Any issue with DirecTV is like a trip to the dentist. If you're lucky, they just jab your gums and draw blood once or twice. If you're not lucky, it's like full-on root canal, and the anesthesia is marginal.
In no particular order:
1) Log into your DirecTV account: Bounces you from one AT&T screen to another. Confuses you about whether it's DirecTV or AT&T. Heaven forbid you once had an AT&T cell phone, in which case you probably have two accounts, two passwords, and good luck logging in with the right one, or telling one from the other.
2) Searching to access help for the services you've already bought: Bombarded with offers for the same services you already bought, or other services they want to sell you. Little or no help for using the services you are already paying for.
3) Trying to find billing info: No meaningful description of line item details.
4) Confusing array of emails in response to orders or account changes, all of which have links to further confusing billing screens that don't clarify your account situation.
5) Trying to access your services online, e.g., stream instead of satellite for NFL Sunday Ticket: Broken software. Confusing market blackout rules. Software changing from one screen refresh to the next.
6) Call for help using the customer service number shown on their web site: Go through the "Press 1 for x, 2 for y" maze, only to be told, after five minutes, that you are on a line for new customers only, and should call a different number for existing customers.
7) Reach a human being after 10, 15, sometimes 30 minute hold times. Thick accent, hard to understand, and lots of "I'm sorry, we're no longer allowed to do that" answers to questions.
It's so painful, one is inclined to not want to call at all, which might be deliberate on AT&T's part, but I don't give them that much credit. They are the ultimate, dumb, uncaring, big organization.
Thankfully, this is the last season of their exclusive NFL Sunday Ticket contract. Hopefully, somebody with more respect for customers gets that next NFL contract.
/rant
Here's some rare footage of AT&T execs, fine-tuning their service offerings for improved customer service:
In no particular order:
1) Log into your DirecTV account: Bounces you from one AT&T screen to another. Confuses you about whether it's DirecTV or AT&T. Heaven forbid you once had an AT&T cell phone, in which case you probably have two accounts, two passwords, and good luck logging in with the right one, or telling one from the other.
2) Searching to access help for the services you've already bought: Bombarded with offers for the same services you already bought, or other services they want to sell you. Little or no help for using the services you are already paying for.
3) Trying to find billing info: No meaningful description of line item details.
4) Confusing array of emails in response to orders or account changes, all of which have links to further confusing billing screens that don't clarify your account situation.
5) Trying to access your services online, e.g., stream instead of satellite for NFL Sunday Ticket: Broken software. Confusing market blackout rules. Software changing from one screen refresh to the next.
6) Call for help using the customer service number shown on their web site: Go through the "Press 1 for x, 2 for y" maze, only to be told, after five minutes, that you are on a line for new customers only, and should call a different number for existing customers.
7) Reach a human being after 10, 15, sometimes 30 minute hold times. Thick accent, hard to understand, and lots of "I'm sorry, we're no longer allowed to do that" answers to questions.
It's so painful, one is inclined to not want to call at all, which might be deliberate on AT&T's part, but I don't give them that much credit. They are the ultimate, dumb, uncaring, big organization.
Thankfully, this is the last season of their exclusive NFL Sunday Ticket contract. Hopefully, somebody with more respect for customers gets that next NFL contract.
/rant
Here's some rare footage of AT&T execs, fine-tuning their service offerings for improved customer service:
