Cingular customer service

There have several posts here about Cingular's poor customer service,
and thought I'd post a postive story. I recently purchased a V3 Razr
and had problems with it. I called and complained, they told me to send
it back, they'd send a replacment (which I'd be billed for but credited
back when the old one was returned) and sent a shipping label to return
the old phone. I returned the defective phone using the label Cingular
provided and after 2 weeks checked my credit card account to see that I
got credit for the returned phone. I had not. After several calls,
which were quite lengthy, it appears the phone is MIA. The first
customer service rep tried to brush me off saying it could take 4 weeks
to process a returned phone & 8 weeks for me to receive the credit. I
hung up called back and got someone else who actually wanted to help. I
guess it's all in who you get on the other end of the line. The second
Cingular rep knows I tried in good faith to return the phone, and is
crediting me back the full amount they charged me.

---

› See More: Cingular customer service

[email protected] wrote:
> There have several posts here about Cingular's poor customer service,
> and thought I'd post a postive story. I recently purchased a V3 Razr
> and had problems with it. I called and complained, they told me to send
> it back, they'd send a replacment (which I'd be billed for but credited
> back when the old one was returned) and sent a shipping label to return
> the old phone. I returned the defective phone using the label Cingular
> provided and after 2 weeks checked my credit card account to see that I
> got credit for the returned phone. I had not. After several calls,
> which were quite lengthy, it appears the phone is MIA. The first
> customer service rep tried to brush me off saying it could take 4 weeks
> to process a returned phone & 8 weeks for me to receive the credit. I
> hung up called back and got someone else who actually wanted to help. I
> guess it's all in who you get on the other end of the line. The second
> Cingular rep knows I tried in good faith to return the phone, and is
> crediting me back the full amount they charged me.
>

give me a break

4 wrongs and finally 1 right is a positive experience?

if the phone worked in the first place, you could have saved
all of the hassles. are you sure your "new" v3 wasn't a
return to start with.

why has- "hey, they fixed the problems in no time" become so
acceptable? (it's not just cellphones either)

-larry / dallas
a non-compliant "borg'd" attws customer,
i just thought attws as the worst customer service around. ;-)

"larry" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> [email protected] wrote:
>> There have several posts here about Cingular's poor customer service,
>> and thought I'd post a postive story. I recently purchased a V3 Razr
>> and had problems with it. I called and complained, they told me to send
>> it back, they'd send a replacment (which I'd be billed for but credited
>> back when the old one was returned) and sent a shipping label to return
>> the old phone. I returned the defective phone using the label Cingular
>> provided and after 2 weeks checked my credit card account to see that I
>> got credit for the returned phone. I had not. After several calls,
>> which were quite lengthy, it appears the phone is MIA. The first
>> customer service rep tried to brush me off saying it could take 4 weeks
>> to process a returned phone & 8 weeks for me to receive the credit. I
>> hung up called back and got someone else who actually wanted to help. I
>> guess it's all in who you get on the other end of the line. The second
>> Cingular rep knows I tried in good faith to return the phone, and is
>> crediting me back the full amount they charged me.
>>
>
> give me a break
>
> 4 wrongs and finally 1 right is a positive experience?
>
> if the phone worked in the first place, you could have saved all of the
> hassles. are you sure your "new" v3 wasn't a return to start with.
>
> why has- "hey, they fixed the problems in no time" become so acceptable?
> (it's not just cellphones either)
>
> -larry / dallas
> a non-compliant "borg'd" attws customer,
> i just thought attws as the worst customer service around. ;-)

I never hesitate to slam Cingular when waranted, but I don't consider a
phone malfunction to be their fault. My Treo 650 developed a sound problem
last month. Cingular sent out a replacement the next business day and
provided the return lables to mail back my phone. It was painless and
efficient....not my usual experience with Cingular, but a welcome change of
pace.

