vB Easy Archive - Customer service at it again

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Customer service at it again
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Posted by: Wonwad

These people have no shame, needed to switch a customer from pre-paid to post-paid and customer service told me to send them to a corporate store.

Yeaaaaaaa right, called in activations and they did it for me. Customer service can kiss my butt.

Posted by: NukuCamui

Thats because thats what it says to do in CSP. So, the rep did their job.

Posted by: MobileAddict

I did that for a customer in store the other day. Takes two minutes

Posted by: NukuCamui

exactly, in a store. CS doesnt have access to KIC to properly cancel out the prepaid acct, nor are they trained on how to do the transfer.

Posted by: holaDude

Quote:

Originally Posted by NukuCamui

exactly, in a store. CS doesnt have access to KIC to properly cancel out the prepaid acct, nor are they trained on how to do the transfer.

Yep, this is correct. I have never been trained nor seen KIC. As Nuku stated, csp states that customers are to be sent to a cor store.

Posted by: Batman665

Quote:

Originally Posted by holaDude

Yep, this is correct. I have never been trained nor seen KIC. As Nuku stated, csp states that customers are to be sent to a cor store.

Confirmed, CSP says to send them to a COR store.

Any of you guys straight up transfer prepaid customers to prepaid when you get those calls? I don't verify anything just transfer 'em right away.

Posted by: cingtd

Not all CS reps have knowledge/access to KIC but about all they can do is add refill cards and do basic troubleshooting. I can count on one hand how many times I have accessed KIC Care in the past 6 months. Most calls ultimately are transferred to the prepaid group for further asst.

Posted by: Wonwad

Alright, I guess its not customers services fault, but Crapular's.

Posted by: JP Whoregan

Um....."switching" from prepaid to postpaid? I was unaware that such a thing could be done.

I do know for a fact that pre-paid phone numbers cannot be "internally ported" or transferred to post-paid accounts. Two weeks ago, I sold an iPhone and postpaid service to a woman who was currently on a prepaid account. She was completely and totally unable to transfer her old prepaid phone number to the new iPhone post-paid account, and had to take a new phone number, with a new account number, etc, etc...she *****ed, moaned, and complained, but there was no way for her to keep her old prepaid phone number & account and just "roll" it into a postpaid account for her new iPhone.

So if somebody is aware of a way to do this, please enlighten on the experience.

Posted by: cyrus369

Quote:

Originally Posted by JP Whoregan

Um....."switching" from prepaid to postpaid? I was unaware that such a thing could be done.

I do know for a fact that pre-paid phone numbers cannot be "internally ported" or transferred to post-paid accounts. Two weeks ago, I sold an iPhone and postpaid service to a woman who was currently on a prepaid account. She was completely and totally unable to transfer her old prepaid phone number to the new iPhone post-paid account, and had to take a new phone number, with a new account number, etc, etc...she *****ed, moaned, and complained, but there was no way for her to keep her old prepaid phone number & account and just "roll" it into a postpaid account for her new iPhone.

So if somebody is aware of a way to do this, please enlighten on the experience.

I dont know if it diffrent from telegence markets or care markets, but this is easily done in opus with the switch account type button...If you do this with an iphone though you may catch some heat as you will be paid on 2 opps, one for switching the account and another for the iphone...

Posted by: JP Whoregan

Quote:

Originally Posted by cyrus369

I'll have to check it out. I do know that permissions for Telegence and CARE can be drastically different; from what I've gathered, CARE handcuffs the reps more than Telegence does...

Posted by: ludetypes98

i dont even think we get paid for this transition.

Posted by: JP Whoregan

no, we don't.

Posted by: holaDude

Quote:

Originally Posted by cyrus369

I work in telegence. I have never seen or accessed the care system.

Posted by: NukuCamui

Quote:

Originally Posted by JP Whoregan

While I'm not sure about the stipulations for an iPhone...you CAN change from prepaid to post and vice versa.

Posted by: Eck0

I've switched over customers from pre-paid to post paid in opus many times and vice versa. Now with the new opus I have no idea if it will mess up, but what you have to do is make sure the customer is out of the 2 year contract of course and click the switch account type up top. It will then send you a message that customer has to agree to T's and C's and then ask you wat plan to put them on etc...etc.... hope that helps for you guy's using opus. If it doesn't work on that crappy new system then I am sorry ahead of time, but thats what I used to do. As wonwad said also activations will do it also. hope that helps

Posted by: suthurnlatino

Eh? A prepaid wouldn't be under contract. They can switch it through OPUS though as the people said earlier. It is usually a hassle though to do instore.

