I had to call two different companies today to deal with some issues.
First was DirecTv to deal with the fact that they had been charging me for a Starz package we had with our satellite service. A package that I'd been calling on for the last couple of months. It seems that the supposed 1 year package only lasts a total of 8 months. I've had to call to get the $12 credit applied every month since August.
I called the first time and got someone who I swear had marbles in their mouth. Think Weird Al and his parody of Smells Like Teen Spirit. Yeah, garbled like that. I decided it wasn't worth trying to drive myself nuts wondering what ever third word is and said I had to go, I'd call back later. I called back a few minutes later and got a rep who decided it was her job to argue with me to the point about it. That obviously I had misread the ad, etc. I still have the ad from last year and even asked her if she wanted me to read it to her. I said it in a perfectly normal tone - no snarkiness or suckiness on my part. She sighed as if I would dare to even challenge her and said "If you must". I could have asked for a supervisor, but I didn't. I mentioned the special ($49.99 and 12 months of Showtime, HBO, or Starz), and said that since we didn't start service until December of last year, the promo wasn't up yet. So why was I being charged every month since August.
She argued that well, I didn't technically start service in December, I started it in November. I did pay for the DVR ahead of time since it would just make life easier for myself and the installer. But he didn't install it until almost 4 days later because the night before he was to have come out, we had a very nasty ice storm. So nasty that I couldn't dig my car out, he couldn't dig his car out and called to try and reschedule for the day after. No dice. He was still stuck. It was that bad of a storm. (Installation set for November 30th. It was done December 4th)
We went back and forth, her saying that I was wrong and that she knew what she was seeing, etc. I'd had enough and finally said the magic words - May I have a supervisor please.
A few minutes later, the supervisor comes on. I explain what's going on. He apologizes and asks if I want to keep Starz. I ask if it will extend my contract. He says no, so I cancel it.
Okay, 1 down. 1 to go.
Later in the afternoon, I call Sprint because I had a promo code for a ring tone I downloaded. What I really don't like is Sprint's new way of dealing with these things. If I don't like it, I just ask for a refund. I really think that there's a potential for abuse here. It's the same thing for the promo codes. Download it, then go back a few days later and get a refund.
So I call because I can't find the link to request a refund on the tone. It's not there. When I finally get a rep, I explain, and even say, jokingly "I must be blind, I can't find the link I need on the site." There's a pause and I can just barely hear the rep mutter, "yeah, you probably is blind" I will admit that I may not have good eyesight, but I am not that blind.
I get put on hold, where I am promptly disconnected. I call back and when I get to a live person, I explain again what's going on, and could I please get some help. Instead of having to go through the process of trying to get a refund, the rep credits my account, verifies my e-mail and says that when I check it, there will be a confirmation that the amount has been credited to my bill.
I dunno..Wasn't the full moon last week?
First was DirecTv to deal with the fact that they had been charging me for a Starz package we had with our satellite service. A package that I'd been calling on for the last couple of months. It seems that the supposed 1 year package only lasts a total of 8 months. I've had to call to get the $12 credit applied every month since August.
I called the first time and got someone who I swear had marbles in their mouth. Think Weird Al and his parody of Smells Like Teen Spirit. Yeah, garbled like that. I decided it wasn't worth trying to drive myself nuts wondering what ever third word is and said I had to go, I'd call back later. I called back a few minutes later and got a rep who decided it was her job to argue with me to the point about it. That obviously I had misread the ad, etc. I still have the ad from last year and even asked her if she wanted me to read it to her. I said it in a perfectly normal tone - no snarkiness or suckiness on my part. She sighed as if I would dare to even challenge her and said "If you must". I could have asked for a supervisor, but I didn't. I mentioned the special ($49.99 and 12 months of Showtime, HBO, or Starz), and said that since we didn't start service until December of last year, the promo wasn't up yet. So why was I being charged every month since August.
She argued that well, I didn't technically start service in December, I started it in November. I did pay for the DVR ahead of time since it would just make life easier for myself and the installer. But he didn't install it until almost 4 days later because the night before he was to have come out, we had a very nasty ice storm. So nasty that I couldn't dig my car out, he couldn't dig his car out and called to try and reschedule for the day after. No dice. He was still stuck. It was that bad of a storm. (Installation set for November 30th. It was done December 4th)
We went back and forth, her saying that I was wrong and that she knew what she was seeing, etc. I'd had enough and finally said the magic words - May I have a supervisor please.
A few minutes later, the supervisor comes on. I explain what's going on. He apologizes and asks if I want to keep Starz. I ask if it will extend my contract. He says no, so I cancel it.
Okay, 1 down. 1 to go.
Later in the afternoon, I call Sprint because I had a promo code for a ring tone I downloaded. What I really don't like is Sprint's new way of dealing with these things. If I don't like it, I just ask for a refund. I really think that there's a potential for abuse here. It's the same thing for the promo codes. Download it, then go back a few days later and get a refund.
So I call because I can't find the link to request a refund on the tone. It's not there. When I finally get a rep, I explain, and even say, jokingly "I must be blind, I can't find the link I need on the site." There's a pause and I can just barely hear the rep mutter, "yeah, you probably is blind" I will admit that I may not have good eyesight, but I am not that blind.
I get put on hold, where I am promptly disconnected. I call back and when I get to a live person, I explain again what's going on, and could I please get some help. Instead of having to go through the process of trying to get a refund, the rep credits my account, verifies my e-mail and says that when I check it, there will be a confirmation that the amount has been credited to my bill.
I dunno..Wasn't the full moon last week?
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