Open Letter to AT&T
June 25, 2008 by Anne Wayman
Filed under Jobs
I just got off the phone with AT&T. They provide my telephone service and DSL line. Their customer service, well, sucks, and it sucks not because of the customer service reps, but because of the procedures they are forced to go through. So along with ranting and raving, I wrote the following now open letter:
June 25, 2008
Randall L. Stephenson, President, CEO & Chair
AT&T
San Antonio, TexasDear Mr. Stephenson,
Today I called AT&T customer service. I wanted to see if we could extend the referral on my old number to my new number.
What a nightmare your customer service has become. And it’s not the people… they are great, as you will see. It’s the system. In fact, your customer service system I so horrid I suggest you try it for a simple request, perhaps like mine, and see what you go through.
First, I tried to look up the CS number on the web – it may be there, but all I found was various forms to send email.
I pulled out one of my (paid) bills and looked for the number. It’s plain you don’t want calls to customer service, but I found it anyway.
I dialed and got into your phone tree. First, it should be easy to ask for an agent… I used the term “customer service” and apparently that isn’t in its vocabulary. When it finally understood or gave up and told me it was connecting me to an agent, I was delighted… I really had been on the phone only a minute or two at this point.
Then I was asked by the computer voice for my phone number which was repeated back to me.
Next, as I was switched from place to place automatically, I was told by a recorded voice three times (!) that my conversation might be recorded.
By the time I got to your agent, Lisa (in Texas on Bill Tatum’s floor and about 11 a.m. on Wed., Pacific Time) I was angry. Then the poor lady had to ask me for my phone number, my name, and some secret code number on my bill. Now I know your phone system can see my caller ID, which has my phone number, plus I had told your computer my phone number, and I know my phone number will give you my name and address – the code number on my bill is spurious and doesn’t really work to protect my privacy.
Then poor Lisa, before I was able to tell her what I wanted, had to read some statement to me… I think it may have been about up-selling me (my term, not hers) but I didn’t understand it so refused. Whew, now we’re into this call maybe 10 minutes and I’m steaming.
How can you treat your people this way? How can you set them up so they can’t perform the excellent customer service they want to… and by the way, their forced promise to give excellent customer service makes them and your company liars.
Stop it!
Instead of layering on procedure after procedure, think about what me, the customer, wants… phone service, and in my case DSL. That’s all. If I’ve got a question or a problem I want to be able to pick up the phone and call the company, simply, directly. DUH! That’s what phone service is… the ability to call someone, and be called… that’s all.
Now, Lisa did the absolute best she could. She was prevented by your barriers and procedures from doing an excellent job… she can’t. And I suspect floor manager Bill Tatum does the best he can too, while weeping inside at the frustration your procedures create in your customers which then gets dumped on your agents. I talked with them both and can assure you they are competent, intelligent people who truly want to do a good job… you don’t deserve them.
The final indignity is I was able to find your name and address faster on the web than Lisa was… in fact, I gave it to her for future reference.
Knowing you can do a better job… and hoping you will.
Sincerely,
Anne Wayman
It just amazes me that companies do this to their people. I could feel Lisa and Bill wanting to help me, wanting to do a good job, but they simply are not allowed to. Can you imagine the abuse they take because of procedures they have absolutely no control over.
Sigh!
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My mom went through this for SIX MONTHS to try and get her *promised* rebate from DirectTV. Instead of sending the check (as they promised they would each time), they would send her outrageous bills – despite the fact that she no longer had the service or lived in the same state. It was a complete outrage, and they never did end up paying.
It’s just awful… I hope your mom will at least report them to a local newspaper or news show… one of those that says it stands up for the consumer.
I have had these same experiences. Hours have been wasted being transferred, or told to call another number. Just today alone (July 14) I was told to call FOUR different numbers and spent over 45 minutes on the phone (at work) 27 minutes of that being on hold. The employees can not help anyone…they can’t answer any questions – and they can’t even attempt to make you feel better. I moved into my place in April and just got dial tone 3 weeks ago and still don’t have my wireless internet box. I could write a book about everything I’ve been through with this company and how much I’ve paid for absolutely nothing – but you were able to sum it up very well. Great job! I hope they wrote back with apologies and I hope they treat their employees like ‘gold’ since they spend their days being yelled at. If I worked there I would go home crying and rocking in the fetal position in the corner. I wonder how many of them have substance abuse problems after starting with att…I know I’m about ready to hit the bottle – and I don’t even drink.
You had worse problems than I did… strange thing, the letter I sent to their ceo came back with a printed label saying “return to sender” – couldn’t tell if the envelope had been opened or what.
I was browsing the blogs, and found your blog about your AT&T issue. I was wondering if maybe I could help you.
I am about to launch a business, where I will be selling a product, a “Special Report,” specifically, detailing a method that I have developed to deal with products or services that do not do as promised, and are not backed up by the company.
I’d be willing to donate my time and energy to resolve your AT&T issue, before you spend money, if, in exchange, if it works for you, that you recommend me strongly on your blog.
Thanks
Jeremy James
jeremyjamesthehero@gmail.com
Thanks Jeremy… we’re in contact
The majority of American companies compete in a global economy and there are times, customer service suffers. I had a problem with AT&T and contacted the office of Mr. Stephenson, to register my complaint. To my surprise, someone from his office contacted me the next day and resolved my problem. AT&T’s quick resonse was very impressive and have the right leadership to compete in the this global economy!
I’m glad to hear you had a totally different experience than I did.
Why the training for a tier two tech support center is failing in AT&T.
1. The training is inadequate.
2. The nesting (training) period is counted as regular hours of customer care.
3. The directors are not in touch with the program.
4. The directors are only interested in their own personal fame.
5. The grading methodology for tier two agents is totally unfair.
6. The score card that AT&T uses to upgrade the service level works against the very base of customer service.
7. The tier two trainers are not well equipped with training materials.
8. The tier two agents are not well trained on multiple tools that are used for trouble shooting.
9. The corporation is not overseeing the director’s activity and how few are ruining down the customer support idea.
10. The people who are responsible for AT&T’s well being are not recognized in corporate politics.
Walter, would mind e-mailing me how to contact the office of Mr Stephenson? I too am very frusterated with AT&T’s lack of CS. I’ve had the Motorola Q9 phone for several months now with many problems, finally received a replacement…..that did not work! I split time on the raod and in my home office so this is a very important tool for me, and the timing was terrible. I had customer crisis to resolve and travel scheduled so I went to the very store I bought the phone from and asked for much needed replacement today. I was told my onlu options were to buy a new phone, I paid 300.00 for the one not working under warranty! I then asked if they could overnite one to me, common mortals can easily do this but appearantly AT&T globlal giant cannot. It seems utterly stupid business practices to loose 2500.00 a year in sales for a 300.00 phone swap (phone problably only cost 50.00)! Now they will loose a customer who will be very vocal about how unhappy he is with AT&T instead of retaining a happy paying customer.