Really Bad Customer Service Brought to You By AT&T

I was an employee of the old and better AT&T for 10 years; my final title was Director (really division manager in the old titles) e-AT&T where I managed our online consumer marketing group.  Prior to that I helped build and launch telecommunications first wireline/wireless bundle called AT&T's Personal Network.  As part of that bundle we created what we called Genie customer service reps.  These were our best representatives and they were trained to handle all aspects of your telecommunications needs - long distance, wireless, 800 services, rewards plans, and whatever else you need.  As VP Jack McMaster described when we had a meeting with him - the Barbara Eden version of Genie.  In fact, the reps were so good and proud of their service they started calling themselves Genie reps. 

Fast forward 7 years to a telecommunications world lacking in competition and of course customer service.  A world where the new, new, new, really it is new AT&T provides terrible customer service.  Sadly my Genie reps are now probably laid off.

For the past month when we periodically made an instate long distance or long distance call, we'd get the following error message "the carrier you selected is unable to compete your call."  Thinking the problem was Embarq (the worst brand name ever), I placed a call to their customer service who told me it was not their problem and I should call AT&T.  I told them I worked there for 10 years and it is most likely your problem, probably someone trying to get my Long Distance.  I called AT&T and they confirmed (or lied) that it was Embarq's problem because they are seeing a notation on my account that says LEC Denied.  Ahha, I said to the AT&T rep, it is Embarq's fault and I called back.  Embarq was helpful, opened up a trouble ticket and told me to call back in whenever I hear that message.  That call was today.....

At 11:15 AM today I got the message repeatedly, as I tried to call my cell phone, so I called Embarq.  After waiting on hold for 10 minutes, I spoke with a rep that couldn't help me and she transferred me to some cracker jack rep.

The first words out of this person's mouth was, can I have the long distance number you are trying to call?  I said it wasn't a long distance number and she said I need a long distance number.

This got a fired up response that went something like this (picture Lewis Black saying this)...Maybe you didn't understand me, I can't make a call, what's the difference whether it is long distance or not.  She put me on hold for 15 minutes and then told me I need to call AT&T which prompted me to call an Embarq supervisor named Cheryl.

Cheryl got on the phone and calmed me down.  I told her to make sure she sees how much I bill every month and that I deserved better service.  She agreed and then said I need to call AT&T.

This prompted me to say "look Cheryl I'm tired of making calls on my own.  If I call AT&T and they tell me it is your fault, I will switch my LD, local, and internet to cable and then you all lose.  Why don't you stay on the call?"  As the Genie rep from old would have done, she did and called her number at AT&T which sent us to a real idiot.

This new, new, AT&T rep told me I had a flag on my system for Usage Management and they need to transfer me.  However, before he did, he tried upselling me to DSL.  Here's a hint for the new AT&T - WHEN YOU HAVE A CUSTOMER SERVICE PROBLEM DON'T TRY AND CROSS SELL BEFORE THE PROBLEM IS FIXED.  The woman on the end of the transfer sealed my fate with AT&T when she said "I can't see why you are in credit management, so I'll have to send you to AT&T Repairs".

"AT&T Repairs?  Why would I want to go there?  Why don't you just fix it?  She said I need to transfer you to fix it which prompted me to say "Well if I have to make another call I might as well drop you for long distance".  This should have been a clue to her, but instead she said "Thank you for using AT&T" and she hung up.

After all of this, I switched everything to Embarq via the very nice Cheryl and even though it is costing me $5 more per month, I don't care.  The new, new, really it is new AT&T has very bad customer service.  OK, so I don't have SBC for local, but I sure spent enough elsewhere and now you don't have any of my business.  Thanks for the good times and too bad you couldn't treat a customer with more respect.  It was the final straw from a former AT&T who used to bleed AT&T Blue.  I hope the Justice Department hangs up on your merger so we can get some real competition.

PardonMyFrench,

Eric

BTW - I'm posting this link at the Consumerist in case they find it interesting.

*******UPDATE*****************

Buzzcustomer.com found the story interesting and linked to this post.  Thanks guys!!!  Love the site to - it is needed...

Comments

[Buzz]

We found it interesting!

[PardonMyFrench]

Thanks Buzz.

It still shocks me - sure I'm not in a local footprint, but I was billing $30-$35 per month on my credit card so it was easy money for them. Heck, I'm not even sure because I haven't look at it in months. Plus, I of course used to have AT&T Wireless services so it wasn't like they couldn't figure out how much I could bill.

Easy money and all I needed was some help.

Eric

[arthur d]

Found your comments very interesting,except that not all at&t reps are like that, The company is probably outsourcing jobs, and you by working at that company had to start walking up the ladder to management like you said with your genie reps they didnt get laid off, either they became old and tired of the same routine of handling rude customers full of bad language and on the mean time been worry about managers like you said that are giving them pressure to sale-sale-sale or else you are fired by monitoring them almost all day long,you probably remember that if you where a rep or the sbc bougth at&t deal that could be the diference why the old at&t is extint.

