AT&T Wireless Has Horrible Customer Service

I placed an order on 6/17 for two new lines of service with ATT. Shortly after submitting my order, via ATT "Premier", I received an e-mail stating that my order had been received and that it would ship within 7-10 days. They also provided me with a handy URL to check the status of my order.

When I went to check the status of my order the next day, an icon was displayed that simply said "Attention!" There was no detail as to what kind of attention was required, so I called ATT Premier to inquire. After holding for over 60 minutes -- literally -- an agent advised me that there was no problem on the order, and that the Web site simply had not updated yet. Ok, fine, I thought. He told me to check the Web site again the next day, and that it would be fine.

Fast forward two days: I receive an e-mail from ATT stating that there was a problem with my order, and that I needed to call in to provide additional information. I called ATT, and waited for 72 minutes before getting a representative. This rep told me that there was a problem verifying my ported phone number from Verizon. He said he did not know what information didn't match Verizon's records, but that he would call a porting specialist who would find out what additional information was needed. I waited ten minutes, and the rep returned on the line to tell me that everything was fine and that he had verified the information with Verizon. I was perplexed because I did not need to provide or correct any of my information -- he did not know why there had been a problem, and apologized. He said my order would ship within 24-48 hours.

Fast forward to the next week: I check my order status online, and it again says "Attention!" with no detail. So, I call the "Premier" support number, wait for 72 minutes, and speak to a representative. The rep tells me that they needed to do a credit check on my order, and that once that was done my order would be shipped. Hold for 11 minutes. Rep returns, tells me everything was fine, no deposit was required, and that my order would ship in 24-48 hours.

Today, I check the status on the "Premier" Web site. Again, "Attention!" I call, and this time get a response in 45 minutes! Wow, that's a record! Anyhow, the agent tells me that there is no problem with my order, but that it is "in fact, being processed manually". I have no idea what that means, and frankly don't care. I ask him when I can expect my order to ship... and he tells me... wait for it... 24-48 hours. I expressed my frustration that as a new ATT customer this reflects extremely poorly upon their company. I asked him if I should expect to have the same treatment when, and if, my order is ever fulfilled. Will I have to wait 60 minutes to speak to an agent every time? He stated that the current iPhone volume was causing the delay and I have to say that this is no excuse. If you don't have the staff to support the demand for a product, then you don't carry the product -- period. Furthermore, call centers outsource their calls for this express purpose -- they can bring up a thousand agents at minimal notice, without having to hire them on full-time. It seems every national company gets this -- except for ATT.

I am considering cancelling my order with ATT tomorrow if there is no change in the order status. Their support has been abysmal. Their agents are not trained well, and their IT infrastructure is apparently disconnected and poorly implemented.

Someone remind me why I am leaving Verizon? I've never had a problem with their service. On the rare occasion that I have had to call them, my call was answered almost immediately by a real, live person.

Perhaps ATT has a call center forecaster who fat-fingered staffing calculations for 85% of the calls to be answered in 50 minutes or more, instead of the industry standard of 85% answered in 30 seconds or less.

If this is ATT's "Premier" support, I am loathe to discover what its standard support is like.

Comment On This

I completely under stand I have been with them for going on 9 years and I am waiting for Tmoblie to get some new smart phones to change to them... Att used to be good and the had great customer service but since the cingular merger it seems the had adopted the Cingular customer service plan.. Where you long time clients are not important they want that new business so they can trap them into a 2 yr contract... Just look at the phone offers I am a Premier client and a new client gets better phone prices the we do... I at this point am waiting for some of the new phones and as soon as I see one I like I am out... An the phone service has gotten so bad the past few months it takes 4 trys to get a call out...I can't wait to leave .....