Angry at AT&T

I knew the day would come when I'd have to use this forum for a little venting.

I don't know if it’s my frame of mind but AT&T has me crazy-angry.   I could blame it on this great book  I'm reading on the importance of creating measurable customer service systems in your business.  Or maybe it's because small business can be hard and I'm having a particularly hard month.  Who knows the reason. 

The short story is I live in an apartment community in Austin.  About a year ago (oh, AT&T is aware of the EXACT date) we were encouraged to switch our internet and cable service from Time Warner Cable to AT&T U-Verse. 

Those that live in our community never knew why the switch; why Time Warner Cable was out and AT&T was in.  One day signs simply went up in the mailroom inviting us to a pizza party to meet with the AT&T representative; they would explain the program and answer questions.  So over cheap pizza and soda AT&T goes through the drill.  The long and short of this story, like sheep to the slaughter, all the residents crossover to the services of AT&T because suddenly (supposedly) there’s no other provider to our complex. This happened April, 2012. 

Fast forward one year.  I open my AT&T U-Verse statement and what do I see?  A payment demand for $221.00 for one month of service.  That same period of time last month cost me $179.00.  That same period of time the month before cost me $146.00.  I am crazy out of my mind. 

I do love this logo however. . .it's so hard for me to stay angry!

I call AT&T (which is an experience that could be so much more pleasant.  I want to make a distinction here; the representatives are pleasant, the experience is not good.) 

Anyway the rep tells me after looking at my account that the $221.00 is not overstated; it is indeed correct. 

The reason the bill is $75.00 a month higher than the original amount is because when I signed up for U-Verse I was given incentives and a promotional deal.  Because I’m one year into the service the promotions, the incentives have expired.  He went on to say he'd look at my service to see if I could take advantage of any new promotions. 

I was so pissed I didn't hear another word he said.  All I heard was the sound of my own blood rushing in my ears.  I’m aware this whole promotional thing that vanishes happens all the time.  But it’s such a bad policy I felt the need to share.  

I’m going to end this post with a series of pointed questions and comments that I simply need to get on paper.  It’s going to have to be done in random order because I don't feel logical.

Why would a company give a promotion when a person first signs up for a service only to yank it away after that same person has shown loyalty to the company by staying with them for over a year?

Why is it called a promotion??  It's not a promotion; it's a bribe.

Never mind the sign-up "promotion" where is the loyalty promotion?  Where's the reward for loyalty?  Why is loyalty being punished to the tune of $900.00 a year?  I actually feel penalized for staying with AT&T for a year.  And there's also the feeling of being taken or duped which is never a good feeling for a customer.

And it feels like they think they are doing me a favor by throwing me a promotion now that I've complained.  If I'd stayed silent and paid the increased billing all would have been fine at AT&T. It's just a horrible policy.

Okay I'm done.    
   

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