will say partial truths to just make their commission. They make money every time they add features to your account, and a lot of times when they work out that your bill should be "Oh only 100 dollars a month" they neglect to tell you that your ACTUAL next bill will be "Oh about 250 dollars" after you count upgrade/activation fees, prorated charges, etc. I know it frustrates me.
But anyways, as to the original poster, I would say that you got shafted. I know I try my best every day to make sure people are taken care of and to make sure they have the proper knowledge to be INFORMED, and not just told. But a good many more of the people I see on a daily basis are just too self-righteous to even listen to what we have to say in the good 'ol world of customer service. There are ways to find out information. Biggest tip I can give you? Be nice. If you have to call into customer service, don't be that jerkface that yells and screams when he has an extra dollar charge. Be NICE. Think about it. If you were sitting in one spot for 8-10 hours a day and yet ANOTHER person was yelling at you and taking it out on you personally for something you had absolutely nothing to do with, would you enjoy that? Be the rare shining person that is just so nice even if things can't go their way. A lot of times the reps will SEARCH for ways to help you, not just send you through normal policy.
On that note, just because you had service with us for 10,20,100 years doesn't mean you're special. Yes we look at it, yes if we see that you rarely, if ever, ask for credits we will probably give you the benefit of the doubt when you're asking for your charges to be re-rated on your bill because you thought you had a feature. But we are still bound by policy. We care, but it's not worth our jobs to defy policy.
Just saying. Cheers everbody.
You are absolutely correct, my fellow CSR!
Most of the times, I say call customer service and get informed first, and then set up the account over the phone if possible. The reps at the store are known to slap on features so they can make their incentive and they never tell you. Most of time customer service will remove and refund the charges on your account, but please, for the love of God, don't yell at us! We didn't ask the rep to selfishly add those features and to forget to tell you of prorated charges and prorated minutes! In fact, if you feel that you have been greatly mistreated by a rep (at the store or over the phone) please, call back and have the next rep submit a complaint form, but have the Rep's name ready and their agent code or id and the call center/store location where the incident happened. Trust us, we care when our customers are treated rudely.
Dear CSR,
I have just a horrible experience with AT & T too. But I go lucky in the end as I got finally to the right person who is not a dumb representative and cured the previous rep mistake. When I called the last time I was almost decided to just pay the penalty and switch my service as I was totally was dis-serviced by your co-employees.
I want to write a letter praising the last representative in the billing and complain about the last previous 4 esp the the 4th rep in the international dept.
To whom should I write the letters?
BLAH BLAH BLAN BLAH BLAH and BLAH!
Fuckers! It was right on the assistant manager's part.
You are sickening. You are crying like — my mom gave me the lollipop and she had the audacity to make me open its wrapper.
I'm sorry, did someone take away your blanket or something? You have all of this rage or at least adolescent immaturity in your comment, either you're a troll just learning the ropes or you're completely incapable of making a point that is coherent or even decipherable. Just hold back and let the grownups talk for awhile.
Right now i am going through the nightmare of AT & T, I have booked a new connection and phone over the internet, they made it double booked and not even single customer care person is ready to help to answer my questions or find the status for me. AT& T SUCKS. Their customer care people are really dumb, No wonder call centers are moving to Asia
My son and I are new "business premier" customers as of June 2009. We had to complete our order on the business premier website, and had questions. After being on hold two days for a total of three hours with no answer, we made the order with hopes of being able to rectify any issues. Now in August, more than 20 hours with att to resolve issues. The reps evidently have canned responses and are not properly trained to handle non-scripted scenarios, so they say very nicely and professionally that they can't help you, transfer you to another department, who transfers you back to the first in a traumatic loop. Being a business premier customer has made this even worse, as the regular and premier systems are not integrated with each other. All in trying to fix issues that could have been resolved had we been able to speak with someone prior to making our order in the first place. It's been a nightmare. As of today, we were sent to a store to try to get things resolved. If we don't, we are going to get loud in the store, and it won't be pretty. Here is one more iphone customer stuck in the nightmarish loop of AT&T customer service.
My heart goes out to all the poor reps who have to hear my story for the gabillionth time and who truly have lack of training and proper support to do their jobs their best, and whom are ill-equipped with inefficient computer systems and management to properly help me or the rest of us.
