Customer Service - Strategy advice

This should be an easy question, but because it's Sprint, I
have to ask advice here.

I want to add a phone to my plan. My sister is on Verizon and
I want to get her on my plan. I have a phone for her already.

I want to port her number over as well, if possible.

All of this, as I say, should be extremely simple. $9.99 extra
on my bill, if I recall, and my sister uses the phone so little it'll
be no burden whatsoever.

My fear is that CS will totally screw up everything - change
my billing, etc.

I've been with Sprint for eight years and always had good
service. But when I've had to deal with CS, in almost every case
something got screwed up. It's really strange. It's like a car that
runs beautifully unless you stop moving.

So if I just call regular CS I'm going to be transferred into
the danger zone. Any advice on how to make sure I get someone with
reasonable competence. If I call the technical department I'll get
someone who knows what they're doing, but I don't think they can make
this change.

Thanks in advance for any advice.

DGI

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On Jun 5, 4:00 pm, David G. Imber <[email protected]> wrote:
> This should be an easy question, but because it's Sprint, I
> have to ask advice here.
>
> I want to add a phone to my plan. My sister is on Verizon and
> I want to get her on my plan. I have a phone for her already.
>
> I want to port her number over as well, if possible.
>
> All of this, as I say, should be extremely simple. $9.99 extra
> on my bill, if I recall, and my sister uses the phone so little it'll
> be no burden whatsoever.
>
> My fear is that CS will totally screw up everything - change
> my billing, etc.
>
> I've been with Sprint for eight years and always had good
> service. But when I've had to deal with CS, in almost every case
> something got screwed up. It's really strange. It's like a car that
> runs beautifully unless you stop moving.
>
> So if I just call regular CS I'm going to be transferred into
> the danger zone. Any advice on how to make sure I get someone with
> reasonable competence. If I call the technical department I'll get
> someone who knows what they're doing, but I don't think they can make
> this change.
>
> Thanks in advance for any advice.
>
> DGI

Try Virgin Mobile, instead. Its sprint, but with semi competent cs
critters. $20 goes for 3 months with unused money rolling over

On Tue, 05 Jun 2007 15:16:57 -0700, [email protected] wrote:


>
>Try Virgin Mobile, instead. Its sprint, but with semi competent cs
>critters. $20 goes for 3 months with unused money rolling over

Thanks for the advice, but over three contract renewals I've
worked out a pretty good deal w/SPCS. It's not like I'm romantically
attached to Sprint, but I can't switch providers and get as good a
deal as I have now. That's kind of sad, but what can you do?

DGI

-> My fear is that CS will totally screw up everything - change
> my billing, etc.... But when I've had to deal with CS, in almost every
> case
> something got screwed up. It's really strange.

I know the feeling. Sad that the management at Sprint can't seem to get CS
to do the simplest things without causing problems(for us). Then it takes
many calls, usually talking to several CS agents, to get the situation under
control. If they had a one-call CS system, they could fire half the CS
crew and use the savings to pay competent people to run the operation,
rather than having to do everything over and over again. I know there are
many competent CS workers, but the overall operation is shoddy, at least in
my experience. There is a reason that sprint has low CS ratings.
Maybe your transition to add an extra phone on your account could be handled
by email. The advantage being that you get to ***** out the terms of the
transition in writing, and hopefully have them handled by senior staff,
again...in writing...so that if there is a snafu you have something to point
to for remedial action.

At 06 Jun 2007 00:19:43 -0400 David G.Imber wrote:

> >Try Virgin Mobile, instead. Its sprint, but with semi competent cs
> >critters. $20 goes for 3 months with unused money rolling over
>
> Thanks for the advice, but over three contract renewals I've
> worked out a pretty good deal w/SPCS. It's not like I'm romantically
> attached to Sprint, but I can't switch providers and get as good a
> deal as I have now. That's kind of sad, but what can you do?

I think JG's point was to put your sister, not you, on Virgin- you're
looking at adding her, and her minimal usage, to your plan for $10/month
extra. Virgin is roughly $8/month (minimum) with no potentially damaging
screw-ups to your grandfathered plan.

