NY Agency Wants Sprint to Pay Customers

[TNDan21]

NY Agency Wants Sprint to Pay Customers
By DAVID TWIDDY 07.10.07, 6:25 PM ET

New York's lead consumer advocate is asking Sprint Nextel Corp. to pay a penalty to wireless customers it is terminating because they called customer service too often.

Reacting to news that Sprint has told about 1,000 customers they will lose their wireless service on July 30, the New York State Consumer Protection Board suggested the carrier pay those customers $200 each - the amount the customers would have had to pay if they had prematurely ended their two-year contracts with the company.

The Reston, Va.-based company, with operational headquarters in Overland Park, Kan., said it will zero out the customers' accounts and not charge any termination fees. But Mindy Bockstein, the board's chairwoman and executive director, said that's not enough.

"These former Sprint customers will have to purchase new phones and incur other expenses and inconveniences if they want to continue receiving wireless service," Bockstein said. "Sprint Nextel (nyse: S - news - people ) should do more to improve the quality of its customer service and this is a good place to start."

It's not known how many of the roughly 1,000 customers flagged by the wireless carrier for termination live in New York.

Sprint Nextel spokeswoman Roni Singleton said she had not seen the request from the New York agency and couldn't immediately comment.

Bockstein said her agency would send a letter to Sprint Nextel formally requesting the payments. If the company refuses, she said her board may take the issue to state lawmakers.

Bockstein said the Legislature has considered a wireless customer bill of rights that would place additional requirements on roaming fees, cancellation policies and other terms of service.

Sprint Nextel, the nation's third-largest wireless provider with 53 million customers, mailed out letters June 29 telling the customers that their frequent calling to customer service led the company to believe they would be better off with another carrier.

The company said an internal review over the past year identified customers who called an average of 40 to 50 times a month with questions about billing and other terms of their service. They said the repeated calls were interfering with the company's ability to serve other customers.

http://www.forbes.com/feeds/ap/2007/...ap3901076.html

[larry]

*rolling eyes* Does anyone really think Sprint will allow themselves to get shaken down like this? No way. It's really amsuing that everyone is making such a big deal out of only 1000 customers getting cancelled. Some of them have already been re-instated by the way but none of the news stories are saying that are they? Plus I don't think those people got such a bad deal. They still have their exisiting Sprint phones and can sell them to help with the cost of buying a new phone from their next carrier.

[TelcomJunkie]

Too bad this agency can't read the contract. All the carrier's contracts say they can end it at anytime, for any reason. I think it's good that Sprint is paying the balance due versus just kicking them to the curb and making them pay the final bill.

[danny boi]

Sprint is really getting some serious bad press from all of this at a time when they don't need it.

They might cave in just to stop the press. I don't think they'll let up on them until they reach some form of settlement.

You know the story really has made it big when CNN, FOX, Reuters, and other big names have all dedicated articles and news video clips on it.

At a certain point, it doesn't matter who is right or wrong. They just need to squash it so they can move on.

[RJB]

Well one way I can see where this agency is coming from just because Sprint is not making them pay anything they should give a little to help the customers at least with the new actuvation fee if they do go some where else. On the flip side why the hell are people calling so much I mean people can email ecare I think this is a much better way to get an answer.

[Bill Clinton]

Originally Posted by RJB

On the flip side why the hell are people calling so much I mean people can email ecare I think this is a much better way to get an answer.

Also I think most of the people that are affected were probably not happy with Sprint and that's why they were calling so much. They were calling because they were having problems and now they can try another carrier and find out that things don't much better.

Sprint doesn't need customers that are whining all the time and calling Customer Care. Sprint did the right thing by dumping these customers. It is unfortunate that they are getting such a black eye out of this. I just heard a short story on National Public Radio about the incident. It is all over the place and Sprint doesn't need negative attention.

[danny boi]

Originally Posted by Bill Clinton

Also I think most of the people that are affected were probably not happy with Sprint and that's why they were calling so much. They were calling because they were having problems and now they can try another carrier and find out that things don't much better.

Sprint doesn't need customers that are whining all the time and calling Customer Care. Sprint did the right thing by dumping these customers. It is unfortunate that they are getting such a black eye out of this. I just heard a short story on National Public Radio about the incident. It is all over the place and Sprint doesn't need negative attention.

There is already one confirmed report from a WirelessAdvisor user who claims to have gotten this letter by mistake. He is a new Sprint customer.

[Fire14]

I think them not making the customers pay the ETF is a big reason nothing is going to happen, of course when AT&T got rid of high roaming customers they did offer to pay for the upgrade to another carrier.