I work as a Customer Service Rep for ATT. All of the charges on a customers bill are VALID and certainly not “hidden”. Ignorance is not an excuse. READ YOUR CONTRACT ALWAYS!!! ALL THE CHARGES THAT WILL BE APPLIED TO YOUR BILL ARE THERE, AND YOU SIGNED IT! Tough luck babies, if you don't want to pay for the service fees, which you all call “hidden fees“, then go prepaid or read your contract before you sign it. Customers are ALWAYS bagging on customer service reps but guess what? It's not our fault you don't read your contract. You would all save yourselves, and us, a lot of head-aches. And not only that, the company's policy doesn't allow us to do a lot of things that we would surely do for our customers. It’s not that all reps are mean or unwilling to help, most of the time we can't, per company's policy… And if you are NICE, we will most definitely do all we can to assist you, even if it means bending the rules a little. But NOT IF YOU CALL IN COMPLAINING and DEMANDING that we do it. If a customer demands an adjustment, I will not do it. No way, Jose. But if you're calm and nice, I will most definitely offer you one and sugar “code” it as a "one time courtesy" so that I don't get in trouble for adjusting VALID CHARGES. So…we DON'T HAVE TO give you any adjustments on your bill. We don't have to give you a free phone (or any other service) if you don't qualify for it. We don't have to do a lot of the things that you feel we should. Some customers don't even pay their bill on time and yet they demand that we restore their service without the restoration fee? You guys drop your phones in water, or damage it and get mad at us when we can’t help you get another phone? Should have gotten insurance, babies! Go over your text messaging package and demand an adjustment? Yeah right! Sure, sometimes some reps can give attitude, and, at least in my call center, that is not tolerated and disciplinary actions are always taken! If you are not satisfied with the customer service, take a survey, put 1s all across the board and the agent will get what they deserve, but don't do it just because you did not like the fact that we had to say "no" to your demand. I'm truly sorry,( Chris, is it?) that your SSN was included in the email for the internet world to see, and if anything had happened (such as identity theft) I would want ATT to be held accountable for that serious breach in the privacy policy. ATT does have it's flaws, nobody is perfect, but we seriously do try to provide the best service possible, sometimes we just can't bend the policies to fit your pampered needs. Customers who only complain make ME sick. I don't believe that you are all denied the opportunity to speak to a manager/supervisor. They are always around and when we can't take care of you, they are willing to help, but sometimes the answer has to be NO. Wake up customers!!! Read your contract, read your Customer Service Summaries, be nicer to Customer Service reps, and be happy… or go prepaid. It’s as simple as that :)
I'm in total agreement about "hidden" charges not existing. I do though have to say that prepaid isn't a real option since AT&T dropped support for the iPhone. Add to that the inability to unlock the phone (even the 2g can't be unlocked even though AT&T has all but crippled 2g support).
I honestly never understood the whole treating CSR's with contempt. Anyone with half a brain knows that your hands are tied, typically by policies invented by an MBA with zero customer service experience. I've never been in the habit of yelling at front line CSRs. However when I've escalated to the upper echelons and am met with a blank wall of rudeness, hell yeah I'm going to change my tune.
I sincerely hope that the FCC actually does DO something about the way cellular carriers are providing shoddy service with no issue due to draconian contract terms.
Since you work for AT&T, what explanation do you have for customer service reps making things up that are not true (promised resolutions that never happen). This is not an unusual occurrence. I get the runaround every single time I call, not to mention a different answer.
Really Christine? And what questions do you have? What answers have you gotten? I will be the first to say that yes, if a representative says they will personally call you back…. don't count on it! Sometimes we do make personal commitments, and because we are so busy ( helping millions of customers just like you!) we either forget, or don't have the time to call back (I am ashamed to say I have failed to call two customers, sorry :'( ). But if a case or commitment was created, just relax and wait. Millions have people are calling in for similar, if not the exact same, issue as you are. So Christine, if you have any questions, please, fell free to ask me, and if you are in my region (South Central) I will help you get the correct info that you need :)
When you get a different answer to a problem every time you call AT&T customer service and then what they promise doesn't materialize, it is clear the reps are either incompetent, lack training, or are just making up lies to get off the phone quickly. That is not, nor will ever be, the fault of customers. It is the fault of the company that does not invest in creating a good customer service team. When a company is constantly lying to its customers, it is ridiculous to expect those customers to be 'nice'.
