I very rarely share customer service issues with my blog readers, but dealing with AT@T has brought me to a point where I do want to share this odyssey with you. What follows is a blow by blow description as to what happened when I order a simple phone line and Internet for one of our stores. I must warn you that if you are squeamish about bad customer service you may not want to read this.
1- Called AT@T to order a phone line and Internet service. Went well and was issued a telephone number.
2- Service was to be started on May 3. No service. Called and was told it was set up and to wait a while and it would activate.
3- Still no service. Called next morning May 4. Was then informed, after a long time on the phone, that they had issued the wrong number. This, after me having spent several hundred dollars on printing. It took all day to get this straightened out and I was issued a new number. During this ORDEAL I was placed on hold and the machine took me to service which had no idea of what I was talking about. I called again and went through the whole BS again and was told by the rep that he might be able keep the number. He asked for my phone number in case we got cutoff. He promised he would call me back if we did get cut off. He put me on hold and in three minutes the "system" transferred me to an extension that had no mail box. So I was again discontented. He never called back.
4- I called again and the rep said we could not get the same number and we set up a new order with the new number and a promise to connect it on Monday the 7th. I gave them a phone number to call, as asked, when they were ready to install. They never showed up.
5- When I called at 6 PM the system said that the business office was closed and to call back the next morning. I might remind you that all businesses, especially small businesses, do not shut down at 6 PM and weekends. One would think AT@T would give at least the same service to your business customers as you do the general consumer.
6- Tuesday morning comes and I call again. I am told that they did call and no one answered. If this indeed did happen they left no message nor any other indication that they called. I simply do not understand why they wouldn't call back a second or third time. Anyway, I was told that they don't make appoints on the same day. I said "you screwed up and need to get there today. The rep said he would ask a supervisor. He put me on hold. I was on hold for at least 30 minutes . He came back and said that the supervisor was going to call the service people and try to get someone out that day. He said the supervisor would call me to let me know, but that it might take an hour or so. I thanked him and waited for his call.
7- No call. Four hours later I called service again and the rep I talked to had no idea of what I was talking about. (Don't you have notes in your system?) and we had to do the whole thing over again. Finally after a very long time the rep said that he had made arrangements to have someone there by 4 pm. I told him we were open till 8 and hung up thinking I had finally got this worked out.
8- No one showed up from AT@T. I called on Wed. morning and was told that they did not know why someone did not come and that the order had been submitted wrong, that shouldn't have affected the scheduled service visit. I was promised that someone would be at the store early the next morning. I told them people would be there at 11 AM and that they should call me on my cell (The same one they failed to call be back on so many times before).
9- I am sitting here hoping that I can finally buy something from AT@T. I have never had some much trouble trying to buy something. Perhaps the Millions AT@T spends on American Idol should be put to training and staff.
10- Had to call again at 2 PM to see status of the order- Waiting now. Okay guess what??????
Now they are telling me the order is filled, but it is not. They never called nor did they come to put the jack in I ordered. This is by far the worse customer service issue I have had. It has taken an untold number of hours of my time, not counting the time the AT@T employees are spending. Perhaps I should buy a few shares of stock and go to a stockholders meeting and explain this in front of the various stockholders. I have heard nothing but horror stories from other people as well. What is all this incompetency costing the company and the business community.
Waiting to be transferred to James S. a Supervisor. Again I am on hold waiting, waiting. Phone finally rang and went to an answering machine. These incompetent people are killing me. I left a not so nice message. Let's see how long it takes for them to call back. Half hour later Mr. Seymour has not called back. I have called service once again. Now I had to leave my phone number so they can call me back. This generally works and I can start the whole process over. I am becoming hoarse just explaining this simple order over and over again. Waiting..... So they came back and that the paperwork shows the jack was put in Monday , which it was not. And so they didn't do anything today. Now they just told me the earliest they can get a technician over to correct their mistake is tomorrow. So once again I am waiting till tomorrow which is Thursday May 10th. What will happen tomorrow? Will they show up or will they screw me again. How many screw ups can one company make with one client?
A number of years ago I did many projects for AT@T (Bellsouth, AT@T, Southern and South Central Bell). Lots of events and marketing programs. If I had made just one mistake they would have asked for a reduction in price (even if it was their mistake) or fire my company. I wonder how they treat their vendors today? I bet they would not put up with one tenth of the issues I have had.
I am waiting now to see if we can get this finally done on Thursday.
11- Just tried to check to be sure someone will actually come to our store as promised. The lines were full so I used the call back feature where you give your number and they call you back when someone is available. Got the call back and was put on hold. In a few minutes the system hung up on me.
Trying again!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Waiting for return call!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
12- Okay I was told everything is in order and someone would be at the store to make the installation. Fingers crossed.
13- So finally the service technician got everything installed. It took about four hours, which seemed a long time for a system that was supposed to be ready to go. Anyway I was happy at last.
14- Tried to access the Router to make some adjustments to the Wireless passwords . Couldn't get in, so I called Internet tech support. Twice after long waits I was pushed off by the "system" to sales or billing. Neither could help. Had to leave the store and when in my office I called tech support again and got through. Support guy was good and I got access. Finally the odyssey was over.
I cannot calculate exactly how much time I spent on this simple one line one Internet order, but it was many many hours. It should have been easy. I encounter a host of issues that included faulty technical systems, convoluted procedures and staff that could not solve a problem. The staff was very courteous and professional, but what good is that if you cannot get what you ordered. I much prefer "It is completed" to "have a nice day."
Back before the Government broke up AT&T and even when it and the baby Bells were formed one thing you could pretty much count on was phone service. If you need a phone you ordered it and got it, with little effort. I am sorry to say that has all changed. Sometimes things go well, all too often they don't. If a simple mistake is made on the initial call you can be sure that it will haunt you throughout the process. And if you get caught up in the infamous telephone answering system you never know where you will end up.
It's good to remember that when you call Customer Service you want to receive SERVICE, not platitudes.
