How do you solve too many customer complaints? - Sprint "fires" bad customers

[lashbear]

Originally Posted by Kevy Baby

I don't fault Sprint for this action. I think it is about time that companies stand up to money losing PITA's.

From a different article:
That means that these customer called in on average 33 times per month!

Since this amount represents about 1 customer out of every 50,000 (or approximately .0023% of their customer base), I think it is a smart move.

Kevy voiced my thoughts before I could say them.... Good on you, Sprint.

[lindyhop]

I've been with Sprint for years and years and never had any problems with them. But I discovered last week that it was because I never had to call Customer Service.

Last month Sprint changed my account number so I made sure to go to my online banking and change the account number there before I made the payment. I made the payment and forgot about it. Then last week I got two statements from them. One for the old account number with a credit balance (my last payment) and another for the new account number which was past due. I checked back with the bank and the payment definitely went with the new account number.

I tried going on line but couldn't remember my username or password and even going through the "don't remember" links I couldn't get on. I could reset my password but then the site wouldn't accept the username (which they had e-mailed to me moments before) so I tried the "contact us" button to complain but I had to log on to send them a message. So I called in a payment (in my mind past due is apparently one step away from serial killer) and went to bed.

The next day at work I tried calling and discovered their labyrinth of customer service. What happened to those despicable phone trees where you have to listen to dozens of options before finding the one that might be what you want? At least then you had a chance. Now they have this evil robot woman who pretends to be your friend ("just say what you need") but misunderstands anything you say. All of the things she suggested didn't fit and when I did say something she said "okay, technical support" which didn't sound right at all so I hung up but actually pressed the button too long and turned the phone off.

It was a quiet afternoon at work so I tried again a little later and somehow managed to get to the "contact a human" option where they told me it would be a 15 or 20 minute wait so I sat there listening to the most horrendous staticky hip hop music. I waited it out and after talking to two different people they said they would transfer the credit to the new account number.

By the end of the week I'd forgotten all about it until I saw this thread ...but I was finally able to log in to their website so I shouldn't have to deal with evil robot woman ever again.

[RStar]

The article in the Register quoted an average of 40-50 calls made to customer support each month from the people they cancelled! Yikes, if I made that many calls- I'd fire that company, not the other way around! I can't emagine make one or two calls per day to any company and stay with them!!

[Kevy Baby]

Originally Posted by RStar

The article in the Register quoted an average of 40-50 calls made to customer support each month from the people they cancelled! Yikes, if I made that many calls- I'd fire that company, not the other way around! I can't emagine make one or two calls per day to any company and stay with them!!

Hey, that sounds familiar:

Originally Posted by Kevy Baby

I don't fault Sprint for this action. I think it is about time that companies stand up to money losing PITA's.

From a different article:

That means that these customers called in on average 33 times per month!

Since this amount represents about 1 customer out of every 50,000 (or approximately .0023% of their customer base), I think it is a smart move.

[CoasterMatt]

I had a guest ask "Can't you just tell those people to go play on the freeway? They wasted your time and mine, so I think we should be compensated"

[Mousey Girl]

I found out that I can't do anything about the cell service until after the 30th. *sigh*

[€uroMeinke]

Hmmm - $200 cancellation fee or 30 calls a month to toll free customer service while I surfing the internet...

[blueerica]

I think the biggest problem with Sprint really is in their customer service. Once you finally get to someone, you end up with five different answers. One of them, recently, almost made me sign up with a new contract all while they were saying it wouldn't extend my contract with them in any way.

I'm not saying CS is much better anywhere else, but it's become increasingly frustrating throughout the years. Of course, I've had more reasons to call in to CS lately... so maybe that's why it seems like it's only happening now.

[RStar]

I think Sprint cut off the worst complainers to make their customer saticfaction numbers look better.......

Evil, I tell you. Just Evil.

[lashbear]

Originally Posted by blueerica

I think the biggest problem with Sprint really is in their customer service. Once you finally get to someone, you end up with five different answers. One of them, recently, almost made me sign up with a new contract all while they were saying it wouldn't extend my contract with them in any way.

Originally Posted by blueerica

I'm not saying CS is much better anywhere else, but it's become increasingly frustrating throughout the years. Of course, I've had more reasons to call in to CS lately... so maybe that's why it seems like it's only happening now.

"Hello, Ms Blueerica? My name's Clarice from Sprint Customer Service. I've been reading your posts on the Lounge Of Tomorrow, and I thought I'd just give you a call to let you know that Sprint may not be the right service provider for some customers. If you ever wish to cancel and try another provider, our cancellation line (no waiting) is ***-*** "