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6 Messages
Struggling after multiple customer service calls. Getting ready to leave after 8 years. Help?
Last year I switched to a new phone. At the time, the rep I talked with told me I could save $10 a month on my bill by switching off my old unlimited data plans to one of the newer plans. So I did. She was helpful and I appreciated talking with her.
Three more calls later, I'm still being charged more than my previous plan. The thing is, each rep has been helpful and says lots of good things, telling me they'll fix the issues. Then what they say they're going to do does not happen.
My primary question is: How can I get help from someone who will do what they've said they will do?
One piece of feedback from a systems perspective. Maybe I've just had a string of low-integrity reps, but I doubt it. When 3 different people give inaccurate information without consequence, that makes me think their goals ignore follow-through. It's hard to believe that 3 people in a row would give inaccurate information in a system where good follow-through is a goal and there are metrics to support it.
The text surveys that come after calls are a good metrics idea with some flaws in time-delayed contexts. On my last support call I tried responding to a survey a week after receiving it - once it was clear whether the rep had followed through or not. No response. The surveys apparently expire.
If those quick-expiring surveys are the main source of metrics to determine if support center staff achieve their goals, the surveys reward lofty promises and bad follow-through. A text survey that expires soon after the call only measures whether the rep says good-sounding things on that call. It does not measure whether they actually provided good service. Most billing issues won't be clearly fixed until the next bill cycle, so an instant survey ignores follow-through. That lack of follow-through, consistently, is the main reason I'm getting ready to leave. Enabling people to respond to the surveys later, and respond more than once, could get feedback more closely aligned to actual service performance.
sandblaster
ACE - Expert
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64.7K Messages
8 years ago
So why exactly is your bill not $10 lower? Could it be you are also paying an installment plan on that phone you got? Another possibility is you got a 2 year contract phone and therefore are not getting the "out of contract" discount on your new plan yet. You say the reps you've spoken with did not follow through but without details, there is no way of knowing what they were supposed to do for you. Anyway, if you need further assistance from customer support, I suggest you send a private message to @ATTMobilityCare. They are a specialized customer support team that should be able to follow through for you.
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a-laughlin
Tutor
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6 Messages
8 years ago
Hi @sandblaster,
Thanks for responding. Apologies for the slow response in return. I thought subscribing to updates would send email me when anyone replied, so I didn't check back immediately.
Re details, I wanted to know who to share them with before typing them all out. Thanks for the heads up about @ATTMobilityCare. I'll follow up with them via private message.
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a-laughlin
Tutor
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6 Messages
8 years ago
Posting an update for reference.
On 5/31 I posted in the forums asking for help because my last few support interactions have been very frustrating and time-consuming. I was told to send a message to @ATTMobilityCare ( https://forums.att.com/t5/Wireless-Account-Questions/Struggling-after-multiple-customer-service-calls-Getting-ready/m-p/4829901#M230427 ). I'm looking for help from someone who will follow through to resolve the issues. If you cannot refund over $200, please escalate this message to someone who can.
Below summarizes my support interactions since September 28, 2015, along with what I'm asking for at the end.
For reference, here's a spreadsheet I put together with the bill amounts vs expected, and over-charges. https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1_i6iRPf-Is8ITqoPKx9bokljFgJqMy4fNdNQ5cfrCew/edit#gid=0
2015-09-28 (contact 1)
I wanted to upgrade my phone. I called support to find out about upgrading.
Amy answered.
I asked about picking the phone up in a store.
She stated I could update my phone and schedule an in-store pick up on the web site.
She also stated I could lower my bills by $10 a month if I switched my existing unlimited data plan to a Next plan.
She stated that I was only using around ~3GB of data per month anyway.
My bills were previously 99 a month, so that would be $89 a month. I agreed to switch plans.
She stated the first month would have activation fees around $20.
She stated she could make the switch for me, or I could do it on the web site. I said I'd do it on the web site since I needed to schedule the store appointment there anyway.
I went to the site, updated my phone, plan, and scheduled an in-store pick up.
2015-09-28 (contact 2)
Store. There were scheduling challenges and they didn't have the phone ready 2 hours after the scheduled time, so I waited an hour and a half there.
2015-10-13 (contact 3)
The October bill differed from Amy's stated amounts, so I called support.
Dexter answered. I explained the situation. He hung up.
2015-10-13 (contact 4)
Vin answered. I explained the issue again.
He stated that he would credit me the difference on the current bill, and the issues would be resolved on future bills.
My experience with AT&T support in the past was good, and life got very busy, so I assumed Vin did what he said and didn't double check.
2016-05-16 (contact 5)
Noticed that Vin didn't do what he said he would. Called support. Spoke with Kenneth
Explained that I gave up unlimited data plan for $10 a month less, and it hasn't happened yet. All the bills have been higher.
He's looking into past bills.
He states that he credited me, it should be fixed on upcoming bills.
I asked how much he credited.
Kenneth states he is only authorized to give a $60 credit, so he credited the account for $60 and filed a case for the rest.
Kenneth states the $60 should show up on the next statement.
Kenneth states I should recieve an email in 1-2 business days as others research it and follow up.
I asked how much he expects the next 3 bills to be.
He states next 3 bills should be $89-90.
