at&t....you give me angry eyes...
Yesterday, Nick and I stood in line to set up our internet for the apartment. I should have taken the first clue that the internet site was down for ordering and turned and ran...but, I didn't.
So, we finally get done there and they tell me internet will be ready on Friday.
This morning I get a phone call, from at&t (and aparently the only true english speaking at&t person) to tell me that the internet order will be ready on the 15th, ok, whatever. I hang up.
Then it hits me, it was supposed to be ready on the 12th! I know all you have to do is hit a switch to turn the stupid thing on...not like you are sending someone out there. So I decide to call the "help" desk. Worst idea ever.
First off you have to go through this elaborate talking to a computer man's voice as he asks you long questions...that have nothing to do with your order, and try to figure out what to say to hopefully get an operator. The whole time avoiding giving my cell number because, as soon as you do they go from being the internet helpers to "whats wrong with your cell phone" and if you have nothing wrong with your phone that the computer asks you about, then they hang up.
So I finally get to someone to talk about my internet, (some heavy, non-american accent) comes over the phone and tells me they need to transfer me to orders. Then after a few more transfers I get transfered to "James".
AT&T, I am not stupid. I know you have call center people make up names that sound american since you know Krishna...not very american, but seriously...changing names, doesn't change accents, or aparently their ability to understand mine. "James" asks me which state I got my plan in, to which I reply Oklahoma. After being bombarded with more computerized voice ads (which is what AT&T uses instead of hold music) I get a very cheery woman on the other end of the phone. She has an even heavier accent.
"Can I have your Berlin phone number please"
"Uh, my what?"
"Your Berlin phone number, what Berlin phone number is on this account?"
"Wait did you say...Berlin??? Like as in Europe?"
"Yes"
****speechless me****
****still speechless/confused/irate/now finding this funny me****
"Um, I'm trying to get to Ok-la-homa. I have no Berlin phone number"
****confused Berlin lady on other end of phone****
"Can you transfer me to some sort of help desk that I can talk to about my internet set up in Oklahoma?"
****she then tries to transfer me, to which I get to listen to more computerized ads, and then am abruptly hung up on.****
This senario and similar play out for over an hour until I finally get some help, help that took only about 1 minute of some persons time. Go figure the person who could help me WAS IN THE US!!!
AT&T if I could find a way to strangle your computerized voice I would, the longer it tells me about useless products that I do not want, the more irate I become. Your customer service is useless.
When I first moved to Stillwater, AT&T was the only game in town if you wanted phone service. It sounds like their service has not improved at all since that time. In fact, I once became so incredibly angry with AT&T that asked the phone rep what I could do to make sure I never gave AT&T another penny every again. She laughed at me and said "nothing if you want to use a phone."
So, AT&T is no longer the only game in town and no matter how poor the service may be with any other provider, I will never ever give a single penny to AT&T again. This fact also made the choice between Blackberry and Iphone very easy.