Loyalty Lost In One Day

Let me begin by beating the same drum. I find it poor customer service for AT&T not to have a direct and personal feedback channel for its customers. Apparently, the notions of TQM, Six-Sigma, process improvement, Kaizen, customer services escape AT&T. Quality was a big strategic movement of the 80's and 90's but apparently AT&T missed out on those messages.

Anyway, I have been a 25+ year AT&T customer with phone and then DSL. This past year my DSL service has been spotty requiring constant reboots. Nevertheless, I stuck as a customer. Two days ago, with several WiFi interruptions and too long downloads, I decided to upgrade to Uverse. I spent 30 minutes going through the process and pricing with an AT&T rep using online chatting. Only to find the rep didn't know how to bundle the fact that I have two lines to my house. She told me to call! I then spent 30 minutes with a phone rep to only find out that he wasn't able to recreate the pricing that I was quoted by the online rep. He told me to go back online! I spent another 30 min online with a rep who knew how to bundle two lines with Uverse. I proceeded to complete the order and got confirmation and even an installation date (12/26). Done? Of course, not. Five hours later I get an email from AT&T saying that the order couldn't be processed. (Sidenote: the AT&T message had words misspelled: "Imgae" for "Image", wow!). I called AGAIN. This time I got a rep who was nice enough but spent the next 50 min (!!) saying "one minute please checking", "can I put you on hold?", "We apologize", etc. When I asked what is the problem, he provided no concrete answer expect to say that the computer system had a problem with processing my order. But, he said "no problem" he will get it solved. After the 50 min, he tells me that he couldn't process the order and had similar computer issues. I was beyond myself. He said that he would transfer me to a "specialist". I waited 25 more minutes on hold waiting for this elusive specialist to only be told by the rep that the specialist is too busy and I that I should call (800-288-2020). I was stunned and dumbfounded by the complete incompetence (online system, phone reps) and the total disregard for customer service.

AT&T literally wasted my entire day. 25+ years was damaged right then and there. I logged into Time Warner and in 20 min, I got a bundle at half the price and internet speeds of 50 Mbps vs. Uverse of 6Mbps. It is done. There is no going back. I am just sad to see it end this way.