Sure, most people love to complain about their cell phone service. I guess I’m not much different in that respoect.
I used to be with AT&T (now Cingular), but switched to Sprint 4 years ago. I have yet to have a positive experience with Sprint. A caveat to everyone who talks with customer service from any company (especially cell phone companies)… get the name of who you talk with and document every aspect of the phone call.
A year ago, my contract expired with Sprint. After approximately 3 hours spent bouncing around to different departments, supervisors, and countries (they use call centers across the globe to save money), I finally screamed loud enough so that they gave me the new customer deal of week. Of course, this required me to sign up for another 2 years of service. I documented every aspect of each of the calls I made. On the final call, I specifically requested that I wanted the insurance on the phone. Of course, it wasn’t documented properly by the Sprint agent, which basically means that it never happened.
Following allong with Murphy’s Law, my wife’s phone started having problems 9 months into the contract. I went into the Sprint service center expecing to get the phone fixed and was surprise that I didn’t have the insurance. 2 more hours wasted on the phone with Sprint got me nowhere. They gave me the number for Sanyo since the phone was under warranty.
To be continued…
{ 12 comments… read them below or add one }
I feel the same way about Sprint. I am into my 5th month of 2 year contract and I recently had a horrible experience with the customer service. I just found out that, not only they gave me wrong information intentionally so I can sign up the contract, but now they are saying they are sorry but cannot do anything about it. I was thinking maybe it is better to pay $200 cancellation fee and start someplace else, and it would still save me a lot of money. NEVER NEVER go to Sprint. Whenever I think about how I was tricked (almost scammed) into this contract, it gives me a nightmare.
Chris,
My service plan is up at the end of this year and I’ll be looking at other providers. I feel the same way you do about Sprint’s customer service.
Thanks for leaving your feedback!
I was a Sprint customer for 3 years before I decided to open an account with Verizon Wireless due to network problems (dropped calls) and horrible customer service experience with Sprint. At first, I planned to keep my service with Sprint until my contract expired instead of paying the Early Termination Fee of $200. Later, I agreed to pay the fee and totally cancel service. I spoke to a customer service rep who agreed to cancel my service, and I payed the fee of $200 the same day although it had not billed. When I moved 4 months later, I obviously didnt update my address with a company that I *thought* I no longer had service with. I recieved a letter from a collection agency advising me I had a balance from Sprint for $269– I called Sprint, who advised that my service had never been cancled, however they were able to confirm per the account remarks that I called in to cancel. No one would assist me, I was TOLD THEY DIDN’T HAVE SUPERVISORS… DON’T EVER CHOOSE SPRINT. LOOK AT THEIR FINANCIAL RECORDS (CHURN– WHICH MEANS HOW MANY CUSTOMERS ARE LOST PER QUARTER) if they continue at the rate they are going, they are doomed to fold soon.
to add to that, in 2007 Sprint cancled over 200,000 accounts due to call backs, because it was costing them too much. Basically, if you called in too many times due to an issue they sent you a letter telling you they were not longer able to support you as a wireless provider and would waive your early termination fee. how about you solve the issue the first, or think about firing your customer services reps, instead of firing your paying customers.
Unfortunately, your experience is par for the course at Sprint. Every single time that I call into Sprint, I record the call as well as take time stamped notes.
What is even more unfortunate is that Nextel, who Sprint acquired, was well known for their great service. Sprint literally took them from first to worst.
200,000 customers were “fired” but keep in mind these were customers that did not have a valid reson to call in other than to try and take advantage of the lack of knowledge of the sprint customers care agent by trying to receive credit for any little complaint, these customer would call in on avg of 1-4 times per day, these were looked into and if there was a valid reson they were calling in then they would stay, but among the “fired” customers were people that have not paid a bill for the past year from all the credits they receive.
I am having similar outrageous problems with t-mobile and I am going to pay two $200 disconnect fees, $400 total for two lines just to get rid of them. One comment above pointed out a great idea for choosing a new cell phone company by reviewing corporate financial performance to see who is gaining and who is losing customers. Except for the likes of MetroPCS who are obviously gaining customers but not for reasons of having good customer service. How does one find corporate financial performance records on the web? There should be a site devoted to this endevour.
A good start is http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_United_States_mobile_phone_companies
Cost for breaking the contract is $200 (Early termination fees) per line. If you are in a family plan, you need to pay 200$ per each line. You will end up paying $200 even if you cancel the contract 1 day before the end of the contract.
Your contract will be extended for 2 years without your knowledge, even if there is a slight change in your plan. If you question them, they say it is an oral agreement.
Worst Signal: If the signal is good in your living room, there are chances that you will have zero signal in your bedroom. I need to come to the balcony if i need to use my cell phone. Some times it says “Call was lost” and get disconnected, while on call.
I faced a tough time getting rid of Sprint.
The termination fee per line is really a killer when you’re on a shared minute family plan.
