Okay, I'm having this issue with SprintPCS and a deposit I paid in Aug. 99 via AMEX. I call tonight and am told that despite the fact that I sent them a letter, proof of the required deposit and my Amex statement showing the fact that they billed me for it, that they have no record and will do nothing. I am going to close my SprintPCS account as soon as this is resolved. I guess for your amusement, I'm posting a not-so-professional letter that I wrote to them this weekend when I was very angry. Customer service has shown no initiative, they have no one that will act as an advocate on my behalf though the reps are called customer advocates. Here's my letter with the personal info removed. December 29, 2000 SPRINT PCS By FAX and MAIL Reference: XXXXX Dear Sir or Madam: If a contest is won by inept, inefficient and poorly trained customer service (at all levels), and poor financial/account record keeping, then Sprint PCS is a gold medal winner. This is the SECOND fax that I have sent regarding reference number XXXX, PCS number 123-456-7891. The latest fiasco concerns the fact that I was required to pay a $250 deposit, billed to my (former) American Express account on 8/18/99. I recently discovered that I am not required to pay a deposit as stated by multiple representatives from your company. Therefore, I insist that you return the two hundred fifty dollar ($250) deposit to me within 30 days. Let me explain all of the issues I've had with Sprint PCS -- 1) Purchased phone and paid deposit on Sprint PCS website. Total paid $356.58, 106.58 for the phone and $250 for the deposit. Please note that I have included your letter dated August 21, 1999 confirming this deposit requirement. 2) Received my first Sprint PCS bill in September/October 1999. The bill included the cost of my telephone AGAIN! I had to call Sprint PCS representatives for several weeks before this issue was resolved. That situation was totally ridiculous. Finally a representative (obviously better trained than the rest) issued four twenty-five dollar ($25) credits to my account. 3) Numerous smaller issues including the fact that the hold time to speak with a representative is outrageous. My time is billed to my clients at a rate of $150 per hour, and dealing with Sprint PCS takes valuable time out of my day. 4) Two people I referred to your service have never been credited to my account because "there is no recordâ?¦" 5) Shoddy record keeping has forced me to obtain American Express statements from a closed account, no easy feat, to prove that I paid the $250 deposit in question. Multiple trips to Kinko's to copy and fax all of this information cost me additional time and money. And yet, this inconvenience is multiplied by the fact that I am requested to fax the information to you again! Let me offer you one compliment -- 1) From a technical perspective, my phone service has been very good, dropped calls very few and nationwide long distance is convenient for me. However, this does not excuse any of the human problems and computer errors that I have noted in detail above. In closing, let me state exactly what I expect here -- 1) Sprint PCS will issue a check to me in the amount of $250. Sprint PCS will not credit this amount to the closed American Express account. 2) Sprint PCS should compensate me in a meaningful manner for the time and money spent on all of these problems. Copies, faxing and general aggravation. 3) Sprint PCS should re-evaluate its record keeping policies and customer service training. Sincerely, MT
RE: I am just furious with Spr If SPRINT still is cluless after a few weeks, AMEX may still be able to help, even though the account is closed because at the time of purchase, you were a cardholder.
RE: I am just furious with Spr Amex is going to pull up as much information about the transaction as they possibly can. I am to contact Amex on Monday to discuss. The rep did say that it may be possible to charge-it-back, but she was not for sure since it was such a long time ago. Thanks for your post.
Question 4 u mt Have you spoken with a supervisor? I mean a real supervisor. Get their names etc. and then send your complaint to a higher up. Sprints reps are STUPID. You must go over their heads with your issues. roni
RE: Question 4 u mt Hi Roni, I spoke with a supervisor this evening. I have his name. He listened to me and then stated that the "investigation" was closed with no finding of an error by SprintPCS. An additional source of frustration is the fact that all of the reps, including this supervisor totally have the amount that I'm disputing wrong -- they keep stating that I'm disputing $125, and not $250. After the supervisor said $125 to me for the second time this evening I said, "Please, please, do me a favor -- while we are on the telephone, review the reference on your screen to $125, and NOTE that the amount of the deposit was $250." I want to be constructive about this situation. I think I have sufficient legal proof and documentation that I have paid this amount. Tomorrow I plan to consult with my roommate, the attorney, for an unofficial opinion.
RE: Question 4 u mt Is it time to ask for the "MANAGER" of the credit department? (THE MAIN MAN OR WOMAN)?
RE: Question 4 u mt $125 is the typical deposit that they request now. That is why they keep screwing up. You need to call tomorrow and ask to speak to another supervisor. The guy you spoke to tonight is probably not a REAL supervisor if you know what I mean. I would call again tomorrow, give this person the other persons name to let them know that you are taking names and if they dont help you, you will file a formal complaint or write the corporate headquarters. That is what I would do. $250 is a lot of dough. roni
RE: Question 4 u mt You may need to preface the next written communication with "FINAL NOTICE PRIOR TO LEGAL ACTION" ... sounds like you are entitled to treble damages (total owed + total out of pocket / billable time lost x 3). Does Sprint PCS force mandatory arbitration like Verizon does? If so, reword 1st paragraph to PRIOR TO ARBITRATION DEMAND. Someone in a management level has to "get it" ... have you tried going to a Sprint PCS store and getting a manager face-to-face? Good luck!
RE: Question 4 u mt I have not tried the store. I though the stores were contract locations. I have been to a store once to switch my phone number and they told me they could not do it without changing my plan to fewer minutes for the same $$. I do not recall anything about arbitration in the contract, but do recall that Missouri law applies. I think I will follow a couple of suggestions made to ask for a MANAGER. I've asked each time for the name of an ACTUAL person that I can address my faxes and letters to. They state, oh, just send it in, someone will get to it.............ggggggggggggrrrrrrrrrrrrr.
My experience with sprint (lon Just thought I'd throw in my experience with sprint customer service advocates. They had said that I went about $30 over my minutes, which I hadn't. Because they screwed up, and switched the bill to my girlfriends name, I didn't catch it until a month later. (Both names were on the 2 accounts, but they were supposed to be billed to me) When I called sprint, they said that there was absolutely nothing they could do. I talked to several csa's, and a couple supervisor's with no luck. I called and had my service cancelled at the end of the billing cycle, and they still didn't refund. Now I am verrrrry happy with our 2 new phones (1 alltel, and 1 verizon) Even if I did actually go over the minutes, seems pretty stupid to let a customer of 2 years cancel their account over a lowsy $30 charge.
Something is wrong here Sorry if I get this wrong MT... If you have good enough credit to have an AMEX card why does the phone company want a deposit? Am I missing something. My credit is crappy but with good payments to US West (now Qwest) they begged me to get a phone. Which I did. Mike
RE: Something is wrong here My AMEX card was a corporate card. The card was cancelled when I changed companies.