Posted by: cingtd

Quote:

Originally Posted by suthurnlatino

Eh? A prepaid wouldn't be under contract. They can switch it through OPUS though as the people said earlier. It is usually a hassle though to do instore.

Switching from postpaid to prepaid while still in contract would result in an ETF since prepaid does not have a contract.

Posted by: JP Whoregan

Again, we don't get paid for doing this anyhow, it's not an opp, it's not an add, it's not even an opportunity to sell features (features are sparse on prepaids, and the churn rate is REALLY high on PrePD accounts) so these people are going to be told to call customer care to do it, and I'm moving on to the next customer.

To be blunt, if a customer wants to switch from postpaid to prepaid, chances are really good that they are just looking for a temporary phone fix while they shop other carriers and eventually churn. The last thing I'm going to do is miss out on activations walking through the door while I'm wasting time dealing with somebody who's not likely to stay with us. We have those red/green "Churn" and "Revenue" meters in OPUS for a reason, and I use them.

Posted by: NukuCamui

Quote:

Originally Posted by JP Whoregan

Again, we don't get paid for doing this anyhow, it's not an opp, it's not an add, it's not even an opportunity to sell features (features are sparse on prepaids, and the churn rate is REALLY high on PrePD accounts) so these people are going to be told to call customer care to do it, and I'm moving on to the next customer.

To be blunt, if a customer wants to switch from postpaid to prepaid, chances are really good that they are just looking for a temporary phone fix while they shop other carriers and eventually churn. The last thing I'm going to do is miss out on activations walking through the door while I'm wasting time dealing with somebody who's not likely to stay with us. We have those red/green "Churn" and "Revenue" meters in OPUS for a reason, and I use them.

Deleted...you're not worth my time, energy or a possible banning because of your post. But one thing for sure, if you tell a customer who wants to go from prepaid to post, or vice versa to call CS, CS WILL direct them back to a store.

Posted by: iam4161987

it takes 2 mins tops, and it can be useful. that who iphone thing, if you had switched her to post paid before selling the iphone it might of helped, because i dont think itunes is capable of switching account types. i just accepts the information presented.

i understand why you feel this way... but da*n that was mean. if you know that CS cant fix the problem dont send them to CS... your job is not just to "activate phones" or "get paid"... we get paid hourly for a reason. if all they wanted us to to was sell, then they would pay us commission only like alot of other sales industiries.

trust me i know we wanna make money, thats why were here, but making more problems just makes things worse. if you cant do it, send them to someone who can. if you can... take 2 darn mins out of your day and do it. thats why they started this whole CFT thing, becuase reps are so concerned with "getting paid" they forget who really pays them... the customer.

I am not flaming... just saying that sometimes we do stuff that isnt gonna make us commission... but hey if it shuts a customer up then just do it. now thats what we really want isnt it?

Posted by: Wonwad

Reason why I called customer service was to confirm that his current balance would passover to his post-paid account. After asking him about the balance, the rep told me that I would need to send the customer to a corporate store, I didn't even ask him to do anything. I called in again to ask them to put it in the notes, the rep did, and then told me that the change can only be done at a corporate store.

Posted by: JP Whoregan

Quote:

Originally Posted by iam4161987

it takes 2 mins tops, and it can be useful. that who iphone thing, if you had switched her to post paid before selling the iphone it might of helped, because i dont think itunes is capable of switching account types. i just accepts the information presented.

i understand why you feel this way... but da*n that was mean. if you know that CS cant fix the problem dont send them to CS... your job is not just to "activate phones" or "get paid"... we get paid hourly for a reason. if all they wanted us to to was sell, then they would pay us commission only like alot of other sales industiries.

trust me i know we wanna make money, thats why were here, but making more problems just makes things worse. if you cant do it, send them to someone who can. if you can... take 2 darn mins out of your day and do it. thats why they started this whole CFT thing, becuase reps are so concerned with "getting paid" they forget who really pays them... the customer.

I am not flaming... just saying that sometimes we do stuff that isnt gonna make us commission... but hey if it shuts a customer up then just do it. now thats what we really want isnt it?

Man, some of you guys are sensitive with a capital "S". I give my opinion on something, and I've got it coming from all sides. Unbelievable.

But to answer your points, my point is this, and I will try to spell this out as POLITELY as I can, particularly for NukuCamui:

You stated above that it "isn't just my job to activate phones and get paid"...well, I hate to break it to you, but selling activations is what we are HIRED and FIRED on. At the end of the day, when all is said and done, selling phones, plans, and features is what is going to keep my job. I've been doing sales for a long, long, long time, and I've seen it happen more times than I can count: the nice guy finishes last.

