Sprint PCS: You can go to hell.

[Pulsar]

I had an absolutely superb experience today. My 70 year old father, who happens to be a retiree from Ford Motor Company with 35 years of service, was called by Sprint. Please keep in mind that he has been a Sprint customer forever.

He was blithely informed that he no longer qualified for the Ford Sprint discount, because he is retired. Except he's been retired for more than a decade.

Now he's 70 years old. Picture a 5 foot 8, 140 pound white-haired guy being told that he's no longer qualified for a discount on his two phones (his and my mom's). He's lost around technology, and timid as hell. The rep bullied him completely. He could barely talk because he had no idea what to say to the Sprint rep.

The kicker? He and my mother JUST signed new contracts and paid out of pocket for two iPhone 5s's because they were told at the Sprint store that these phones had nice 'cameras'.

The Sprint representative on the phone was kind enough to inform him that he could cancel his contract. Great. Thanks. Thanks a ton. Want to refund all the fees you charge him, along with the cash for the phones? Nooop.

So I've called Sprint Customer service. The first service rep had never heard of Ford Motor Company. She had me SPELL it, then told me that she couldn't find it on discount list. The second one insisted that before she'd tell me that I was going to have a discount, I had to give her all my personal information so she could open an account before she would tell me if I would get a discount. I hung up on the third rep after repeating my question four times.

At this point, I'm ready to take my families' business elsewhere. I work for Ford, but even with the discount I'll be damned if I or any of my children stay with a company that treats people this way. I can't even find a Sprint manager to scream at. I'll have to talk to my In-Laws too. They've been grousing about the service Sprint gives thier company. This will be exactly the thing to make them move their entire company away from Sprint.

cliffs:
Sprint rep bullies a 70 year old man and his wife.
Son is pissed, but has absolutely no avenue to remedy the problem.

 

[bearxor]

Is the number or Sprint Executive Services still available online somewhere? It's a special office in Overland Park and they could do things that the CS reps can't if it was a big enough issue.

 

[sjwaste]

You're way better off prepaid, especially for light users like senior citizens. $45/mo on Straight Talk gets them unlimited everything. There isn't a postpaid plan discounted enough to touch that, not even Sprint SERO (unless you're still sitting on the old plan and very old phone). Just put them on auto refill and be done with it.

Yeah, you have to buy a phone at full fare, but who says it has to be new for your folks? Ebay a TMo-compatible phone.

 

[Pulsar]

Is the number or Sprint Executive Services still available online somewhere? It's a special office in Overland Park and they could do things that the CS reps can't if it was a big enough issue.

I will look into it. Their normal reps are absolutely no help at all.

 

[sjwaste]

Is the number or Sprint Executive Services still available online somewhere? It's a special office in Overland Park and they could do things that the CS reps can't if it was a big enough issue.

Google tells me: 703-433-4401

 

[T_Yamamoto]

Google tells me: 703-433-4401

I got either that or this : 866-561-0035

 

[bearxor]

When i got my PPC-6600 replaced with a 6700, the store rep removed me from my data plan, $10/mo for unlimited data and text/mms. She didn't tell me this. She gave me the 6700 and told me to go home and call in to activate it. Of course, when i do that, they tell me i needed to add the $20 data package and the $10 texting package, so 3x what i was paying, all because they didnt carry the 6600 anymore, and the 6700 was a evdo phone. The rep also told me they couldnt add back the old plan.

One call to executive services got me the data plan for $10 and the texting plan for $5. An increase, sure, but evdo was worth the extra. They were also insanely helpful a week later when i was getting ready to throw my 6700 against the wall because it was a piece of shit and they happily switched me out to a Treo 700wx, which i loved.

So, yeah, give it a shot.

 

[lothar]

Don't waste your time with phone or online reps.
For ANY issue with Sprint, email this Sprint exec.

hint: mark.j.elliottATTsprint.com (ATT=@...I prefer the email method as everything is in writing and won't lead to a "he said, she said...")
Phone: 603-621-4511
Provide details of issues and include any case numbers from calls to support to address the same issues.

