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For those of you dear Gentle Readers who read my monumental 5-part blog about my Anniversary Party – “Here’s the thing. . .” – you might remember my rather perturbed comments aimed at the customer service department of AT&T. I believe I mentioned that I would be writing a letter to that august corporation to register my *ahem* “concerns” about their obvious difficulty in delivering their “award-winning,” “Number 1” (so-called) record of service to their customers.
I wrote such a letter, and mailed it the next day, while the wonderful experience was still fresh in my mind (as though such treatment would ever grow stale for me). The letter, after being very quickly written and before being mailed, was read to Hubs and my brother and sister-in-love. It was not very well received, primarily because of the rather “uncivil” tone. While I believed I was terse, I also feel I was quite civil and restrained. But, as my regular readers will remember, I have a hard time judging my own tone of voice, or written impact. For a refresher course on this inherited problem, see “Being Misunderstood.”
So, I bowed to pressure, and reworded it. I wasn’t entirely satisfied with the final version, but I didn’t receive any other suggestions – in fact I got no further comments at all. Period. So I mailed it. Owing to the tone of the letter, I did expect some sort of reply or at least an acknowledgment of receipt. To date, not a single word. I’m waiting, and I will definitely keep you posted as to the progress. Until then, I am providing you with a copy of the letter: (I did, however, receive my first bill to cover the balance of the first- month charges. Of course!)
October 26, 2010
AT&T Consumer Complaint Department
400 Chastain Boulevard
Kennesaw, GA 30144
To whom it may concern:
Recently we received in the mail an invitation to change our bundled service from a local cablevision company to AT&T. This was not the first time that we had received such a mailing over the past year; however, it is the first time that upon calling I learned that your service is at last available at our residence. I spoke with your sales representative, who offered me excellent service, but that is the only service I am satisfied with to date.
Because our present bundled system delivered all three services – DSL, telephone, and cable television – we did not have a phone jack, although I do believe that at some point in time, our 110 year old farmhouse might have had one. I informed the sales rep that this was the case. I paid the initial set-up fees over the phone when I placed the order for High Speed DSL, telephone service, and Direct TV Satellite package. I was pleased with the quote given for the first year of service, and also that after the first year, our costs will still be somewhat less than what we now pay. The rep told me that Friday, October 22, the Direct TV would be installed, and Saturday, your AT&T services would be installed.
Our Direct TV serviceman delivered as promised, and we were set up with them by an excellent service man. So far, so good. He had tried to call us and inform us what time he would arrive, but he said our number (the new one assigned to us by you) was not working. I said it is because they had delivered the equipment, but not installed it. As they were scheduled to come Saturday morning, I waited until mid-afternoon before I called the service department to inquire as to the delay. She told me that there was no service call scheduled for us. The equipment is delivered and you install it yourself. I said we had done that, except that the equipment requires a phone jack, which we do not have, and the installation personnel were supposed to have been at our house that morning. She checked her records, and initially told me that there was no such order. At my insistence, she checked again and told me that yes, there was an order for a phone jack, and that they would be here Monday morning, October 25.
Since I had installed the equipment as far as I could, I had unhooked our present service. This means that we no longer had internet or land-line telephone service. As most of our friends and acquaintances have only that number and not our cell phone they would not be able to contact us. Our 35th wedding anniversary was that Monday, October 25, and we were having a large party. We needed our phone service up and running as soon as possible. As there was nothing I could do about speeding up the installation, I said that that would be OK, as long as it was installed by Monday early afternoon. At 4 p.m. I called to inquire why the service had not been accomplished. I was told that no such service order existed and that if I needed a phone jack, I would have to pay extra, and the earliest they could get to our house was Thursday, October 28, (today). This news was not greeted by a happy AT&T customer. Moreover, he told me to make sure someone would be home, as they could arrive anytime between 7 a.m. and 6 p.m. I thanked him for your “specific” time schedule and hung up abruptly. Needless to say, I was and am very upset. I have some internet business that I need to get done, and the extended wait has put me even further behind. I simply do not understand how such egregious errors by your customer service department – especially in light of the telephone recording announcement I received every time I telephoned you, proclaiming your service as “award winning”, and “#1” – could happen. If your service is an example of “#1,” I pray never to have to deal with “#2.”
I called the service department this afternoon and explained why I had so abruptly terminated my previous telephone conversation. She was very sympathetic, of course, and connected me with your complaint department, and I was given this address to which to direct my complaints. Therefore, I am writing this letter. I was informed that you would make an effort to make things “right” with me. I thanked him, but also added that the only way at this point you could make things right was to deliver my service as promised, and to be assured that I would not be assessed any additional fees nor have to pay for any of your service that you would bill me for before the date of actual installation and use. I have no reason at this point to believe that it will be done anytime soon. I am hopeful that you will do the installation at least by October 28th, the time I have now been promised.
