GNG News Guy
03-06-2008, 02:13 PM
http://i.dslr.net/urls/71/4471.gif (http://www.dslreports.com/shownews/ATT-Human-Contact-Costs-Extra-92416)
It looks like AT&T will be joining Comcast in charging consumers extra if they want to pay their bill over the phone with a human being. An anonymous AT&T employee tells the Consumerist (http://consumerist.com/364710/att-to-charge-5-for-payments-over-the-phone-in-may) that by May, AT&T will be charging $5 if you desire human phone contact during a bill payment. Comcast recently started charging customer $4 (http://www.thegng.org/shownews/91357) to pay their bill with a human by phone, and $2 to pay in person at a billing center. The disgruntled AT&T employee is apparently having small pangs of conscience about the new fee:...it upsets me as an employee. I feel this is taking advantage of our customer's trust, because even when we put it on all of their bills, and let people know, there will be tons of reps that won't let the customer know they're being charged for taking their payment.
Like grandma, who's failing eyesight makes her prefer a live agent to paying by mail or Internet. Well she can move to France if she doesn't like it! Script-reading offshore billing agents (http://www.informationweek.com/news/showArticle.jhtml?articleID=193100085) don't come cheap these days, you know. These companies aren't running a charity! Now get outta here, you bums.
read comment(s) (http://www.dslreports.com/shownews/ATT-Human-Contact-Costs-Extra-92416)
It looks like AT&T will be joining Comcast in charging consumers extra if they want to pay their bill over the phone with a human being. An anonymous AT&T employee tells the Consumerist (http://consumerist.com/364710/att-to-charge-5-for-payments-over-the-phone-in-may) that by May, AT&T will be charging $5 if you desire human phone contact during a bill payment. Comcast recently started charging customer $4 (http://www.thegng.org/shownews/91357) to pay their bill with a human by phone, and $2 to pay in person at a billing center. The disgruntled AT&T employee is apparently having small pangs of conscience about the new fee:...it upsets me as an employee. I feel this is taking advantage of our customer's trust, because even when we put it on all of their bills, and let people know, there will be tons of reps that won't let the customer know they're being charged for taking their payment.
Like grandma, who's failing eyesight makes her prefer a live agent to paying by mail or Internet. Well she can move to France if she doesn't like it! Script-reading offshore billing agents (http://www.informationweek.com/news/showArticle.jhtml?articleID=193100085) don't come cheap these days, you know. These companies aren't running a charity! Now get outta here, you bums.
read comment(s) (http://www.dslreports.com/shownews/ATT-Human-Contact-Costs-Extra-92416)