Aces High Bulletin Board
General Forums => The O' Club => Topic started by: DREDIOCK on July 06, 2007, 05:45:33 PM
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Now this is arrogent.
Have a complaint?
Dont like waiting on hold for customer service?
No problem Sprint has found the solution.
Instead of fixing and getting rid of the problem.
Get rid of the customer
Sprint Fires Customers (http://www.switched.com/2007/07/06/sprint-dumps-problem-customers/?ncid=NWS00010000000001)
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Does a reverse early termination fee apply?
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Sprint and Direct TV are neck in neck for worst customer service I have delt with. Those tools at Dodge are close on thier heels.
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This is...extreme.
Now, firing customers who are ABUSIVE to the hapless support reps forced to read from scripts and try and deal with restrictive corporate policies I'm all for.
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1. The customer is not always right.
2. Sprint is releasing these people from their contracts and making it possible for them to take their phone numbers with them.
There are customers that just _cost too much_ to keep.
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Sprint has improved their customer service (not customer relations) over the years.
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Originally posted by Chairboy
1. The customer is not always right.
2. Sprint is releasing these people from their contracts and making it possible for them to take their phone numbers with them.
There are customers that just _cost too much_ to keep.
Read some of the comments below that article.
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1. The customer is not always right.
Chairboy, this IS meant in sarcasm, right?
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Embarq (Sprint's local landline spinoff) is the absolute worst. My phone went out Tuesday and did not get repaired until 5pm today (Friday).
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Wow. My MIL's phone went dead on Monday. I went over on the 4th to troubleshoot the problem and could not get a dial tone on any jack or any phone. Called the AT&T automated voicemail system about 1400 on 07/04 and a tech was on the pole and had the problem fixed by 1000 07/05.
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Originally posted by FrodeMk3
Chairboy, this IS meant in sarcasm, right?
Absolutely not. The 1,000 or so terminated subscribers called an average of 25 times a month, 40x times higher than average. Each one of those calls costs money, and within a couple calls, the company no longer makes money. Rapidly, this customer who calls almost daily is now costing them a _lot_ of money.
Call centers typically pay between $10-20 per call, didja know that? An average of 25 calls would be $250-500 a month that the company is paying to maintain this customer who spends 50-150 dollars on their plan.
Going above and beyond for your customers is a good thing, but c'mon....
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Absolutely not. The 1,000 or so terminated subscribers called an average of 25 times a month, 40x times higher than average. Each one of those calls costs money, and within a couple calls, the company no longer makes money. Rapidly, this customer who calls almost daily is now costing them a _lot_ of money.
Chairboy, don't you think that it might be because Sprint's reception and Cell service are 40x suckier than normal?
Most people don't get off they're bellybutton to call and complain for nothing. They usually have a legit beef.
If you provide a service to someone, anyone, That pays for it, You as the provider are entitled to fulfill your end of the bargain, not take your customer's money and tell them to **** off.
The Customer IS always right, if you want to stay in business.
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Originally posted by FrodeMk3
If you provide a service to someone, anyone, That pays for it, You as the provider are entitled to fulfill your end of the bargain, not take your customer's money and tell them to **** off.
The Customer IS always right, if you want to stay in business.
:aok
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Originally posted by FrodeMk3
Chairboy, don't you think that it might be because Sprint's reception and Cell service are 40x suckier than normal?
Most people don't get off they're bellybutton to call and complain for nothing. They usually have a legit beef.
If you provide a service to someone, anyone, That pays for it, You as the provider are entitled to fulfill your end of the bargain, not take your customer's money and tell them to **** off.
The Customer IS always right, if you want to stay in business.
With every cell provider, it depends on where you ARE. I cant make a Sprint, or Ntelos, or Cingular call at my house, but I CAN make a Verizon call-- if someone has a phone in an area with poor coverage, they NEVER gonna be happy, and will do nuthin but pizz and moan, best to be rid of them
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Originally posted by FrodeMk3
Most people don't get off they're bellybutton to call and complain for nothing. They usually have a legit beef.
You have obviously never worked within 50 yards of a call center.
There are such things as "serial complainers." I thought anyone that looked at these BBs would understand that.