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I have endured Sprint’s poor customer service and lousey reception and dropped calls for years. I recently called to determine how I could get out of all my Sprint “Family Plan” numbers and they deceived me and switched one of my phone numbers to standby which then extended the contract on it. All the time they assured me that they would not change my plan in any way. When I called and asked for a Supervisor they basically told me, “too bad”. They said that I had allowed the customer service representative to change the plan…but I had never given them permission to do that! They would do nothing to address it, and now I have to pay for the line for another 3 months. It is a complete rip-off and I would caution anybody who thinks they want a phone plan with this company to check-out the complaints and class action lawsuits that are posted all over the internet. We are completely ripped-off most of the time and have no recourse to the poor treatment. I can’t wait to get rid of my Sprint contract in March and will tell everyone who will listen in the future what a bad experience I had with them.
I could write a book on my nightmare customer service experience with Sprint.
I’ll give you the short version:
1) I made the mistake of buying a Blackberry from a Sprint
telemarketer. I travel extensively, and was in need of a new phone so I was actually glad the guy called. He told me that Sprint was offering a special price with rebates galore. Hey, Sign me up! I purchased the phone using a Visa card. The phone I ordered was the wrong one so I went to the Sprint store to exchange it for an upgraded Blackberry World Phone. The store didn’t have one in stock, however the clerk kindly handed me their phone to order it from another department. The clerk then did an exchange using my Visa at the cash register, and I my new phone arrived at my home two days later. Cool.
2) Since I’m not exactly a tech-savvy phone genius, I returned to the Sprint store to get some help setting up my new Blackberry. They were marginally helpful; however they got me fixed up nonetheless.
3) I chose the Blackberry World Phone because as I said, I travel extensively. I was leaving for China in a few days and just as I do every month, I dial *3 to pay my Sprint bill. I was a bit shocked when the lovely robo-woman told me that my new balance was $1100.00! As I said, I purchased one phone, exchanged it for another, all on my Visa card. My normal phone bill is around 100.00 per month, and now I’m looking at an $1100.00 phone bill. I called “customer service” immediately to get to the bottom of it.
Oh my God! I spent two days, and a total of 9 hours on the phone dealing with one idiot after another. In two days, I spoke with 29 different people. I was hung up on, mysteriously disconnected with, put on perma-hold, and treated like dirt by these evil mutants employed by Sprint. I was yelled at, threatened, called a liar, insulted in a half a dozen other ways, and still nobody could figure out why my phone bill was $1100.00.
I had only two days to go until I’m on a plane for China, and I’m going through a living hell with Sprint! I was only in the US for a total of four days in between trips abroad. Time that I could have spent with family or friends was consumed by having to deal with Sprint “customer service”.
On the third day, I return to the Sprint store to try to resolve the issue. The manager of the store dialed some kind of secret magical number and handed me their phone to speak with some big chief, or the “king of Sprint”, or whatever. The guy was very pleasant, and tried to help me unravel the whole mess. Turns out, I was charged for three phones. They charged my Visa bill, and there were overlapping charges on my Sprint bill. He credited me for part of the damage; however I was told that the credit for $700.00 on my Sprint bill wouldn’t show up until my next monthly statement.
At this point, I was just happy to know that I had a working telephone to take to China, and I was glad to know that the issue was more or less resolved. Had I not been on such a hectic travel schedule, I would have dropped Sprint immediately.
4) One month later: I return from China, dial *3 to pay my Sprint bill, only to hear robo-woman’s voice telling me that I’m past due for the amount of $700.00. Now, I’ve never been late with paying my Sprint bill. In fact, I usually pay early. I’ve been a loyal Sprint customer for eight years. I didn’t use my phone in China, except to answer annoying messages from Sprint which I was receiving daily (Apparently, when you have an open dispute with them, they try to annoy you into submission by hounding you to death across the globe. You can run, but you can’t hide!)
So once again, rather than go through another two days of degradation trying to resolve anything on the phone with “customer service”, I drive to the Sprint store. During my jet-lagged attempt to get some answers from the guy in the store, I was told that this was somehow my fault because “we told you it would take a month for the credit to show up on your statement”. He also suggested that I pay the bill, even though I don’t owe them money, and wait until yet another month goes by for the billing department to straighten it out. Rather than get violent with the guy, I marched out of there and promptly called “customer service” again to see if I could find some answers.
Finally, I get someone who isn’t on drugs to speak with. The “supervisor” more or less got it straightened out. It’s been almost three months, and I’m still waiting for that rebate. Never did get that “special offer”. After the mental anguish Sprint put me through, they should give me free phones and free service for life. I would drop Sprint, however I’m in China again this month, and I’m heading to Italy after Christmas. As grueling as my travel schedule is, I don’t have time to change service right now. Whenever I can take a break, dropping Sprint is high on my to-do list!
Funny side note:
While I was in China last month, I realized that I forgot to call Hertz before I left to reserve car to upon my return to the States. Since I really didn’t know how to dial US directory assistance from China to get the number for Hertz Rent-A-Car, I called Sprint to ask “customer service” for help. I explained to the woman that I was in China trying to reach directory assistance in the US so I could make a rental car reservation. The woman at Sprint “customer service” responded by yelling “Sir, we are not a travel agent”, and then hung up on me.
… At least they’re consistent.