[WumpusVA]

This was a good article... I feel that it cleared a lot up:

http://www.consumerist.com/consumer/...ice-277026.php


Sprint announced Monday it was canceling the accounts of around 1,000 people who called customer service too much. At first blush, it might sound like a pretty jerk thing to do, have bad service and then punish people who complain, but we spoke with one of our most reliable Sprint insiders, who had a different side to the story: the terminated customers were scamming Sprint, calling in again and again, just to get free service credits.

CONSUMERIST: How frequently did someone have to call to get terminated for calling customer service too much?

SPRINT INSIDER: 90 times in a 6 month period was the standard I think.

CONSUMERIST: Were they calling about the same service problem?

SPRINT INSIDER: These were the customers that had nothing to do but call us every single day demanding credit. And they were getting it because customer care was getting exhausted from arguing with them. So a nickel at a time these customers were collecting literally thousands of dollars in credit balances.

We were targeting people that were just outright defrauding the company. These customers will probably eventually force their future service providers to take similar action if they do not change their ways.

CONSUMERIST: One reader said he got canceled because he kept calling you because you were charging him for text messages he shouldn't have been charged for.

SPRINT INSIDER: I can't really get into specifics on an account, BUT... I will re-direct to what I mentioned earlier...These customers were for the most part literally defrauding our company. Not just a courtesy credit or two... We're talking customers that haven't made a payment since 2005 and still have active service. Customers who were getting better deals than our own employees get for their own personal accounts. These weren't the customer care horror stories we've heard where a billing issue drags on for 8 months. This was just unrealistic amounts of credits and at the end of the year we were LITERALLY paying these customers to use our service.

CONSUMERIST: That's pretty amazing, considering people have been emailing us this story all week saying, "Don't complain too much to Sprint about their crappy service or they'll cancel you." PR wise, it spins very badly, very quickly.

SPRINT INSIDER: Most of these customers are just looking to make a scene and want their excessive credit balances sent in a check. And that's just not going to happen. We are considering every request on a case by case basis. We absolutely will not terminate a customer who had a reasonable claim for calling in. But the ones with the $5k credit balances... they're going to hear us say no. It's a harsh decision but it really makes sense to almost anyone who knows both sides of the situation.

CONSUMERIST: Of the 1,000 or so that were terminated, how many are calling in?

SPRINT INSIDER: Haven't seen any reporting data yet but by the end of the week I anticipate most of them.

CONSUMERIST: They're sad the video game is broken.

SPRINT INSIDER: Ten months of calling customer care and telling us how badly they hated us and threatening to cancel to get more credits... And one day we say, "Okay. We'll credit your balance, waive your contracts and you're free to be happy." And then they don't like the ink the letter was written with. Kills me. I'd be devastated if I got a letter like that from a company I do business with. But if I hated them I'd gladly walk away in a situation like that.

[danny boi]

Originally Posted by Wumpusva

This was a good article... I feel that it cleared a lot up:

Exclusives: Sprint Customers Terminated For Complaining Too Much Were Scamming Sprint For Free Service - Consumerist


Sprint announced Monday it was canceling the accounts of around 1,000 people who called customer service too much. At first blush, it might sound like a pretty jerk thing to do, have bad service and then punish people who complain, but we spoke with one of our most reliable Sprint insiders, who had a different side to the story: the terminated customers were scamming Sprint, calling in again and again, just to get free service credits.

CONSUMERIST: How frequently did someone have to call to get terminated for calling customer service too much?

SPRINT INSIDER: 90 times in a 6 month period was the standard I think.

CONSUMERIST: Were they calling about the same service problem?

SPRINT INSIDER: These were the customers that had nothing to do but call us every single day demanding credit. And they were getting it because customer care was getting exhausted from arguing with them. So a nickel at a time these customers were collecting literally thousands of dollars in credit balances.

We were targeting people that were just outright defrauding the company. These customers will probably eventually force their future service providers to take similar action if they do not change their ways.

CONSUMERIST: One reader said he got canceled because he kept calling you because you were charging him for text messages he shouldn't have been charged for.

SPRINT INSIDER: I can't really get into specifics on an account, BUT... I will re-direct to what I mentioned earlier...These customers were for the most part literally defrauding our company. Not just a courtesy credit or two... We're talking customers that haven't made a payment since 2005 and still have active service. Customers who were getting better deals than our own employees get for their own personal accounts. These weren't the customer care horror stories we've heard where a billing issue drags on for 8 months. This was just unrealistic amounts of credits and at the end of the year we were LITERALLY paying these customers to use our service.