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I read about people that have all of these complaints against Sprint and I have to take it with a grain of salt.
I've had Sprint for six years now,and have zero complaints.I've never once been hit with roaming charges no matter what city I was in,and the long distance is free.Dropped calls are non-existent.I even dropped my home phone because of this.
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Originally posted by FrodeMk3
The Customer IS always right, if you want to stay in business.
Baloney! And I could give you daily examples of why this is baloney.
How about the person who calls and cusses you out, never leaving a name or number, and always just hangs up when he is done?
How about the person who consistently breaks things to have a reason to call you and cuss you out as the reason it got broken?
How about the person who calls six or seven times a day to ask about other products and serivces trying to get your opinion of them?
How about the person who sets expectations which are impossible to meet so they cuss you out for it?
How about the person who calls daily, and constantly takes other calls and keeps you on the line for hours to ask one question?
How about the person who calls daily to rant at you (no problem at all, just rainting), then calls your boss to complain you did not pay any attention to him?
How about the person who calls daily and will not talk to anyone other than the owner of the company so they can feel important?
People like the above costs you money. They prevent companies from lowering support costs with thier senseless calls. A senseless call is a call which has no possible resolution as the customer is not seeking a resolution. Or the resolution is not within the realm of reality.
I have had to use the following phrase many times in my 30+ years of customer support, "I am not here to be abused by you. If you need help I will be happy to try and help you."
There are people who truly believe when they pay for a service, they are entitled to abuse people at that company. Those are the people no company should have to tolerate.
I amnot addressing what Sprint has done, as I have not read it. I am just addressing one aspect of your post in a general manner.
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Originally posted by FrodeMk3
The Customer IS always right, if you want to stay in business.
Frode, how long have you been in business?
I have been in business most of my adult life now. my business is primarily a service related business. my clientel is well healed and many are accustomed to having their way, often at other's expense.
while the customer needs to be accomodated within reason if a customer costs you more than they render it is no longer sound business to continue to service them.
I toss out troublesome customers almost every month some people or organizations are just not worth the bother.
here's an example from yesterday.
we receive a call from a condo that their pool gate which is secured by a keypad access control and a magnetic lock is not functioning properly.
we dispatch a tech to service the problem. the tech radios back that someone has stolen the transformers which power up the system.
we call the condo and explain the problem. the president goes off on the girl demanding it be replaced under warranty. I have to stop playing aces high to address the call.
that is bull**** but what can I do? I speak to the pres and explain the same thing over again. I get cussed out. I radio the tech and tell him to bolt up and split.
I want my competitors to have that customer.
the thing is there are tons of condos here but few people who do what I do.
it's a good idea to not piss off your reliable service providers. eventually they will be back, with another president and a better attitude and when they return they will pay for yesterday's service call and aggrivation.
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Wow Skuzzy! I'm sure glad that the few times I have needed to call HTC I have kept my phone calls short and to the point.
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Alright, guys, I'll put it this way...
If i'm out on the job, and I'm digging a trench in Downtown L.A., and there are utility lines' that we find underground that weren't on the plan, and I break one with the backhoe...I'm looking at my final paycheck from that company. The customer( In this case, the Metro rail authority) is going to complain loudly, and even though the line I go through might just be some PVC counduit and some wires inside, I will not be able to say, "Sorry, sir, I'm here to dig, not to be abused," Load the backhoe back up on the trailer, and leave the job with someone from the City planners' office sitting there gaping.
Although I will say this: Doing business with Gov't. entities, vs. Private Citizens, is a totally different onion to peel. You are usually dealing with people who are at work themselves, paid to be there, and don't take anything personally. Private Citizens, who pay for things directly, are going to be a different story. I would guess that it boils' down to honesty, then. But the honesty has to carry across to both sides' of the aisle.
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Ya but if someone from the City planners office told you to come out to his house after work and dig him a pool off the clock that might tick you off some.
Over the years I have told more than a few clients to take my card out of their rolladex .
shamus
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Shamus, it happens' more than you know...Alot of Company's will do that, if it pay's off in the long run.
This discussion is more of a battle of Point-Of-Views over business' ethics, really. I want to see what happens' with this Sprint move, how it will effect them.
