This might end up being a semi-long story, but I figured I'd put in everything to make sure.
Back in April, my wife decided to get a Galaxy S8 when it was released. Her phone at the time was an LG V10, and it had a few months of payments left before she would be able to trade it in and get a new phone. We decided to pay off the last few months and trade the phone in so she could get the Galaxy S8.
The purchase was made at Best Buy, because of the $50 off deal they had. Everything went smoothly at the time, she paid off the last two months of the phone, got the trade-in set up, and got her Galaxy S8. The people at Best Buy gave us a padded envelope and the all the labels and paperwork needed for trading in the phone, and told us to send it in.
When my wife went to mail the phone in to AT&T, she took a picture of it before putting it in the packaging to have visual proof that the phone was in perfect condition. She mailed it in and got a tracking receipt to make sure we could keep track of it and see that it arrived. A week or two later she got a message from AT&T saying they still hadn't received it, and if they didn't receive by X date, we would be charged for the phone. I didn't think much of it, because I've read of people having issues with it taking a while for stuff to be checked in.
My wife called Customer Care at the time, to make sure no charges came or anything, and to tell them it had been sent. The phone call was fairly unproductive as the rep she talked to was rude, and basically didn't want to help. We decided to just wait on it, and figured eventually it would get checked in.
Fast forward a few weeks, and we get a package in the mail. It is from the AT&T Warranty Department, saying they received the phone but couldn't send a warranty replacement, because the screen was cracked, and sure enough there was the phone with a nice big crack in the upper right corner. First of all, the phone wasn't even sent for a Warranty replacement, it was sent for a Next Trade-In, and second of all, the phone was in pristine condition when it left our possession.
As we happened to be heading the direction of our local corporate store that night anyway, we decided to run by there, and see if they could help. Not only were the people in the store not helpful, they were downright rude about it. As soon as they heard the S8 purchase was made at Best Buy, they wouldn't do anything to help, and sent us on our way. In fact, since we weren't purchasing a new phone or anything, they didn't seem to be very interested in helping us at all (kind of a tangent, but this store used to be excellent with very helpful employees regardless of the situation, and at some point it's gone WAY down hill).
We were out of town that weekend and then busy for the next week, so we didn't have anymore opportunity to look into it until today. My wife called Customer Care again today, and actually managed to get someone who was helpful and not rude, and didn't immediately brush her off. After telling the whole situation, and conferring with the reps supervisor, we were told that we should take the phone into the corporate store, and they would be able to create a support ticket of some sort, and attach the picture showing the phone in pristine condition before shipment, and then they should be able to get it worked out from there.
We took the phone to the corporate store, and once again ran into rude and unhelpful employees. With barely even a chance to explain what the situation was, they said they couldn't help and tried to send us on our way. My wife persisted, saying that we were told by customer care to bring it in, and they would be able to help. After looking up the account and snarkily saying that their system had no indication a call was made today; it was practically like pulling teeth, but we finally got them to call customer care to see what to do. They talked to a different rep than the one my wife had talked to, and that person seemed to be confused about what the situation was, and said that they couldn't help and told us to go to Best Buy. My wife tried giving them the information of the rep she had talked to (the rep had given her ATT ID and other info, so they could talk to her if needed), but they refused to take it, and after the phone call with Customer Care, sent her on her way.
Despite knowing exactly what would happen, we decided to go over to Best Buy and talk to them. Exactly like I thought, they said there wasn't anything they could do from their end.
So now here I sit, trying to figure out where to go next, and more than a little pissed with the lack of help they have for a long time customer. I'll also add that since receiving the phone back with the cracked screen (which was sent sans back or battery), the next AT&T bill was received with a charge for the remaining amount due on the phone.
I am NOT paying for something they screwed up themselves, but I can't figure out where to go next, as I don't really want to keep calling customer care until I get lucky enough to actually get someone who is helpful.
Sorry for the long winded post, but I wanted to make sure all the info was include. Any ideas from people who have dealt with similar situations?
