The Call Center Experience

“If I show up at your door, chances are you did something to bring me there.” – Martin Blank

I rarely Tweet, however I sent a Tweet to @ATTCares the other day stating, “Congratulations, it’s official. I’d rather go to the dentist than call your technical support.”

I was immediately replied to and then followed-up with immediately…

actual photo

Granted prior, I literally spent three hours on the phone with their technical “support” because my DVR wasn’t working properly.

When I initially called, I had to go through the automated process to get to a live human being; this literally takes 15 minutes alone. At this point, they know my kids’ names and what car I drive and my favorite flavor of soup, but their first two questions are, “What is your account number? Who am I speaking with?”.

I immediately explain I re-booted three times, went through the mobile app “fix” process, and did everything known to man before I had to call you.

For literally an hour, I am on the phone with this person, which at one point, I had a knife to my throat. I begged to speak to someone else, I literally just needed a technician to come to the house and replace a set-top-box. I get transferred and the process starts again.

“What is your account number and who am I speaking with?” 30 minutes goes by to “troubleshoot” my problem. I am told thank you, transferring now to someone that can help.

I did this two times more.

The AT&T technician is standing now literally behind me as I type this right now replacing my set-top-box.

This is my cry for help to anyone who handles a call center with massive volume: Why in God’s name is your social media team so much more efficient than your call center? Because it’s public? Because it’s in the States? I’m begging you, explain this to me.

And I’m all about globalism, but my God, would it be so difficult to have these call centers in rural college town America instead of half-way around the world, at least then they can empathize with my situation? Hell, I’d be fine with talking about the weather during the waiting period of my fifth re-boot.

What you’ve done is created an absolute awful customer experience. I’ve called you maybe three times in my six years of being a customer. With me paying $200/mo, I believe that’s not asking much of you.

I also understand you get calls which require you to ask, “is it plugged in?” to novice users, but you could make it so much simpler.

But now? I literally hate your company. For every night of flawless TV watching, this, this is why I want to dump you for a different company that I know is going to break my heart in the future.

So my ask is that you listen to your customers, treat your existing customers better than acquisition targets (i.e. this deal applies to new customers only!) and completely gut your call center experience and start from scratch.

Love and kisses,
IT in the D