[jimmers]

Get this..... I stopped in to my local AT&T store this afternoon to pay my current bill. The rep told me that it would cost me $2.00 to pay my bill in person!!! Can you believe that? She said it was an effort to keep "bill payers" out of the store so that they could spend more time with people coming in to the store to buy phones/service. I told her to forget it. I would rather spend 41 cents on a stamp. What in the world is happening to customer service? Has anyone else experienced this?

[Garz]

Get this..... I stopped in to my local AT&T store this afternoon to pay my current bill. The rep told me that it would cost me $2.00 to pay my bill in person!!! Can you believe that? She said it was an effort to keep "bill payers" out of the store so that they could spend more time with people coming in to the store to buy phones/service. I told her to forget it. I would rather spend 41 cents on a stamp. What in the world is happening to customer service? Has anyone else experienced this?

You can pay it online @ AT&T for free.

[cronaldo]

Get this..... I stopped in to my local AT&T store this afternoon to pay my current bill. The rep told me that it would cost me $2.00 to pay my bill in person!!! Can you believe that? She said it was an effort to keep "bill payers" out of the store so that they could spend more time with people coming in to the store to buy phones/service. I told her to forget it. I would rather spend 41 cents on a stamp. What in the world is happening to customer service? Has anyone else experienced this?

That store was probably not a Corp. store because some authorized retailers will tell you that just to keep from going there to pay your bill. I know because I work at an authorized retailer and we can not charge people for wanting to pay there bill as long as they pay with a credit or debit card, because we are not allowed to take cash payments.

[jimmers]

Yes, I know you can pay it online for free. I was just shocked to be told it costs money to pay in person.

I like to pay in person because I while I am there paying the bill I also look at the new phones/accessories to see if there is anything I am interested in buying or upgrading too. However, I won't be making a special stop to do that now so if others do this like me, they may be actually turning away potential sales.

[Blacklatino]

I pay my bill on my berry. But, I do agree with you about customer service at some(not all) of the stores. I've been with AT&T since '96 and have noticed the level of customer service and professional courtesy is a thing of the past. I always tell the online reps that I get better service over the phone than in person 7 out of 10 visits. Ok, time for my blue pill

[Sunshyn]

Yes, I know you can pay it online for free.

What's up with their online payment option? This is the first I've tried to pay like that but have been trying for the past few days. I keep getting an error message:
"The functionality that you have requested is currently unavailable. Please try again later."

[Optimus_Prime]

Yep, that suck that you actually have to pay just to have someone to take your money away.


Once while I was still with Sprint PCS, I was about to pay at the Sprint Store and they told me that it will cost me $5 to do that in person, I would rather get a late fee ( $1.08 or something) than on time and cost me $5.

[Click]

I work for ATT(customer service/tech support) and it does suck that you have to pay to pay in person, but I was in retail sales(before cs days) and that made me so mad when someone came in JUST to pay a bill when I could be helping the next one and getting commission(I know thats not what you want to hear but...it is what it is.) As for checking out the latest phones and accessories hop online pay your bill and look at phones and accessories then(there again I know its not the same).

[chaz_cb]

Pretty soon, we'll have to pay to have face to face customer service, or free with no personal interaction at all.

[Garz]

I work for ATT(customer service/tech support) and it does suck that you have to pay to pay in person, but I was in retail sales(before cs days) and that made me so mad when someone came in JUST to pay a bill when I could be helping the next one and getting commission(I know thats not what you want to hear but...it is what it is.) As for checking out the latest phones and accessories hop online pay your bill and look at phones and accessories then(there again I know its not the same).

I agree.. Let the CSR's sell and make a living. Don't bother them will paying your bill.

[Montezuma]

I work for ATT(customer service/tech support) and it does suck that you have to pay to pay in person, but I was in retail sales(before cs days) and that made me so mad when someone came in JUST to pay a bill when I could be helping the next one and getting commission(I know thats not what you want to hear but...it is what it is.) As for checking out the latest phones and accessories hop online pay your bill and look at phones and accessories then(there again I know its not the same).

You need some serious coaching on M&P and Customer Service. I was a Tech and PAC rep and became a manager prior to leaving Cingluar(when it still was Cingular). I heard complaints all the time about customers going into stores and getting bad service when trying to pay a bill and what not. Regardless of what the customer wants and I do not care if you do work on commision, you have a job because of that customer.