Back in April, my wife decided to get a Galaxy S8 when it was released. Her phone at the time was an LG V10, and it had a few months of payments left before she would be able to trade it in and get a new phone. We decided to pay off the last few months and trade the phone in so she could get the Galaxy S8.
The purchase was made at Best Buy, because of the $50 off deal they had. Everything went smoothly at the time, she paid off the last two months of the phone, got the trade-in set up, and got her Galaxy S8. The people at Best Buy gave us a padded envelope and the all the labels and paperwork needed for trading in the phone, and told us to send it in.
When my wife went to mail the phone in to AT&T, she took a picture of it before putting it in the packaging to have visual proof that the phone was in perfect condition. She mailed it in and got a tracking receipt to make sure we could keep track of it and see that it arrived. A week or two later she got a message from AT&T saying they still hadn't received it, and if they didn't receive by X date, we would be charged for the phone. I didn't think much of it, because I've read of people having issues with it taking a while for stuff to be checked in.
My wife called Customer Care at the time, to make sure no charges came or anything, and to tell them it had been sent. The phone call was fairly unproductive as the rep she talked to was rude, and basically didn't want to help. We decided to just wait on it, and figured eventually it would get checked in.
Fast forward a few weeks, and we get a package in the mail. It is from the AT&T Warranty Department, saying they received the phone but couldn't send a warranty replacement, because the screen was cracked, and sure enough there was the phone with a nice big crack in the upper right corner. First of all, the phone wasn't even sent for a Warranty replacement, it was sent for a Next Trade-In, and second of all, the phone was in pristine condition when it left our possession.
As we happened to be heading the direction of our local corporate store that night anyway, we decided to run by there, and see if they could help. Not only were the people in the store not helpful, they were downright rude about it. As soon as they heard the S8 purchase was made at Best Buy, they wouldn't do anything to help, and sent us on our way. In fact, since we weren't purchasing a new phone or anything, they didn't seem to be very interested in helping us at all (kind of a tangent, but this store used to be excellent with very helpful employees regardless of the situation, and at some point it's gone WAY down hill).
We were out of town that weekend and then busy for the next week, so we didn't have anymore opportunity to look into it until today. My wife called Customer Care again today, and actually managed to get someone who was helpful and not rude, and didn't immediately brush her off. After telling the whole situation, and conferring with the reps supervisor, we were told that we should take the phone into the corporate store, and they would be able to create a support ticket of some sort, and attach the picture showing the phone in pristine condition before shipment, and then they should be able to get it worked out from there.
We took the phone to the corporate store, and once again ran into rude and unhelpful employees. With barely even a chance to explain what the situation was, they said they couldn't help and tried to send us on our way. My wife persisted, saying that we were told by customer care to bring it in, and they would be able to help. After looking up the account and snarkily saying that their system had no indication a call was made today; it was practically like pulling teeth, but we finally got them to call customer care to see what to do. They talked to a different rep than the one my wife had talked to, and that person seemed to be confused about what the situation was, and said that they couldn't help and told us to go to Best Buy. My wife tried giving them the information of the rep she had talked to (the rep had given her ATT ID and other info, so they could talk to her if needed), but they refused to take it, and after the phone call with Customer Care, sent her on her way.
Despite knowing exactly what would happen, we decided to go over to Best Buy and talk to them. Exactly like I thought, they said there wasn't anything they could do from their end.
So now here I sit, trying to figure out where to go next, and more than a little pissed with the lack of help they have for a long time customer. I'll also add that since receiving the phone back with the cracked screen (which was sent sans back or battery), the next AT&T bill was received with a charge for the remaining amount due on the phone.
I am NOT paying for something they screwed up themselves, but I can't figure out where to go next, as I don't really want to keep calling customer care until I get lucky enough to actually get someone who is helpful.
Sorry for the long winded post, but I wanted to make sure all the info was include. Any ideas from people who have dealt with similar situations?
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