On Tue, 05 Jun 2007 23:03:33 -0600, Todd Allcock
<[email protected]> wrote:

>At 06 Jun 2007 00:19:43 -0400 David G.Imber wrote:
>
>> >Try Virgin Mobile, instead. Its sprint, but with semi competent cs
>> >critters. $20 goes for 3 months with unused money rolling over
>>
>> Thanks for the advice, but over three contract renewals I've
>> worked out a pretty good deal w/SPCS. It's not like I'm romantically
>> attached to Sprint, but I can't switch providers and get as good a
>> deal as I have now. That's kind of sad, but what can you do?
>
>I think JG's point was to put your sister, not you, on Virgin- you're
>looking at adding her, and her minimal usage, to your plan for $10/month
>extra. Virgin is roughly $8/month (minimum) with no potentially damaging
>screw-ups to your grandfathered plan.

I see. Thanks! DGI

On Wed, 6 Jun 2007 00:56:43 -0400, "Floyd" <[email protected]>
wrote:

>Maybe your transition to add an extra phone on your account could be handled
>by email. The advantage being that you get to ***** out the terms of the
>transition in writing, and hopefully have them handled by senior staff,
>again...in writing...so that if there is a snafu you have something to point
>to for remedial action.

I think this is an excellent idea, and I think I'll give it a
try. I do PRL updates via e-mail and it's incredibly efficient. I used
to go through the same routine constantly, with them either telling me
that I had the latest PRL (which I knew to be untrue) or not knowing
what I was talking about altogether. Then someone here suggested
sending a note through the web site asking for the phones to be
flagged. Works like a charm.

Thank you for the advice. I'm glad I asked.

DGI

You did not mention whether currently you have a shared plan or a
individual plan. There is a difference in base price with these.
Typically, you would have to switch your individual plan to a Shared
pln in order to add a line to it, and the shared plans do cost more,
but the one's being offered now offer the 2nd line at no extra charge,
and then 3rd, 4th and 5th lines would be 9.99 extra per line to add.

might check out their website to look at the different plans and
pricing on indivual vs shared.

On Jun 5, 4:00 pm, David G. Imber <[email protected]> wrote:
> This should be an easy question, but because it's Sprint, I
> have to ask advice here.
>
> I want to add a phone to my plan. My sister is on Verizon and
> I want to get her on my plan. I have a phone for her already.
>
> I want to port her number over as well, if possible.
>
> All of this, as I say, should be extremely simple. $9.99 extra
> on my bill, if I recall, and my sister uses the phone so little it'll
> be no burden whatsoever.
>
> My fear is that CS will totally screw up everything - change
> my billing, etc.
>
> I've been with Sprint for eight years and always had good
> service. But when I've had to deal with CS, in almost every case
> something got screwed up. It's really strange. It's like a car that
> runs beautifully unless you stop moving.
>
> So if I just call regular CS I'm going to be transferred into
> the danger zone. Any advice on how to make sure I get someone with
> reasonable competence. If I call the technical department I'll get
> someone who knows what they're doing, but I don't think they can make
> this change.
>
> Thanks in advance for any advice.
>
> DGI

On 2007-06-05, [email protected] <[email protected]> wrote:

>
> Try Virgin Mobile, instead. Its sprint, but with semi competent cs
> critters. $20 goes for 3 months with unused money rolling over

Which means nothing if he's on a Sprint postpaid plan. VM doesn't do postpaid.
Prepaid will be more expensive if he uses any significant amount of airtime,
and Virgin Mobile won't allow him to use his Sprint-branded phones.

On Wed, 06 Jun 2007 05:25:14 -0700, dafydd <[email protected]>
wrote:


>but the one's being offered now offer the 2nd line at no extra charge,
>and then 3rd, 4th and 5th lines would be 9.99 extra per line to add.

I presently have a shared plan (with my wife) and the second
line has no charge. Therefore I was going on the assumption the third
line will be $9.99. The numbers definitely work for me, as the system
does. That's why I wasn't really looking at alternative
companies/plans.

My only concern is that CS would screw around with everything
and it would take months of calling to set things right. I've had that
experience with SPCS and am gun shy.

