AT&T Scolded for Poor Service
I’ll preface this story by saying that politicians love to hear themselves talk. For those who don’t live in Connecticut, Atty. General Richard Blumenthal certainly falls in that category. He’s gone after student loan lenders, corrupt officials, and now his crusade against injustice has taken him up against AT&T and its near-monopoly on phone service. He recently held a press conference and released a number of statements to the press stating AT&T has “appalling disrespect for consumers and disregard for the law.”
He’s seeking to change that by forcing the company to restore customer service jobs, and improve answer time in the call center and service call responsiveness. Since AT&T operates under the rules of the Dept. of Public Utilities, he may have some leverage to make the changes happen. Since he gave the joint statement with the head of the workers’ union, however, it’s also very possible he’s blowing smoke and nothing will change.
It does seem “unacceptable and unconscionable,” as he puts it, that customers wait more than 2 minutes on average for a rep to answer the phone. As someone who’s dealt with AT&T a number of times in Connecticut, it’s very hit or miss whether the person you do eventually get will be helpful. Since there aren’t many other options (although with cell phone coverage getting better a home phone may become a relic), consumers have to deal with AT&T or go without their landline.
Do you think the government stepping in will work in this case? Does Atty. Gen. Blumenthal have a leg to stand on, or will he ultimately lose this fight in a drawn-out court battle? Should companies be compelled to provide a certain level of service to customers?
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This would be interesting if it were 1980. With customers dropping home lines in favor of cell phones and the rise of VOIP for home and business, this is a dwindling market. ATT will be forced to offer better pricing and service or they'll continue to lose customers.
More importantly, do we really need the government worrying about private business hold times of 2 minutes....