Alltel Cellular Wireless ripoff Terrible Customer Service dishonest $35 reconnect fees abused & mistreated Charlotte North Carolina
Started Alltel Wireless on June 12th on July 12th they shut down the phone and said that I owed a $35 reconnect fee. It took over 55 minutes on hold to try and resolve this. Also they do something called an "automatic fee" for a Mr Rescue. Mr Rescue is a towing service that has nothing to do with cellular fees. They say that they add this is an "automatic add on" after a 90 day "trial" but I was invoiced for this fee from day 1. How many people just pay these things. Lots thats why they do it.
Fred
Charlotte, North Carolina
4 Updates & Rebuttals
Melissa
Richmond,Virginia,
Reconnect Fees
#5UPDATE Employee
Thu, September 12, 2002
First let me say I am sorry you have not had the best customer service experience. I can clarify your problems for you very easily and I hope you read this.
To start the reconnect fee of $35 is due to being cut off for late payment. When you receive your bill for the month you have a due date on it explaining when that payment is due. Since we bill in advance for your monthly service fee you have to pay that within the time frame, just like home phone service, utilities or credit card bills. After you do not pay that amount in the time frame specified you are then subject to what we call "hotline".. Meaning if you do not pay you cant use your phone.
Usually in most cases, unless the bill is excessive with new roaming and long distance charges out of the ordinary, you have to your next bill run before they will cut off the phone. If the cut off was our fault for something like a payment was misapplied to a different account (yes believe it or not customer service reps are not perfect and do make human errors because we are human afterall) they will be happy to credit you that fee.
But if you do not pay your bill in the time frame allowed, then you have to be responsible for that. Fair is fair. Credit card company's charge over limit fees, late fee's etc.. If you are late paying your bill it takes an employee to review that fact, it takes another employee to cut it off, and then another to handle the call when you call in to reconnect it.
All we ask is you pay in the time frame so we do not have to pass costs of running a business on to you for something that is out of our hands and completely in yours. I have even seen that fee be waived on MANY occassions due to hardship. I also see many chronic late payers call asking for the credit and abusing it. There are two sides to every story! All these calls pile up and that is also what leads to you waiting 20 minutes to speak to somebody on the phone.
The second part of your issue Mr. Rescue is a 2 month trial period that is an emergency roadside service, if you look below the due date on your bill on the next pages you will see a listing of monthly fees charged and then see a listing of montly credits.
Hence the 2 months free. It is a great service and gives you a chance for 2 months to try it with no charges. Check your bill I assure you a credit was issued if you review the bill in detail. We put important things on bills for you to read like due dates, charges and an explanation of charges. We even offer promo's on the bills that people do not even realize because they dont read the print the only read the bottom line. Your monthly bill is our primary means of communicating with you. READ IT! I am guilty of this as well with many bills. New rates and promo's are listed generally on the first page or two.
Another suggestion I can make to you is to register on www.alltel.com for online billing, obvioulsy you have a computer and it will give you access to your account online and you can actually pay online. It is REALLY FREE! If you look on your bill you will see a pin code for your account that will enable you to do so.
I hope this helps!
Melissa
Richmond,Virginia,
Reconnect Fees
#5UPDATE Employee
Thu, September 12, 2002
First let me say I am sorry you have not had the best customer service experience. I can clarify your problems for you very easily and I hope you read this.
To start the reconnect fee of $35 is due to being cut off for late payment. When you receive your bill for the month you have a due date on it explaining when that payment is due. Since we bill in advance for your monthly service fee you have to pay that within the time frame, just like home phone service, utilities or credit card bills. After you do not pay that amount in the time frame specified you are then subject to what we call "hotline".. Meaning if you do not pay you cant use your phone.
Usually in most cases, unless the bill is excessive with new roaming and long distance charges out of the ordinary, you have to your next bill run before they will cut off the phone. If the cut off was our fault for something like a payment was misapplied to a different account (yes believe it or not customer service reps are not perfect and do make human errors because we are human afterall) they will be happy to credit you that fee.
But if you do not pay your bill in the time frame allowed, then you have to be responsible for that. Fair is fair. Credit card company's charge over limit fees, late fee's etc.. If you are late paying your bill it takes an employee to review that fact, it takes another employee to cut it off, and then another to handle the call when you call in to reconnect it.
All we ask is you pay in the time frame so we do not have to pass costs of running a business on to you for something that is out of our hands and completely in yours. I have even seen that fee be waived on MANY occassions due to hardship. I also see many chronic late payers call asking for the credit and abusing it. There are two sides to every story! All these calls pile up and that is also what leads to you waiting 20 minutes to speak to somebody on the phone.
The second part of your issue Mr. Rescue is a 2 month trial period that is an emergency roadside service, if you look below the due date on your bill on the next pages you will see a listing of monthly fees charged and then see a listing of montly credits.
Hence the 2 months free. It is a great service and gives you a chance for 2 months to try it with no charges. Check your bill I assure you a credit was issued if you review the bill in detail. We put important things on bills for you to read like due dates, charges and an explanation of charges. We even offer promo's on the bills that people do not even realize because they dont read the print the only read the bottom line. Your monthly bill is our primary means of communicating with you. READ IT! I am guilty of this as well with many bills. New rates and promo's are listed generally on the first page or two.
