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AT&T Whistleblower: Our Successful CSR’s are “Liars and Sleaze”; Many Others on Anti-Depressants

Phillip Dampier January 4, 2016 AT&T, Consumer News 74 Comments

repeating mistakesAT&T customers reaching out for customer service are likely to encounter dysfunctional call center employees that will lie, cheat, and scam customers just to meet their monthly targets, while three-quarters of the rest rely on high-powered antidepressants and anxiety medication just to get through the day.

Those shocking allegations come directly from a 17-year AT&T insider that has blown the whistle on “the catastrophe” that is AT&T’s customer service.

“For 10 years, The [Dallas Morning News‘] Watchdog has received a steady flow of complaints about AT&T,” writes consumer reporter Dave Lieber. “Hundreds upon hundreds. More than any other company by far.” (Dallas isn’t served by Comcast.)

Lieber writes that the newspaper’s embarrassing publicity about unresolved consumer complaints always gets the problems he writes about fixed, but the company never seems to correct the chronic problems that bring readers to the newspaper in droves as a last resort.

“I don’t know why this continues to happen, but a recent letter I received may help us understand,” Lieber explains.

Last fall, a career employee at an AT&T call center with 17 years of history with AT&T and its predecessor decided to blow the whistle. She signed the letter, but the newspaper felt it prudent to withhold her name from publication for obvious reasons.

The letter details several customer service practices that are now routine at AT&T call centers — practices that could interfere with a customer’s ability to argue for a better deal or cancel service. Recent belt-tightening by AT&T on promotional spending has left call center workers almost no chance to “delight” customers with a good experience saving their business. In fact, the employee alleges, those not on medication to manage the depression and anxiety that comes from dealing with angry and disappointed customers are capable of thriving at work only by checking their conscience at the door.

“Dear Watchdog, I’ve worked 17 years for AT&T. I have never, in all my years, imagined it would become the catastrophe it is now.

“As retention reps, we are told to not only retain existing customers after their promotions expire, but to also sell more to these people.

“In most cases, a customer’s bill will jump up $83 a month after the ‘intro’ pricing ends. We as reps are allotted at the beginning of week 5 ‘limited use’ promotions, giving folks the maximum of $40 off.

“By Monday afternoon, these are generally depleted as we take about 40 calls a day.

“This has created a culture of reps promising promos, but not adding them. Or telling the customer they are disconnecting the service, but just not doing it. Reps do not want to disconnect a customer, as this counts against the rep.

“You are right to request a user ID [of the rep]. However, it does not help, as every account is noted with the ID of the rep, and management does nothing to discourage the reps’ behavior (as the manager’s pay also is negatively affected by each disconnect their rep does).

“This goes all the way up to sales center manager, general manager and VP. None of the higher-ups care or do anything to stop it.

“They also turn a blind eye to ‘cramming’ by reps (mostly nonunion employees overseas) and erroneous misquotes.

“It’s very frustrating to be an ethical rep there anymore, as you are constantly under their scrutiny for not meeting numbers. The only way to meet these numbers is to be a liar and a sleaze. Three-quarters of my call center is on antidepressants and anti-anxiety medicine just to deal with the company. It shouldn’t be like that.

[…] “The problem with this is none of these general managers communicate. Each state is covered by different laws and regulations. You in Texas may call and get a rep in California. In California, I do not have to let you record the call. You also have the option not to be recorded.

“Now that we are national, you have GMs in charge of call centers in California, Missouri, Texas and Georgia. They don’t train you, don’t care about you, don’t care about the customer as long as they are getting commission off your work.

“They know nothing of government regulations, and frankly, do not care.

“I’ve been through so many GMs and vice presidents. However, this is by far the most inept. We should be helping our customers, not forcing products on them they do not want. … I really don’t think anyone in the government cares.”

att_logo“Unfortunately, we have no way of knowing if this is an employee of our company,” AT&T’s response begins. “But the picture painted is not the experience we create, promote or endorse. We have some of the best call center employees in the industry. We set expectations and limit the offers they can use. But we also provide new agents with 12 weeks of intensive training — with a focus on keeping customers with integrity and with offers based on needs determined during the conversation.”

AT&T’s reaction to the letter missed the point, Lieber wrote, only addressing the identity of the author, not the specific complaints.

