jasonenglish1.com

You might remember my Sprint debacle from last February (detailed here, here and here). That was nothing. When it comes to terminating your wireless contract, death is not a valid excuse.

It was a tough holiday season for Tracey Stewart of Framingham. Her 66-year-old father died on Dec. 21 after a brief illness. This week, her husband, Bill, called Sprint to cancel his father-in-law from the cell phone family plan.

“They said his contract wasn’t up and to pay the fee or keep it activated,” he said.

“He came in and said my father had upgraded his phone, so we can’t cancel unless we pay the early termination fee or give the phone to somebody else,” Stewart said.

They didn’t have someone else, and they said that the suggestion offended them.

Bill Stewart said Sprint did agree to reduce the monthly fee for his deceased father-in-law’s phone from $20 to $10 until the contract ends in September 2008.

A Sprint spokesman said that company policy is to request a death certificate.

[From WCVB in Boston]

A month after my drama with Sprint, The Consumerist picks up the story. They also print the names, phone numbers and email addresses of pretty much everyone at Sprint.

So far, no fraudulent charges on this month’s bill.

It took all of six minutes for the Executive Services VIP Analyst to settle my account. She apologized profusely and refunded every penny of the $630. With an additional $75 “service credit,” my balance due dropped to -$20.

Six minutes.

I am very thankful. My heart rate has returned to normal. I’ve lifted my boycott on the Nextel Cup, and can start watching Ron Livingston movies again.

Do I have any confidence that Sprint won’t screw me again? No, absolutely none. But it’s a depressing industry. Tales identical to this happen all the time, even to Cingular and T-Mobile and Verizon customers. For now, Sprint and I have made up. Better the devil you know. Especially the devil whose Executive Services VIP Analyst’s phone number you know.

I appreciate all the comments and emails and posts and insider tips. Where do we go from here? Out of this little ordeal will come two things. First, a renewed interest in finding examples of great customer service. Gotta balance out the negativity I’ve poured in the ocean. Second, if you’ve gotten your ass kicked by a cell phone provider (or any large entity), I’d be happy to help you demand satisfaction. No guarantees. Just fire me an email.

But I can’t stop thinking that being the anti-cellphone company is fertile ground for a newcomer, the way jetBlue made the stodgy old airlines seem obsolescent. What if Apple had announced the iPhone would only be made available through this non-existent carrier? Oh well. I’m locked in with Sprint for another 23 months. Maybe by then someone will have filled the void. Sir Branson?

Previous Entries: My Marathon With Sprint; An Open Letter to Sprint CEO Gary Forsee; Update: Sprint CEO Emails Me.

On Saturday I posted a rambling diary documenting my dealings with Sprint Customer Care. My latest bill includes $630 in fraudulent charges and the 108-year-old telcom company is unable and unwilling to help. Their answers – “We’ll give you a $150 credit” and “We won’t charge you for the accessories you were told were free” and “We’ll make you eligible for a mail-in rebate” – have only heightened my anger.

I was going to give up. But after my post, I received some great comments and emails from people urging me to fight on. Like Roger Clemens, I’m retiring from retirement. My first order of business is an open letter to Sprint CEO Gary Forsee.

Dear Mr. Forsee,

I read that Sprint is searching for a new advertising agency. Yearly estimates of your ad spending hover around $1.2 billion. That’s a lot of money.

And if you continue to treat customers the way you do, all that money’s a waste.

Last week, I received a bill with $630 in fraudulent equipment charges (complete details here). I spent six hours speaking with a variety of unhelpful customer care reps. I was driven more and more insane. “Sir, there’s nothing we can do.” The last person asked if I was “100% satisfied.” No percent of me is satisfied.

My tenure as a Sprint customer has been rocky. My first three bills were printed in Spanish. When I called to request bills in a language I spoke, I was told there was “nothing we can do.” That’s a running theme in my dealings with your company.

There is most definitely something you can do.

I want a line item on my next bill with a negative sign propped beside $630. No “we’ll make you eligible for a mail-in rebate” nonsense, or “service credits.” Stop being cute. Just fix it. And not because I wrote a letter and posted it on a widely read website*. Fix it because you were 100% wrong in the first place and it’s your job.

If this is the end of the story – if you’re unwilling to help – then your new ad agency will have to work long and hard to resuscitate your reputation. I don’t think $1.2 billion covers it.

I know of nowhere else to turn. Make this right.

Sincerely,
Jason English
jasonenglish1 (at) gmail (.) com

*I don’t mean this one. I’ve also been documenting the drama on YesButNoButYes.

How the 108-year-old telcom giant stole my money, ruined my weekend, and drove me insane.

My Friday night was ruined before it had begun. Between 7:45pm and 1:15am, I would talk to seven different Sprint customer service representatives. My bill, which was $630 higher than expected, would be deemed both “an obvious computer error” and “completely valid.” I would be transferred and hung-up on and stranded on hold. One time I’d even be called back. I would be told I was the victim of a scam; I would be accused of concocting one.

I would be told nothing could be done and I would be lobbied to upgrade my text-messaging plan. I would strangely bring up the Saddam Hussein hanging, just making conversation.

And I would keep a running diary to document the madness.

6:52pm: While watching a documentary about the 1999 St. Louis Rams on my iPod, I receive this email from my wife: “Sprint has charged you another $600 for the BlackBerry you are now reading this on.” This kills the good feelings born from Kurt Warner’s improbable rise.

7:30pm: Now off the bus, I practice verbally jousting with Sprint Customer Care. I play all roles. Talking to yourself in your car is not crazy, I decide.

7:39pm: At home I see the mess that is my Sprint bill. But at least I can read it. Our first three bills were printed in Spanish.

7:45pm: Dialing Customer Care.

7:46pm: I am told all customer service representatives are busy assisting other customers.

7:48pm: I am told all customer service representatives are busy assisting other customers.

7:50pm: (Again.)

7:51pm: I am now talking to Anna, who is most likely from Canada. (I will later learn that everyone I spoke to was in Canada. They’re probably all in the same room, cackling with glee.)

My Opening Statement: “Before we begin, I want you to know how angry I am. I’ve been yelling and I’m shaking. My eyes are tearing up. But I know this isn’t your fault. So I’m not going to yell or swear or give you a hard time.”

Her Rebuttal: “What is your phone number?”

My measured eloquence is lost on all-business Anna.

7:56pm: I make my case, going back to December 29th. That night I called the Sprint 800 number to inquire about upgrading to a BlackBerry. My sales rep put me on hold for fifteen minutes, during which I watched the run-up to Saddam Hussein’s execution. He returned – “he” being the sales rep, not Saddam – and offered me a great deal, similar to the deal new customers would receive. The BlackBerry 8703e for $139.08. He even threw in a headset and protective case, provided I sign a new two-year agreement (effective that day). I supplied my AmEx number; he shipped my phone. Transaction complete.

7:58pm: Anna tells me it sounds like telesales fraud. These reps work on commission, she said. On occasion, a rep will “invent” a deal, accept payment, but never enter any notes about the sale. Sprint knows I ordered a BlackBerry on December 29th and knows they received $139.08, but does not connect the two events. Thus the $600+ in charges a month later.

She says she will contact her supervisor to delete the charges. This is the last I hear from Anna.

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