At&t are ****ing morons!!!!!

[James Lugo]

What an experience, just when I though it couldn't get worse then Time Warner it does. If I ran my business like the ****ing mindless soulless assholes that answer the phone, if you're lucky enough to navigate there phone prompt system I'd be homeless. They have so completely ****ed up my account it is almost hopeless at this point. So here's a synopsis of the past 2 weeks of my life with these scumbags:

1. They set me up for paperless billing which I asked them not to and then sent my first bill for uverse to someone other then me's email address.

2. I never get my first bill, I don't pay it, they disconnect my service.

3. After about 2 hours on hold we figure out what happens, I make a payment and they turn on my service.

4. I ask them to please take me off paperless billing and send me out a bill asap.

5. About a week or so goes by and I never receive a bill I call them and the whole fiasco starts again (2 hours on the phone and multiple hang ups), they don't have my account set up for mailed billing and it shows that I never made any payment and I was set to be disconnected in the morning. Whoa! Good thing I called.

6. We figure it all out, everyone is happy life goes on.

7. A few days later I receive a bill for the total (over due and current charges) due on February 18th like we had agreed upon. Great problem solved.

8. Yesterday I'm working online and the internet dies, I go upstairs and check the tv and it was dead.

9. I call ATT, another hour of holding and hang ups and they run a system check and after about another hour they come the conclusion that both my DVR boxes are bad and need to be replaced, the guy said he was going to look into shipping them out and call me right back, which he didn't.

10. I call ATT, another hour wasted on the phone and the lady finally finds that the boxes were set to be shipped out that day and I would have them the next day.

11. The next day which was today, they never came, I called them again and after nearly an hour of being shuffled around to different departments and having to explain this whole deal over and over again they never find a record of me having a system check yesterday and 2 DVR boxes over nighted but they tell me my account was suspended for delinquent payment. OK now the New Yorker start leaking out, I am getting livid, I am up to my ass busy and this issue is starting to piss me off.

12. Needless to say I am on the phone with them now and I am stunned at how these companies treat their customers like ****in shit!

**** YOU AT&T
**** YOU AT&T
**** YOU AT&T
**** YOU AT&T

[tonemaker]

Yeah man, these big companies often suck.

[JoRillo]

Go downstairs, rub the SSL, and it will all get better.

Seriously though, who ever invented automated phone systems had good intentions, but gave the world something as equally terrible as the atomic bomb. I HATE calling any business that makes me sit threw 15+ minutes worth of BS before I can ever talk to a human (that is if they answer when it finally comes around to it). Such nonsense.

[T_R_S]

I often can't decide what I hate more - banks or phone companies?

[Loflyinjett]

I have AT&T as well ... I feel for you man, I really do. They are freaking terrible.

[Ward Pike]

Potty mouth alert! You used the F-bomb! LOL

All tech companies have the customer service of the Chateau D'If during those heady Napoleonic days.

[James Lugo]

Well it finally got resolved... I hope. What a bunch of dips**ts. And then after all the BS and wasted time and energy they wanted me to understand that they were not charging me a reconnection fee and that I had used up my courtesy reconnect. They were acting like I needed to be grateful that they didn't charge me and I kept saying the only reason it was shut off in the first place was because you guys screwed up. Wow, f**k them. Unbelievable.

[Duardo]

With the exception of the bad DVR boxes that echoes almost exactly my experience with Frontier. Apparently Verzion...whom I never thought I'd miss...decided that offering FiOS service in our area wasn't profitable enough so Frontier took over. Apparently their main selling point is that all of their phone associates are based in the US...that's fine, except in this case it doesn't look good for the US because I've never encountered such incompetence. Our service was never interrupted, but it took four or five months for them to finally figure out how to accept our payment for our services. I suppose I shouldn't complain about not having to pay for so long, but I didn't want to wind up with a thousand-dollar bill at some point. It got to the point of being comical, but was not funny.

[DaveE]

Originally Posted by JoRillo

Seriously though, who ever invented automated phone systems had good intentions, but gave the world something as equally terrible as the atomic bomb.