"larry" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> [email protected] wrote:
>> There have several posts here about Cingular's poor customer service,
>> and thought I'd post a postive story. I recently purchased a V3 Razr
>> and had problems with it. I called and complained, they told me to send
>> it back, they'd send a replacment (which I'd be billed for but credited
>> back when the old one was returned) and sent a shipping label to return
>> the old phone. I returned the defective phone using the label Cingular
>> provided and after 2 weeks checked my credit card account to see that I
>> got credit for the returned phone. I had not. After several calls,
>> which were quite lengthy, it appears the phone is MIA. The first
>> customer service rep tried to brush me off saying it could take 4 weeks
>> to process a returned phone & 8 weeks for me to receive the credit. I
>> hung up called back and got someone else who actually wanted to help. I
>> guess it's all in who you get on the other end of the line. The second
>> Cingular rep knows I tried in good faith to return the phone, and is
>> crediting me back the full amount they charged me.
>>
>
> give me a break
>
> 4 wrongs and finally 1 right is a positive experience?
>
> if the phone worked in the first place, you could have saved all of the
> hassles. are you sure your "new" v3 wasn't a return to start with.
>
> why has- "hey, they fixed the problems in no time" become so acceptable?
> (it's not just cellphones either)
>
> -larry / dallas
> a non-compliant "borg'd" attws customer,
> i just thought attws as the worst customer service around. ;-)

He got the credit, didn't he?

...
bamp

Somewhere around Fri, 23 Sep 2005 16:14:39 GMT, while reading
alt.cellular.cingular, I think I thought I saw this post from larry
<[email protected]>:

>[email protected] wrote:
>> There have several posts here about Cingular's poor customer service,
>> and thought I'd post a postive story. I recently purchased a V3 Razr
>> and had problems with it. I called and complained, they told me to send
>> it back, they'd send a replacment (which I'd be billed for but credited
>> back when the old one was returned) and sent a shipping label to return
>> the old phone. I returned the defective phone using the label Cingular
>> provided and after 2 weeks checked my credit card account to see that I
>> got credit for the returned phone. I had not. After several calls,
>> which were quite lengthy, it appears the phone is MIA. The first
>> customer service rep tried to brush me off saying it could take 4 weeks
>> to process a returned phone & 8 weeks for me to receive the credit. I
>> hung up called back and got someone else who actually wanted to help. I
>> guess it's all in who you get on the other end of the line. The second
>> Cingular rep knows I tried in good faith to return the phone, and is
>> crediting me back the full amount they charged me.
>>
>
>give me a break
>
>4 wrongs and finally 1 right is a positive experience?
>
>if the phone worked in the first place, you could have saved
>all of the hassles. are you sure your "new" v3 wasn't a
>return to start with.
>
>why has- "hey, they fixed the problems in no time" become so
>acceptable? (it's not just cellphones either)
>
So, what exactly are you saying? That it's Cingular's fault that the
*Motorola* cell phone had a problem, and it's Cingular's fault that the
*UPS* shipment got lost? And I guess you are counting the CSR's attempted
brushoff as 2 more wrongs, is that correct?
--
Marty - public.forums (at) gmail (dot) com
No matter how hard you throw a dead fish in the water,
it still won't swim.

"larry" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> [email protected] wrote:
> > There have several posts here about Cingular's poor customer service,
> > and thought I'd post a postive story. I recently purchased a V3 Razr
> > and had problems with it. I called and complained, they told me to send
> > it back, they'd send a replacment (which I'd be billed for but credited
> > back when the old one was returned) and sent a shipping label to return
> > the old phone. I returned the defective phone using the label Cingular
> > provided and after 2 weeks checked my credit card account to see that I
> > got credit for the returned phone. I had not. After several calls,
> > which were quite lengthy, it appears the phone is MIA. The first
> > customer service rep tried to brush me off saying it could take 4 weeks
> > to process a returned phone & 8 weeks for me to receive the credit. I
> > hung up called back and got someone else who actually wanted to help. I
> > guess it's all in who you get on the other end of the line. The second
> > Cingular rep knows I tried in good faith to return the phone, and is
> > crediting me back the full amount they charged me.
> >
>
> give me a break
>
> 4 wrongs and finally 1 right is a positive experience?
>
> if the phone worked in the first place, you could have saved
> all of the hassles. are you sure your "new" v3 wasn't a
> return to start with.
>
> why has- "hey, they fixed the problems in no time" become so
> acceptable? (it's not just cellphones either)
>
> -larry / dallas
> a non-compliant "borg'd" attws customer,
> i just thought attws as the worst customer service around. ;-)

You know you need to look at it like this. You go to Sears and buy a Wash
Machine and it has a defect. After 30 days or so don't they tell you to
call the manufacturer? Of course they do. Cingular does NOT make the
defective phone, they only sell the phone to you as a courtesy. You always
have the option of buying it direct from the company that makes it.