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The customer is NOT always right. All you have to do to see that is work in the public sector a while. There are customers who will never be satisfied no matter how good the service and product provided is to them.
I think Sprint could have worded their termination of service letter better but if you have someone who signed up down town but lives out in the toolies they may NOT be able to get service from that company. In that case which is fairer, tell the customer tough cookies, pay up anyhow since they signed a contract or drop the contract, waive early termination fees and let them find another provider that may service where they spend their time?
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The customer is NEVER right, just ask the DMV.
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I've had extensive dealings with Sprint (Embarq) at our workplace. As you know phones are critical to large steel making facilities. Phones go out on a regular basis and it takes two to three days before we see an Embarq repairman. Their service and equipment apprently are the worst I've had to deal with.
At home I have AT&T. When using a landline for my PC modem 10 years ago I had noise in the line that really made my conncection horrible. I called (SBC at that time) and a repairman was here the next morning, found the problem and corrected it. All this for a PC Modem.
I'll take AT&T any day.
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Originally posted by Elfie
Wow Skuzzy! I'm sure glad that the few times I have needed to call HTC I have kept my phone calls short and to the point.
Don't take it to mean I do not like to talk to people Elfie. Part of customer service is to take a little time an shoot the bull a bit, if the situation warrants it. It is part of the 'good will' aspect of customer service.
I could not have been doing customer service work for the last 30+ years if I did not like it. There is always the gratification of solving a problem for someone. Yes, there is the occasional jerk, but that is far and few between.
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Originally posted by Skuzzy
Yes, there is the occasional jerk
Yea, but I haven`t had to call lately. :D
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If you ever worked in retail, you will learn that the customer is NOT always right
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Originally posted by Skuzzy
Don't take it to mean I do not like to talk to people Elfie. Part of customer service is to take a little time an shoot the bull a bit, if the situation warrants it. It is part of the 'good will' aspect of customer service.
I could not have been doing customer service work for the last 30+ years if I did not like it. There is always the gratification of solving a problem for someone. Yes, there is the occasional jerk, but that is far and few between.
I know you guys are busy, so I ask what I need, then let you go. You don't want to get me started talking on the phone cuz I'll have you there for hours. :D
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Originally posted by storch
[...] I have to stop playing aces high to address the call.[...]
Yes, that type of costumers are just asking for it :lol
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I have to agree. the customer is NOT always right.
For myself even when they arent I often do my best to appease them and adress whatever it is they are concerned about because its good business for me to do so
BUT
I have had a couple of people (Fortunately only a couple)
Whom I just couldnt pease no matter what I did.
Including one whom was complaining about something that no way could I make a railing and spindles look like brand new without installing brand new.
It was a big job and she said "Im spending alot of money on this stuff. to which I finally had to reply. "You could be willing t spend millions on this stuf. I STILL cant turn watermelon into gold without replacing it. and you dont want it replaced Im only a magician NOT a miricle worker."
And another more recently who expected a level of perfection I do not beleive is achievable.
It was a 4 day job I ended up spending a week and a half on.
At some point you have to say "enough"
And I told each. "Do me a favor. The next time you need work done. Call someone else"
Ands here I was wondering why she was complaining she couldnt get any of her former contractors to come back LOL
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Sounds like good business to me.
More than one accountant and business adviser has told me that every year I should turnover (i.e., release) 20% of my clientèle. So every year I just stop taking the calls (I'm in the IT business) of the most painful, least profitable customers I have. I get more work done, make more money, and have more sleep at night.
If the customer was always right, why would they need you in the first place?
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My brother works for Cingular/AT&T as a sales person and he complains about getting the same people coming in or calling asking stupid questions atleast twice a week. bet hge wouyld love for them to do the same, they kill his sale time.
I know i'd love for us to dump certain customers. I can only think of 2 we told to take a hike becuase were lucky to come out even with them.
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Followup:
A Sprint insider is saying that most of the people targeted were scammers:
http://consumerist.com/consumer/exclusives/sprint-customers-terminated-for-complaining-too-much-were-scamming-sprint-for-free-service-277026.php
Some frank language, and informative comments. One person was removed from The List because his issue was legit, so that's positive traction in Sprint's favor, I'd argue, because there appears to be a safety valve.