AT&T, the once proud company of technology and innovation, how the mighty have fallen?
Capitalism thrives under competition, but as we all know, corporate America looks little like the market days of Adam Smith. What happens to a corporate giant, born and nurtured in an environment of monopoly and then thrown to the wolves of competitive capitalism? Unable to remake themselves into a lean, yet profitable, market-driven enterprise, they seek out covert ways to grab customers unaware, and then create
barriers to the free exercise of choice. Corporations can be just as bureaucratic as government - the myth that competition will drive wasteful endeavors out of business is often just that, especially when there isn't sufficient competition and free entry into the market.
I haven't had AT&T long distance service in my home for two years, so I was surprised to get a bill in the mail from them. The bill was for $10.60 as a "long distance service restoral fee" ($10 plus tax). We had such a fight with them when we cancelled 2 years ago, I wasn't going to let this bill just sit. If I didn't pay it, I would get referred to a collection agency. Yet we had done nothing to try to switch back to AT&T, so why were they switching us and why the fee? The friendly Indian voice (though the accent lessons were working pretty well) told me that our long distance carrier was very busy in our area and that our calls were being routed through ATT and that was why we received the bill. And, since they (MCI) were so busy, wouldn't we rather switch to a great plan offered by AT&T with no taxes and 25c per minute state to state long distance charges? He said he'd refer me to a billing specialist to take care of the charge, but kept giving me the sales pitch.
At first I politely said I'd think about it, but then realized I was being had and asked to be transferred to the billing specialist. For a while, it was funny - the outrageous marketing ploys he was trying. After about 14 minutes I finally was switched to a phone menu system where none of the choices was applicable. After 3 minutes of trying various options, I decided to call back and start over.
This time (after being warned I'd have a 4 minute wait) I got a nice American sounding guy. I told him I already received the sales pitch and wanted to get transferred to a billing specialist. He told me he could lose his job if he didn't give me the pitch again, but he would do so quickly. He had a family to feed he said. (I'm not making this up.) Besides, it's just 5c per minute. So I just said NO, NO, NO, NO ... a bunch of times and said, OK, now I've refused, so can you transfer me? He still wouldn't transfer me until he asked the official questions. This is what customer service in the age of monopoly capitalism has become. I finally told him if AT&T was the last phone company on earth that I still wouldn't use them (and some other things as well), but he steadfastly continued to barrage me with questions. Finally I got to speak with the
billing specialist, who (another Indian again, less friendly but more businesslike) eventually assured me I wouldn't have to pay the $10.60 and that I am not currently an AT&T customer. Bottom line: 38 minutes later, I saved $10.60.
I'll call the Public Service Commission tomorrow and complain. These guys are assholes and should be run out of the state.