Overseas Chinese Web Guide

Tag: customer service

  • AT&T FamilyTalk Plan is Not Family Friendly

    “Your World. Delivered.” Or, so they say. Anyone try to get a FamilyTalk plan that includes cell phones with phone numbers from different area codes? I think this can be done, but after spending 50 minutes talking to various customer service people within AT&T, I have run out of patience. I don’t need this that badly. I don’t think there’s a technical reason it cannot be done, just a marketing excuse. And that is the lamest reason to turn down a cash-paying customer.

    For some reason, the telecommunications industry is locked into a bizarre old world mentality. Tell me how does forcing an established customer to surrender a long-held phone number breed customer loyalty? It doesn’t. It just reminds me how behind the times your business practices and perspectives are. Sure, AT&T forced us to all have phone numbers from the same area code now, but every time I’m dialing that phone, it reminds me that my world wasn’t delivered. AT&T probably spent some big bucks to come up with their marketing slogan. Instead, I just wished they had hit a few keystrokes (which is probably all it would have taken) to let all of us be on the same FamilyTalk plan with our original phone numbers, even if they were from different area codes.

  • Stop Clogging Our Bank Branches

    San Francisco Chronicle: BofA squeezes another buck out of noncustomers. Bank of America is leading the way, pushing up its ATM charge for noncustomers to $3 from $2 at 10,700 of its cash machines across the country as of last July. Other big banks are expected to follow suit.

    The “money” quote is that Bank of America “argued that higher fees benefit its customers by driving away noncustomers who might clog up its branches.” How much does Bank of America spend on advertising and marketing to lure new customers? And, the moment a prospect walks into a branch, the Bank turns around and tries to nickel-and-dime them to drive them away and prevent them from clogging up their branches? How about wowing them with excellent service? If I was running B of A, I would want all these people to walk away thinking “Damn, my bank doesn’t treat me this well. I really should move my account here.” If you don’t like customers, you shouldn’t be in the customer service business.

  • Unrequited Love

    aimpagesinvite.jpgOur feelings were never mutual. The first time I received your unsolicited IM, I politely clicked “Decline.” I was just being sensitive and didn’t want to hurt your feelings. But, you didn’t get the message. Perhaps, you were coached by some marketer to show some perseverance. Surely, I would come around. But, I didn’t. However, your invitations still came…and were left unanswered. Then, I tried to “Block” you. But, you had no clue. You ignored my “Block.” Perhaps, if you tried harder, you must have thought. You did not realize that your insistence was what drove me further away. Now, I have grown to detest AIM Pages, even though I have never given it a try, just because of you aimpagesinvite. If you had respected my initial request instead of repeatedly stalking me and sending unsolicited messages, we would not have come to this stage. How many more times will I have to “Decline” or “Block” you before you realize that there is no future between us?