I'm sure that Joe Prepaid Customer is going to really, really appreciate you spending the time it takes to convert his account to prepaid, just so he can churn it later. But at the end of the month, when your opps are down, your GA's are down, and your feat. dollars are down because you spend all your time dealing with nonsense that isn't producing any numbers, I doubt you're going to be able to call Joe Prepaid Customer to come help pay your bills for you. I'd rather be hitting ROCCS, frankly.

You say that they "pay us hourly for a reason"...well, guess what? I can't live off the hourly I make. If you are in a sales gig for the hourly base, and that's fine for you, then you are in the wrong job. Again, this is sales, and the company (AT&T) makes it perfectly clear as to what they expect from you. When they're considering whether or not they're going to keep you around or replace you with some 18-year old pimply faced kid off the street, they're not going to be calling Joe Prepaid Customer to ask whether or not he/she likes you. They are going to go by the numbers. End O' Story.

If that sounds harsh, I'm sorry. It's the way it is, and I'm not about to change the way I roll just because some cats on HoFo don't like the way I operate

Posted by: NukuCamui

Quote:

Originally Posted by Wonwad

Reason why I called customer service was to confirm that his current balance would passover to his post-paid account. After asking him about the balance, the rep told me that I would need to send the customer to a corporate store, I didn't even ask him to do anything. I called in again to ask them to put it in the notes, the rep did, and then told me that the change can only be done at a corporate store.

I don't think CSP has that information, so even still, as CS rep wouldn't have been able to help. Maybe a prepaid CS rep, but not a regular postpaid one.

Edit: yes, it is in CSP, so the CS rep could have helped you with that information. But, there isn't much else in CSP that would have helped a regular postpaid CS rep.

Posted by: NukuCamui

Quote:

Originally Posted by JP Whoregan

Aww, how cute, you made it all polite just for me.

No one said you needed to change your ways. But the fact of the matter is, if you pass the buck, someone is going to turn around and pass it right back to you. Don't send someone to CS that can't do what you want them to do because you won't make any money off it. It's like CS sending a customer to a store for a credit. While some can do that in a store, its not something thats always done, especially if OPUS won't let you do it, and you don't have access to Telegence/CARE.

You're missing the big picture, and you're making assumptions. You know what happens when you assume right? Sales is a dog eat dog world. I've been there, done that, and so have many people here. The fact of the matter is, this is a customer who may actually have a lot of buisness to throw your way, but if you pass them off to someone else just because they want to migrate from postpaid to prepaid, you *may* be missing out on something. While, yeah, a lot of them churn, not all of them do, and you take that chance daily with new acts and upgrades.

If you want to continue the way you do, no one is stopping you. We're just trying to remind you, POLITELY BTW, that customer's come to YOU for assistance, and you shouldn't make assumptions when it comes to customer base and what they want to do at that time. I remember, years ago(ok, not so many years ago, but a few years back, I"m not that old), my ex-boyfriend went into a car dealership looking ratty as hell. Unshaven, sandals, ratty shorts and a dirty shirt. No one would help him but some new guy. He didn't look like he had money. Well, he walked out with a brand new SUV and paid cash for it. He practically made that guy's month. People were kicking themselves because they assumed he didn't have good credit or money because of how ****** he looked.

Posted by: JP Whoregan

All arguments aside, when it comes to prepaids, I get charged back on almost every one I sell. The going "average" rate for a prepaid phone is about .15 per minute; the going "average" rate for postpaid accounts is closer to .05 per minute. That's a difference of 300% for the same airtime. The only way people are willing to pay that is if they a) have bad credit and don't have a choice or b) are only looking for a temporary fix while they go check out Carrier X. If a person has good credit, and they already have a postpaid account, there's no logical reason in the world to flip it to a prepaid so they can pay triple money for your minutes, unless you've got designs on leaving. And if a person is leaving, they sure aren't going to be throwing us any business.

Agree to disagree, I guess.

Posted by: NukuCamui

Quote:

Originally Posted by JP Whoregan

Agree to disagree, I guess.

I agree with this.

Posted by: cingman66

JP, you make very valid points concerning the business end of AT&T...they WILL fire you if you do not perform, regardless of how many satisfied customers you have. And we all know that we don't get paid for kindness in this business. That being said, I think all of us should do what we can to give out the correct information to customers as to who/where they need to go to fix their particular problem. In this case, converting from Post paid to Pre paid...we have had that ability for about a year now in POS.COM II, and I have personally switched at least 50+ customers without any problem. It literally is as easy as completing an upgrade or new activation, and we DO get paid for it (at least in the Northeast), and it DOES count as a NEW number for the month. So we do it whenever possible.