Dealing with AT&T Me: Hello AT&T: Hello, this is AT&T... Me: Is this AT&T? AT&T: Yes, this is AT&T... Me: This is AT&T? AT&T: Yes This is AT&T... Me: Is this AT&T? AT&T: YES! This is AT&T, may I speak to Mr. Jones please? Me: May I ask who is calling? AT&T: This is AT&T. Me: OK, hold on. At this point I put the phone down for a solid 5 minutes thinking that, surely, this person would have hung up the phone. Much to my surprise, when I picked up the receiver, they were still waiting. Me: Hello? AT&T: Is this Mr. Jones? Me: May I ask who is calling please? AT&T: Yes this is AT&T... Me: Is this AT&T? AT&T: Yes this is AT&T... Me: This is AT&T? AT&T: Yes, is this Mr. Jones? Me: Yes, is this AT&T? AT&T: Yes sir. Me: The phone company? AT&T: Yes sir. Me: I thought you said this was AT&T. AT&T: Yes sir, we are a phone company. Me: I already have a phone. AT&T: We arent selling phones today Mr. Jones. Me: Well whatever it is, Im really not interested but thanks for calling. When you are not interested in something, I dont think you can express yourself any plainer than by saying Im really not interested, but this lady was persistent. AT&T: Mr. Jones we would like to offer you 10 cents a minute, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year. Now, I am sure she meant she was offering a rate of 10 cents a minute but she at no time used the word rate. I could clearly see that it was time to whip out the trusty old calculator and do a little ciphering. Me: Now, thats 10 cents a minute 24 hours a day? AT&T: (getting a little excited at this point by my interest) Yes sir thats right! 24 hours a day! Me: 7 days a week? AT&T: Thats right. Me: 365 days a year? AT&T: Yes sir. Me: I am definitely interested in that! Wow!!! Thats amazing! AT&T: We think so! Me: Thats quite a sum of money! AT&T: Yes sir, its amazing how it ads up. Me: OK, so will you send me checks weekly, monthly or just one big one at the end of the year for the full $52,560, and if you send an annual check, can I get a cash advance? AT&T: Excuse me? Me: You know, the 10 cents a minute. AT&T: What are you talking about? Me: You said youd give me 10 cents a minute, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year. That comes to $144 per day, $1008 per week and $52,560 per year. Im just interested in knowing how you will be making payment. AT&T: Oh no sir I didnt mean wed be paying you. You pay us 10 cents a minute. Me: Wait a minute here!!! Didnt you say youd give me 10 cents a minute. Are you sure this is AT&T? AT&T: Well, yes this is AT&T sir but...... Me: But nothing, how do you figure that by saying that youll give me 10 cents a minute that Ill give you 10 cents a minute? Is this some kind of subliminal telemarketing scheme? Ive read about things like this in the Enquirer you know. Dont use your alien brainwashing techniques on me. AT&T: No sir we are offering 10 cents a minute for..... Me: THERE YOU GO AGAIN! Can I speak to a supervisor please! AT&T: Sir I dont think that is necessary. Me: Sure! You say that now! What happens later? AT&T: What? Me: I insist on speaking to a supervisor! AT&T: Yes Mr. Jones. Please hold on. So now AT&T has me on hold and my supper is getting cold. I begin to eat while Im waiting for a supervisor. After a wait of a few minutes and while I have a mouth full of food: Supervisor: Mr. Jones? Me: Yeth? Supervisor: I understand you do not quite understand our 10 cents a minute program. Me: Id thish Ath Teeth & Teeth? Supervisor: Yes sir, it sure is. I had to swallow before I choked on my food. It was all I could do to suppress my laughter and I had to be careful not to produce a snort. Me: No, actually I was just waiting for someone to get back to me so that I could sign up for the plan. Supervisor: OK, no problem, Ill transfer you back to the person who was helping you. Me: Thank you. I was on hold once again and was getting really hungry. I needed to end this conversation. Suddenly, there was an aggravated but polite voice at the other end of the phone. AT&T: Hello Mr. Jones, I understand that you are interested in signing up for our plan? Me: Do you have that friends and family thing because you can never have enough friends and Im an only child and Id really like to have a little brother... AT&T: (click)
Posted on: Thu, 09 Oct 2014 04:58:20 +0000