In practical terms, many of the allegations raised by the employee seem borne out in AT&T’s own customer support forum, where customers routinely complain about promotions promised but never delivered, billing errors, bills higher than originally quoted, and service never cancelled despite repeated customer requests.

In just the last few weeks, one customer was misled about a U-verse promotion that turned out to last only 90 days, after which the bill soared to $180 a month (with six months still remaining on a one-year contract). Another cancelled U-verse service on Nov. 16, but the service, and the bills… keep on coming. Another customer was promised a retention offer that AT&T reneged on, increasing his bill $80 a month.

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Frank Davis
Frank Davis
8 years ago

This is ridiculous! The person who started this must be on meds. They probably should have found a new job 16 years ago. I know a lot of honesty, successful CSRs.

Dr bogo
Dr bogo
8 years ago
Reply to  Frank Davis

It’s true

Felicia
Felicia
8 years ago
Reply to  Frank Davis

Getting paid $35 a hour will have you putting up with a lot

JJ
JJ
8 years ago
Reply to  Frank Davis

Wjo ever the whistleblower is was spot on with their comments. I too worked for AT&T for 13 years and was subjected to the same types of pressure regardless if whether you were in Sales retention collection the objectives and pressures were absolutely off the chain.

Roger
Roger
8 years ago
Reply to  JJ

I worked there 15 years it was just as bad on collection csr people. leaving that company was best thing I ever did.
good luck to all that are there.

neusys
neusys
8 years ago
Reply to  Frank Davis

I worked/retired from the tel. co., formerly Pacific Bell, then SBC, then the ‘New AT&T! Not long after divestiture in 1984, two reps blew the whistle by going to the San Diego newspaper. I can assure you, heads rolled, for unethical sales. Once the CPUC found out, they issued a ‘cease and desist, and fined us, Pacific Bell, millions and millions of dollars. Post cards were mailed to the customer to send back re their services. I was personally put on a panel to deal with nothing but these post cards and call the customer back to query their services,… Read more »

Loyal Rep
Loyal Rep
8 years ago
Reply to  neusys

I agree with you totally. I have worked call centers in both California and Texas with Texas being worse. The pressure on CSR is enormous, not only are you cursed out by frustrated customers you are often on a daily basis monitored and written up by management. I have 15 years between the two locations and I am currently not making the same amount of money I was making when I originally started with the company 15 yrs ago with less benefits. ATT should be ashamed of themselves.

Maria
8 years ago
Reply to  Frank Davis

You lier. The article said the truth. All the people that we worked there, we all know the article is legit.

Maria
8 years ago
Reply to  Frank Davis

Frank davis, your liar. He article is legit and accurate. All Is true. No customer service there, only sales from the bottom employees to the top vp’s. All are corrupted there. They just care about the money. Only people that we worked there we can understand.

Sapphire Blue
8 years ago

I have been a victim of this disastrous call center mess. We ordered a phone line for our office and thought there was a problem when the girl promised us all kinds of credits and then when she went to assign the phone number did not even ask me where we were located. I said don’t you need to know where we’re located so you know which central office to get the phone number from. She said how do you know that? In a nutshell we spent well over an hour on the phone with her, she would put us… Read more »

Sabrina
Sabrina
8 years ago

As a former employee with several years of tenure, I can tell you this is extremely accurate. They treat you like a number not a person and if you try to stick up for what’s right they replace you.

Something should definitely be done because it’s not healthy and it’s certainly not ok.

Meghan
Meghan
8 years ago
Reply to  Sabrina

I tried to have the CEO do undercover boss cuz Everytime any higher ups would come visit our office we would LITERALLY put on a play of how happy we all were. The unhappy reps were kept far away.

Spczmc93
Spczmc93
8 years ago

I’m in total agreement of this article.. I worked at the company for 7 years, the paychecks come with a price.. I left a 65,000 a year job a shell of the person I was when I started.. I am an honest and ethical person, but the companies demands were rediculous.. I left on medical leave diagnosed with depression and anxiety and never went back,.. To this day I’m still on medication.. I was a great employee for a company that only cares about a bottom line..

Crystal
Crystal
8 years ago
Reply to  Spczmc93

I too felt like a zombie, a number, a meaningless statistic, call after abusive caller. I felt like a shell working for them, I was never diagnosed with anti depressants or the such but if you passed your quality that month then your talk time was too high and you were put on progressive counseling, if you met your talk time then you skipped steps, and missed in quality, progressive for that . I never knew if I would have a job, I got fired after 4 years of great service for being an average of 57 seconds too high… Read more »

Maria
8 years ago
Reply to  Crystal

Yes, union reps are too friendly with management. They are sold too!

