Wow AT&T! - Customer Service blunder

[Sajan Parikh]

I'll keep this short, because what makes this ridiculous isn't any anecdotal story, just the facts.

I have an upgrade coming up in exactly 3 weeks. One of the phones on my account, broke. So I called to see if they'd sell me a phone at the upgrade price today. Which means they have to override the upgrade date from three weeks from now...to today.

They said yes, that it was no problem.

I asked if I can buy the $9.99 refurbished Galaxy S II that I see on their website. That person said, he was unable to order a refurbished phone and I'd had to speak with a different department.

I get transferred to that department.

Ask about the refurbished phone, this person said sure he can order it for me...but he can't override the date. He said I need a different department to override the date.

I get transferred.

Ask if she can override my date, she said absolutely. However, in order for her to override the date...I'd have to order a phone. I said, amazing! That's what I'm calling about, I want the Refurbished Galaxy S2. She said, she doesn't have a refurbished phone. I told her, the other department does...just need you to update the date so I can do it today.

She said, I'd love to but can only do that if I order a phone.

Summary

The departments and people who can order the phone I want, can't override the date.
The departments and people who can override the date can only do so if I buy a phone from them, but they can't sell me the phone I'm asking for.

Keep in mind, through this...every person I talked to was extremely nice and as helpful as can apparently be.

I am happy with AT&T, service overall is great and have nothing bad to say about them. Just found this a little funny. Because of a technicality in their system...I'm unable to do this very simple thing.

 

[Paul627g]

Sounds about right.... LOL... Customer service reps despite getting very helpful and welcoming people at times seem to be limited to what their terminal allows them to do in means of options.

Crazy... I hope you can work this out, $9.99 is an excellent price.

 

[TonyLibations]

Sounds like At&t is run by my cable company. Nice as could be, but sometimes i worry their parents may be brother and sister.

 

[Sajan Parikh]

Sounds about right.... LOL... Customer service reps despite getting very helpful and welcoming people at times seem to be limited to what their terminal allows them to do in means of options.

Crazy... I hope you can work this out, $9.99 is an excellent price.

Keep in mind, I didn't say in the OP, but I've been at this for a good 4 hours now across two days. I've finally given up.

It seems such a basic task. Just override my date, and ship me the phone. I understand companies compartmentalize...but geez! Even got to speak with 'managers' and 'supervisors' and nobody seemed to be able to do anything.

At one point one department put me on hold and CALLED the other department FOR me...still nothing.

Does anybody have an email address I can send something like this to? I'm not trying to rant, nor am I angry in any way. Just want to see if somebody can do something. Really don't want to wait 3 weeks if I don't have to.

 

[Paul627g]

Wow that is amazing... Wish my luck in getting CS reps willing to "try" and work things out was that good.

Anyhow.. Good luck. I guess if it has to be 3 weeks is not that long of a wait...

 

[Verdes8891]

a store should be able to move your upgrade date up once you are within the month of your upgrade. Say it is on April 23rd, a COR store can do the upgrade as of April 1st. But they only carry brand new devices and cannot order refurbished. All in all, i myself wouldnt get a refurb phone, becasue yes you are saving money on the device, but you are only getting a 90 day warranty versue a full year with a brand new phone. But thats just me. Sorry about the difficulty you were having on the phone.

 

[Sajan Parikh]

All in all, i myself wouldnt get a refurb phone, becasue yes you are saving money on the device, but you are only getting a 90 day warranty versue a full year with a brand new phone. But thats just me. Sorry about the difficulty you were having on the phone.

The phone is for a 16 year old who has physically damaged his last 3 devices. Which is why a $9.99 Galaxy S II is very attractive. If he breaks it, I'm out only $10 and won't buy another for him.

If I spend $99 or more on a new devices and he breaks it...I'm out quite a bit of money.

 

[Sajan Parikh]

Here is the response I got via email from AT&T. I've bolded the part I think is silly.

I apologize for any and all confusion to this point, but I will attempt to explain what is going on. 1st, no one can override your actual upgrade date, but we are able to override the eligibility of a customer. 2nd, devices are sold across various channels of the company. (eg. store, online, customer service) 3rd, not all devices are available across all channels and pricing could differ as well.



In your situation, the refurb Galaxy SII is only available online and not through the customer service or store channels. There is no way to override the online website. You have to actually be eligible at the time or a new customer. With that being said, you will not be able to get that device online until your actual upgrade date. We do have the new device available through our channel for only $99.99. I hope this answers your question.

 

[Verdes8891]

The phone is for a 16 year old who has physically damaged his last 3 devices. Which is why a $9.99 Galaxy S II is very attractive. If he breaks it, I'm out only $10 and won't buy another for him.

If I spend $99 or more on a new devices and he breaks it...I'm out quite a bit of money.

yes that would pose a bit of a problem... Did you ever consider getting insurance on his phone? if he wants an android phone with a cheap deductible, i would recomend the pantech burst. Its 4g LTE and its only $50 with a 2 yr contract. Plus if he breaks it and you have insurance, its only $50 to get it replaced again. Just a thought.

 

[Sajan Parikh]

Insurance with AT&T isn't really worth it to be honest. It's just the same as buying a used phone off of eBay. There's a monthly fee, plus a $99 deductible.

So if in month 15, you need to make a claim...you've already spent $200+ anyway.

 

[Sajan Parikh]

Also, it seems according to this...deductible on the claim would be $200!

http://www.wireless.att.com/learn/e...ity_Schedule_ATT_COM_FINAL_March_16_2012.pdf?

 

[Verdes8891]

Also, it seems according to this...deductible on the claim would be $200!

http://www.wireless.att.com/learn/e...ity_Schedule_ATT_COM_FINAL_March_16_2012.pdf?

Thats the same list that i reference at work too. The Pantech Burst is listed on page 4 with a $50 deductible. When you buy a phone off of craigslist or ebay, its always buyer beware. I have had a few customers that bought a phone off of ebay, get it and it doesnt work at all period unlike the seller said it would. And went through a nightmare getting a refund/replacement through them.

When you get a new phone through an insurance claim, it restarts a new 1 year warranty with it. And plus, once you have reached far enough into your contract to where you can upgrade, take the insurance off until you decide to upgrade at that point.

 

[dmnall]

Thats the same list that i reference at work too. The Pantech Burst is listed on page 4 with a $50 deductible. When you buy a phone off of craigslist or ebay, its always buyer beware. I have had a few customers that bought a phone off of ebay, get it and it doesnt work at all period unlike the seller said it would. And went through a nightmare getting a refund/replacement through them.

When you get a new phone through an insurance claim, it restarts a new 1 year warranty with it. And plus, once you have reached far enough into your contract to where you can upgrade, take the insurance off until you decide to upgrade at that point.

Not with the Captivate, my mom did an insurance claim on one and 2x devices later one was bricked and Asurion was complete asses on replacing it, that my mom had to complain to a manager to get an exception upgrade with out paying anything extra for her current phone *xperia play*. I had gotten my sgs2 i777 for contract when I was a year and 3 months into a 2 year contract because my launch captivate boot looped and I was willing to spend $ 550 for a new phone when a customer service rep offered me an early upgrade because att did not want me to buy an international i9100 lol.

HTH,
Charlie