[PardonMyFrench]

Hi Arthur D,

Thanks for the comment. It has been a while since I visited this post. Yes, I do agree that there are a lot of pressures on customer service reps, but that's not the reps fault. That's SBC's management team for giving them poor tools and poor strategy, especially when it comes to handling customers like myself that are out of territory.

BTW - it is my firm belief that the old AT&T went extinct due to Armstrong including his lousy purchases like Excite@Home, cable, and the selling off of AT&T Wireless. I also watched him force out many of AT&T's top managers all while trying to follow MCI's crooked lead on their financial metrics. Poor strategy, selling off assets, buying businesses on the high side and selling them low killed the old AT&T.

Eric

[Paul]

I recently got ripped off by AT&T. I ordered an ALL DISTANCE PLAN which they claimed they never received - and even after I provided proof of confirmation, they refused to reverse my long distance charges.

I spoke to 5 or 6 different reps, discovered that AT&T was a part of two different companies (one that handles your local calls and apparently AT&T Legacy handles your long distance). In any case, neither AT&T's were willing to own this mistake.

A similar problem happened to me back when I had AT&T wireless. They're happen to take your money, but slow to give it back. Unfortunately every time I go with a different carrier AT&T buys out my service provider. After my first fiasco with AT&T I went to Cingular - bam, AT&T bought it. Then I went SBC - bam, AT&T bought that too. Both occasions, I was happy with my carrier until AT&T bought it.

I'm going to a digital phone through my cable carrier. Hopefully AT&T doesn't buy out Time Warner because I'd hate to go through carrier pigeons because that's what I'll do before I ever go back to AT&T again.

[John E]

I am currently six full days and counting without basic phone and DSL service. It took AT&T five days just to get a cable technician on the job, and they are still fumbling with it after a 6-hour shift yesterday afternoon/evening and a 5-hour shift this morning.

Would I really be better off with telephone via a monopolistic cable TV provider? I somehow doubt it ...

[Molly P]

I agree. I had a conversation with a rep today. I did not even raise my voice. When he couldn't figure out my problem, he hung up on me.

Is there any school of customer service training where they teach you to HANG UP ON YOUR CUSTOMERS? Worst service ever. I will be canceling my account soon.

[PardonMyFrench]

Sorry to hear that Molly. Thats what happens when competition disappears.

[Eva]

I recently bought an iPhone and sadly the only provider with them is AT&T. After dealing with the mixup of giving me two lines on "accident" and almost having me pay 120 extra bucks, I had to deal with the people at the store for the minute mixup. I think I get more help out of a dead cat.

[Noble]

Good day! The babes are here! This is my sexiest site to visit. I make sure I am alone in case I get too hot. Post your favorite link here.

[Mariella]

Hey, great site here :) I am looking for fans of celebs. If you have any sexy clips with someone, i will appreciate your help :) In exchange I can upload some top hottest stuff from my hd here. Regards! Waiting for links with good stuff, and free of course :)

[Eapen Jacob]

ATT - I have never dealt with such poor customer service. I wish i could get the CEOs email so that I can tell him what a lousy job they do.

[Christine]

AT&T has the worst customer service ever. As Paul said, I was happier before my service providers were bought by AT&T. Actually, I like the old AT&T (a decade ago) before they started to outsource their customer service to complete morons. I have found that AT&T customer service reps make up new lies every time I call. I canceled both home phone and DSL service because the service didn't work half the time. (I am much happier with Comcast internet, for now.) After a month of calls with service reps assuring me that I would get a prorated credit for the internet service, since I canceled two days into my billing cycle, they told me today that they don’t prorate internet service. The supervisor could not point me to that information, she “just knows that it’s true.” I guess that should be good enough. I looked through my Terms of Service and it does not say any such thing. The supervisor would also not give me any contact information for anyone in charge of this operation. Their behavior is really despicable. If anyone can recommend a company that aren’t incompetent and/or liars, I would like to hear it. I am considering canceling my cel phone service because I hate AT&T so much.

[F. Sims]

I'm a current AT&T employee and I can tell you first hand that AT&T only cares about 1 thing and that's making money. I work in it's service dept. and hear many many types of customer issues - be it billing, tech support for new and existing service, etc.. we are given a certain amount of time on each call and if you come on the line with a problem - we are pressured by our bosses to hurry you up off the phone if your not interested in buying or upgrading service. The rush wont always be noticable, it may be something as simple as the rep politely transferring you to another dept. But our bosses are also under pressure from their boss, whose boss also under pressure from company execs who make phone calls to them and put the pressure on them. We are threaten verbally daily about job security for not meeting daily/monthly objectives.

[Shim Sham]

All I know is that 90% of at&t customers are absolutely dumbfounded when it comes to common knowledge therefore why most of you think the customer service is bad.

[Nan]

after at&t AT BEST made a mistake and AT WORST purposely mislead and overcharged me, today i asked a customer service manager for a resolution to our issue. she said they would "USE IT AS A TRAINING OPPORTUNITY". thank you, that makes me feel SO MUCH BETTER! i laughed. i couldn't help it. they are SO bad. a training opportunity? AT&T'S POOR CUSTOMER SERVICE IS LEGENDARY. colossal. mammoth. vast. unprecedented. they are absolutely the worst. crooks. robbers. liars.

we are ditching our land line and switching to verizon and comcast.

at&t, this wasn't our first run in with you, but it WAS our last. good riddance!! you do, in fact, suck.