I've worked at a call center for years. We recently got At&T as an account and let me tell you, I have NEVER had so many rules and regulations in my life. And it changes weekly. There's a huge internet site (all you reps know which I mean) we're supposed to check for answers and decision flow- but half the time it's updated and changed some major factor! One week we can offer scheduled payments if the customre has broken payment promises and suspensions, the next they take it away. One week it's no promise to pay for 6 months if one is broken, the next it's no arrangements for 3 months. You're confused as a customer but WE'RE really confused! .
insane,horrible, rediculas,sad , hideus unbelieveable, customer service that i never knew exsisted i ordered service oct 13 and by nov 27 still no service most of them are liers, that dont know their job.
Wouldn't it be ncie if every time you called we could tell you the same thing, you say? Ha! You get different answers because AT&T has changed the answers, at the top, and we at the bottom have to parrot them back at you. I KNOW last month you could add a new feature like texting package and unlimited data, and this month your PDA can't use the family unlimited special at $10 a line. I KNOW, but I can't say that the dorks at the top changed their mind. I also completely UNDERSTAND that you used to be charged .01 cents a KB and now are charged $2 a GB, which is an 80% reduction on the surface, EXCEPT for the fact that some people only had 50 cent charges for checking their e-mail once or bumping a button and now every twitch of the internet button gets $2 bucks slapped on because it's "up to" a GB, no matter how small the actual use. *sigh* I used to kind of enjoy my job as a tech support person, but this company is killing me. -CONTINUED
AND you want to call and go over your bill for 30 mintues but our call times are 420 seconds (yeah, that's 7 minutes) and with the opening call script and the middle script and the closing script it's almost 4, just me talking, not you. So please forgive us if we try to get thigns done and don't chit chat/ listen to your sick mother story because our managers are breathing down our necks. And EVERY adjustment to your bill has to be explained, it all goes to sueprvisor review. The worst that can happen is that they reverse the credit we just gave you and the make US call YOU back and tell you WHY we can't give you that credit you deserve anyway!– Continued
AND you want to call and go over your bill for 30 mintues but our call times are 420 seconds (yeah, that's 7 minutes) and with the opening call script and the middle script and the closing script it's almost 4, just me talking, not you. So please forgive us if we try to get thigns done and don't chit chat/ listen to your sick mother story because our managers are breathing down our necks. And EVERY adjustment to your bill has to be explained, it all goes to sueprvisor review. The worst that can happen is that they reverse the credit we just gave you and the make US call YOU back and tell you WHY we can't give you that credit you deserve anyway!– Continued
In my center our pay is linked to our reviews from the idiots who monitor the calls, and if I can't say "I'm sorry" because you won't let me talk, I get marked down and lose my incentive on my paycheck. If I dont' say my name twice a call and yours twice a call, I get marked down. If you just want to be transferred and beg to be transferred and I take mercy and don't make you verify your account so I can tell you about your balance, I get marked down. If I don't make you dig out your wife's last 4 SSN to verify and let it slip that your account is past due, I get marked down. If I don't sound like I'm smiling as I talk ("you can hear a smile!!!") I get marked down for tone and demeanor. If I let you ramble on about your job loss and family problems I get marked down for losing control of the call and having a long call. — CONT
If I try to get you back on track and make payment arrangments, I get marked down for not showing enough 'empathy'. If I don't apologize for you not paying your bill and your service is shut off (seriously!) then I get marked down. If you took your phone to Jamaica and have a $1100 bill and I can't reverse the charges and have to transfer you to another department so someone can set up a high level adjustment case, I get marked down for not resolving the issue, becaue it was TRANSFERRED. If I tell you no, I get marked down. If I give too many credits, I get warned. And they only monitor a portion, so every call has to be perfect…
Thanks for letting me vent. I LOVE MY JOB!!!!
