Dearest Sir or Madam:
I apologize if this is the wrong contact email for this particular situation, however, after my very long, tedious, and exhausting experience in my recent relations with your company and after extensively searching online for a customer support email address, this was all I could find.
If I am in error, please do me the kindness of forwarding this on through the appropriate channels. I apologize if this appears very unprofessional and not very business like.
Hello, my name is Ben Wolfinger and I have used Cricket Cellular Service and Mobile Broadband Service off and on for a few years now. The line of work I am currently in does not require me to have a cell phone because I work from home now and communicate with my customers through Google Voice or Email via my computer.
Allow me to apologize because this is going to be a very long email as I plan on going into precise detail of the recent turn of events leading up to me contacting Cricket Headquarters.
IN A NUTSHELL - An error on your website at mycricket.com resulted in a triple charge to my debit card. In attempt at resolution, I have been bounced around between multiple different departments within your organization repeatedly. Primarily the In Process Department and Payment Specialist Department.
- I have spoken with each of the above departments more than a half a dozen times.
- No one in either department was able to offer me an acceptable resolution.
- I first was given a phone number where no one was able to be reached.
- One representative just wants to pass the buck to the next guy.
- I was told by one representative, as a resolution, to wait for the three phones to arrive and reject the shipment. In which case the money would be automatically credited back to my account.
- I was told by a customer service manager to perform a stop payment on the purchase with my bank.
- The same manager who suggested the stop payment also suggested I could wait for the phones to arrive and call back and request a return authorization.
- I have been asked by multiple Cricket Representatives to explain to another department how to do their job basically. (Payment specialist asked me to inform the In Process Department that there is no need to speak with the payment specialist department again because the transactions had already been completed.) - and that happened several times
- and received the run around more than any other company I have ever dealt with. (Except for possibly the IRS)
This matter requires immediate action from the highest ranking official possible if we are to continue having a professional business relationship. I will go into detail in the sections below and a phone recording is available upon request for the conversation that took place with one of your customer service managers. For your reference, I will also provide employee names, ID Numbers, and the notes of the conversations that took place in the sections to follow.
Even though I don't currently have a need for a cellular phone, I have still always referred business to your company because of the great reception you offer in our area. In addition to referring business your way, I was also considering signing back up for your mobile broadband internet service to make my life a little more simple when traveling in areas that don't have WiFi Hot Spots available. A recent experience with your customer service department, however, has ultimately left me wondering if your company would be the best choice to do business with. I am also contemplating referring my clients, friends, and family members to another provider as well as contacting the BBB in regards to my latest dealings with your company.
On March 15, 2013, (merely three days ago) I was attempting to make a purchase on the "mycricket.com website. I was looking for a phone for my mother. She lives in a slat stone house and currently gets very poor reception while in doors with her current provider, Straight Talk.
After referring her to your website and allowing her to pick out the phone of her choosing, I continued to the checkout process. After reviewing my "cart" I was then directed to enter my payment information and click the "submit payment" button.
Once the button was clicked, a little orange gear, or wheel, just continued to spin and spin at the bottom of the page. This went on for sometime before finally stopping and it failed to direct me to the confirmation landing page.
Due to never receiving verification of my order, I was inclined to repeat this process and so I did, two additional times in fact, before giving up and just assuming that your website was experiencing technical difficulties with your server.
I recalled seeing, a few pages back, an 800 number that would allow me to place my order via telephone through a representative in your sales department. I then clicked the back button on my browser two times so I could return to that page, get the required phone number for the sales department, and place my order via telephone.
Upon placing my call to your sales department, I was connected to a very pleasant lady (forgive me for not being able to provide her name as I was not yet taking notes) who, after explaining my situation to her, politely asked if I could check my online bank statement to be sure the payments hadn't already been charged to my account.
After logging into my bank account online, I soon realized that not only had the payment already been processed through my bank, it had done so three times! I am very grateful for the sales lady I spoke with at that time because without ever receiving a confirmation number or even being redirected to the confirmation page for that matter, I would have never thought to check my account for payment processing.
The kind sales lady then placed me on hold while she contacted the appropriate department (or so we thought at the time) that could assist me in resolving this issue. She also stayed on the line until that department picked up and asked me if it was okay for her to disconnect or if I would prefer for her to stay on the line with me until the situation was resolved.
That sales lady gets a full five stars in my books and I would hire her for sales or customer service any day of the week! I only wish I could say the same about the many other representatives I spoke with following that initial call. (And believe me, there were many representatives yet to come.)
After telling the sales lady that she could disconnect and thanking her for her time and assistance, my conversation was then directed to another individual from, I believe, the payments department.