DGI

On Wed, 06 Jun 2007 13:32:50 -0500, Joel <[email protected]> wrote:


>
> You may have some luck with 3 phones, but...
>first one it took me almost 2 years ...
> And they finally got the Vision removed after 6 tries, and they didn't credit back their error...
>
> Then they started charging $5 insurance ...
>Then the $100 mail-in-rebate they said they...
>
>$36 for new phone activated etc...
..
>. Then they sent $50 instead of $100...
>

(Edits mine) Yes, this is the way it goes more often than not,
and that's why I don't really want to upset things. But I'd like to
help my sister, and this would be a very good deal for her.

I suppose I'm going to have to roll the dice.

DGI

On Thu, 07 Jun 2007 00:36:33 -0400, David G. Imber
<[email protected]> wrote:

> (Edits mine) Yes, this is the way it goes more often than not,
>and that's why I don't really want to upset things. But I'd like to
>help my sister, and this would be a very good deal for her.
>
> I suppose I'm going to have to roll the dice.

Actually, a Sprint store manager who reads this NG just wrote
to me privately and offered to take care of this for me. I assume
there is some benefit to his store for signing on a new line.

However, he's still going to have to deal with the home
office. I'm guessing he's entirely on the level, and perfectly
capable, but all he can really do is put in the order, and leave it up
to SPCS, so there's no guaranteed things won't get screwed blue even
with his intervention.

DGI

My advice would be to go to a Sprint store in person. They are very
helpful and will take care of everything I'm sure.





On Tue, 05 Jun 2007 17:00:22 -0400, David G. Imber
<[email protected]> wrote:

> This should be an easy question, but because it's Sprint, I
>have to ask advice here.
>
> I want to add a phone to my plan. My sister is on Verizon and
>I want to get her on my plan. I have a phone for her already.
>
> I want to port her number over as well, if possible.
>
> All of this, as I say, should be extremely simple. $9.99 extra
>on my bill, if I recall, and my sister uses the phone so little it'll
>be no burden whatsoever.
>
> My fear is that CS will totally screw up everything - change
>my billing, etc.
>
> I've been with Sprint for eight years and always had good
>service. But when I've had to deal with CS, in almost every case
>something got screwed up. It's really strange. It's like a car that
>runs beautifully unless you stop moving.
>
> So if I just call regular CS I'm going to be transferred into
>the danger zone. Any advice on how to make sure I get someone with
>reasonable competence. If I call the technical department I'll get
>someone who knows what they're doing, but I don't think they can make
>this change.
>
> Thanks in advance for any advice.
>
> DGI

On Sun, 10 Jun 2007 10:08:35 -0400, hank kimball
<[email protected]> wrote:

>My advice would be to go to a Sprint store in person. They are very
>helpful and will take care of everything I'm sure.
>

I happen to live near a better Sprint store, but that would
not be true of most of them. They are good at selling phones, and some
have proficient tech people on staff, but when it comes to setting up
plans they are all over the map.

As of now I've been giving my sister pointers on how to at
least try to get a better deal out of Verizon. If she can stay with
the company she's with, she can possibly get a reasonably good deal,
not have to port her number, and maybe nab a free or discounted new
phone.

Thanks, DGI

my local sprint store moved the tech dept from the store i go to another
store.
and went from a staff of 11 reps and one manager to 4 reps and one young
manager i dont care for .
got to love down sizeing


--
AL'S COMPUTERS
"David G. Imber" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> On Sun, 10 Jun 2007 10:08:35 -0400, hank kimball
> <[email protected]> wrote:
>
> >My advice would be to go to a Sprint store in person. They are very
> >helpful and will take care of everything I'm sure.
> >
>
> I happen to live near a better Sprint store, but that would
> not be true of most of them. They are good at selling phones, and some
> have proficient tech people on staff, but when it comes to setting up
> plans they are all over the map.
>
> As of now I've been giving my sister pointers on how to at
> least try to get a better deal out of Verizon. If she can stay with
> the company she's with, she can possibly get a reasonably good deal,
> not have to port her number, and maybe nab a free or discounted new
> phone.
>
> Thanks, DGI
>