 

[soccerballtux]

man folks really ride Sprint hard
ATT and Verizon would just say F you we don't care.
He got it for 10 years. He hasn't worked there since.
They should have cancelled it 8 years ago.

 

[Pulsar]

Don't waste your time with phone or online reps.
For ANY issue with Sprint, email this Sprint exec.

hint: mark.j.elliottATTsprint.com (ATT=@...I prefer the email method as everything is in writing and won't lead to a "he said, she said...")
Phone: 603-621-4511
Provide details of issues and include any case numbers from calls to support to address the same issues.

Thanks Lothar. I'm going over to my parents house Monday so we can work on this together. I'll give him a call then.

It blows me away that Sprint would treat a long (LONG) time customer like this.

 

[sjwaste]

603? What's a Sprint exec doing in New Hampsha? I once had a coworker tell me to look something up on my smaaht phone.

 

[bearxor]

man folks really ride Sprint hard
ATT and Verizon would just say F you we don't care.
He got it for 10 years. He hasn't worked there since.
They should have cancelled it 8 years ago.

Having switched from Sprint to at&t, i think you're right. I want to switch back to Sprint but the lte coverage is spotty and EVDO is significantly worse than HSDPA.

 

[sonoma1993]

With Sprint service anytime you upgrade your phone you have to re-verify your discount employment eligibility. Have your dad go to sprint.com/verify and fill out the requested information to see if he still eligible for the discount.

 

[buckshot24]

If they don't qualify for the discount they don't qualify.

 

[tfinch2]

The kicker? He and my mother JUST signed new contracts and paid out of pocket for two iPhone 5s's because they were told at the Sprint store that these phones had nice 'cameras'.

What do you mean they paid out of pocket? They paid non-contract price for the phones when they renewed their contract?

Also, why do you say you had a superb experience?

 

[Pulsar]

Don't get me wrong. I absolutely understand the 'if they're not qualified they shouldn't get it'.

Here's the thing - they JUST signed a new contract and bought their iPhones, and were 'requalified'. Then they got an email that said they had to requalify again. They did so, using my dad's pension paycheck - the same thing they've used every time they've been asked to requalify. Only NOW it's not ok.

The right thing for Sprint to do would be to refund the money for the phones and let them cancel their contract. But the reps have said they will not refund the money for the phones.

Sprint needs to get their story straight. You shouldn't tell someone it's all good that screw them over a month later.

It appears that we have it straightened out now. After a very lengthy discussion with customer care, they are transferring ownership of the accounts to me (a Ford employee) and will continue to give them the discount.

Still, Sprints approach here sucked, and I wouldn't say we're pleased with having to fight on the phone for an entire day to get them to listen to reason. Thanks for the phone numbers guys, they helped.

cliffs:
Sprint tries to screw over a 70 year old man.
Son is pissed and has no options.
AT forums provide phone numbers that solve the issue.

 

[Pulsar]

What do you mean they paid out of pocket? They paid non-contract price for the phones when they renewed their contract?

Also, why do you say you had a superb experience?

'Superb experience' was sarcasm. I should have probably put tags around it. iPhone 5's, even with a contract, cost $199 (plus tax etc) a piece. They had an out-of-pocket cost for the phones of $400.

 

[lothar]

603? What's a Sprint exec doing in New Hampsha? I once had a coworker tell me to look something up on my smaaht phone.

No idea, but if you search Google you'll find a bunch of articles with his name on them.
https://www.google.com/search?q=mar...0j69i61j69i60.3292j0&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8

If his name is appearing on official Reuters, Wall Street Journal, and Sprint.com articles/postings, I know he's definitely not just some "lowly" employee or worker drone that's for sure.
Maybe he's a corporate "communications/spokesman/media relations or something".
Whatever the case, what I do know is that he gets results.

 

[AznAnarchy99]

man folks really ride Sprint hard
ATT and Verizon would just say F you we don't care.
He got it for 10 years. He hasn't worked there since.
They should have cancelled it 8 years ago.

Verizon has been more than accommodating with me with any problems I've had concerning billing. Had multiple credits to my account as a "my bad" from them.

Only problem is that they're expensive in the first place.