The WORST customer service I have EVER experienced

[Teajonez]

I will try and be succinct...

1.) A collection agency called me. A legit one. They are claiming a $165 balance was never paid and that it would show on my credit as of July.

2.) I call ATT and speak to Customer Rep 1 and have to explain the situation. She says I have no balance and I am all squared away. I ask for this in writing so that I may present to collection agency. She says she can't do that and transfers me to Customer Rep 2.

3.) Customer Rep 2 says I have a balance of 30-something dollars. I know this. It's my monthly balance that is automatically withdrawn every month. She agrees, but cannot give me anything in writing. We are disconnected. I call back and speak to Customer Rep 3. I tell her the story and we go through the exact same thing. Again. Customer Rep 3 tells me to just show my next bill to the Collections Agency.

She obviously doesn't understand that after switching from DSL to U-Verse, multiple moves etc., the Collections Agency will not care about what a bill says about an account they know nothing about. I explain that I need something in writing from ATT that states that I do not owe their company anything. She says she can't do that. Customer Rep 4 tells me to hang up and call again to connect to Billing. I do. Customer Rep 5 picks up.

4.) Customer Rep 5 gets the story. Again. She says she can't do anything for me unless I call and get the reference number from the Collection Agency. I do. I call back and speak to Customer Rep 6. At this point I am at my wit's end, but this really takes the cake...

5.) I tell my story to Customer Rep 6. I admit I didn't have the most friendly tone in my voice. Probably from having been put on hold, disconnected and told that I cannot be helped MULTIPLE times. Go figure.

I give him the reference number that the Collections Agency gave me. He runs it through his system and says that that account does not, nor has it ever existed. This is a relief...somewhat. I ask him to please send that to me in writing so that I can show the collections agency.

He requests my Social Security Number so that he can try and run it down another way. I comply and when he 'runs it through the system', his reply is that I am not a customer with ATT&T. I tell him that I have been a customner in good standing for over three years.

He tells me, verbatim, that I am not. He then proceeds to tell me that he is skeptacle as to whether or not I am giving him a valid social. I am pretty taken aback and ask him why I would give him a fake social to prove that my account is in good standing. He says he doesn't know, but he doesn't believe me. He then transfers me to Customer Rep 7.

6.) I tell Customer Rep 7 the story in a collected and calm manner. He says the most logical thing I have heard all day (let me get a manager). I wait on hold 20 minutes waiting to talk to Customer Rep 8....and then am disconnected.

MAKE THIS RIGHT ATT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Teajonez]

And of course...over two hours after my first communication, I'm put on hold long enough waiting for a manager that the office closes. I find this out when I call back to speak to Customer Rep 8.

[RCSMG ACE - Master]

Send Alex a PM he is an ATT Community Manager on the forum.

http://forums.att.com/t5/user/viewprofilepage/user-id/318276

[Teajonez]

Beat you to the punch, but great canned reply.

I'll be waiting, and for what it's worth, if this is not made very right within 24 hours, I will be cancelling my service and filing a report with the BBB for the little that AT&T thinks that is worth.

[RCSMG ACE - Master]

Your welcome.  That canned reply has gotten many people's issues resolved.

[oufanindallas]

Worked for me just recently.  The reason it's a "canned" response is that 99% of the people that post on this forum are users just like you and have no way to see any account information. Alex and his team can get things done when other means have produced less than the desired results.

[Teajonez]

And it has worked for me. I am still shopping for other providers, namely because I get accused of lying about my social security number and someone labeled as a "Community Leader Master" gives me a snide response on an ATT-SPONSORED support message board. <br><br>Yes, my own response was pointed, but I am the customer who has been put in a volatile situation. The entire structure of ATT's customer service and relations doesn't set anyone up to succeed and still remains the worst. Seriously, why are other users being used to facilitate the "secret passage" to good service. <br><br>I should have received the response I got from an ATT rep from using this board immediately and WITHOUT having to use this board, or at the very lest, through an efficient transfer through a friendly hierarchy over the phone. NOT a day later after dozens of phone calls and ignorant/rude representatives. Yes, my issue was resolved, and ATT will mark that as a win because they DON'T GET IT. I will still be filing a report with the Better Business Bureau and researching new providers.<br><br>Thank you to the members of this board for helping to get my issue resolved, but simutaneously bringing to the forefront evidence that this is a broken system.<br><br>(Here is where a board member that ATT has been kind to, or annointed as a message board leader will tell me that i should be happy my issue is resolved, or to call this person or that person to register a complaint, or whatever-the-@#*!. Prove me wrong. Show me that you understand that this system needs work NOW, not LATER, by just letting this admitted rant stand on its own without message board one-upsmanship. FIN.) <br>

[texasguy37 ACE - Champion]

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Teajonez wrote:

And it has worked for me. I am still shopping for other providers, namely because I get accused of lying about my social security number and someone labeled as a "Community Leader Master" gives me a snide response on an ATT-SPONSORED support message board. 