CONSUMERIST: That's pretty amazing, considering people have been emailing us this story all week saying, "Don't complain too much to Sprint about their crappy service or they'll cancel you." PR wise, it spins very badly, very quickly.

SPRINT INSIDER: Most of these customers are just looking to make a scene and want their excessive credit balances sent in a check. And that's just not going to happen. We are considering every request on a case by case basis. We absolutely will not terminate a customer who had a reasonable claim for calling in. But the ones with the $5k credit balances... they're going to hear us say no. It's a harsh decision but it really makes sense to almost anyone who knows both sides of the situation.

CONSUMERIST: Of the 1,000 or so that were terminated, how many are calling in?

SPRINT INSIDER: Haven't seen any reporting data yet but by the end of the week I anticipate most of them.

CONSUMERIST: They're sad the video game is broken.

SPRINT INSIDER: Ten months of calling customer care and telling us how badly they hated us and threatening to cancel to get more credits... And one day we say, "Okay. We'll credit your balance, waive your contracts and you're free to be happy." And then they don't like the ink the letter was written with. Kills me. I'd be devastated if I got a letter like that from a company I do business with. But if I hated them I'd gladly walk away in a situation like that.

Well yeah. I wouldn't expect them to say anything else? Would you?

[danny boi]

Originally Posted by Wumpusva

This was a good article... I feel that it cleared a lot up:

Exclusives: Sprint Customers Terminated For Complaining Too Much Were Scamming Sprint For Free Service - Consumerist


Sprint announced Monday it was canceling the accounts of around 1,000 people who called customer service too much. At first blush, it might sound like a pretty jerk thing to do, have bad service and then punish people who complain, but we spoke with one of our most reliable Sprint insiders, who had a different side to the story: the terminated customers were scamming Sprint, calling in again and again, just to get free service credits.

CONSUMERIST: How frequently did someone have to call to get terminated for calling customer service too much?

SPRINT INSIDER: 90 times in a 6 month period was the standard I think.

CONSUMERIST: Were they calling about the same service problem?

SPRINT INSIDER: These were the customers that had nothing to do but call us every single day demanding credit. And they were getting it because customer care was getting exhausted from arguing with them. So a nickel at a time these customers were collecting literally thousands of dollars in credit balances.

We were targeting people that were just outright defrauding the company. These customers will probably eventually force their future service providers to take similar action if they do not change their ways.

CONSUMERIST: One reader said he got canceled because he kept calling you because you were charging him for text messages he shouldn't have been charged for.

SPRINT INSIDER: I can't really get into specifics on an account, BUT... I will re-direct to what I mentioned earlier...These customers were for the most part literally defrauding our company. Not just a courtesy credit or two... We're talking customers that haven't made a payment since 2005 and still have active service. Customers who were getting better deals than our own employees get for their own personal accounts. These weren't the customer care horror stories we've heard where a billing issue drags on for 8 months. This was just unrealistic amounts of credits and at the end of the year we were LITERALLY paying these customers to use our service.

CONSUMERIST: That's pretty amazing, considering people have been emailing us this story all week saying, "Don't complain too much to Sprint about their crappy service or they'll cancel you." PR wise, it spins very badly, very quickly.

SPRINT INSIDER: Most of these customers are just looking to make a scene and want their excessive credit balances sent in a check. And that's just not going to happen. We are considering every request on a case by case basis. We absolutely will not terminate a customer who had a reasonable claim for calling in. But the ones with the $5k credit balances... they're going to hear us say no. It's a harsh decision but it really makes sense to almost anyone who knows both sides of the situation.

CONSUMERIST: Of the 1,000 or so that were terminated, how many are calling in?

SPRINT INSIDER: Haven't seen any reporting data yet but by the end of the week I anticipate most of them.

CONSUMERIST: They're sad the video game is broken.

SPRINT INSIDER: Ten months of calling customer care and telling us how badly they hated us and threatening to cancel to get more credits... And one day we say, "Okay. We'll credit your balance, waive your contracts and you're free to be happy." And then they don't like the ink the letter was written with. Kills me. I'd be devastated if I got a letter like that from a company I do business with. But if I hated them I'd gladly walk away in a situation like that.

At least we know their take on it 'cause I was starting to wonder.

[PCSuser]

So Sprint now tries to 'save face' by blaming us customers for 'scamming' Sprint. But as far as I know that me, MissDiva, and Islndboi were NOT scamming Sprint at all. I had porting issues, MissDiva was trying to get her bill fixed, and Islndboi was trying to get his text messaging charges waived since he should have had the package.

