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Here's what happened, my personal thoughts on the experience in parentheses---

1. Tuesday, 1/23; Issue: I wanted to transfer my phone and DSL service because I was moving a few days later. I try to do this online where I am asked to register (ok), but then to have online access to make changes to my account I am forced to select AT&T's eBill service, which eliminates the paper mailing of bills (if there was a way to opt-out of this and still complete the registration process it was not obvious--I looked. I felt they forced my hand and was rather annoyed, but I accepted because I wanted to change my service.) I complete the registration and then a message appears that says I cannot complete the transfer online--please call. This is exactly what I was trying to avoid. (Total experience--all negative.)

I call; the phone is answered by a representative in less than 2 minutes (great!) and we complete the basic transfer request in a couple of minutes (also great). Then, the rep. tells me the cost of my DSL service will increase about $10 a month--the reason? I am moving to a new area so it will cost more. (I moved all of about 4 miles within the same city.) Now I know that the customer rep has my account information on the screen in front of her; and I assume somewhere on that screen it says that I signed a one-year contract that locked in my DSL rate, but the rep continues to insist that the price will go up. I continue to refuse to agree to the new rate, tell her that I signed a contract, which I considered binding on both AT&T's and my side; she reacts as if she didn't know that and says she will make a note of it; my rate will not increase. (Hmmm. So if I hadn't argued and pointed out what should have been obvious to the rep I would be forking over an additional $10 a month--not good. It also makes me wonder if I could have gotten other charges (like the $40 new activation fee) waived if only I’d argued it more. This leaves me less confident of how standard “standard charges� actually are. Is everything up for debate? Is AT&T really giving me the best deal? Or am I not asking the right questions?) I am told my new line will be activated that Friday (fine).

Thursday evening, 1/25; My phone rings while I am up to my elbows in packing boxes and bubble wrap. It is another AT&T rep asking for a few minutes of my time to answer some questions about my 1/23 call to customer service. Now normally I probably would take the time to answer his questions, but not today as my movers were to arrive 12 hours later and my apartment wasn't looking bare enough yet. I refuse the survey once. He asks if he can call me back in a few days when it would be more convenient; I tell him the line is being turned off the next day (shouldn't he know this??) and again refuse. But thinking on it afterward, I should have taken the opportunity to voice my experience; it WAS good of them to call and ask the questions. I rate this experience as a good one.

Friday, 1/26, 6pm; I hook up my phone at my new place and get no dial tone. I check again at 9pm; still no tone (sigh). I call the repair number from my cell phone (I had made sure to get the repair number and the DSL help line number from the original rep, just in case there were problems, because doesn't it seem like there always are?) The repair line system is completely automated. I punch in my new number; AT&T does an automatic diagnostic test on my line and says, yes, there is a problem with the line (duh). The recording says AT&T will check things on their end to see if it is their problem, but it if it proves the problem is on my end, it will send a repairman. It says any repair will be made by 8pm Saturday or I will get a credit on my bill. (That's quick, I think, and pretty good service.) I am also told that if the problem has to do with my personal line it will cost a minimum of $71 for a service call. When requested, I register my cell phone number with them so they can update me on the problem and hang up.

Saturday, 1/27, 11:05am; My cell phone rings and it is an AT&T repairman saying he is pulling up to my building and is ready to check on my line problems. The problem is, I'm not at home. I had received no update that someone was, in fact, going to have to come and check the line. Was I supposed to hang around and wait until 8pm just in case? The repairman says I will have to reschedule with AT&T (read: ball back in my court). I ask him if there is a way to actually speak to someone to schedule a more accurate time; he says if I call the automatic repair line and wait long enough, someone will eventually pick up (like I've got time for that?). Verdict: I'm pleased they were so quick to get someone out, but they should have called my cell phone number and let me know so the ultimate problem could be resolved promptly.

Monday, 1/29, 9am; I call the repair line again; and keep pushing zero because I figure it'll get me routed somewhere where a human might pick up. It does, and I explain the problem to the rep. She says that yes, they have a repair order for that line, and will send someone out between 3-7pm. I ask that my call be scheduled as one of the last calls because I won't be home until at least 5 at the earliest. She says it shouldn't be a problem and will make note of it.

2:59pm; my cell phone rings and there is a repairman at my building to fix my line. Again--good because they're rather eager to fix the line, but again bad because I asked for a later time because I wouldn't be home. Where's the missed connection here? It's rather a lousy waste of time and resources for AT&T's repair service as well. I tell the repairman to please reschedule for later, like 5 or 6pm so I will be home. He says ok.

4:15pm; my cell phone rings, and, you guessed it, a different repairman says he is on his way over and will be at my place in about five minutes. And yes, I'm still not home. I ask if he can hold off until 5pm and leave work early to meet him there, and he agrees. I call him directly on his cell phone when I get home and he comes right over (excellent) and fixes the problem (also excellent). Nice, friendly guy, and the repair visit won't cost me anything because apparently it was a network problem (even better for me!). He leaves--signing the visit off with a 'thank you for choosing AT&T'--and I hook up my DSL without any problems.

OKAY--so this brings me to today. My phone line works, my bill remains the same (or at least it should, as I haven't gotten a bill yet...and if that bill will come by mail or email I have no idea), and the experience is over (I hope). What kind of message did my experience with AT&T leave me with? Well, I’m not entirely sure, but it left me harping on about the experience to my co-workers, and now you blog readers. And what kind of message does AT&T think they left with me? If the rank-and-file at the company were to review my account and see the missed connections, but also the ultimate resolution, how would they rate their own customer service delivery?

Now, there is just one more thing I'd like to note before I sign off. At the conclusion of every phone conversation with a human I have had with AT&T, they ask a question along the lines of how I would rate the service I received on the call that day. Then they list off excellent, fair, unsatisfactory, etc. The thing is, if this is how they interpret the satisfaction of their customers it is completely off-kilter. First, I've been on the phone with the rep for any number of minutes and, yes, they've been trying to resolve your problem; I don't want to ruin anybody's day by telling them directly that the service they've given me on the call has been poor. It's the whole "if you can't say anything nice" thing my mother ingrained in me, I guess. And secondly, when you leave a call you generally are feeling good about the service because the rep has told you that everything is fixed now and will be okay. It's not until later you find out that things are still incorrect and unsatisfactory. Which is why I hope I get another call from AT&T in a couple days asking about my experience; this time I'll take the survey and give real feedback; maybe the message will get somewhere.