Please tell me that this is not an example of your customer service. Since I am locked in for a year with this program, I most definitely will be taking note of any future service we receive, and will terminate our contract immediately after it is up should I perceive no improvement. Moreover, I will make recommendations to my friends and family that they either terminate their service or not use your services in the future. I sincerely hope that it does not come to this. I have a rather large circle of friends and family.
I thank you for your immediate attention and resolution to this matter.
Sincerely,
Paula Tohline Calhoun
-end-
At 11:30 a.m. on October 28, the technician from AT&T arrived, at last, to install our telephone jack. He was courteous and friendly.
So – you be the judge: Is the letter too long (probably)? Is the letter too short (oh, yeah!)? Or did I say just about enough. . .
Click here for Famous Last Words for today.
Georgia Lanham said:
Wonderful. I could not have said it better myself. (To be truthful, I would probably have been far more curt.) So kudos to you!
Unfortunately, Alltel, the cell phone and wireless provider I use now, has been sold to AT&T. Around here, (New Mexico) AT&T used to be Mountain Bell, or as my mother affectionately called it, MA Bell. She had many a battle with them as I fondly recall. However, I am already a little displeased with AT&T. Last month we received word that we would receive a free phone, as our current cell phones would soon cease to work with their service. I have been debating whether I want to terminate a line as my bill is pretty expensive. (We use smart phones, etc.)
Well, I was told I had to wait another month to terminate a line, and I was also told, somewhat disparagingly, that I would save next to nothing. Of course, if I wished to terminate service with them, I would have to return the free phones, blah, blah, blah.
Time will tell. The deadline is upon me as far as my contract is concerned. However, if I stick with them, I will now have to stay locked in a two year contract. *sigh*
Good luck to you in your battle. David versus Goliath, I think. So keep flinging those “stones”! 🙂
On another note, I love your blog. Very bright and clean. I apologize for taking so long to visit, but I have been very busy with work and worrying. But they gave me a comp 1/2 day today, so I’m taking advantage.
I’ll be coming back to visit. Talk to you soon.
GA Lanham
Paula Tohline Calhoun said:
So terrific to have you drop by! It makes my day every time a new visitor comes over for a spell! Welcome back any time! Good luck with AT&T. I have yet to hear from them, but I’m sending a copy of the letter this week, with an addendum. I will continue to do so very week, or even more frequently until I get a reply!
I wish you the best – keep me posted! Phoners unite! We have nothing to lose but our sanity! (And I lost mine years ago!) 😀
Abby said:
A bit too long, but I also have a short attention span 😉 Sounds like a very annoying experience!!
Paula Tohline Calhoun said:
Of course it’s too long! I was trying to bore AT&T to death as retribution for putting me through their slow death by phone. Read my reply to Jayce above, and you will see that I intend upon boring them for as long as it takes!
Jayce Tohline said:
because of my job with a software provider of software for customer service centers, I’ll be curious to see how long it takes for you to receive a response to a letter, as opposed to a complaint delivered through electronic means.
Paula Tohline Calhoun said:
Since electronic means didn’t work either, I can only say that “time will tell.” At this point, I am not expecting them to reply at all, but I will continue to send copies of this letter – and more and more frequently, until I get a response!..I, too, wonder how long it will take, and how many 44-cent stamps.
Paula Tohline Calhoun said:
Thanks, Nancy! A reply to your most excellent comment is coming by way of my next posting – to be put up later today, I hope. Whoopee! 😀
nrhatch said:
Thank you for contacting AT&T, the Award Winning and #1 Bundle Service Provider in America.*
We’re sorry but all our representatives are busy.
Press #1 if you are patient.
Press #2 if you have a sense of humor.
Press #3 if you are waiting for a response to snail mail.**
#3 ~ Thank you for sending in a written complaint. The folks in our complaint department are still reading and digesting your letter and will get back to you at the . . .
{{beep}}
*Provided that you have a phone jack presently installed on premises. If you need a phone jack installed, it will be like pulling teeth to get AT&T, the #1 and Award Winning Service Provider to actually provide the requested service.
**Really?! You used snail mail? The complaint department at AT&T does not understand why anyone would use snail mail instead of high speed DSL service.
Starla Tohline said:
I think that your letter relayed the story quite well and I approve whole-heartedly. I think I missed some of the original story, but I’m glad I was able to catch up through your letter. I guess we need to talk more often. Hope the pain in your hand is gradually subsiding. Also hoping for an excellent outcome. I also like this new format.