[Ernesto Villalobos]

The worst customer service ever.
No wonder they are lossing customers big time.
Mistakes over mistakes.

[Kim]

Worst service in years!
So, we've been loyal bellsouth customers before AT&T took them over. We ended up staying with AT&T after they took over bellsouth. Some 15 years overall between bellsouth and AT&T. Recently we decided to port our land line to a cell phone and they disconnected our DSL (knowing that this might be a possibility we called a total of 6 times to check and double check that DSL would not be interrupted before we placed the order to switch). Their response to turning off the DSL - "Its was turned off by mistake. You should have called us to remind us that it was not to be disconnected". That was yesterday (5/27). The earliest they MIGHT be able to get a service tech out our way will be 6/6 - ridiculous! So I phoned them to complain - they hung up on me. I currently have my internet, wireless (3 phones), and a land line through them. Needless to say, we are switching our DSL to Comcast and switching our wireless to Verizon. I've paid AT&T way too much over the years for them to provide me with such crappy customer service. Guess I'm joining Shim Sham and probably lots of others.

You have to wonder if the Federal Trade Commission really is making the correct decision by allowing them to purchase T-Mobile. I can only imagine the Customer Service getting worse as AT&T will continue to think they have more and more power to treat customers with less respect.

Overall I think its sad. I too have had much better customer service with the OLD AT&T when they cared more about customers and less about the bottom line. Their customer service training moto must now be "Treat the customer with as little respect as possible".

[Jill Rose]

Yes, I too have just experienced some of the worst customer service ever. In the past 2 days, I have spent over 8 hours on the phone & made 3 trips to the local at&t store (not exaggerate) & my issue is still unresolved. I was hung up on by someone who identified herself as a "floor manager" after she told me there was no one above her I could talk to, leave a voice mail or even contact via another phone number. I have been a customer for over 10 years & pay nearly $400.00 month for service & this is the thanks I get??? I have also convinced many family members & friends to secure service with AT&T in the past...but not anymore. I'm likely going to be making a switch & will be happy to give my money to another company. I also don't mind paying more for good service!

[Tichina Moore]

I can't say that in all my years of dealing with Comcast that I've ever had such ridiculously poor customer service and communication.

I started receiving services with AT&T in August of this year and at the beginning, everything was perfectly fine. The sales rep informed me that I qualified for a promotion with AT&T U-verse for Internet and Direct TV for television. She made me aware that my bills would be on one combined statement and gave me a monthly price that I would be paying starting within my first billing cycle.

To my surprise, I received an e-mail notification from DIRECT TV that my bill with them was due.
I checked weekly to see if a new bill for AT&T had appeared and had yet to receive one. I was told that both my DIRECT TV and AT&T bills would be combined on the same bill only to find out that that too occurs after 2-3 billing cycles. What's with the lack of communication here? 

It is now, the end of September and to my surprise, I receive a bill for $277. This is roughly $217 more dollars than I was originally quote and confirmed for regarding my first month's bill. I look over things on-line and am informed that I was charged for a technician coming to my home and fixing a phone jack in order to establish an internet connection. Let me back track. In my initial conversation with the first AT&T sales representative that established my service, I repeatedly asked her if the internet worked the same way that Comcast's did (in that the internet connection was made available via the television (cable) connection (in this case DIRECT TV)); her response was a very vibrant "Yes." Therefore, my understanding of the matter was simply that I didn't need a phone line in order to set up my internet.

Nevertheless, a technician was sent out and I was again informed that I wouldn't be charged for a technician's visit because of the AT&T representative's not letting me know that a phone jack was necessary. AT&T sends out their first technician who says that he cannot finish the job because another type of technician has to come to verify some sort of connection. I say fine and another appointment is set up. At this point, another AT&T technician comes out and finishes the installation. These two technicians result in a $75 fee that I was told I wouldn't have to pay (got waived after 2 hours of waiting, having the call be "dropped" and having an agent go back and forth between myself and her supervisor).

Moreover, I am now still sitting with a bill of $202 which encompasses two months of service (which should be $20/month but are actually $45/month for the first few billing cycles until I am later credited at some unknown time), an internet activation fee and a modem fee of $75 (which I was never ever informed of). I am grateful that the technician fee was waived, but I was then informed that although the customer service agent was sorry for my never being told about the modem fee, it had to remain on my account because it was for equipment.

I would have no problem paying these egregious fees had I (1) been informed of them and (2) not been treated as though I was some darn criminal for investigating these random charges on my account. To be told by the initial sales rep that I would be paying a first month's combined bill of no more than $60 and then to be asked to pay nearly three and half times that amount is absolutely ridiculous. I could have stayed with Comcast if I was going to continue going through this madness; at least they tell you the hellacious costs you will incur upfront.