New Member
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4 Messages
I am filing a complaint with the Attorney General and the Better Business Bureau
3 HOUR ORDEAL WITH ABSOLUTELY ZERO RESOULUTION AND I WAS HUNG UP ON
I have experienced the worst customer service with AT&T
In September 2022, we brought in our Samsung Galaxy Phone for trade in with the special at that time of zero-dollar cost for trade in. We got the flip phone which was part of the offer. The phone we were trading in was paid off in August, had a slight crack and we asked several times if it still qualified to which the AT&T Representative assured us yes it does and there would be no cost for the phone. We only need pay the tax for the phone at the time of purchase and we would see a slight increase on our next bill for the activation charges. We gave him the phone and he returned it to us stating it wouldn’t need to be sent in as it had a crack in it, but we still get the free phone. We agreed, paid the tax, and left with our new phone and the broken phone.
Fast forward to our bill for December. We have auto pay so I hadn’t really looked at last month’s bill, but it was 100$ more than we expected and I assumed it was the activation they spoke of. However, this month the charge was 40 more still and that caused me to look at our bill.
Last month they charged installment 1 of 36 for the COST OF THE PHONE. Now remember how many times we were reassured the phone was free. ok, me too. I looked at our bill this month for December and again the charged, this time, installment 2 of 36 for THE COST OF THE PHONE appeared.
CUSTOER SERVICE
I called and spoke with a representative who said that the store clerk at AT&T misinformed us, and the phone should have been returned to “trade ins”. I said well, he didn’t so what now? She said that we would be stuck paying for the phone for 36 months until they get the phone. Ok…so, I am not a “keep it just in case” kind of person. I usually am a declutter first kind of person but for some reason, I did not throw away the phone that no longer worked, was cracked, and was told to dispose of by the store clerk at the AT&T store. I said, ok, can I take it into the store and have them send it back and get the credit? After much back and forth, she said yes. Then she proceeded to tell me that she can add a 1$ phone and additional line which would bring our bill back down to what we were paying before the trade in fiasco (my word, not hers). She said she would then “open a case for investigation so we can get our credit”. So, to summarize a confusing situation, here is what we knew.
The store clerk did not inform us correctly by telling us he didn’t need to send the phone to the trade in department.
Although we were told we could throw it away…something made us keep it,
To reduce the cost of our bill every month, we need to add an additional line and a phone which would cost 1$ a month bringing our current bill from 208$ down to 162$,
Yes, you read that right,
I would need to pay the sales tax of 45$ today and a one-time activation fee next month of 35$ for the new line.
GOING TO THE STORE TO BRING THE PHONE THAT SHOULD HAVE BEEN SENT IN TO THE TRADE IN DEPARTMENT BY THE STORE AT THE TIME OF TRANSACTION.
So, here we are at the store. My husband is simultaneously talking to a representative on the phone and the store clerk. The clerk was told by the phone person to process the return. He processed it and it declined the trade in. In other words, we would still have to pay for THE COST OF THE PHONE!!!!!!!!!!
The phone representative just kept muting our call, coming back, and thanking us for our patience while things are “processing”. WHAT IS PROCESSING!?!?!? Well, when asked she mumbled some inaudible words and I had had it. I need a supervisor. I ask for one and get transferred to the Sup. This should get better now, right. NOPE!!!!! The supervisor states that the 1st store clerk from the initial trade in (two months ago) didn’t process anything online for a trade in. He “messed up” (his words). I then asked, “what about the case that was opened by the last representative who also had me sign up for an additional line and phone to reduce the monthly bill. He informed me that it never happened.
So, she lied to me. Why am I sadly, not surprised. I then said….how do we fix this. He said the representative in the store, right now, needs to process a trade in. I then said, HE DID AND IT WON’T ACCEPT IT. I kid you not, he said, Yah, it is because the 1st representative didn’t do one online like he should have but he is opening a case (HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA) and will transfer our call to the “trade in department” so they can start the process. So, once again, being transferred.
