diwana

Keep a diary when call a company next time! Write up to a newspaper and who knows something good may come out.

http://consumerist.com/5127559/custo...yline=true&s=x

Customer Bills Phone Company For Time Wasted, Gets Paid

By Meg Marco, 1:59 PM on Fri Jan 9 2009, 391,168 views



It's the dream of every angry customer — sending a bill to the company that wasted your time. Well, it's finally happened.
Howard Schaffer was having such an awful time with his phone company that he alerted the local media — who ran a column about the debacle. That happens all the time, but what makes this case interesting is that Howard was keeping a record of the time he spent dealing with the phone company (One Communications of Rochester, NY) as well as the expenses that he was racking up while the phone company apologized over and over, but didn't fix the problem.
“I’ve received nine apologies,” Schaffer, whose phone bill is usually around $500 a month, told the Times-Union. As time dragged on, he was forced to have employees use cellphones and to borrow a phone from his landlord. The phone company promised at least $2,000 in credits, but no phone service.
After the column ran and his problem was resolved — Howard tallied up the expenses and sent One Communications a bill. For $5,481.16. And the company agreed to pay it.

You can learn a few things from Mr. Shaffer, who is a PR professional by trade. Follow his example by taking detailed notes of all the time and money you spend dealing with an issue. You might not be able to get a check for your expenses, (unless, perhaps, your story gets published in the newspaper like Mr. Shaffer's did) but it certainly can't hurt.

Hold My Calls. All of them. [Times-Union]
$5,481 check is in the mail after phone snarl [Times-Union] (Thanks, Laura!)

firenze

^^ 500$ a month phone bill what the heck he is .. Citi CEO

diwana

^ Maybe or had a talkative secretary.



Call to AT&T and many other companies is no fun either.

1- One gets long greetings and new promotions which one may not even be interested.

It usually starts with: Did you know...........

And you say: Who cares, if i wanted to know I would have asked you!

2- One gets transferred to a chain of so called appropriate departments as soon one says first word. You hear" Hold on, let me transferred to you to ........

And the cycle goes on with another greetings and long message.

3- On top of that, you get the infamous automated response system which has limited options no matter what your question may be.

It says: I am sorry but that response was not understood by me...... You say! I just want to talk to a live person you son of robot!!

4- Not to mention an unusual accent guy who talks like a robot and starts

Mey Eye Hilp Yooo?

or asks a particular question and if question cannot be answered and hearing the reason why it cannot be answered ; instead of changing the question says, Hou Mey Eye Hilp Yooo Sir!