Letter to the Editor

Dear Head of Online Customer Service at AT&T, T-Mobile, Verizon, Sprint and Verizon Wireless

I recently gave some thought to your internet customer self service strategy and felt compelled to write to you.

Your website is great for only two reasons:

The first is, I can make purchases online and the second is that I can find customer service contact numbers. Sadly, for me the benefits end there.

Online purchases work for me because the alternative is either talking to customer service representatives or having to go to the store, neither of which I find to be a particularly pleasant experience. So good on all of you for enabling me to make purchases without having to meet a single staff member!

But here's what I'm never going to do at your site:

I'm not going to view my bill on your website. Why should I go to all that trouble when I can simply wait for my envelope? By the way - I can never remember my password and I really enjoy costing you $5 each time I call! (I get a kick out of that. So far in my relationship with my landline provider I am $355 up.)

If I can remember my username & password, it takes me more than 60 seconds to find my bill on the website. Sprint, I counted 27 clicks (4 minutes) Good job!

You know how long it takes me to open my envelope? 2 seconds. You do the math.

I'm not going to look at my usage. See point above - I see my usage perfectly fine on paper.

I'm not going to try and troubleshoot my problem. You know that's impossible with all the variations of devices etc. I still can't fathom why any biller would consider trying to put that online. What I will do though is find the 'contact us' page and then I'm going to call you. ($5 – "ka-ching")

I'm not going to pay my bill there. Why would I go to 12 different websites when my bank does an excellent job of allowing me to pay all of them through one location? I know the banks were a little slow to this game in the US but it's all done now. I anticipate that all consumer eBill payments will eventually be initiated through internet banking.

So… How about:

• Instead of me having to take time to visit your complicated website to view my usage, you can simply email it to me once a week?


• Instead of visiting your website to view my bill, you simply email it to me?


• Instead of notifying me that there is new information on your website for me, you simply email me that information.
  

You should know that your customers are not stupid. We will visit your website when there is something there that we want to do, like buying a new service / accessory. You do not need to con us into going there through the pretence of customer service.

I have a novel idea, why don't you email my bill to me. That way, I'll have to do nothing to get it. And I'll like you more because instead of making my life infinitely more complicated, you are actually being useful and enhancing my experience.

PS – see here in case you need a reason to stop sending me a paper bill: http://bit.ly/9vYX0l

Yours in despair

Irritated in NYC