Sherry
Rigby,#2UPDATE EX-employee responds
Fri, November 22, 2002
I am an ex Qwest employee. Having worked customer service jobs for most of my working years, and then being thrown into the lion's den of Sales, I can tell you that your story and experience with Qwest is not unique. Unfortunately, there seem to be few people within the ranks at Qwest who really care about the customer any more. The best way to handle your situtation is this: Call Qwest and go through the miriad of questions on the menu until you can get to a "customer service" representative. I know sometimes it's hard to be pleasant after all you've been through but do your best at this point. You'll accomplish more than if you're angry. Start by asking AND writing down the representative's name and perhaps what office they're working in. Then request the address and/or telephone number for the President's Advocacy Office. If they tell you they don't know it, don't have it, or that it doesn't exist, be persistant. Ask them to check with their supervisor for it. Once you have it, telephone the Advocacy office and give them your information. I'd suggest following it up in writing and sending all of the information you have on the problem. Dates, names (although these may/may not be useful), amounts, comments...the works. Give them everything you have on it but only give them facts that you can verify. Tell them what you expect to happen...be fair. They are not going to reimburse you for your time, but they should reimburse you for any additional fees added to your account for reconnects due to the lost amount. Another route you might take is to request the representative to transter your call to their "support department". As a past member of this department, I worked on exactly these types of problems, some of them dating back several years. These representatives have some managerial authority and would be able to research the problem (yes, I know.....you've heard that before but this is NOT the collections department) and issue credits to your account. At this point also, your credit class on your telephone bill has surely suffered. Once the problem is resolved, request that your original credit class be restored to your account to reflect that the problem was due to company error, and NOT your non payment on the account. Hope this is helpful to you.
Jane
Denver,#3Consumer Comment
Wed, September 25, 2002
I have had a similar experience with Qwest. I recently moved and called Qwest to request a new phone to be installed. I was informed that I owed them $35 for an unpaid bill from 3 years ago. They had my name and social security number, but I had never lived at the address mentioned, or had the telephone number it was linked too. They informed me that it was with a collection agency. Please bear in mind, I had had uninterupted phone service with Qwest for the past 7 years, so they always had a current address and telephone number for me but never once in all that time had they attempted to contact me regarding the $35. I told them this was not my charge and they said I would have to call the collection agency and fill out a fraud report, which they would send me. I contacted the collection agency numerous times over the next few months. 6 months later - I have given up without ever receiving the fraud report. I am amazed that Qwest is so incompetant as to hand this matter to a collection agency without once trying to contact me. What I am not amazed at is that Qwest are in serious financial trouble.
Jane
Denver,#4Consumer Comment
Wed, September 25, 2002
I have had a similar experience with Qwest. I recently moved and called Qwest to request a new phone to be installed. I was informed that I owed them $35 for an unpaid bill from 3 years ago. They had my name and social security number, but I had never lived at the address mentioned, or had the telephone number it was linked too. They informed me that it was with a collection agency. Please bear in mind, I had had uninterupted phone service with Qwest for the past 7 years, so they always had a current address and telephone number for me but never once in all that time had they attempted to contact me regarding the $35. I told them this was not my charge and they said I would have to call the collection agency and fill out a fraud report, which they would send me. I contacted the collection agency numerous times over the next few months. 6 months later - I have given up without ever receiving the fraud report. I am amazed that Qwest is so incompetant as to hand this matter to a collection agency without once trying to contact me. What I am not amazed at is that Qwest are in serious financial trouble.
Jane
Denver,#5Consumer Comment
Wed, September 25, 2002
I have had a similar experience with Qwest. I recently moved and called Qwest to request a new phone to be installed. I was informed that I owed them $35 for an unpaid bill from 3 years ago. They had my name and social security number, but I had never lived at the address mentioned, or had the telephone number it was linked too. They informed me that it was with a collection agency. Please bear in mind, I had had uninterupted phone service with Qwest for the past 7 years, so they always had a current address and telephone number for me but never once in all that time had they attempted to contact me regarding the $35. I told them this was not my charge and they said I would have to call the collection agency and fill out a fraud report, which they would send me. I contacted the collection agency numerous times over the next few months. 6 months later - I have given up without ever receiving the fraud report. I am amazed that Qwest is so incompetant as to hand this matter to a collection agency without once trying to contact me. What I am not amazed at is that Qwest are in serious financial trouble.
Jane
Denver,#6Consumer Comment
Wed, September 25, 2002
I have had a similar experience with Qwest. I recently moved and called Qwest to request a new phone to be installed. I was informed that I owed them $35 for an unpaid bill from 3 years ago. They had my name and social security number, but I had never lived at the address mentioned, or had the telephone number it was linked too. They informed me that it was with a collection agency. Please bear in mind, I had had uninterupted phone service with Qwest for the past 7 years, so they always had a current address and telephone number for me but never once in all that time had they attempted to contact me regarding the $35. I told them this was not my charge and they said I would have to call the collection agency and fill out a fraud report, which they would send me. I contacted the collection agency numerous times over the next few months. 6 months later - I have given up without ever receiving the fraud report. I am amazed that Qwest is so incompetant as to hand this matter to a collection agency without once trying to contact me. What I am not amazed at is that Qwest are in serious financial trouble.