So I'm in the market for a new phone. Have been an ATT customer for years and was going to get something in the midrange while downgrading my service plan. Figured the monthly bill might be less even if adding in a payment for the phone.

Well, going to the ATT store a couple days ago got me "Hi, we'll be with you as soon as we can." and then never looked at again until I decided to leave which took about half an hour.

Next day I made an appointment online at the same store, thinking that was my mistake the previous day. Not only nope, but not even greeted. After twenty minutes of wandering around (near all three desks of employees helping other people) I decided to call the store.

So, there I am in their lobby while the phone rings from me calling and nothing...no one even fucking flinched. I let it ring until the automated message came on saying they were all busy and then I left again.

Yeah I could have thrown a tantrum, but really what would it have gotten me? I certainly am not going to be a customer anymore in the very near future anyway, so it isn't like they could change my mind if I tried to shame them into it.

Shouting "lookit me dammit!" just sorta smacks of the idiots that are ruining the country right now, so I just left instead.

Is it a company store, or a contract store?

Go to another location (company store). Take care of the transaction, THEN ask for the regional manager's contact information. If they ask, say it is due to another location's ineptness.

You know, all this recent "Karen" shit aside, this is the kind of situation where asking to speak to the manager is the appropriate and correct course of action. Calmly telling a manager you've wasted an hour waiting in their store over the course of two visits and would like some service is reasonable. Throwing a tantrum is not. There is a middle ground to be found between being a doormat and losing your shit.

VERIZON isn't much better. We couldn't get assistance about a new phone. A little kid, maybe 10 years old, was standing there looking at phones so I asked him jokingly if he worked there, expecting him to run to Mom. The kid told us everything about the merits of the phone and demonstrated it for us.

When Mom came over to see why we were talking to her son, we told her how helpful he was.

Then we bought the phone through the state contract online.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: az4783054,

My current plan is to go back in when I have my new phone with a service contract from another company and tell everyone in the store what great service I got elsewhere.

Maybe I'll make an appointment for that too.

I do everything online, buy phone, buy plan, phone gets shipped to my house, activate it with easy instructions online. So far no problems

Could be worse, I stopped by an ATT corporate store to get a memory card for my ATT phone. Had to wait in line as ditsy college kids couldn't decide on their iPhone colors.

I came back later with the memory card I bought from the Verizon store across the road. Verizon also had a better selection of accessories too.

I had a similar experience last year. I was trying to buy a new phone and plan and was ignored. I went to Verizon and they were helpful and signed me up. I saved $30 per month on top going to Verizon.

I went to the ATT store to buy a new phone but they were doing curbside delivery only. Was told I had to go online and buy the phone then come by the store and pick it up. I went online in the parking lot and tried to order the phone but kept getting an error. I called customer service and the lady on the phone said the sales department was closed that I would have to buy it in the store. So I put her on speaker and let her and the guy on the curb argue about who was gonna sell me a phone. In all I spent about three hours trying to get somebody to take $1400 from me.

I've had more success dealing with an AT&T Rep over the phone. Talked to one today that was sweet as pie. Looking to lower my bill, but she told me I already have their cheapest plan. However, she told me to enroll in AutoPay online and it would lower my bill $10 a month. Sign me up! Her name was Vision. Honestly. I didn't have the nerve to ask if she's a pole dancer on the weekends...

If I text my wife to see what she's up to...and she says she's in Hell....I know she's at the AT&T store. It's become a running joke. It takes sooo long to get anything done. And on more than one occasion the "great deal" they offered, costs us more in the long run.

About 2 years ago, I went to a local AT&T store. I arrived 55 minutes before closing but the doors were locked. I double-checked the hours posted on the door too. There were at least 3 workers inside who acted like they didn't see me. I gave them a bad Google review and called the manager the next day, but since then, I've done everything online. I was surprised how easy it was to transfer contacts and other data to a new phone when we upgraded my wife's phone recently. The phone that we ordered online arrived in 2 days.

I found that calling ATT usually works. Get your new phone next day and change plan too.

YMMV

I was treated the same way, so I went home and ordered the phone I wanted online for quite a bit less (compared prices for the same model.) I won't be going back to a storefront. Probably doesn't matter, I only change phones every 5 years or so.

Just curious Appentice, how old are you. I am a senior citizen and I have found that I grow more invisible each year.

quote:

Originally posted by SigSAC:
Is it a company store, or a contract store?

Go to another location (company store). Take care of the transaction, THEN ask for the regional manager's contact information. If they ask, say it is due to another location's ineptness.

^^^ This is what I'd likely do.


The AT&T store in our small town is not a corporate store, really lacks in customer service and overall knowledge based on the 2 times we stopped in. However, there's a corporate store about 15 miles from here, the customer service is top notch and has been for the last 5 years.

AT&T can go pound sand. Was a loyal customer for 35+. in 2016 a major flood event destroyed our home and was charged $80 to put our account on vacation for 1yr and then they wanted another $80 to keep number active till home repaired. Decieded to go phone over the cable/tv/internet for home phone which took a solid 3 weeks before they would release my number that we had had for 35+rs. And they kept calling trying to get us to return untill I told them to pound sand and would be contaction a attorney if the continued to call. 1 1/2yrs ago one afternoon came home from some errand to find a 3ft deep trench across front yard dug by AT&T for fiber optic cable with out my knowledg or consent. Will admit i went Karen and stayed after them till yard was repaired. Since then have had several AT&T salesmen on several occasions ring door bell and they are promptly told they are tresspassing and to leave immedately. Have no absolutely use for AT&T . Just ask me how I really feel about AT&T. .................................................drillsgt.

quote:

Originally posted by maxwayne:
Just curious Appentice, how old are you. I am a senior citizen and I have found that I grow more invisible each year.

I was a couple months old when Armstrong set foot on the moon. You may be on to something. Could be they fear our fancy vocabularies and old timey ways. Fuckin' whippersnappers *shakes fist in the air*

I was in my 3d day of Basic Training on that historic day.

quote:

Originally posted by apprentice:

quote:

Originally posted by maxwayne:
Just curious Appentice, how old are you. I am a senior citizen and I have found that I grow more invisible each year.

I was a couple months old when Armstrong set foot on the moon. You may be on to something. Could be they fear our fancy vocabularies and old timey ways. Fuckin' whippersnappers *shakes fist in the air*

Service used to be on the level of a car dealership. They were all about sales and would not leave you alone. Guess that has changed. Commissions must have been cut.