THE EXCHANGE DEPARTMENT
Her: “Hi, how can I help you”
Me: “How can you help me? You’re kidding right? The supervisor that transferred me to you did explain our problem before just transferring me, right?
Her: “No, how can I help you?”
Me: OMG, so I must explain to you AGAIN what I have already explained to 4 *including the store rep* other AT&T representatives and have spent 3 hours of my day doing so?
Her ‘HANGS UP THE PHONE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! SHE HUNG UP ON ME!!!!!!!!!
THIS IS FALSE ADVERTISING AND THE WORST CUSTOMER SERVICE I HAVE EVER ENCOUNTERED!!!!!!!!!
WHAT NOW!?!?!
I am going to post this to every social media account affiliated with or even mentions the name of AT&T. I am filing a complaint with the Attorney General and the Better Business Bureau. THIS IS UNACCEPTABLE AND FRAUDULENT BUSINESS PRACTICE AND SOMEONE BETTER CORRECT AND CURE THIS SITUATION ASAP
MicCheck
ACE - Expert
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13.3K Messages
10 months ago
I didn't read that whole wall of text. However, trade in promotions are not applied until the 3rd billing cycle after received. Start with the 3rd cycle, there will be a credit each month to offset the installment charge. You will receive "catch-up credits" for the missed months. You have 30 days from purchase to submit the trade in.
If you file a BBB complaint, you'll be contacted by AT&T's office of the president. Keep it succinct and relevant: You were told you would receive a trade in promotion but didn't have to submit a trade in (that should have been a huge red flag). You would like to trade in the phones even though the deadline has passed so you can receive the promotion. The OOP has the power to do that.
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formerlyknownas
ACE - Sage
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110.7K Messages
10 months ago
Wait a minute. How exactly did you expect to participate in a trade-in promotion if you didn't trade in your old phone?
Your old phone had to be sent in by mail to the trade-in company in Tennessee. Did you do that?
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Kimberlycoffer
New Member
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4 Messages
10 months ago
We gave the store clerk our phone and the store clerk gave it back and said because the screen is cracked that they wouldn't want him to mail it in. He told us, however, that he processed the online trade in and we get the promotional offer of the free phone still. They just have a policy of not sending in phones that are damaged.
We asked this man SEVERAL times to ensure us we would get the phone free and he said yes...REPEATEDLY.
So, how did we think we were going to get the deal if the phone wasn't sent in....He told us we did. It isn't my job to perform a quality assurance on each encounter with an AT&T employee to ensure they are providing accurate information! I am the customer and I go there with the understanding that an individual representing AT&T is trained and has knowledge of processes and procedures. I am not his supervisor to do a checks and balance assessment. That's how.
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ATTHelp
Community Support
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220.9K Messages
10 months ago
Let's meet in a Direct Message to discuss your trade in credits. Please check your Direct Message inbox (it's the chat icon next to the bell icon in the upper right corner of the forums).
Looking forward to speaking with you soon.
Carlton, AT&T Community Specialist
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formerlyknownas
ACE - Sage
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110.7K Messages
10 months ago
He meant that the store would not send in the damaged phone for you. You still had to mail the phone
Only if you mail the phone in yourself. It's a trade-in deal. You have to trade in a phone. You could have either mailed in that phone and hope that it would qualify. Mail in another qualifying phone, or accept the fact that you're not getting Bill credits.
FYI there's no such thing as a "free" phone. There is always quid pro quo. And when you're purchasing under a trade-in deal that quid pro quo is your old phone. Without the old phone you have not completed your part your requirement to get Bill credits on the phone making the phone "free".
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Kimberlycoffer
New Member
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4 Messages
10 months ago
Common sense is dead!?? No, corporate responsibility is DEAD because some people think it is the customer's responsibility to be more accountable than the company. I am gonna need you to take a few steps back and have a seat!!!
Let me put this in caps again for you and repeat until you get it.
