AT&T To Begin Un-branding Cingular Monday
Thoughts from a Cingular employee
For starters, I would like to echo what has been said by many already...
In terms of a service downgrade, your service will not change at all, if anything, it will only get better.
As a sales employee, some things are changing, and it seems to be for the better. Our quotas have changed, and its made our job easier and less demanding. We're now allowed to price match places like RadioShack, Walmart, Bestbuy, ect... And best of all, we're still Unionized.
The only downfall I see is a short term problem... and thats the confusion its going to cause for some customers. A lot of customers just simply dont understand, and they dont seem to care or want to understand. I will also admit that I like the name "cingular" better than "ATT...
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In terms of a service downgrade, your service will not change at all, if anything, it will only get better.
As a sales employee, some things are changing, and it seems to be for the better. Our quotas have changed, and its made our job easier and less demanding. We're now allowed to price match places like RadioShack, Walmart, Bestbuy, ect... And best of all, we're still Unionized.
The only downfall I see is a short term problem... and thats the confusion its going to cause for some customers. A lot of customers just simply dont understand, and they dont seem to care or want to understand. I will also admit that I like the name "cingular" better than "ATT...
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Does price matching get you the same amount of commision as if you sold it for full price? If not, it doesn't help you too much. Also, being Union is up and down, if they decide to strike tommorow you are assed out of a check.
And you spoke of customers, do YOU know why they are changing the name? You said they don't want to understand as if it's the customer's problem, but if there is nothing to understand, don't put it on the poor innocent LOYAL customers who have to suffer through this. When you ask an old AT&T customer about a brand change, all they remember is the stromg-arm tactics Cingular used to get customers over to them...
And you spoke of customers, do YOU know why they are changing the name? You said they don't want to understand as if it's the customer's problem, but if there is nothing to understand, don't put it on the poor innocent LOYAL customers who have to suffer through this. When you ask an old AT&T customer about a brand change, all they remember is the stromg-arm tactics Cingular used to get customers over to them...
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I'll try to answer your questions in the order you asked them.
Do I make the same amount of commission on a price matched phone as I would if it was sold at full price?
We dont make any commission on phones at all. Our commissions are on features and rate plan loading... things like insurance, text messaging plans, new ads... thats where we make comm. So how does that help me? Price matching gets customers in the door with the phone they want, at the price they want. A happy customer helps me.
A Union certainly and undoubtly is more good than bad. Bottom line, and not even worth arguing about.
Do I know why they are changing the name? Sure I do, I work for the company and I'm much more intelligent than the respect your...
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Do I make the same amount of commission on a price matched phone as I would if it was sold at full price?
We dont make any commission on phones at all. Our commissions are on features and rate plan loading... things like insurance, text messaging plans, new ads... thats where we make comm. So how does that help me? Price matching gets customers in the door with the phone they want, at the price they want. A happy customer helps me.
A Union certainly and undoubtly is more good than bad. Bottom line, and not even worth arguing about.
Do I know why they are changing the name? Sure I do, I work for the company and I'm much more intelligent than the respect your...
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As to why it seems there are some people around here that fail to understand what is what...this change is for the better as far as I see...1 place to go for everything and it increases the image of ATT which in hence will mean more sales, better overall coverage and hopefully better overall service..
Easy enough that the backend systems will only get better and the majority of the changeover will happen behind the customers eyes. As long as the service stays the same and coverage is as good...which it will be then what would a customer care?
You will always have those idiots who think God owes them everything and in all honesty, go ahead and find another carrier and when they come back to you and reinitiate service then you can say I...
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Easy enough that the backend systems will only get better and the majority of the changeover will happen behind the customers eyes. As long as the service stays the same and coverage is as good...which it will be then what would a customer care?
You will always have those idiots who think God owes them everything and in all honesty, go ahead and find another carrier and when they come back to you and reinitiate service then you can say I...
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I hate it when customers try to play victim whenever a merger takes place. Cingular never "Strong Armed" a single customer into switching over from ATTWS. As far as I'm concerned, the switch benefited the customer more than anyone. The list of benefits is too long to list.
Again for the 1000th time, the name change means nothing from a service standpoint. Will it be confusing for a while, yes.
And before every customer starts firing off the questions. Here are your answers:
"No sir/ma'am you cannot keep your old rate plan, your plan is expired and a new phone would require a rate plan change."
"No sir/ma'am you cannot keep your bonus minutes. They expire with your new rate plan change. Also, they are non-contractual just like te...
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Again for the 1000th time, the name change means nothing from a service standpoint. Will it be confusing for a while, yes.
And before every customer starts firing off the questions. Here are your answers:
"No sir/ma'am you cannot keep your old rate plan, your plan is expired and a new phone would require a rate plan change."
"No sir/ma'am you cannot keep your bonus minutes. They expire with your new rate plan change. Also, they are non-contractual just like te...
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So if they didn't strong arm people, what is this $5 dollar fee i keep hearing about from customers on old ATTWS plans? That kinda seems like strong arming to me....