In this case the first rep did follow what sounds logical. When we receive
it back we will credit it. The second rep, seeing the escalated situation,
took the initiative and solved the problem. Sounds to me like the issue
(one that was really Motorola's) was solved with a reasonable amount of
problems. You don't get that with a lot of products/service these days.

But what would you complain about then?

Cliff wrote:

> You know you need to look at it like this. You go to Sears and buy a Wash
> Machine and it has a defect.

haven't been back to Sears in 10 years, 1/3 of the stuff we
bought had defects. Even thought it was free replacements,
I just got tired of the process. Moving the washer, dryer,
and microwave was so easy, well, the smoke detectors were.

> Cingular does NOT make the defective phone,

but Motorola does by the hundreds?

> they only sell the phone to you as a courtesy

and loose money on every sale!

> When we receive it back we will credit it.

and your company could never make a mistake, and admit it.

> You don't get that with a lot of products/service these days.

that=service, well, that was my point.

But by the other responses, I'm in a minority to expect
billing to be right, products and services to work. People
to do their job right the first time.

> But what would you complain about then?

I'm sure I would find something, but I have found companies
that make products that work out-of-the-box and for years
after. And people that provide service, right the first time.

oh well, sorry to waste everyone's time, you'll need it to
deal with your great products and services that they'll
shortly have fixed up for you.

- larry

[POSTED TO alt.cellular.cingular - REPLY ON USENET PLEASE]

In <[email protected]> on Sat, 24 Sep 2005
02:11:54 GMT, larry <[email protected]> wrote:

>Cliff wrote:

>> But what would you complain about then?
>
>I'm sure I would find something, ...

Undoubtedly.

>oh well, sorry to waste everyone's time, you'll need it to
>deal with your great products and services that they'll
>shortly have fixed up for you.

Being realistic actually takes far less time.

--
Best regards, HELP FOR CINGULAR GSM & SONY ERICSSON PHONES:
John Navas <http://navasgrp.home.att.net/#Cingular>

"Cliff" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
>
> "larry" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> news:[email protected]...
>> [email protected] wrote:
>> > There have several posts here about Cingular's poor customer service,
>> > and thought I'd post a postive story. I recently purchased a V3 Razr
>> > and had problems with it. I called and complained, they told me to send
>> > it back, they'd send a replacment (which I'd be billed for but credited
>> > back when the old one was returned) and sent a shipping label to return
>> > the old phone. I returned the defective phone using the label Cingular
>> > provided and after 2 weeks checked my credit card account to see that I
>> > got credit for the returned phone. I had not. After several calls,
>> > which were quite lengthy, it appears the phone is MIA. The first
>> > customer service rep tried to brush me off saying it could take 4 weeks
>> > to process a returned phone & 8 weeks for me to receive the credit. I
>> > hung up called back and got someone else who actually wanted to help. I
>> > guess it's all in who you get on the other end of the line. The second
>> > Cingular rep knows I tried in good faith to return the phone, and is
>> > crediting me back the full amount they charged me.
>> >
>>
>> give me a break
>>
>> 4 wrongs and finally 1 right is a positive experience?
>>
>> if the phone worked in the first place, you could have saved
>> all of the hassles. are you sure your "new" v3 wasn't a
>> return to start with.
>>
>> why has- "hey, they fixed the problems in no time" become so
>> acceptable? (it's not just cellphones either)
>>
>> -larry / dallas
>> a non-compliant "borg'd" attws customer,
>> i just thought attws as the worst customer service around. ;-)
>
> You know you need to look at it like this. You go to Sears and buy a Wash
> Machine and it has a defect. After 30 days or so don't they tell you to
> call the manufacturer? Of course they do. Cingular does NOT make the
> defective phone, they only sell the phone to you as a courtesy. You
> always
> have the option of buying it direct from the company that makes it.

Can't buy a V3 from Motorola!!
>
> In this case the first rep did follow what sounds logical. When we
> receive
> it back we will credit it. The second rep, seeing the escalated
> situation,
> took the initiative and solved the problem. Sounds to me like the issue
> (one that was really Motorola's) was solved with a reasonable amount of
> problems. You don't get that with a lot of products/service these days.
>
> But what would you complain about then?
>
>
bamp

"bamp" <bampatcenturyteldotnet> wrote in message
<snip>
: Can't buy a V3 from Motorola!!

Yes you can. Checkout the Motorola web site.
<snip>
--
Elmo P. Shagnasty

On Fri, 23 Sep 2005 14:03:53 -0500, "bamp" <bampatcenturyteldotnet>
wrote:

>He got the credit, didn't he?

Sure - after wasting a large chunk of time in several lengthy phone
calls, not to mention needless aggravation. Those costs are
undoubtedly worth more than the credit he received for the phone, but
he received no compensation for those losses.

Your smug attempt to imply that the OP has been made whole by Cingular
is laughable.

On Fri, 23 Sep 2005 23:59:30 GMT, "Cliff" <[email protected]>
wrote:

>You know you need to look at it like this. You go to Sears and buy a Wash
>Machine and it has a defect. After 30 days or so don't they tell you to
>call the manufacturer? Of course they do.

Does Sears sell washing machines with subsidy locks? Of course they
don't.

You're comparing apples to oranges.

Scott en Aztlán wrote:

> Does Sears sell washing machines with subsidy locks? Of course they
> don't.
>
> You're comparing apples to oranges.

Only partially. You can buy a phone (locked or unlocked) any number of
places -- full price. And like Sears or BestBuy, you get a certain period
after which the responsibility for defective hardware reverts to the
manufacturer. If you want your phone at a subsidized price, you have to
buy a locked phone from the carrier (or carrier's agent) & subscribe to
that carrier's calling plan. The subsidy lock just ensures that you don't
switch or disappear too easily to cause them to lose too much on the
subsidy. If you want a closer comparison, there was a period when BestBuy
would sell computers at a discounted rate if you signed up for MSN as your
ISP under a one year contract. Most of the people who went for that don't
have the technical savvy to change the settings or the legal savvy to get
out of the contract cheaply -- to a lesser extent still a subsidy lock.

Bill K

[POSTED TO alt.cellular.cingular - REPLY ON USENET PLEASE]

In <[email protected]> on Sat, 24 Sep 2005 11:11:54
-0700, Scott en Aztlán <[email protected]> wrote:

>On Fri, 23 Sep 2005 14:03:53 -0500, "bamp" <bampatcenturyteldotnet>
>wrote:
>
>>He got the credit, didn't he?
>
>Sure - after wasting a large chunk of time in several lengthy phone
>calls, not to mention needless aggravation. Those costs are
>undoubtedly worth more than the credit he received for the phone, but
>he received no compensation for those losses.
>
>Your smug attempt to imply that the OP has been made whole by Cingular
>is laughable.

Losses? In your opinion, but no court would recognize such time spent as
"losses" (damages) unless there was a direct and unavoidable economic impact.
"Inconvenience" is a more accurate characterization. To be clear, I don't
mean to minimize the unpleasantness. But he nonetheless has been made whole.

--
Best regards, HELP FOR CINGULAR GSM & SONY ERICSSON PHONES:
John Navas <http://navasgrp.home.att.net/#Cingular>

[POSTED TO alt.cellular.cingular - REPLY ON USENET PLEASE]

In <[email protected]> on Sat, 24 Sep 2005 11:13:31
-0700, Scott en Aztlán <[email protected]> wrote:

>On Fri, 23 Sep 2005 23:59:30 GMT, "Cliff" <[email protected]>
>wrote:
>
>>You know you need to look at it like this. You go to Sears and buy a Wash
>>Machine and it has a defect. After 30 days or so don't they tell you to
>>call the manufacturer? Of course they do.
>
>Does Sears sell washing machines with subsidy locks? Of course they
>don't.

Sears doesn't sell washing machines based on a subsidy that has to be
recovered over the term of a service contract.

>You're comparing apples to oranges.

You're the one doing that.

--
Best regards, HELP FOR CINGULAR GSM & SONY ERICSSON PHONES:
John Navas <http://navasgrp.home.att.net/#Cingular>