I feel like it should be a legal requirement for businesses to have a "speak to a human" option on the very first menu. Knowing how annoying it is for us, consider all the senior citizens and handicapped people that have to deal with that crap too. Disgusting practice.

Whenever possible I try not to do business with places that make it hard to speak to a human. Verizon has been spelling my name wrong on the bill for the past 4 months. Twice I've tried calling and I'm old hold for more than 10 minutes- no thanks... the payments still go through fine but I'm not gonna wait on hold so long to fix someone else's mistake.

[tonemaker]

CenturyLink is also pretty bad

[ShadowAMD]

Originally Posted by DaveE

I feel like it should be a legal requirement for businesses to have a "speak to a human" option on the very first menu. Knowing how annoying it is for us, consider all the senior citizens and handicapped people that have to deal with that crap too. Disgusting practice.

Whenever possible I try not to do business with places that make it hard to speak to a human. Verizon has been spelling my name wrong on the bill for the past 4 months. Twice I've tried calling and I'm old hold for more than 10 minutes- no thanks... the payments still go through fine but I'm not gonna wait on hold so long to fix someone else's mistake.

Lol, don't get me started on Verizon..

[projektk]

Yea when I upgraded to an android phone they were charging me for 2 data plans, one for each phone on the same number, they said it was so I could use both phones, they refunded it but still.

Sent from my LG-P925 using Gearslutz.com

[RRCHON]

Dumb people work everywhere, and the honest truth is that even if someone smart and with initiative did work at anyone of those telco, the power they have to do anything is virtually non-existent.

They are told to follow procedure and request shipments / adjustments / notes / ect.... but they have no way of checking on progress or making sure anything happened at all, and the next guy has no way of knowing what the guy right before did at all.

When the guy tells you "we will order or change X/Y and have it on the way to you in Z (time frame)" He probably did push all buttons and tick all the boxes that should have produced that result. Once he pushes send / close or whatever someone or something else (usually a something) audits that order and produces an undesired effect. This happens because ATT or whatever company does not trust its workers, and the workers in the past have probably done something bad to them or there have been scams within CS depts ect.....


If the problem occurs on a large enough scale it gets noticed.

The problem is when you write or complain to ATT, Verizon, or whomever the system has a built in error in communication. You will automatically relate your displeasure with Moron1 or Moron2 and how things just didn't go your way.

ATT will not audit what actually happened and only focus on the failure of Moron1 or Moron2 and order some CRM videos or create an even steeper escalation chain you will have to follow before you even get to talk to Moron1 or Moron2 ( who are actually as much casualties of the clusterfxxx as you are.)


The issue of CS impotence is kind starting to get recognition in the banking world, because banking laws force the person you are dealing with to declare when they can not perform that action versus when they will not perform that action.

So when you complain to ATT make sure to let them know you would like non-castrated customer service reps that can actually make changes that stick in your account. I went through all the same stuff you did with Verizon when I moved from Lansdale PA to Limerick PA.

Service was disconnect too early - they were supposed to reconnect data (after almost 6 hours of being on the phone); their stuff failed (beats the crap out of me how a Fiber connection fails to come on) I still got billed for reconnecting / service for 2 weeks that didn't work, and service at the other house was delayed because they claimed it was still working at the other address - which it never was ect.....

Anyways it finally did get cleared and has been a pretty smooth service since then, but whenever something goes wrong I know that get it fixed will be a clusterfxxxx.

However, service companies are not a huge problem in that respect, the Appliance guys are probably the worst. TLDR: as bad as Verizon was a getting things fixed they did eventually fix it, A GE appliance or GE anything will never again enter my house or any venture that I am bankrolling or affiliated with anyway for as long as I can help it.

[TRJanuary]

AT&T is committing fraud, right now, and you can see it for yourself.

If you go to their page for building bundles, and try to build yourself a little business bundle, they will tell you that you are all set, send you the contract, you will sign it, then a few days later they will call you and tell you they can't do it for that price.