Billie Boylan
Billie Boylan
8 years ago
Reply to  Spczmc93

I worked for the company for 3 years. The 1st year was good, the director and managers were all very helpful. Then they fired the director and many managers got a new director and it was then the job from Hell. So much micromanaging. I was at a desk where i could see people going to be written up on Monday and fired on Friday. They were not given the opportunity to improve what they were written up for. I was walked to the write up room on Monday, with my union rep with me, he was not a union… Read more »

Mason
Mason
8 years ago

Having known several good, honest, hardworking individuals who worked there years and years and they all said this verbatim! Unfortunately, this is the case in millions of companies and has been for years because big business only cares about making money. They have forgotten about giving a good, honest customer service experience that actually listens to and fixes the problems so they can retain their loyal customers. There’s a lot of competition out there now and people don’t necessarily get landlines anymore. But, they need to realize that if they really want to retain and make the most money/give better… Read more »

Sandal Mayer
Sandal Mayer
8 years ago

I recently went from dsl to uverse internet and it was a nightmare. As a retired employee I was dealing with the employee group and they were totally useless. I went without both internet and my landline for over three weeks due to AT&T employees numerous mistakes. I had two ladies promise me they would follow thru with my problem and complaint and they did nothing. I went thru with two different current employees sending in a complaint for me and nothing. I had to go to the presidents office and file not one, but two complaints before anything was… Read more »

Lynn Powell
Lynn Powell
8 years ago

It’s true I worked for AT&T for a very long time .

Dee
Dee
8 years ago
Reply to  Lynn Powell

What this honest CSR says is absolutely true. I worked for the company for 32 years but was luckily trained under the old Pacific Bell regime. We were taught excellent customer service skills back in the 1970s-80s…and then SBC showed up. Ever since, the company has been a horrible place to work for CSRs and repair techs. We have always had problems with unethical sales, even prior to the days of cramming The Works (an expensive custom calling feature package); that one lead to a ‘cease and desist’ order from the Public Utilities Commision that lasted for nearly a decade.… Read more »

Janis Brown
Janis Brown
8 years ago

I object, I was a business customer service rep who retired in 2005…I won the President’s award winning the most prestigious award offered. .and never once did I scam, cheat, steal the customers. …I did have other reps steal my work but I caught them. ….I blame the training and the hurry up teaching they are doing now. ..we were once taught products and skills. .now it’s mass production. .I blame management, the promotion group for not educating properly. .. There may be some bad seeds in the group, but overall the reps try their best. . So write your… Read more »

Anonymous
Anonymous
8 years ago

As an employee handling AT&T escalations I can tell you this is dead on. Even after “charging” the employee who made the error nothing is changed, and yes the overseas vendors are the worst. Until the day comes when customer service reps are not held to quotas and the focus is on soley helping the customer this won’t change regardless of what upper management does to paint a happy face on service.

Sandy
Sandy
8 years ago

This is nothing new – as service reps “back in the day” we had quotas to meet and if you didn’t meet them you were put on a program for improvement (on your way to be terminated.) We were all given scripts to read which mislead the customers into thinking they had to take it ALL. If they complained about the price we had to just take one service off at a time. Scripts for “new to the country”, students, retirees/seniors, etc. All adapted to “their needs” (no, OUR money). Some Service Reps finally called and complained to the CPUC… Read more »

Amy
Amy
8 years ago

As a recently laid off employee of At&t I can tell you that the author hits the nail on the head. One of the main issues are the contractors who are doing our work. They have high demand to meet their sales quotas and they don’t make a lot of money to begin with unless they slam and cram the customers. I don’t know how many adjustments I have issued because of all of the promises made by the vendors to customers on promos promised but never applied to the account. They are trained to move heaven and earth to… Read more »

Susan
Susan
8 years ago

It’s amazing how accurate this is. As a rep with 25 years experience and never a top seller, I can attest to everything this rep is saying. One part left out is how att “rates” their customers on a 1-4 scale based on credit, years of service with u-verse and payment history. A 4 gets larger discounts than a 1. So if you are a little old lady that had a home phone for 40 years but u-verse internet for 2 years and since you are on social security and can’t make payments on time you pay more than someone… Read more »

