AT&T Gripes - 06/19/2005 3:07 AM
I bet this is a new one.
I had a scheduled DSL service tech appointment for May 13th. The stipulations for the service charge are as follows; If the problem is found to be inside wiring then the cost is a $200 charge plus $75 per hour. If I miss the service call (not home) then there is a $200 missed call fee.
On May 12th I call to cancel the appointment as I did not plan to be home that weekend. I informed the customer service rep that I want the appt. changed to the 27th. He informs me that a tech had allready been to my house and waited 15 minutes and left and that I had authorized the change. News to me.
I get home Monday and there is a message from Covad, who contracts for ATT service calls, on my answering machine dated May 12th stating that they had a tech in the area and that if I was home they would like to perform the service call that day.
Fast forward to this past week when I am fielding calls every single day from AT&T's billing dept. demanding $277 for my late phone bill of which $239.95 is a missed service call fee. Every day I explain to the caller I have allready paid the bill and that I didn't authorize the service call at which they promptly thank me and hang up...until the next day.
At this point I am transferred to billing and I have to explain the situation 10 times before the lady understands. She informs me that I must talk to DSL support first in order for billing to remove the charge. On hold again
Still Holding
STILL ON HOLD
DSL Tech Support: How may I help you?
Me. I am being charged $239.95 for a missed service call that I did not authorize. I have a recorded message on my answering machine from Covad asking to come a day early when I wasn't home. They came anyway and now I am being charged.
DSL Tech Support: Please hold while I review your account.
Me. On hold
DSL Tech Support: It shows by our records that you rescheduled your appt. for the 12th so you are being charged.
Me. . I have a recorded message on my answering machine from Covad asking to come a day early when I wasn't home. I did not authorize this!! I am not goig to pay for someone else's mistake.
DSL Tech Support: Please hold.
Me.ya
DSL Tech Support: I am reviewing the notes here and it says that you authorized the reschedule.
Me I don't give a god damn what it says. I have a recorded message on my answering machine from Covad asking to come a day early when I wasn't home. They came anyway and now I am being charged. I did not authorize this and I want credit for it and if you can't give me the credit then transfer me to someone who can. I am tired of playing with you people on the phone. I want to speak to your supervisor please
DSL Tech Support. Can you hold please?
Me. Sure why not?
DSL Tech Support: Sir I am looking at the notes on the account and it says you called on the 12th to reschedule.....
Me. I don't care what your notes say. I want to speak to your supervisor please.
DSL Tech Support: Please hold.
After a good 20 minutes hold time Supervisor Sam comes on the line and I play the same game with him for a while. Finally he says well I see note that Covad called on the 12th. He agrees to reverse the charges and we must now do a conference call with AT&T billing after another 20 minutes of hold time. After that he comes back and informs me he will have to call me back. Finally the next day he calls and tells me I should see a credit on my bill.
The above version has been shortened due to the repetetive nature of the calls but keep in mind that I did this every day for about 4 days before I finally got to a supervisor
I had a scheduled DSL service tech appointment for May 13th. The stipulations for the service charge are as follows; If the problem is found to be inside wiring then the cost is a $200 charge plus $75 per hour. If I miss the service call (not home) then there is a $200 missed call fee.
On May 12th I call to cancel the appointment as I did not plan to be home that weekend. I informed the customer service rep that I want the appt. changed to the 27th. He informs me that a tech had allready been to my house and waited 15 minutes and left and that I had authorized the change. News to me.
I get home Monday and there is a message from Covad, who contracts for ATT service calls, on my answering machine dated May 12th stating that they had a tech in the area and that if I was home they would like to perform the service call that day.
Fast forward to this past week when I am fielding calls every single day from AT&T's billing dept. demanding $277 for my late phone bill of which $239.95 is a missed service call fee. Every day I explain to the caller I have allready paid the bill and that I didn't authorize the service call at which they promptly thank me and hang up...until the next day.
At this point I am transferred to billing and I have to explain the situation 10 times before the lady understands. She informs me that I must talk to DSL support first in order for billing to remove the charge. On hold again
Still Holding
STILL ON HOLD
DSL Tech Support: How may I help you?
Me. I am being charged $239.95 for a missed service call that I did not authorize. I have a recorded message on my answering machine from Covad asking to come a day early when I wasn't home. They came anyway and now I am being charged.
DSL Tech Support: Please hold while I review your account.
Me. On hold
DSL Tech Support: It shows by our records that you rescheduled your appt. for the 12th so you are being charged.
Me. . I have a recorded message on my answering machine from Covad asking to come a day early when I wasn't home. I did not authorize this!! I am not goig to pay for someone else's mistake.
DSL Tech Support: Please hold.
Me.ya
DSL Tech Support: I am reviewing the notes here and it says that you authorized the reschedule.
Me I don't give a god damn what it says. I have a recorded message on my answering machine from Covad asking to come a day early when I wasn't home. They came anyway and now I am being charged. I did not authorize this and I want credit for it and if you can't give me the credit then transfer me to someone who can. I am tired of playing with you people on the phone. I want to speak to your supervisor please
DSL Tech Support. Can you hold please?
Me. Sure why not?
DSL Tech Support: Sir I am looking at the notes on the account and it says you called on the 12th to reschedule.....
Me. I don't care what your notes say. I want to speak to your supervisor please.
DSL Tech Support: Please hold.
After a good 20 minutes hold time Supervisor Sam comes on the line and I play the same game with him for a while. Finally he says well I see note that Covad called on the 12th. He agrees to reverse the charges and we must now do a conference call with AT&T billing after another 20 minutes of hold time. After that he comes back and informs me he will have to call me back. Finally the next day he calls and tells me I should see a credit on my bill.
The above version has been shortened due to the repetetive nature of the calls but keep in mind that I did this every day for about 4 days before I finally got to a supervisor