Alltel Rebate...WTF

[browneyegirl419]

I just felt like I needed to rant. I am soo mad at AllHell right now. In March I bought a Pearl for me and my daughter a Moto Q. Today I got a card in the mail from the alltel rebate center stating that I included an invalid upc with my rebate request. (There was also a rebate on the Moto Q.) After trying to call the rebate center, to NO avail, I called Alltel to see if I could get another phone number or another way to contact the rebate center. The girl at Alltel said she would call them and see if she could find out what was going on. Thirty minutes later, she came back on the phone and told me that I had sent in a upc for a Moto Q, not a Blackberry Pearl!!!!! No, really??? And miracously they had found the right upc for the bb. What are these people doing there? I realize why they do it, you will just think it is too much trouble and forget about it. But my godness, give me a freaking break. Anyway...I just needed to get that off my chest.

Ok...I'm not blaming Alltel for this. I know that the rebate is handled by another company. I was only expressing my frustration with the way things are done. Ok...That said, The rebates came a few days ago. I gave one to my daughter and I TRIED to use the other to pay my Alltel bill. I went online to pay it, because it is easier to type all of the info in rather than do it over the phone. The card was DENIED! I tried again, thinking maybe I typed something wrong. DENIED. I went to CITI's website to register the card, that is the only way to could check the balance. My balance was $98.00. They denied the card AND charged me $1 each time it was denied. I called Alltel to pay, but they were closed. I did autopay, or whatever it is called by paying on the phone. I entered $95.00 as the amount to pay and guess what? Denied. I am at a loss now as what to do next.

[klmini_acres]

Originally Posted by browneyegirl419

I just felt like I needed to rant. I am soo mad at AllHell right now. In March I bought a Pearl for me and my daughter a Moto Q. Today I got a card in the mail from the alltel rebate center stating that I included an invalid upc with my rebate request. (There was also a rebate on the Moto Q.) After trying to call the rebate center, to NO avail, I called Alltel to see if I could get another phone number or another way to contact the rebate center. The girl at Alltel said she would call them and see if she could find out what was going on. Thirty minutes later, she came back on the phone and told me that I had sent in a upc for a Moto Q, not a Blackberry Pearl!!!!! No, really??? And miracously they had found the right upc for the bb. What are these people doing there? I realize why they do it, you will just think it is too much trouble and forget about it. But my godness, give me a freaking break. Anyway...I just needed to get that off my chest.

They did that to me also When I said Im not settling for this **** she came back and said I see the problem and its fixed, you will be recieving your rebate card in the mail. I think They are trying to see who wont fight for it .

[janedo1586]

Working for a business with 20+ phones and submitting one of these rebates things several times a year, I see this *all* the time. 90% of the time, I get the "invalid submission" crap when I *know* I sent everything in. It usually only takes a phone call and they miraculously find what they claim was missing. It's their way of trying to save the rebate money.

[grandpa dan]

Yeah that's it, a conspiracy...lmao. Did you consider they handle hundreds if not thousands of rebates on a daily basis? I have had several rebates on alltel phones over the past couple years without a hitch. I'm just sayin that mistakes happen, perhaps it was their fault, perhaps your paperwork wasn't in "perfect" order. Either way I don't think its a conspiracy to defraud people of their rebates.

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[gpaaske]

Yeah, it really just takes a couple calls to the number provided and usually you can get them to say "checks in the mail"

It does suck though, and no one likes having to do a little extra work for something that should be flawless.



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[NicoleW78]

Yeah... I submitted rebates for both mine and my husband's Curves. Both had all the required stuff. Sent out at the same time. One was approved with no problem. The other was rejected due to not having all the necessary stuff. *sigh* Oh well. I'll call in the morning.

[starlaleann]

To the OP:

I completely understand why you're frustrated, but please remember, you're frustrated with the REBATE CENTER. Alltel customer service, or any other department for that matter, NEVER sees a rebate. The rebates are handled for Alltel by another company. Most phone companies use 3rd party rebate centers.