Patricia Lawrence
Patricia Lawrence
8 years ago

Yes it is all true! I luckily started as residential rep under cease & desist from previous scams & crams by company employees! It was a GREAT job when we were not pushed to sell! I talked to many happy customers then cuz I first helped the customer completely with their issue. I always took the time to help the elderly who would be so confused over phone bill being so high for crammed options they don’t use nor did they want! I refused to treat any customer without respect nor sale them any extras without their consent! Once cease… Read more »

Pamela Bell
Pamela Bell
8 years ago

You told my story exactly. I worked for Southern Bell/Bellsouth for 14 years. All of this is true.

Sheyla Barnett
Sheyla Barnett
8 years ago

Well what can I say. ATT IS A BRAND created by dedicated employees who worked for a company with integrity . employees who brought the company from manual call handing to automation. Only to be downsized out of the business. Unfortunately the current Customer service representatives are often hired through temp agencies, given little or no training and shed when budgets cuts are needed. If this employee was lucky enough to have 17 years that means she was originally an SBC employee who was worked in a business office environment or for ATT Wireless. Call centers now are breeding grounds… Read more »

CAREY
CAREY
8 years ago

I used to work for At&t. When it was Pacific Bell it was great… good company and i felt proud of the job I did. Towards the end of my 12 years with them I felt the same way the writer of the letter. Its all about the sales and nobody cared about customer service…. Sell and get them off your phone so you can help the next person. I was always in trouble for going above and beyond to help because my average call handle time was above 8 mins. I was sick of being stressed so I quit.… Read more »

Paul D.
Paul D.
8 years ago

The good news is big businesses are moving away from call center models and moving to a more web based customer experience platform. It won’t be a big change as nearly 70% of people go to the Internet first to find out answers to their questions. Sounds like it’s coming just in time as AT&T has stressed out every employee this move will benefit both reps and the company.

Reese
Reese
8 years ago

I worked for an AT&T call center for nearly 8 years. Every bit of this letter is TRUE! I’d say that around 90% of my center were on antidepressants, not because of the customers, but because we all felt like we were playing Russian roulette every day. They set impossible metrics to meet while actually doing a job that is good customer service & constantly threaten you with termination for not meeting these metrics each month. Three month straight of not meeting one metric meant termination, so reps HAVE to cut corners & lie to make it. People say “Why… Read more »

Scott
Scott
8 years ago

experienced this first hand in 2002 but I’ve also seen/felt
the same from Comcast the cable company.

DAVID PERRY
DAVID PERRY
8 years ago

THIS is so totally true. I retired from AT&T after 30 years. in Sacramento Ca, Servide rep offices here were closed and moved to Texas, Kansas, Missuori, and other states. WHY??? the reps here were getting almost $40 per hour and the other places they were hired at $15 or less. Then in Sacramento they hired reps thru a private company for $10 and didn’t ask anyone that was laid off to go to the jobs. Best thing is if you have a CHRONIC Illness you should get FMLA and have your Doctor write a note on his stationary saying… Read more »

Sandy
Sandy
8 years ago

As a fairly recent retiree with 34 years of service, I can tell you this article rings 100% true. I retired much earlier than I wanted due to the cultural evolution that had taken place in the business. I jumped at the opportunity to leave and cash out my pension 100% because truthfully — I wouldn’t trust this company with my pension long term! Today’s AT&T is a stressful work environment with systems that are no longer integrated to deliver a smooth customer experience. And heaven forbid you’re a “wireline” customer. You’re treated as sub-human. Ask those still without phones… Read more »

Darlene Splash
8 years ago

I worked in the business office for 17 years…. it’s all a crock of sh*t, they wanted u to sell huge packages to a 90 year old blind woman on social security without enough money to buy her prescriptions. Absolutely pathetic. I thought losing my job was the worse thing ever but low and behold my chronic migraines and anxiety went away a few months after. They can keep their benefits and retirement, no amount of money is worth your health and sanity!!! I guess they didn’t learn from cease and desist in the 80’s.

Meghan
Meghan
8 years ago
Reply to  Darlene Splash

Haha. I do remember the story of a blind customer getting sold caller ID…. classic

Justin
Justin
8 years ago

I have not worked for AT&T but I know a lot of ppl who do and the stories I hear coming from both customers and employees is disturbing I would never work for AT&T regardless of what the pay was,…oh and you can count on AT&T employing ppl to do damage control on this article.