Another suggestion I can make to you is to register on www.alltel.com for online billing, obvioulsy you have a computer and it will give you access to your account online and you can actually pay online. It is REALLY FREE! If you look on your bill you will see a pin code for your account that will enable you to do so.
I hope this helps!
Melissa
Richmond,Virginia,
Reconnect Fees
#5UPDATE Employee
Thu, September 12, 2002
First let me say I am sorry you have not had the best customer service experience. I can clarify your problems for you very easily and I hope you read this.
To start the reconnect fee of $35 is due to being cut off for late payment. When you receive your bill for the month you have a due date on it explaining when that payment is due. Since we bill in advance for your monthly service fee you have to pay that within the time frame, just like home phone service, utilities or credit card bills. After you do not pay that amount in the time frame specified you are then subject to what we call "hotline".. Meaning if you do not pay you cant use your phone.
Usually in most cases, unless the bill is excessive with new roaming and long distance charges out of the ordinary, you have to your next bill run before they will cut off the phone. If the cut off was our fault for something like a payment was misapplied to a different account (yes believe it or not customer service reps are not perfect and do make human errors because we are human afterall) they will be happy to credit you that fee.
But if you do not pay your bill in the time frame allowed, then you have to be responsible for that. Fair is fair. Credit card company's charge over limit fees, late fee's etc.. If you are late paying your bill it takes an employee to review that fact, it takes another employee to cut it off, and then another to handle the call when you call in to reconnect it.
All we ask is you pay in the time frame so we do not have to pass costs of running a business on to you for something that is out of our hands and completely in yours. I have even seen that fee be waived on MANY occassions due to hardship. I also see many chronic late payers call asking for the credit and abusing it. There are two sides to every story! All these calls pile up and that is also what leads to you waiting 20 minutes to speak to somebody on the phone.
The second part of your issue Mr. Rescue is a 2 month trial period that is an emergency roadside service, if you look below the due date on your bill on the next pages you will see a listing of monthly fees charged and then see a listing of montly credits.
Hence the 2 months free. It is a great service and gives you a chance for 2 months to try it with no charges. Check your bill I assure you a credit was issued if you review the bill in detail. We put important things on bills for you to read like due dates, charges and an explanation of charges. We even offer promo's on the bills that people do not even realize because they dont read the print the only read the bottom line. Your monthly bill is our primary means of communicating with you. READ IT! I am guilty of this as well with many bills. New rates and promo's are listed generally on the first page or two.
Another suggestion I can make to you is to register on www.alltel.com for online billing, obvioulsy you have a computer and it will give you access to your account online and you can actually pay online. It is REALLY FREE! If you look on your bill you will see a pin code for your account that will enable you to do so.
I hope this helps!
Melissa
Richmond,Virginia,
Reconnect Fees
#5UPDATE Employee
Thu, September 12, 2002
First let me say I am sorry you have not had the best customer service experience. I can clarify your problems for you very easily and I hope you read this.
To start the reconnect fee of $35 is due to being cut off for late payment. When you receive your bill for the month you have a due date on it explaining when that payment is due. Since we bill in advance for your monthly service fee you have to pay that within the time frame, just like home phone service, utilities or credit card bills. After you do not pay that amount in the time frame specified you are then subject to what we call "hotline".. Meaning if you do not pay you cant use your phone.
Usually in most cases, unless the bill is excessive with new roaming and long distance charges out of the ordinary, you have to your next bill run before they will cut off the phone. If the cut off was our fault for something like a payment was misapplied to a different account (yes believe it or not customer service reps are not perfect and do make human errors because we are human afterall) they will be happy to credit you that fee.
But if you do not pay your bill in the time frame allowed, then you have to be responsible for that. Fair is fair. Credit card company's charge over limit fees, late fee's etc.. If you are late paying your bill it takes an employee to review that fact, it takes another employee to cut it off, and then another to handle the call when you call in to reconnect it.
All we ask is you pay in the time frame so we do not have to pass costs of running a business on to you for something that is out of our hands and completely in yours. I have even seen that fee be waived on MANY occassions due to hardship. I also see many chronic late payers call asking for the credit and abusing it. There are two sides to every story! All these calls pile up and that is also what leads to you waiting 20 minutes to speak to somebody on the phone.
The second part of your issue Mr. Rescue is a 2 month trial period that is an emergency roadside service, if you look below the due date on your bill on the next pages you will see a listing of monthly fees charged and then see a listing of montly credits.
Hence the 2 months free. It is a great service and gives you a chance for 2 months to try it with no charges. Check your bill I assure you a credit was issued if you review the bill in detail. We put important things on bills for you to read like due dates, charges and an explanation of charges. We even offer promo's on the bills that people do not even realize because they dont read the print the only read the bottom line. Your monthly bill is our primary means of communicating with you. READ IT! I am guilty of this as well with many bills. New rates and promo's are listed generally on the first page or two.
Another suggestion I can make to you is to register on www.alltel.com for online billing, obvioulsy you have a computer and it will give you access to your account online and you can actually pay online. It is REALLY FREE! If you look on your bill you will see a pin code for your account that will enable you to do so.
I hope this helps!