Ferda just stated an interesting Rant on the previous post about administration fees.
Many companies charge rediculous fees for administrative BS which often doesn't account to any work on their part. My favorites in this department are phone and cable companies.
My latest Rogers experience:
I just changed cell phones over the holidays. I bought the new RAZR. This meant: me walking to a Rogers store, buying the phone, putting my old sim card in the new one and paying the Rogers employee at the video store counter. No more. I kept the same phone number, same package, same everything.
Next bill comes along and they tack onto it a $35 fee for the switch. Why? ADMINISTRATION FEES. My question: For what??
They were both my own phones! I didn't upgrade or change the minutes package I was one... nothing! They did nothing on their end! Rediculous! When I called them about it, I was told to go back to the store where I bought the phone and explain the situation. On my next store visit: nada - they can't do anthing, I have the call the main number again. A little grumpy, I called again and this time they told me that they don't typically do this but that they would credit my next bill. Come-on, thus was too easy. "Dont typically do this????". Because people let it slide - that's why!! There should be a recourse for this kind of BS.
I then get into these questions with the telephone operator about new plans because I have been going over my previous plan over the last 2 months - I may need to upgrade to another one as I am busting my day minutes. He then proceeds to tell me that he can put me on a 3 free months of local calls because I bought a new phone. WHAT?!?
He tells me that this could have been activated when I bought the phone but now I can start it for the next3 months and decide what to do when new Summer package come out. What a bunch of @#$%
Ever notice how sometimes better deals come out or lower prices come into affect and Rogers or Bell just keeps charging you the previous fee until you tell them to change it? You can dispise the mogul. It's allowed.
2/27/2006
Administration Fees??
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10 comments:
grrrrrr just reading this post is getting me miffed! You're right too often we let such things slide. Kudos to you for following up and doing the legwork to get what you rightly deserve. These companies toot their 'customer service' horn all the time yet they do not practice it at all. If they were truly dedicated to customer service they would not send you to their call center then to the store then deal with the call center again. What a waste of your time! If only they would start doing the right thing from the get-go... a girl can dream... *sigh*
The problem is with the customer service reps in store. It's really hard to make the grunts buy in to the whole "customer service" CULTURE if they're not motivated (financially or otherwise) to do so!
I mean, Katie and I signed up for one of those "couples plans" last month and when I tried to do it in the store they just told me no way... since I was still under contract. Whereas when I phoned Bell Mobility, they almost fell over themselves trying to help me out (stopping just short of giving ME an upgrade on my phone, sigh, no RAZR just yet).
So Lesson #2 for the day is: Avoid stores! Use phones!
really? I usually find dealing with such things in-person is more effective. I just hate calling call centers and being on hold for a half hour listening to cheesy musac until I can finally speak to someone. It's just plain annoying. On the other hand If I'm dealing with an online store where there isn't a brick and mortar alternative I have no other choice. For example, I order my contacts online and if I ever have trouble or want to change my order they will bend over backwards to help me out. I wonder if this is because they probably don't have as many customers as a bell or rogers but at the same time they probably don't have as many people working for them either. That should sort of level them out, no? Yet I can think of many instances where I got off the phone with Bell and there was steam coming off my ears!
I think you just got lucky with a great customer representative there Kevin!
I hate the phone rep. experience as well but I tend to think that they do have more leverage to get you what you want.
I hate the fact that I am calling Halifax when I call Rogers and that thet rep. has a few packages which he can't mention because I don't ask for them.
Lesson #3: Ask to speak to the rep. supervisor if you don't get what you want. Surprising what you may get.
Silly question: Why do they ask me to punch in my account number on my phone when I call and this info never gets to the agent I end up talking to. I always have to start all over with IDing my account number, bla bla bla...
I've ALWAYS wondered that too! It's clearly a timewaster.
It's the company's way of letting you avoid just a LITTLE bit of time from that horrible "muzak!" They're being nice to you!
here's a tidbit...
As you all know, I've cancelled my cell phone. Actually, now that I think of it, it was supposed to be turned off on Saturday, but is still working. Must call them.
Anyhow, on three separate occasions they phoned and offered me SWEET, SWEET deals. I think at one point they were offering me three years free service (alright, I'm lying but it's to make my point).
Anyhow, I held my ground even though I thought the last deal was great and I just told them "No, you had your chance to give me these deals when I was an actual customer and now I'm going to leave."
In the end, do I make that much of a difference? Heck no! But I'd like to think I do. ;-)
Now to call them up and find out why my cell phone isn't disconnected. They're probably going to offer me Sens tix or something.
I love that you said this!
"No, you had your chance to give me these deals when I was an actual customer and now I'm going to leave."
Go Palmer!
"Stick it to da Man Ryan!!"
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