Howard whizite
Howard whizite
8 years ago

They offered me 3 free months of u-worst, and 9 months at 45.00; the n told me I owed them 155.00. Can’t afford to drop the serviceright now, only other carrier is tw, which is much more expensuve, so took the rip off.

Meghan
Meghan
8 years ago

I can completely substantiate everything that this letter states. I started with Pacific Bell… which then became SBC… Which then became AT&T… I worked over 18 years there until my job was moved to Texas…
When I began, I was a SERVICE representative. .. now they are SALES representatives…..
There are good people there, but they are merely filling a seat …. who should appreciate having a job and do as they are told.

Thomad
Thomad
8 years ago

I spent 10 years as a customer service manager trying to make sense of this mess. Most of my day was spent trying to protect my honest direct reports from the discipline machine that AT&T created. In many cases the company and union were is cahoots in their efforts to sabatoge employees careers. My site manager used to use the phrase “find a behavior”. This meant as managers we were to take a call from them and listen to it over and over again until we found the smallest infraction or off script “behavior” to write them up for. Often… Read more »

AT&T
AT&T
8 years ago

I left the company after 7 years….all I can say is that was the best decision I ever made!!

Nancy
Nancy
8 years ago

This article is 100% spot on!!! I was so happy with my job when Pacific Bell hired me. I finally had enough of ATT and Halimas bulls**t and quit 12 years later. It’s sad what ATT has become. No amount of money is worth the stress that company caused myself and my co workers. I couldnt be happier now. There is life outside ATT.

Roger
Roger
8 years ago

Just a few things to ratchet stress level up. At my call center they have a robo call the customer back and it asks customer 10 questions you fail if you did not get rated 5 in all 10 questions heaven forbid you have eight 5’s and two fours that call would be classified a failure.

I started in ohio bell spent 15 years there went thru 3 major depressions. In one of these depressions i needed group counseling. that session had 9 employees in it and 1 manager. My counsler also told me he had sees about employees

WiNoJoE
WiNoJoE
8 years ago

What a wonderful post Phillip, thank you very much!

timothy saylor
timothy saylor
8 years ago

well while our service was still active ( before they ended up closing our account) been for several months been trying to clear up an issue of ridiculous bill increases on our bill eveery month someone in there customer service even changed the plan on one of our lines ( that wasnt even active and we had suspended) but they still was charging us over 400 dollars a month on just that one line its self making our bill in the ball park of 600+ dollars a month had that line setup to roam in mexico and canada i live… Read more »

Rick Marshall
Rick Marshall
8 years ago

I worked for AT&T and I can tell you that everything she stated was true! Telegence logs your ATTUID when you go into an account and there is a data base called webphone where you can look up agent I.D. numbers if you work inside the company. I reported many people for not doing their job and dumping a call on me. We weren’t a Union shop so we got paid 10.50 to start and many folks quit after 5 plus years of bull crap!

Randi H
Randi H
8 years ago

AT&T has these issues. I wonder if the “whistle-blower” was a variable workforce (outsourced) agent…worked in vendor ops 3 years, AT&T direct customer service 2 years and a vendor ops technical trainer for 4. Truths? Numbers matter more than customers. AT&T has very little concern for its employees (as in 2007 they eliminated 4800 internal positions just to farm out work to vendor companies- 3500 agents being paid $10 hr for the same work) and proper business practices. Falsehoods? Not all agents are medicated, some are just disgruntled. Call center culture is difficult in ANY industry. The bottom line is… Read more »

Marla
Marla
8 years ago

This is why I left in 2007, I am still on antidepressants after starting with a good company called Pacific Bell, the next company SBC started the changes in the ethical realm of customer service and sales. I prided myself with doing Excellent Service, but AT&T only thinks about numbers. …and we are all human beings not a greedy number on either end!

Tiffany
Tiffany
8 years ago

I worked for AT&T, first starting with Cingular Wireless in 2002. I stayed with the company for 10 years before relocating, which required a change of employment. I can say that what the writer is describing was not my experience at all. I found our call center environment (500-1000 employees) to be much like a family. We celebrated holidays, life events, ups and downs in the business and the community together. It was a strong team environment. So much so, that my last few days with the company were filled with many tears. I’m pleased to say that some of… Read more »

truth
truth
8 years ago
Reply to  Tiffany

Randall Stephenson, is that you?