"sorry but we can't offer that phone, or that hardware, or that download speed in your area for that price"

Absolute fraud. You can't even start your bundle selection without entering your current phone and address, so they know what they are doing.

EDIT for additional shocking info:

What's really unusual, (and possibly fraudulant towards the consumer OR AT&T stockholders)
is the fact that the people who run the online/website sales and the people who answer the phone for
person-to-person sales will actively and openly try to sabotage one another to get the sale.

The phone sales people said, "Don't use the website to do your bundle. Let us help you, it will cost a little more, and we can't honor all those packages, but we will take care of it today, hassle free"

The internet people (who DID in fact sell me a package and then back out of the deal) said in a chat session, "You don't need to talk to people on the phone, they just want a commission for the sale. Buy from us online!"

This is the picture of today's American corporation. It's time to break up "Ma Bell" again, except this time, we should finish the job.

[Joe Haze]

I really hate ATT In the last month I spent $700.00 dealing with "issues" and all the hidden fees and taxes! It's like charging clients extra to flush the toilet...

And the people offering "Cunstomer" support Suck.

[James Lugo]

Originally Posted by Joe Haze

I really hate ATT In the last month I spent $700.00 dealing with "issues" and all the hidden fees and taxes! It's like charging clients extra to flush the toilet...

And the people offering "Cunstomer" support Suck.

Yeah I spoke with about 8 people total and for the exception of one nice intelligent lady named Misty they all were fukkheads.

[KT1]

This sounds like every company in the same industry. It's a friggin joke! I have been through it as i'm sure other have. It is frustrating to say the least. I used to call the sales number - quick answer nice person on the end super helpful..Ask for a manager. That or call the retention line. Ask for a direct number or you'll cut business. You need to be bullish with these Shmucks and not direct your anger issues or concerns to the missing links in evolution on the other end of the handset. The reality is these idiots work in an environment they do not want to be in. They have minimal performance Metrics and can and do get away with murder. 99.99% of the time a member of the senior management team would be equally appaled if they were aware of half the shi& that goes on.

The 'hang ups' are by far the worst. No accountability will continue to be an issue. You deal with one of the 50000 people on the end and will probably never talk to them again. Thanks to the great corporate culture. To add to the mix lets look at the continual cost cutting excersises which aim to lower the bottom line. FUC* your bottom line AT+T if near/off shoring will result in this type of service then go slide down a razorblade and do me a favour..use your nuts as breaks!!

^^ you can tell this is a sensitive topic. I feel your pain!

[verve92]

Originally Posted by T_R_S

I often can't decide what I hate more - banks or phone companies?

They have all been deregulated by government pricks. Seem they are all scamsters and incompetent. This is what happens when you outsource jobs...
Don't get me started on Comcast.

[KT1]

Originally Posted by verve92

They have all been deregulated by government pricks. Seem they are all scamsters and incompetent. This is what happens when you outsource jobs...
Don't get me started on Comcast.

I'm all for outsourcing and near shoring. The problem is the way it's done. Really poor performance accountability. I have a background in this. Dont get ME started!

[verve92]

Originally Posted by KT1

I'm all for outsourcing and near shoring. The problem is the way it's done. Really poor performance accountability. I have a background in this. Dont get ME started!

It's OK, don't get started
Not sure where you are from but here in the US one reason its going down and will never be the same again is outsourcing. I call the help desk at work and I have to help them....
If they were American getting paid a living wage it would be better.
It's then old 'get what you pay for' mantra.
Just like the poor performing crappy gear made in China.
And I get the whole 'cheap labor' argument from bean counters. Doesn't make it right.
Americans are dependent on foreign made products because a livable wage is gone here- a vicious cycle that I don't see being broken. Not in my lifetime and I'm in my 30's.