CONSUMERIST: How frequently did someone have to call to get terminated for calling customer service too much?

SPRINT INSIDER: 90 times in a 6 month period was the standard I think.

CONSUMERIST: Were they calling about the same service problem?

SPRINT INSIDER: These were the customers that had nothing to do but call us every single day demanding credit. And they were getting it because customer care was getting exhausted from arguing with them. So a nickel at a time these customers were collecting literally thousands of dollars in credit balances.

We were targeting people that were just outright defrauding the company. These customers will probably eventually force their future service providers to take similar action if they do not change their ways.

CONSUMERIST: One reader said he got canceled because he kept calling you because you were charging him for text messages he shouldn't have been charged for.

SPRINT INSIDER: I can't really get into specifics on an account, BUT... I will re-direct to what I mentioned earlier...These customers were for the most part literally defrauding our company. Not just a courtesy credit or two... We're talking customers that haven't made a payment since 2005 and still have active service. Customers who were getting better deals than our own employees get for their own personal accounts. These weren't the customer care horror stories we've heard where a billing issue drags on for 8 months. This was just unrealistic amounts of credits and at the end of the year we were LITERALLY paying these customers to use our service.

CONSUMERIST: That's pretty amazing, considering people have been emailing us this story all week saying, "Don't complain too much to Sprint about their crappy service or they'll cancel you." PR wise, it spins very badly, very quickly.

SPRINT INSIDER: Most of these customers are just looking to make a scene and want their excessive credit balances sent in a check. And that's just not going to happen. We are considering every request on a case by case basis. We absolutely will not terminate a customer who had a reasonable claim for calling in. But the ones with the $5k credit balances... they're going to hear us say no. It's a harsh decision but it really makes sense to almost anyone who knows both sides of the situation.

CONSUMERIST: Of the 1,000 or so that were terminated, how many are calling in?

SPRINT INSIDER: Haven't seen any reporting data yet but by the end of the week I anticipate most of them.

CONSUMERIST: They're sad the video game is broken.

SPRINT INSIDER: Ten months of calling customer care and telling us how badly they hated us and threatening to cancel to get more credits... And one day we say, "Okay. We'll credit your balance, waive your contracts and you're free to be happy." And then they don't like the ink the letter was written with. Kills me. I'd be devastated if I got a letter like that from a company I do business with. But if I hated them I'd gladly walk away in a situation like that.

[Steve B]

Originally Posted by PCSuser

So Sprint now tries to 'save face' by blaming us customers for 'scamming' Sprint. But as far as I know that me, MissDiva, and Islndboi were NOT scamming Sprint at all. I had porting issues, MissDiva was trying to get her bill fixed, and Islndboi was trying to get his text messaging charges waived since he should have had the package.

LOL, I don't see the quote as being anything new. It mentions the 90 times in 6 months bit which god only knows to be accurate or not. If it was 90 times in 6 months then why did you (PCSuser) get the letter after 30 days?

[PCSuser]

Originally Posted by Steve B

LOL, I don't see the quote as being anything new. It mentions the 90 times in 6 months bit which god only knows to be accurate or not. If it was 90 times in 6 months then why did you (PCSuser) get the letter after 30 days?

Trust me I am still trying to figure that one out! I am not sure...

They "said" it was because I activated and was porting in a number while the audit was taking place. And once my port was completed, the audit whisked my account away to the 'termination list' rather than putting it in the 'normal list'.... I think its all lies but then again... this is Sprint!

And for one, this was COMPUTERIZED audit, there is no way a CSR would put a new person (like me) account into the audit. And secondly this was not professionally reviewed like Roni says it was!

[Steve B]

Originally Posted by PCSuser

Trust me I am still trying to figure that one out! I am not sure...

They "said" it was because I activated and was porting in a number while the audit was taking place. And once my port was completed, the audit whisked my account away to the 'termination list' rather than putting it in the 'normal list'.... I think its all lies but then again... this is Sprint!

And for one, this was COMPUTERIZED audit, there is no way a CSR would put a new person (like me) account into the audit. And secondly this was not professionally reviewed like Roni says it was!

The bimbo Roni says one thing and all signs point to another.

[WumpusVA]

Wait, are you saying that PCSUser, MissDiva, and Islndboi were some of the 1,000 who got termination letters?

[Steve B]

Originally Posted by Wumpusva

Wait, are you saying that PCSUser, MissDiva, and Islndboi were some of the 1,000 who got termination letters?

Yes they were among those people who received letters.

[larry]

Hey guys lets not continue to make new threads on this issue. I just merged the latest two threads into one. Let's try to keep this topic more organized.