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What snide response were you given?

[Teajonez]

"Your (sic) welcome. That canned reply has gotten..."

Yes, some attitudes can be misconstrued via text, but I doubt this is one of them because as I acknowledged, my response was pointed. No, it's not some egregious slight, but the fact that it is used as ATT-backed customer relations communication is unprofessional, and to be honest-borderline silly.

If ATT is going to depend on lackeys to lead their service, which evidently they are, here is a better response:

"I know you are frustrated, but that really will work! (Explain why, yada, yada, yada)"

[texasguy37 ACE - Champion]

Interesting the you characterize RC's response as "snide".  He posted information referring you to an AT&T response known to help customers resolve issues that they have been unable to resolve by calling AT&T.  Your response to his helpful information was:

Beat you to the punch, but great canned reply.

I'll be waiting, and for what it's worth, if this is not made very right within 24 hours, I will be cancelling my service and filing a report with the BBB for the little that AT&T thinks that is worth.

Would you characterize your response as a snide comment?

[Teajonez]

Reread my message. I said my response was snide. Rude even. And I'm not trying to attack him, really, or you for that matter. However, do you really not see a problem when customers are expected to hear about the only efficient way to receive service through non-affiliated message board posters on their own website? There is a disconnect there, right? Are you defending the poster (understandable as I alluded to), or the system (abhorrant)?

[texasguy37 ACE - Champion]

Actually, you did not say that your message was snide. This was your comment:

Yes, my own response was pointed, but I am the customer who has been put in a volatile situation.

I would agree with your last statement that your comment was rude.

A number of us U-verse customers freely volunteer our time on this forum to help other customers resolve issues, share information and get the most out of their U-verse service. Many of us have been helped through this forum and want to give back. We don't come to this forum to be attacked or berated for out efforts to help other customers.

RC attempted to help you with your issue and your took your frustrations with AT&T out on him. I find that behavior rude and unacceptable.

[SomeJoe7777 ACE - Geek]

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Teajonez wrote:
Reread my message. I said my response was snide. Rude even. And I'm not trying to attack him, really, or you for that matter. However, do you really not see a problem when customers are expected to hear about the only efficient way to receive service through non-affiliated message board posters on their own website? There is a disconnect there, right? Are you defending the poster (understandable as I alluded to), or the system (abhorrant)?

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Maybe it is a problem.  But we (the CLs, who are not AT&T employees) have nothing to do with that.  It's AT&T you have a beef with, but you're taking it out on us.  How is that helpful, or even logical?

Why, in the future, are we supposed to bother volunteering our time here to connect dissatisfied users with paths and procedures to get their problem solved when we then get contemptuous remarks from those we try to help?  Are you attacking the system (understandable) or the posters (abhorrent)?

[Teajonez]

Final post- it's the system, and I am sorry you guys volunteer your valuable time for something that is blatantly broken. I was rude. Because I am so angry with the ATT support system. I (erroniously, evidently) associated the ATT message board designed to help customers with that system. I apologize to you guys, as people. But i will not apologize for my frustration and my assessment of the way ATT has set things up. Thank you.

[oufanindallas]

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Teajonez wrote:
Final post- it's the system, and I am sorry you guys volunteer your valuable time for something that is blatantly broken. I was rude. Because I am so angry with the ATT support system. I (erroniously, evidently) associated the ATT message board designed to help customers with that system. I apologize to you guys, as people. But i will not apologize for my frustration and my assessment of the way ATT has set things up. Thank you.

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While it does seem, by looking at these boards, that AT&T is totally screwed up.  While you may have been treated poorly, there are millions of AT&T customers that have no issues.  When they reach out for help in here, we try to send them to the appropriate people.  Last year it was one person, we now have a team of 3 or 4 that are available by private message to help out customers.  No service is perfect, even the company I work for, a Fortune 500 company that is worth several billion dollars and strives for great customer service still has issues. It's no one thing that is to blame but a variety of issues across serveral venues.

[RCSMG ACE - Master]

Wow, I'm glad I missed a lot of this thread.  Even though the apology was given, I don't understand the attack on a non ATT employee.  But oh well, life and I go on.

Thanks TG, OU, and SJ. 

[oufanindallas]

YW.

I learned first hand last week that Alex and his group can get results. Had an issue pop up and they were able to take care of it in a very short time period.