Haha, Amanda. Did you change your plan in the middle of the cycle? Did you change anything on your plan at all that might cause pro-rations? If you didn't then by all means, ask for the credit and I'm sure you will get help. I don't believe you were transferred to an IVR. There is no IVR that gives credits. Did you cancel service and that is why you are paying the early termination fee? Get real, get informed and then complain.
Right now I am dealing with just trying to disconnect my dial up internet account. I have spent all day from 1 rep to another and got connected to 5 or 6 different agents and departments and got no where until about 3:45 in the afternoon. I started at 9:30am. Now I am free from AtandT and couldn't be happier. I wish they could really see how they can impact our lives that have their service and I'm a nobody but feel so good b/c now I'm free. I've still got their wireless service but they've always been so good to me. I may go to verizon wireless and since they're about to come out with a device similar to the Iphone it's looking like I may cut ties all together. A company like that will not change for little old me, but maybe if enough little old me's quit them, they may make some changes.
Finally disconncted!!
Avishai, boy do you need to wake up. I was nice to these reps, but when you are given the run around, transferred back and forth, and put on hold EACH time somethings wrong, that's the bottom line. Either the training is extremely bad or the reps have some of the lowest IQ's around – or both. As I wrote in my other comment I was over-charged, they knew it, and they didn't want to refund it and apparently thought they could get out of it by transferring me and putting me on hold for hour or more. Maybe that's part of the training, frustrate the customers so much that they will just forget about the charges. You work for them so you are either being paid very well (so you will say nice things), you can't find any other job and are desperate (so you will say nice things), or you are one of the morons there who actually thinks this is the way service should be (so you are an idiot and will say nice things).
AT&T SUCKS! I had service with them when I first moved here. I had a land line. Then I got a cell phone.There was a great offer with SunCom (now T-Mobile). During my service with att I was charged outrageous fees and taxes, making the most basic of phone usage at least $50.00 a month and that was barely using the phone. There was a huge hassle when I cancelled service with them because they had charged me for the entire month even though I cancelled the first week. I had to call multiple times to get that resolved and was on the phone ON HOLD for at least one hour once!! By on hold, I mean I would explain my situation, then this moron would say they had to transfer me to another department, on hold, that moron would say the same thing and transfer me, on hold, you see where this is going. They have the worst customer service I have ever experienced and I will never take service with them again. With T-Mobile I get one bill every month, all of these minutes I'm not even charged for, and I know what my bill is going to be. I think I have heard Verizon is the same. Almost any company has to be better than at&t.
Wow…AT&T has the worst customer service ever!!! I called them to pay my bill and to tell them to remove the charge i was charged for a double modem and I was transfered from one person to another about 6 times and still didn't let me make the payment for the interent service i used only…they wanted me to pay for the modem which was sent to them a month ago….I hate their customer service and i hope they close soon!!!
Well, I think everyone has a bad experience at AT&T customer service.
AT&T customer service can be described as W-T-F!
Mine was with internet connectivity where the internet connection was extremely unstable, meaning it disconnects without nothing.
I called to customer support, a lady, sounded like an Indian lady from her accent, and she named herself "nancy". Don't know if the name was true or not.
Anyway, I'm a PC technician and a low voltage technician who can figure out telephone stuffs also.
This lady, wants me to do all those reset, pull it out stuffs where I did already and is just like a living ATM who doesn't accept anything but what she wants to hear.
After all those Sh*t talk with her. I said to her, I will cancel all my services with at&T.
She said go ahead, but the cancellation will have to be done in the mon-fri business hours.
Wow, what kind of training does AT&T do with those dumb ppl?
AT&T does suck – you are absolutely right however every state has Public Service Commission that regulates phone services. Have you tried that avenue. AT&T is a huge company with no personality and no sense of duty to it's customers. They will bill you for services even after you terminate service and actually move out of your house. They will never admit any wrong doing – no matter what. I was a Ma Bell/SBC/ATT customer for 30 years – they were horrible. They have no problem resolution process – the people who work in what they call "customer service" use all thier skills training to undermind the customer when speaking with them. Hopefully anyone considering AT&T will read your blogs before becoming a customer and turn away. There are other options in every community – don't accept AT&T. Carol