| Sprint/Nextel So, there is now one more major corporation that I'm going to have to bring down...the latest addition to the long long list is "Sprint, together with Nextel" I've already summed up most of my experiences with them in a letter that I wrote in September, so I'll just copy it here: << September 12, 2006 Dear Sprint I joined Sprint/Nextel before the merger in early 2003 through Nextel. For the first three years, I was a completely satisfied customer, account #XXXXXX, phone #XXXXXXXX. I even recruited a few friends and family into the Nextel fold. In the spring of 2006, my phone finally broke. I took it to my local Nextel service center and was told that the repairs would not be covered by my insurance. I was surprised because, when I signed up, I was told that the insurance I was paying for included the service agreement and covered my phone for any and all damage as well as loss. When I explained this to the technician, he asked which Nextel store sold me the plan. I told him, and he said, "Oh, yeah. They lie." I have to admit, my faith in Sprint/Nextel was a little shaken when one representative told me that another of the same company flat out lies. He also told me that I would have to either pay for the repair or call customer care to get the service plan (that I thought I had for three years) added to my contract. I called customer care on July 5, 2006, and it began as horrible experience. I was disconnected four times before I was even able to talk to a human being. The first person I was able to talk to told me that I somehow contacted the wrong department, and he couldn't help me. He said that he would transfer me, and that became my fifth disconnect. By this time, I was rather aggravated. I finally spoke with someone who thought they could help me, but they were unwilling or unable to provide me with any incentive to stay with Sprint/Nextel, so I asked to cancel my service. I was then successfully transferred to Silvana, who was much more agreeable and accommodating. I explained my situation to her, that I was in need of a new phone, and, because my contract was up and I was really unhappy with Sprint/Nextel (both the deception from the start about my service plan and especially my horrible customer service experience), so I really did not see any reason to stay with Sprint/Nextel when so many other carriers were giving away phones to new customers. Silvana really seemed to care, not just about retaining me as a Sprint/Nextel customer, but as a satisfied customer. We worked out an agreement that would have kept me satisfied and a continuing customer. The details of which were: 1) I would be sent a new i560 phone for $75. Overnight shipping and a car charger would be included at no cost to me. 2) My plan would be changed to the Fair and Flexible 200 for $29.99/month and would have both the insurance and service plan. 3) The plan would also include unlimited Direct Connect service, but the fee would be waived for the first year. 4) My contract would only be extended for ONE year. 5) The confirmation number she gave me was XXXXXXXXX for the transaction and XXXXXXXXXX for Fedex shipping The phone arrived on time, without the car charger. I assumed it would arrive later, but it still has not. The next bill I received was more than I expected, but it included the phone and was still on my old plan, so I did not try too hard to understand it. The following bill (a copy of which is enclosed) for $63.47, however, was rather shocking. I was very unhappy to see that I was billed $9.64 for my Direct Connect usage, especially in light of #3 on my agreement with Silvana. I was then quite simply OUTRAGED when I saw that I was also billed $10 for "Unlimited Nationwide DC." How can I be paying for unlimited Direct Connect (which I was told would only be $5 per month anyway, and free for my first year) and still be billed for Direct Connect usage per minute? This is absolutely unacceptable. If Sprint/Nextel has any respect for me as a customer, I feel that the deal Silvana made with me should be honored. I should have the unlimited Direct Connect applied to my contract, with the fee waived for the first year, and I should be reimbursed the $19.64 I was erroneously charged, as well as any Direct Connect usage fees that may have accrued since the last bill. This would be the first step towards making me a satisfied customer once again. At the very least, the conflicting Direct Connect usage and unlimited Direct Connect billing conflict MUST be resolved. If you are unwilling to honor Silvana's deal, I will pay for ONE, but not BOTH, and remain a vocally disgruntled customer until my contract ends on 07/21/07. I am very disappointed. I hope you are willing to make this right in a timely manner. Suffice it to say, I will not be recruiting anymore friends to Sprint/Nextel any time soon.>> So, what has Sprint/Nextel done to resolve this matter? A representative did call and, in what I believe was some form of the language I refer to as English, left me a message about calling him back to discuss my problem. I didn't, though, because I want to have a paper copy of their lies from now on. You'd think that by now, two months later, I would have been extended the courtesy of a written response to my written request. Nope. I got another bill in which I was charged minute rates for my direct connect usage as well as unlimited direct connect (which I paid, what choice do I have?) but now, I haven't even received my most recent bill. My payment is due by the 15th of the month, so I called today to the automated pay by phone system to pay my bill which I still hadn't received. I could tell by the amount, that I was still double billed. So that's my Sprint/Nextel story. I don't think I've committed any slander or libel because it is all true. I'm not saying they are a crappy or dishonest company, I am just explaining as objectively as I think I can why I am a totally unsatisfied customer and reccomending that no one else subscribe to their service. |
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