Whatever company you work for, they are not only paying sales people to get new customers; they are also paying them to help existing customers. I know that sales people need to make their quotas and make a living, but a good rep knows they always have to perform at their best. Making sales is not anyone's only responsibility.

[GMJeff]

Bank of America, one of the leading banks in the US, did the same thing years ago (not sure if it continues). They wanted to take some of the strain off of the tellers, so they started charging a fee to see a teller. If you didn't want to be charged that fee, you used the ATM outside to do your transaction.

Like a previous poster said, it is not worth the hassle to even go to the store to pay the bill. If that is your only option, I can understand. Our corporate store here in town has a kiosk in it that allows you to pay your bill at it. No interaction with the CSR at all.

I prefer to pay my bill online, as it is just that easy, and you don't waste the gas/fuel to go to the store anyway.

As for the commission comment, that was a little harsh, as we are customers of the same company that saw fit to hire you and pay the portion of your salary that you don't get from the commissions, if any.

[cindylov4]

Tip:

Switch To Tmo!!!

Not trying to sound like I work for them but they do have great customer service and they're prices are cheap!

Oh and by the way...yes i can pay my bill in a store for...FREE!

[Optimus_Prime]

Tip:

Switch To Tmo!!!

Not trying to sound like I work for them but they do have great customer service and they're prices are cheap!

Oh and by the way...yes i can pay my bill in a store for...FREE!

before you do that,
just make sure that T-mo will work for you.
I would love to go to T-mo, but its coverage ( the lack of) and voice quality forced me to do otherwise.

[ezrunner]

There is NO CHARGE to pay your bill in a Corporate location

[Sunshyn]

I would love to go to T-mo, but its coverage ( the lack of) and voice quality forced me to do otherwise.

I agree entirely.
It's pretty bad when the only way to make or receive calls most of the time is to bring along a second phone with a difference carrier*. Kind of negates the benefits.

*My husband uses his personal AT&T to cover for his work T-mo all the time.

[jcj1]

It is free at T-Mobile! they only charge for calling to pay bill

[tourmalinecanyon]

I was with Sprint, Verizon and T-Mo just recently and all three had worse customer service than I have noticed with AT&T. So far I have paid my bill online, on the phone with a check by phone and just last week went to my local AT&T owned store, all without any fee's being charged to pay my bill. One of my staff went to an AT&T authorized agent store and they did charge a fee to pay the bill in person. I think that may be the issue more than the commission thing. Company owned store, not dinged for helping a current customer, privately owned and loose a day's pay in commission helping a current customer!

[jgreaves]

What Is Really Bs Is When They Are Standing Arround Not Doing A Damn Thing And Still Want To Charge You To Take Your Payment.

[adrienne_gowan]

Some stores now have kiosks to pay your bill.

Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com

[lush242000]

There is NO CHARGE to pay your bill in a Corporate location

That is what I was told anyhow. Typically it's the third party "we sell every brand and service" scam stores that want to nickle and dime you.

[Montezuma]

I work for ATT(customer service/tech support) and it does suck that you have to pay to pay in person, but I was in retail sales(before cs days) and that made me so mad when someone came in JUST to pay a bill when I could be helping the next one and getting commission(I know thats not what you want to hear but...it is what it is.) As for checking out the latest phones and accessories hop online pay your bill and look at phones and accessories then(there again I know its not the same).

I would see to it that something was done if I was treated that way. I do not tolerate bad customer service and that kind of attitude is an example of bad customer service. I think that retail sales is about good customer service and being able to make a decent number of sales. If you cannot do both, find a different line of work.

[epvq30]

you want to avoid bad cs?.. don't go into any store.
do everything olam, save youself a headache, and gas.

[King21]

As far as I know no carrier charges to pay bills at corporate locations. 3rd party retailers for each carrier charge to pay bills, so watch where you go. I know that when Sprint closes a corporate location, the 3rd party retailers open a shop in the same place and make it look the same so they can get the customers that normally go into that location. It's pretty sneaky, and yes paying to pay a bill is stupid! Thank God for online bill pay!

[marquezdl]

Excellence in customer service is something that we all definitely have to pay for these days: niche market companies with superb customer service tend to have the pricier offerings.
So I guess we have to get used to having to either pay for the customer service up front by paying more for the product initially, or pay for it as we go.
I'd prefer to pay up front ..... makes the entire experience much pleasanter!