[KT1]

Originally Posted by verve92

It's OK, don't get started
Not sure where you are from but here in the US one reason its going down and will never be the same again is outsourcing. I call the help desk at work and I have to help them....
If they were American getting paid a living wage it would be better.
It's then old 'get what you pay for' mantra.
Just like the poor performing crappy gear made in China.
And I get the whole 'cheap labor' argument from bean counters. Doesn't make it right.
Americans are dependent on foreign made products because a livable wage is gone here- a vicious cycle that I don't see being broken. Not in my lifetime and I'm in my 30's.

I have been involved in nearshore processes for London to Birmingham. New York to jacksonville as well as offshore to India. I totally get your point and agree with it. What I can say is cost for quality of service isn't the issue. You can easily train people in all of those regions to perform a role like this. The issues arise when you don't spend enough to.r training which can be costly. Rush a migration or handover. Have no quality performance metrics and do not have an organisational culture that supports monitoring of those metrics and continual improvement. All in all a lack of accountability and spend is the issue!

Sent from my HTC Desire S using Gearslutz.com

[James Lugo]

A couple of recent notes:

1. Out of the blue my 84 y/o mom called me and said her att uverse in Florida was down, no tv. She said she called numerous times and couldn't navigate that automated system and then when she finally got through they put her on hold and then hung up. Weird! Just like me.

2. I was speaking with a client this week who works for ATT and he said they intentionally hang up because they are being recorded and are in fear of either sounding stupid and not knowing what to do or they don't want to run the risk of getting into a conversation that will in some way reflect poorly on them.

Wow, this came from a guy who works there. Anyway, my mom didn't have tv for days, I finally had her get my cousin to go over there and get it straightened out. F**kin sad, I have had cell service with ATT for 20 years probably and have had internet many times over the years. I have spent probably 5 figures with them and feel like I don't f**kin matter. So if anyone from ATT ever reads this post, which they probably won't and even if they did they probably wouldn't care, I just want you guys to know that your practices are despicable and I'm ashamed to have contributed to your company for all these years. Oh yeah and F**K YOU!!!! Scumbags!

JL

[karlw]

We just went through a similar thing. Wifey has an iPhone on ATT (we got it just before they announced that Verizon was carrying them... D'oh!)

OK, fine for a few months. Then, we didn't get a bill one month. I pay the bills, so I noticed the absence of a bill from them, but by that time, it was a few days after the bill was due, like maybe 3 days. The next day, they call my wife on her iPhone and tell her they'll cut off service if she doesn't pay right now, over the phone. WTF? This is after maybe 4 or 5 months of paying perfectly on time. So of course she pays over the phone, and they tack on a service charge for that.

The following month, a bill comes. No problem.

The next month, no bill again, so I call to find out WTF is going on. I explain that we want paper bills and that this is bull$#!+ and I want it to stop. She makes a note of this but also suggests that we check to see if we have selected paperless billing. I explain that, in fact, no, we have not.

Next month, no bill in the mail. By this time, at least I've been heading it off by knowing about when the bills are due... so at least we're not late. My wife calls them and demands to receiver paper bills and once again tells them to straighten their $#!+ out because it's getting old. They assure her that everything is taken care of. My wife receives a text confirmation of the "change order" (even though we never requested paperless billing).

Just last month, again no bill. So wife calls them again and they tell her "there is no record of your request" so she emails them a screen shot of the text confirmation. At least at this point the lady apologized profusely to her about the errors. Turns out that at some point, paperless billing was switched on (no kidding, right?) but the invoices were being sent to an inactive email address. Sheesh! How many tries does it take to get it right?

My theory? I think they do this crap on purpose so they can tack on late fees, service fees, and ultimately claim breach of contract. If they monkey around with that stuff when her contract is up, I'm involving the attorney general of their state and ours. Usually that gets f-ed up companies like them to drop it. We'll see. Fortunately, we don't have ATT for ANY other service, nor will we. Ever.

Someone else in the thread mentioned Century Link. We have them for land line and Internet service. Yes - they screwed some stuff up at the beginning of the contract, but I must say that they got it fixed quickly and efficiently. So far, they get pretty high marks from me.