They can have 3 consumer consultants for the price of 1 service representative…

3 Prem technicians to 1 fully trained core tech, with service skills..
I have intimate knowledge of both sides…. This article is 100% truth, regardless to what the shills try to misdirect..

This article is spot on….

Steve
Steve
8 years ago
Reply to  Tiffany

Reeks of AT&T damage control.

Ken
Ken
8 years ago
Reply to  Steve

Agreed. Writing style reads like AT&T corporate communications doing damage control.

Tiffany
Tiffany
8 years ago
Reply to  Ken

I have nothing to hide, so let me clear the air. I am not currently an AT&T employee. At a young age, I took an entry-level job as a CSR. Believe it or not, I had no thoughts of it being a career. I was just super excited to have a job where I had a desk of my own. I thought that was so cool. Seems so silly now, but I’m just being honest. While working with the company, I worked as a rep in Customer Service, Tech Support, B2B, and then as an OOP rep. After Hurricane Katrina,… Read more »

Alex f
Alex f
8 years ago

Anyone who says this article is inaccurate is either management or is one of the two in this article. Worked for ten years for this company and everything is true no matter how good you did or tried, your a number and not good enough. You want to help the customers but att doesn’t so your stuck with management breathing down your neck and customer yelling at you because you have no promos to give them. They want you to offer to a person that has phone problems or wants to cancel service it’s all about sales there. Then when… Read more »

Annonomous
Annonomous
8 years ago

I started working at Ameritech, which turned into SBC then ATT. I started off in the mail room, then after a year went to the center where I have been stuck ever since. (21 years later) I used to love my job, now I get so stressed, even the night before, I’m dreading the following day. I would say 95% of the customers that call in want everything for nothing, then get beligerant with me that I can’t give them the 80 off they had before, and that I can only give them 20 off. Over the years I have… Read more »

WiNoJoE
WiNoJoE
8 years ago

It amazes me how many of the comments were unreadable, or just not worth the time trying to figure out what the person was trying to say. Don’t they teach writing skills in USA schools anymore? Come on people, proof read your post BEFORE hitting the submit button! Sheesh…

Stephanie
Stephanie
8 years ago

I had a land line installed for my father for his life alert. They were supposed to charge us for the wire from the road to his home. He (on fixed income) was charged for 3 (yes THREE) MILES of wire! From the highway to his house. I already have a line anyway. We disputed it, they disconnected his phone. This went in for 3 months. He ended up just paying it so he could have the life alert.

John
John
8 years ago

I also worked for AT&T last year. After only 5 1/2 months I chose to resign and look for another job. The objectives were unrealistic and the tactics used were frustrating to hear. The final straw for me was when I heard my own manager tell our sales team in a meeting, “I don’t care if a 90 year old woman on a fixed income calls in to decrease her bill, you sell her something!” When I heard this, my personal and professional ethics & beliefs told me this was not where I wanted or needed to be working. Glad… Read more »

Brian
Brian
8 years ago

Can’t confirm things on the CSR side… But I was a prem tech before we were able to go union, and this letter is accurate… Yeah it was pretty much this… Get bitched at about your numbers every day… If your truck sat “too long” at a job or on break, you’d better believe boss would be calling, telling you to pick up the pace, cause your numbers might make his numbers slip. 14 hour days, worthless health insurance, work in unsafe conditions… And yes, I was on Xanax and Vicodin by the time I left, just so I could… Read more »

Truth Be Told
Truth Be Told
8 years ago

This article is 100% accurate. Don’t let the company response tell you otherwise. What was harsh in my office was management attacking you after using your right of FMLA. We were being targeted for being sick pretty much. The way they would do it is nit pick your call when being monitored talking about you didn’t value the customers time. The call goes longer then expected been there for 12a+ years and now all of a sudden I’m not valuing the customers time huh? I clearly overheard this one 2nd level say get rid of those lazy FMLA users. This… Read more »

Maria
8 years ago

At&t reps are all lies and corrupted, it goes all the way up to management and vp’s because they get comission too.I worked there for 10 years, and all above said is the truth. Only people that worked there understands perfectly. There isn’t customer service, only sales reps.
I am glad I am out of there.