2016-05-31 (contact 6)
Posted a message on support forum asking how I can get support with reps who follow through on what they say.
https://forums.att.com/t5/Wireless-Account-Questions/Struggling-after-multiple-customer-service-calls-Getting-ready/m-p/4829901#M230427
2016-05-31
Received response from AT&T employee "sandblaster", asking me to contact @ATTMobilityCare. I appreciate the responsiveness. The notification email of the response got caught in my spam filter, so I didn't see it for a few days.
2016-07-12 (contact 7)
Responded to Sandblaster. Wrote out first verson of this detailed description. Sending private message to @ATTMobilityCare.
https://forums.att.com/t5/notes/privatenotespage/tab/compose/note-to-user-id/3130300
2016-07-12
@ATTMobilityCare sent me a private message asking for my phone #. I appreciate the responsiveness.
2016-07-13 (contact 😎
I saw the message and messaged back with my phone number.
2016-07-14
Janette from AT&T Left me a voicemail:
"Hello, Adam. This is Janette from AT&T. I just wanted to give you a call. I do see that you've been having some billing issues. If you can give me a call back. My direct number is 877 929 5551 that's extension number 2103 817. Thank you."
2016-07-15 (contact 😎
Returned her call at 877-929-5551 x2103-817. Got voicemail, which states she'll return calls between 10am and 7pm central. Left a message stating I'd be gone for 2.5 hours, then be back after that.
2016-07-22 (contact 9)
No response yet. Called Janette back again. Got voicemail. Left message.
2016-07-27
Received an automated messsage to discuss my wireless service at 800-947-5096. Guessing because I turned off auto-pay.
2016-07-29 (contact 10)
No response yet. Called Janette back again. Got voicemail. Left message.
2016-07-29 (contact 11)
Posting this message for reference. Going to call 800-947-5096 and see if that helps.
2016-07-29 (contact 12)
Calling 800-947-5096...
At a minimum I want my monthly bill to be $89 as multiple support staff told me it would be, plus a refund for the over-charges ($204.07)
That said, I've spent ~10hrs of time between waiting in the store, figuring out billing discrepancies, getting hung up on, re-explaining the situation, interacting on ineffective support calls, figuring out that I cannot easily switch to another carrier with this model of phone, re-explaining the situation again in writing, and now updating the written explanation. Charging late fees and sending account payment warnings, while not returning my calls and not resolving the issues, is stressful. Empty promises with no follow-through is frustrating and disappointing. The only reason I'm still pursuing this is that I really like this phone model and cannot easily switch carriers with it.
In my own business, if one of my customers had this bad of an experience and was willing to give this much feedback, I'd do more than just follow through on my words for the sake of integrity. I'd compensate them further because I care about them and value their time. Heck. In this exact scenario I'd resolve the issues, give them free service for a year, and use this feedback as example to make sure this scenario doesn't happen again. My hope is that whoever can eventually resolve the problem shares a similar definition of care.
Regards,
Adam
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a-laughlin
Tutor
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6 Messages
8 years ago
On second thought, this post can be my contact instead of calling the 800 number. Folks on this forum have been more responsive than anyone else I've interacted with, plus there is written record of what was communicated by everyone.
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a-laughlin
Tutor
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6 Messages
8 years ago
Janette called back on Saturday 9/28. I was unavailable this weekend, but I appreciate her calling on a Saturday.
Tried calling her back this morning. My service has been suspended. Tried 611 for support. Can't call support either. This is frustrating. More time wasted. Calling from another phone.
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a-laughlin
Tutor
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6 Messages
8 years ago
Janette, my account is now reactivated. Details of today's interactions below. I am available today until 8pm EST.
Calling support at 800-331-0500 to get service reinstated until I can resolve this with Janette.
Spoke with Pamela . Said I need to pay to have service reinstated.
Explained I've paid over-charged multiple times. ATT support folks have not followed through on the credits and billing changes they've promised.
I continued payments on my end expecting follow through.
No follow through multiple times led to me turning auto-pay off.
Asked for service reinstated so I can get a callback from Janette.
I explained that I appreciate her being willing to talk through it, since I've been hung up on in the past.
She apologized that she couldn't help more.
She said it's a billing issue, and the best she can do is transfer me to billing.
Explained the history again to Mark in billing
Explained I am trying to receive a call from Janette to resolve things
Re-explained that service is suspended due to non-payment because support folks didn't credit the account and fix the monthly amounts as they promised.
He said that payment in full is the only way to reinstate service.
Explained that I've already over paid multiple times.
He explained that he's a subordinate and cannot do anything now that Janette is involved.
I have to pay the balance. He can't make a change.
I explained that it's nothing against him. I've just been promised credits without follow-through.
Asked him to meet half way. To credit something.
He explained again that he can't do anything now that Janette is involved.
Making a payment is the only way the system will allow restoring service.
He states that if there any credits owing, and it's determine by the specialist that credits are owing, they will address this for you. (Very non-committal way to say it. Good training.)
So, I can't get calls from anyone at this point. Missed a phone meeting this morning.
This is the last payment I will make if someone from ATT doesn't follow through on previous promises.
Total $206.89
Gave credit card info. He states system will add a $5 fee to my next bill.
Seriously. This is like a perfect storm. It was $10 a month. This has likely cost more in ATT staff time than $10 a month. Beyond a few expected support calls, poor support follow through has cost me over $1500 in overpayments plus my time.
[Edited for privacy-please do not post personal or unique information such as but not limited to full names, employee ID numbers, email addresses, phone numbers, account numbers, etc.]
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