Sprint/Nextel discriminates against tech-challenged customers
By George Gardner
Sprint Nextel Corp. has sent letters to 1,000 unfortunate wireless subscribers, giving them one month to pack their bags and find another provider, according to The Wall Street Journal (subscription required). These customers did not neglect to pay their bills, they just simply don’t know enough about their wireless handsets and calling plan to be part of the Sprint Nextel family.
These tech-tarded, excuse me, tech challenged customers are having their contracts terminated for making excessive calls to Sprint customer service, an average of 25 calls per month, to be exact.
According to the WSJ, the letter states:
“The number of inquiries you have made to us … has led us to determine that we are unable to meet your current wireless needs.”
These terminated customers will have till the end of July to find new providers and will rightfully not have to pay early termination fees; although, Sprint should have to pay them a termination fee – not likely.
But if that wasn’t a kick in the teeth, the letter continues, stating the obvious:
“We understand that having to switch to another wireless carrier may be an inconvenience.”
At the very least, I would expect the country’s third-largest wireless provider to replace these customers’ phones for those that are compatible with other wireless provider’s networks – again, not likely.
For now, it looks like Sprint chose a little bad PR to rid itself of 25,000 customer service calls per month, and I wouldn’t be surprised to see lay-offs pursue. But, on the bright side, it looks like we all found a way to get out of our Sprint wireless contracts so we can purchase our iPhones early.
Related:
Entry was posted
on Monday, July 9th, 2007 at 6:00 am
under
Read more entries by George Gardner.
Stumble It!
July 9th, 2007
These customers are unfortunate in that they have no common sense. Sprint says many of these customers could not even read their billing statements. If you kept bringing your Ford into the shop you would expect Ford to replace you car with a Chevy. Yah that makes sense. George get a life!
July 9th, 2007
Have you received your letter yet, Rick?
July 9th, 2007
This piece seems pretty slanted against Sprint. Sure, you don’t want to accept Sprint’s PR statements necessarily at face value, but anyone who deals in customer service knows that just a few customers can hurt the level of service for *everybody* else. Personally, I think excessive service callers should be given a fair warning, and then maybe charged for service calls.
This might have been rash on the part of Sprint, I’m not sure, but I sympathize in some sense that certain customers get it, they don’t want to get it, and they will wrestle and complain the entire way. Plus, Sprint reports some of these customers seemed obsessed with getting account info about other people. That is disturbing. Paying a monthly fee doesn’t give one carte blanch to abuse the system or the service.
July 9th, 2007
Excuse you!!!!! I am sure I have a letter in my mailbox, and I know more about the damn technology available than the people at the Sprint store.
Seriously, have you gone to a Sprint store–they do not know how to operate must less fix the phones they sell. And that is the heart of the issues. These customers, have real issues and are sent to every person under Sprint Nextel banner because no one can help. They do not empower their employees on first contact or fail to train them enough.
And as for billing if Sprint offers you something free or gives you a credit watch out. Their word stands up like toilet paper in water.
I started the practices of concluded every call with an e-mail to Ecares@sprintpcs.com of what we spoke about, who I spoke to and when. And it still only a fifty -fifty shot of having it hold up.
If it was really for tech issues you think only 1,000 people would be getting the e-mails. Don’t insult your customers for your stupid mistakes.
And here is lazy for you. Because Sprint is trying to prevent you from having to speak to a human being. You can call any Sprint customer service 1 800 number and put in a phone number of any sprint customer and get their last payment made, next payment due–the account type (single or multi-user) and a host of other information.
Good riddens.
July 9th, 2007
I wish I was one of the 1000. Sprint was great until they merged with Nextel. I’ve been a customer for six years and cannot wait for my contract to end in November. Sprint told me they would send a technician out to check the level of service (have to go outside to use my phone), but noone ever showed. They can fix my problems if I change my plan – then they’ve got me for another two years!!! NO THANKS! November 2007 will be a great month for my family – moving on to US Cellular.
July 9th, 2007
I work for sprint customer care, and I try my hardest to help my customers to the best of my ablitity and if I cant do anything after I have accessed all my resources I will get my customer to the right department who can help them, its called one call resolution AND SPRINT STRIVES FOR THAT. Sprint is terminating 1000-1200 customers because they are calling in trying to get call detail over the phone which we can no longer provide GO TO SPRINT.COM or get call detail on your account, it is no charge and you will be able to see every call you make and the number you called, or they call in and try to get credits for valid overage, or they want information on some elses account if we allow that to happen, its called fraud. For those of you who are being forced to leave I hope you are happy there and you get the service you deserve. But as for calling in 40-50 times a month for the same thing that we give you the same answer, sorry but its not going to happen the 50th time you called in if we didnt resolve your issue the way you wanted it the first 1-49 times you called in.
July 10th, 2007
It’s not a bad idea, I work for a web hosting company and I’m sure we’ve wasted millions of dollars on customers calling in tons of times for the same issues which are not even our fault, they’re just ignorant.
But, given sprints bad track record on first time resolution, I’m sure this letter found it’s way into the mail boxes of some people who did not deserve it. They were only calling sprint so many times because their tech support falls short, or billing issues have came up which never got resolved.
July 10th, 2007
i was looking to speak with someone whose service was terminated, if taht is you email me at amintern@turner.com.
and hopefully you still have a copy of your statements and the letter they sent you.