Meg
Meg
8 years ago

20 years. I started with a baby bell company as a service rep. Wonderful job. Now all that has changed. Although my title is still service representative the position has changed to sales representative. There is no longer a customer service department. This article is true. Spot on. Truly hell.

Stacey
Stacey
8 years ago

This is so accurate it’s scary and also very sad. I started working for SNET (CT) shortly after college. Yes the pay was great compared to other options but it was a stressful job with many of these same issues just not to the extent it became. When SBC bought put the company it was just the start to the downfall into HELL. I had transfered from collections to a higher end, lower pressure customer service position. After just a few weeks of training they did away with the position, the day I left training to be exact. I was… Read more »

Rod Scott
Rod Scott
8 years ago

But the CSR are being coached by management, and coaches

Larry
Larry
8 years ago

This absolutely true, you must be drinking the same cool aide Frank. I lived it, AT&T has no integrity. It all starts with upper management.

Mglass
Mglass
8 years ago

This whistle blower is absolutely correct. The managers pressure those employees to commit unethical and more than likely illegal acts just to meet their quota. The managers will also throw them under the bus to save their own Necks by denying this! Those employees have stolen so much from customers by adding things to the customers account without their knowledge and some are not given credit after the unwanted services are removed. Total 15!years with those sleeze balls. Mother 31 years with them as well!!!

Carla
Carla
8 years ago

It’s all true. I remember when I first started at BellSouth. I was so excited to be working for such a great company. Then in less than one year, everything changed. We went from a new service call center to a customer service call center. That wasn’t the bad part, handling customer complaints can also be rewarding if you are allowed to provide the customer with good customer service. But nooooo…. that wasn’t what the higher ups wanted. They wanted more money. Now you not only had to handle a complaint, but you had to sell them something too. So… Read more »

Jimmy
Jimmy
8 years ago

I was a manager in both sales and retention and she’s spot on!!! When you call about a bill it was not uncommon to have a person add devices you didn’t agree to. We all knew never to cal!’ It’s pressure to deliver and you are beat senseless for numbers. Turn over is high and they don’t care about the person. Just the number. One mishap and it was over for you.

Andrew
Andrew
7 years ago

I worked for AT&T for over 10 years. I agree with the details shared by the AT&T employee. There is a ridiculous amount of pressure placed on front line reps regarding the promo offers, product changes, upsells, cross sells and call center metrics that must be maintained. As a manager, we would essentially threaten employees if they did not achieve their metrics, which include upselling, asking for a sale, mentioning a new product or even closing the call with a branding statement. Employees calls are constantly observed first hand or remotely monitored and it does not create an environment of… Read more »

James Briggs
James Briggs
7 years ago

I believe him. They lied to get me away from Charter. They told me I could get the best package for $20 month for 12 months then when I called in it was only for one month. So each month they would give me the deal I was promised if I called in and complained about the bill. Then finally after 3 or 4 months they labeled me as a problem customer and they brought in a guy who gave me another lesser deal for another 3 months. In the end my deal was only $20 for 3 months and… Read more »

Current Time Warner Cable Employee
Current Time Warner Cable Employee
7 years ago

Isn’t this just interesting… If the public only knew more. Their not the only ones in this industry that blow smoke up customers tails. Leaving your conscience at the door seems to be what most of us have to do working in this industry. Out with the old and in with the new. Taking note and keeping tab… Trust me. My whistle is in my pocket. Talk about lighting up a company. The damage one could do if the public only knew the truth on how they are treated. News stations state to state where the company has customers located… Read more »

william
william
7 years ago

i will never use the service of this company , understand i love the job,. enjoy working with and helping the customers , the sense of accomplishment and pride . i just despise the management that we work for , their underlying goal is to use employees for their youth and drive them out before they get anywhere near retirement,. their focus is consolidate business through mergers keeping the customers and business name but at the same time slaughtering the senior workers quietly out the back door , you always hear the big announcements , the bold advertisements , the… Read more »

Flash Flannigan
Flash Flannigan
7 years ago

Everything this rep said was true, and it’s actually worse then that. I worked there for 11 years and was put on a contract for actually trying to help customers. When you get a customer with a difficult ongoing problem you are told to put them on a “commit” form for someone to handle, because you need to keep the calls flowing to sell things. The problem is, the difficult commits never get worked, because the person closed only does the easy ones, because the more they get done the more they will be taken off the phones. I was… Read more »

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