THE STORS MAIL THE PHONES BACK!!! CONFIRMED BY AT&T. THE REPRESENTATIVE "MESSED UP" ACCORDINGTO THE AT&T SUPERVISOR AND THEY SHOULD HAVE MAILED IT BACK!!!!
ONE MORE TIME
So, let me understand this. You think it is the customer's job to try to make out what a store clerk is not saying? What their job description consists of and what the procedure ACTUALLY is even when they insist they know!?!?
You think when we ask several times after he gave the phone back to us and said they dont want AT&T stores to return the broken phones that we would still get the discount that WE should have ASSUMED and discerned he meant that
1. At&T doesn't want them to mail back ONLY broken phones??
BUT
AT&T wants the customer to mail back broken phones?
AND it isn't the employee's responsibility to tell us that??
Which doesnt even matter because the AT&T supervisor already said it was the employee's error.
So, why would our logic tell us that ALL OTHER PHONES can be mailed back by the store, just not broken ones.
Question should be why?
Why? Why not broken one's? Does it cost more...Nope. is it liability, no because we acknowledge it wad already broken. Or....is it because they dont want the broken phone?
If that is the case then the clerk had a fiduciary responsibility to inform us in order for us as the consumer to make an informed decision as to whether we want to continue with the transaction
1. The reason they can't mail it is because
Insert reason
2. The phone still needs to be returned BY US in order to receive the trade in offer
HOWEVER, they did neither and just a sweet reminder the company has already said it was the clerks error!!!
Unless you also think the customer should have physically forced the employee to take the phone and properly mail it while we watch him. (because apparently, we should have more inside company knowledgeas of the policies and proceedures than him) *raises eyebrow That common sense thing you speak of appears a little nonexistent here.
** This post is about the how to correct the initial clerk error and how nobody seems to know how and 3 hours and being hung up on with no resolution!! So, it makes absolutely no sense. They say they open a case but then the next rep can't find it. So. They say this time they reeeeally will. Still no case. Stop making excuses for their lack of accountability!!!
Just in case you missed.
The store DOES mail the phones in. The deal wasn't, trade in your phone and at the store but you go mail it. "THEY MESSED UP" (Sup's words...NOT MINE)
Look, love your AT&T all you want but stop trying to explain away and excuse terrible communication on their end and abysmal customer service. And just a tip...don't tell someone they lack common sense when you have failed to comprehend the situation.
(edited)
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formerlyknownas
ACE - Sage
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110.7K Messages
10 months ago
At the very minimum, I would like you to understand that a trade-in deal that requires you trade in an old phone means you have to somehow trade in an old phone.
Otherwise it would just be called a free phone promotion. 🤦🏼♀️
Common sense is dead.
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MicCheck
ACE - Expert
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13.3K Messages
10 months ago
I know where you're coming from, but at the same time, if I was told I could get a trade-in promotion without a trade in, there's no way I would believe it. It makes no sense whatsoever. At the very least, I would have required verification from a manager or an official advertisement saying so.
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OttoPylot
ACE - Expert
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21.7K Messages
6 months ago
Involving the AG will probably do nothing because of the Binding Arbitration clause in the TOS that you agreed to when you signed up for service. All providers do this to save their backsides for various reasons. If you did business with a Retail Store and not a Corporate Store, that adds another layer of complexity to the issue. If you did business directly with AT&T online, that's another matter entirely. Retail Stores look exactly like Corporate Stores only they are independent of AT&T, are not staffed with AT&T employees, and some apparently play by their own rules. Retail outlets are like Sam's Club, BB, Target, Costco, etc. So, if you used one of the Retail businesses, you technically did business with them and not AT&T directly. Any promo or deal that is not detailed on the AT&T website will not be honored by AT&T.
The best you can do is file a complaint with the BBB. That will got straight to Corporate and someone from the Office of the President will contact you within a couple of days. Have all of you receipts and documentation in order. They MAY be able to correct the problem.
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