I'm not negating your right to be upset, just saying it may not be aimed in the right direction and it does seem as though Alltel is trying to help get you fixed up in the end.

[wricks]

Guess I'm one of the lucky ones. Got the wife's Pearl in Dec. and my Curve in March. Mailed the rebate for her phone and got the rebate card with no issues. Sent in the info on mine last week ( I know, I know, real late) and got the following last night:

Submission Type: MAIL-IN
Date Received: 05-20-2009
Status Detail: Your rebate has been entered and is scheduled for final processing

Not saying that there can't be a problem in "final processing" so we'll wait and see.

[y0diggity]

Originally Posted by janedo1586

Working for a business with 20+ phones and submitting one of these rebates things several times a year, I see this *all* the time. 90% of the time, I get the "invalid submission" crap when I *know* I sent everything in. It usually only takes a phone call and they miraculously find what they claim was missing. It's their way of trying to save the rebate money.

Agreed. I maintain our Alltel account at my office as well (60+ lines) and I get these quite a bit. I don't even bother calling them. The cards always show up, no problem. My understanding from my business rep is that its a little glitch in a new system or something. I guess I really don't care what the cause is as long as the end result is me getting a card in the mail.

[crunchyfrog78]

Ok, here's what bugs me... when all that people have to do when they get their phones is make copies of everything.. ESPECIALLY the UPC from the phone box. Then, if something does go wrong (which my theory is, is that they have someone who just dumps out the envelopes and doesn't bother to check what's on the floor), all they have to do, is POLITELY come in and show the alltel rep, bring the inforamtion in, and we can have it resolved calmly in @ 10 minutes. If you have all that information, the rebate department is more than happy to have someone fax it to them and get the rebate in the mail. I don't understand why people feel that they have to come in, guns blazing and be so friggin' rude to people who are only trying to do their jobs. Contrary to popular beliefe, if you come in the store acting like an ***-bag, it doesn't get you anywhere. Most the time, before the customer leaves the store, I make a copy MYSELF of the UPC and put it in their file just incase something like that happens. Because I don't like being yelled at by angry customers.

[crunchyfrog78]

Originally Posted by y0diggity

Agreed. I maintain our Alltel account at my office as well (60+ lines) and I get these quite a bit. I don't even bother calling them. The cards always show up, no problem. My understanding from my business rep is that its a little glitch in a new system or something. I guess I really don't care what the cause is as long as the end result is me getting a card in the mail.

I always suggest to business lines, when you have more than one to send in, or even individuals, is to Paperclip EVERYTHING together.. Being a rep I always submit rebates for people who are too afraid of doing it themselves, and I've never had one returned in the 2 years I've been working here.

[NicoleW78]

Originally Posted by tsguy52

...treat your rep with respect and not act like a 5 year old without candy! ...

This statement is exactly true. And is true for nearly every situation with anyone you may have to deal with. I work in retail and I am not ashamed to admit I will do more for the customer who is polite and respectful than I will for the one who is swearing, yelling, or acting as if I'm the personal cause to every single problem they've had their entire life.

In my case with the missing rebate, I talked to a gentleman for a few moments, he pulled up the file and said everything is just fine. I'll have my rebate here soon. Why was it listed as incomplete? Who knows, but it doesn't matter now.

Okay, I'm off my soapbox. Good luck to everyone else who is needing their rebate!

[wricks]

Originally Posted by wricks

Guess I'm one of the lucky ones. Got the wife's Pearl in Dec. and my Curve in March. Mailed the rebate for her phone and got the rebate card with no issues. Sent in the info on mine last week ( I know, I know, real late) and got the following last night:

Submission Type: MAIL-IN
Date Received: 05-20-2009
Status Detail: Your rebate has been entered and is scheduled for final processing

Not saying that there can't be a problem in "final processing" so we'll wait and see.

Just to keep everyone up to date, I got the rebate card in the mail just the other day.