The gentleman I spoke with there informed me that I would need to be transferred to a supervisor because there was nothing he could do from his end. I admit, I thought that to be a little weird because I would have assumed that the first sales lady I spoke with would have apprised him of the situation before ever connecting me with him.
I consider myself to be very patient and understanding, however, and I have to deal with a lot of customer support issues in my line of work, so I patiently waited to be directed to the next guy.
The manager I was connected with (and again I must apologize for not being able to provide names at this point but other then getting the run around a little bit, I had yet to see the need to take notes) informed me that I was in the wrong department entirely.
According to this gentleman, the payments were already in process and I actually needed to speak with someone from the In Process Department to resolve these issues. He then provided me with their phone number in case I was disconnected (major bonus points for that because I hate getting disconnected and having to start the process all over again) and transferred me to the appropriate department.
When transferred to "IN PROCESS" a recording immediately came on, announcing that no representatives were currently available to assist me. The recording then suggested I try my call again later and disconnected.
After about twenty minutes went by, I attempted to call the number for that particular department again and once again was greeted with the same lovely recording informing me that no one was available to help me.
By this time I was slightly perturbed but not really worried because I figured, "Hey, this is a big organization." "They will make it right, it just may take a little longer than expected." I did not attempt another phone call that evening.
It is important to note that all of the above took place on Friday evening, within an hour or two of placing the original order online.
Saturday I was extremely busy with work and some other personal errands and there was no way I could spare the time make additional calls to resolve this matter, especially with the way I was getting the run around from various Cricket Representatives. As I said, I still wasn't really concerned because I figured that it would get worked out eventually. It was just a slight inconvenience to me due to the amount of time it was costing me on the phone with multiple individuals.
Yesterday, Sunday - March 17, however, I scheduled some time out of my day in attempt to finally resolve this matter. Unfortunately, the phone number that was provided to me for the In Process Department, was saved on my laptop in Windows Notepad and somehow got closed out.
I then logged into my bank account online and seen there was a phone number listed on the transaction so I decided to give that a try. That particular number connected me with a payment specialist.
The payment specialist I spoke with at that time informed me that I was in the wrong department. The payments were already processed so I needed to speak with someone from In Process. He then gave me the phone number and directed me to call in and speak with them.
Upon reaching the In Process department, I was connected to a lady by the name of Madalynne, I believe. (By this time I was starting to at least make a mental note of the various people I was speaking with.)
After explaining my situation to her, she asked me for a confirmation number. I informed her that I didn't have a confirmation number because the website never directed me to the confirmation page. She proceeded to tell me there was nothing she could do from her end and that I needed to speak with a Payment Specialist.
At that time, I told her I had just spoke with a Payment Specialist within three minutes of placing my call to her and that he directed me to the In Process Department. She apologized for the inconvenience but reiterated that there was nothing she could do to help me resolve this matter.
I then hung up and redialed the Payment Specialist phone number that was listed on my bank statement online.
I was then connected with a Payment Specialist Supervisor by the name of Don. His Rep ID# is 0234. I then repeated the entire scenario to him in detail at which time he placed me on hold to try and determine if there was anything that he could do from his end to help resolve this matter.
Unfortunately for me, there was nothing Don could do to help. He did give me all the information that he thought I would need for the In Process Department to be able to resolve this matter. He also informed me, and I quote "Be sure to tell them in the In Process Department that these are completed transactions and there is NO NEED to speak with a customer payment specialist.
I really appreciated all that Don did in attempt to help resolve this matter but to be completely honest, I was somewhat irritated that me, as a customer, the one spending the money here, had to be the one to tell these people how to do there job.
I will copy and paste my notes from Don in the section below:
"866-384-4425 In Process Department - Cricket Wireless
866-448-3657 Payment Specialist - Cricket Wireless
$69.54 Done on mycricket.com 3 transactions
1 - 46884343
2 - 46884428
3 - 46884713
Don - Rep. ID # 0234 Payment Supervisor Says These are completed transactions and there is no reason to speak with a specialist."
I then thanked Don for his time and effort and proceeded to call the In Process Department yet again.
After giving the representative in this department my new found information, courtesy of Don, I was placed on hold yet again.
Upon her return, this "barely English speaking" representative informed me that the numbers Don provided were not confirmation numbers but were instead transaction numbers. She informed me that the numbers I needed would be 9-12 digits long. I explained that I didn't have access to that information because of an error with the website.
Next she offered me a resolution. She said that all I had to do was wait for the shipment of the three phones to arrive at my house and when they did, just reject the entire shipment. She explained that if I rejected the shipment that the money would automatically be credited back to my account.
I informed her that I really wanted to keep one of the phones because my Mother really liked it and I know Cricket gets good reception in her house, a house that kills most cell signals upon entry.
She then told me that the only other thing I could do was speak with a payment specialist and possibly they would have access to additional information required to resolve this matter.
By this time I was pretty upset and I explained that I had been bounced back and forth SEVERAL times between a payment specialist and and the In Process Department.
I also informed her that I was just considering contacting my bank and requesting a stop payment on the ACH and take my business elsewhere, along with contacting the Better Business Bureau and letting them know just what kind of operation is being run over at Cricket Wireless. I also contemplated placing a very extended review on all three of my websites to inform my clients what kind of a racket you guys are performing over there.
However, after careful consideration, I decided to give it one more shot. I called back to speak with a Payment Specialist just ONE MORE TIME.
Upon reaching this department at a final attempt to resolve this matter civilly and like respectable, intelligible adults, I was connected with a payment specialist by the name of Carolynne. Her Rep ID# is 0151.
After explaining the situation all over again and playing the waiting game while on hold, I was presented with no new information that could assist me in resolving this matter.
She did, however, inform me that only two of the payments had processed and that one was still pending.
Carlolynne was also kind enough to refer me to - where? You bet! Right back to the In Process Department.
I am sure you can imagine that there was "no chance in hell" that I was going to attempt yet another phone call to that Non-American, Non-English speaking bunch of monkeys to attempt a resolution. I will again copy and paste my notes from this conversation with Carolynne in the section below.
"Carolyne - Rep ID # 0151 Payment Specialist Says 1 transaction is still pending and redirects me back to In Process Department. This amount of time spent on this call was 22:15"
It was at this time that I decided the only logical thing to do would be to take my business elsewhere and notify my bank of the stop payment.
Being Sunday, my bank was closed but I was able to send them a message using their "secure message center" informing them of the situation and providing them with my request. It was then that I learned my request wouldn't even be seen for up to one business day and that by then the payments most likely will have fully processed.
So then I decided to call Cricket at a whole new phone number, the customer service hotline. After reaching a representative at this department I immediately asked to speak with a customer service manager. The gentleman I spoke with was very reluctant but did eventually transfer me.
The CSM I spoke with at this time was Arnie and her employee number is 9563AM690.
I informed Arnie about all the lack of communication and mishaps about this matter thus requesting her permission to allow me to record my conversation with her. After first avoiding my question altogether, when asked again I did receive full consent to make my recording. I will make this recording available to you upon request.
I went on to explain to Arnie the situation in full and also informed her that I attempted to make a stop payment on the transaction with my bank but because it was Sunday and the banks were closed, I was unable to do so.
After waiting on hold for what seemed like an eternity, Arnie returned with two resolutions for me.
I could either contact my bank and do a stop payment (imagine that? She must have been hard of hearing when I told her I had previously made that attempt.)
-OR-
I could wait for the three phones to arrive and after accepting the shipment, call her back and she would be sure to transfer me to the return authorization department and request an RA.
I am not happy with any of the above resolutions but it would appear I am left with no choice. I believe if we are going to continue to use your service and I am going to continue to refer clients to your company, some type of compensation is required. I have spent way to much time trying to resolve this matter and feel as though many of the employees I spoke with at Cricket in the past few days either don't care about there jobs or are just halfwits.
I will once again attach a copy of my notes from the conversation with Arnie for your review. As I said, a copy of the recorded phone conversation is available upon request.
"Called Customer Service and asked for a manager @ 5:51 pm on 03/17/2013
Manager or Representatives Name : Arnie Emp #9563AM690
Offers 2 Resolutions
1.)Call Bank to Cancel Payment
2.)Wait for phones to arrive then call back and request a return authorization (RA)
Call Ended @ 6:26 pm - (35 minute phone call)"
At the risk of sounding hostile, I am impressed to tell you that without some form of real resolution offered by your corporate office, I will regrettably be forced to take additional action.
I own several websites and all of which I reach out to consumers and give them reviews for multiple products that I either feel are worth looking into or not.
Without some form of proper resolution, I fear that I will have to give your company a major black eye in the market industry.
Additionally, once I perform the required research to determine whether or not it would be within my legal rights to upload my recorded conversation with the Customer Service Manager to my website, without being considered slander, then I may be forced to do that as well.
I regret that this matter has gotten so far out of hand and again, I really am a fan of the coverage area your service provides, however, I think you can agree that no customer should have to go through the events that I have went through over the past few days.
Please feel free to contact me with any further questions you may have. I can be reached by phone at 574-400-5393 or by Email atben.wolfinger@gmail.com. Thank you in advance for your anticipated cooperation regarding this matter. I look forward to hearing from you soon with a solution to this problem so that we can continue a good, professional, business relationship.
Best regards,
Ben Wolfinger
Owner/Operator
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