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The $5 fee is for people who are still on the antiquated TDMA network. This fee is for legacy Cingular customers as well as former AT&T Wireless customers. I am still on an AT&T Wireless rate plan. Cingular has never strong armed me into switching to a Cingular plan unless I want a new phone. My plan is a GSM plan.
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The $5 fee is for Analog/TDMA subscribers. With the impending shutdown of the TDMA/Analog network, it is costing the company money to provide service for customers who use this technology. The $5 charge basically is giving them a gentle push to new GSM plans and phones to improve the quality of there service.
And again, if you were informed you would also know that the $18 upgrade fee that is assessed to legacy Cingular customers is waived for AT&T & TDMA customers who wish to move over to the Cingular Nation GSM phones and plans.
How's that for "strong arming?" Cingular takes care of their customers. Period.
And again, if you were informed you would also know that the $18 upgrade fee that is assessed to legacy Cingular customers is waived for AT&T & TDMA customers who wish to move over to the Cingular Nation GSM phones and plans.
How's that for "strong arming?" Cingular takes care of their customers. Period.
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You say "gentle push", I say "strong arm", whatever. It's a punishment assesed for not being Cingular. Attaway to take care of me: scare me by raising my bill until I'm Cingular...everything costs companies money, does that mean it's OK to nickle and dime us?
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Charging existing customers an upgrade fee is plain silly. Verizon does not charge customers to upgrade. In fact, customers who sign two year agreements and renew after twenty-two months receive a credit for signing a new two year agreement. Talk about driving customers out the door.
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But with Verizon, don't you have to renew your contract each time you make a change to your plan?
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Djanifer9512 said:
I hate it when customers try to play victim whenever a merger takes place. Cingular never "Strong Armed" a single customer into switching over from ATTWS. As far as I'm concerned, the switch benefited the customer more than anyone. The list of benefits is too long to list.
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"No sir/ma'am you cannot keep your old rate plan, your plan is expired and a new phone would require a rate plan change."
How wasn't that strong arming? Back when they merged, my phone had just broken and they're like "just pick out a new cingular phone and plan and we'll get you all set." And I had a ATT promotional GSM plan and I didn't want to pay $15 more a month for nothing. So I just switched to T-mobile....
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So as a Cingular customer under contract with 3 of my 4 lines I can cancel them when AT&T takes over with no penalties?
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NinjaMonkey said:
So as a Cingular customer under contract with 3 of my 4 lines I can cancel them when AT&T takes over with no penalties?
No, not at all. AT&T is not taking over anything, cingular is staying the same, just under a new name.
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That's cool that you only get paid on actos and add-ons (I guess), so price-matching will be great for you. I used to work for Verizon and we got paid on plans and phones , I figured you did too. When we started price matching, we lost the spiff.
I don't know enough about Unions to speak regularly on them...
And for customers (and people in general) easy is better. The only thing I can gather from this is that Cingular (AT&T) will save themselves money "over time" because they wont have to make letterheads with AT&T and Cingular. I also don't see how this passes savings on to customers. Cingular would need to save the money, then decide how to pass it on, which seems light years away. Therefore, if I am a customer and don't see how ...
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I don't know enough about Unions to speak regularly on them...
And for customers (and people in general) easy is better. The only thing I can gather from this is that Cingular (AT&T) will save themselves money "over time" because they wont have to make letterheads with AT&T and Cingular. I also don't see how this passes savings on to customers. Cingular would need to save the money, then decide how to pass it on, which seems light years away. Therefore, if I am a customer and don't see how ...
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Future said:
And best of all, we're still Unionized...it is what it is.
I knew there was another reason besides horrible service, customer service, and horrible rate plans I didn't like Cingular...
Yes, because we all know that unions are good things. Thank your car dealer for the auto unions next time you're there, looking at a new car.
Unions force prices up...it is what it is.
Just my take on things.
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foneguy said:Future said:
And best of all, we're still Unionized...it is what it is.
I knew there was another reason besides horrible service, customer service, and horrible rate plans I didn't like Cingular...
Yes, because we all know that unions are good things. Thank your car dealer for the auto unions next time you're there, looking at a new car.
Unions force prices up...it is what it is.
Just my take on things.
Hey! Verizon isn't unionized and their prices are just the same as Cingular. Go figure.
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The unionized Cingular employees are members of the CWA (communications workers of America), the very same union Verizon (landline) employees are a part of.
Also, the CWA is a non-strike union.
And 3rd, the members pay union fees. The union has nothing to do with the customer. Period. Being unionized has zero effect on prices or customer experience.
Also, the CWA is a non-strike union.
And 3rd, the members pay union fees. The union has nothing to do with the customer. Period. Being unionized has zero effect on prices or customer experience.
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The UAW also pay dues. So, please explain why rising costs for workers benifits don't affect the customer? Are you so naive as to believe that the unions pay workers healthcare costs? Life insurances? Dental? Vision? Investment counceling?
Wait...you can't tell me they do, because they don't. This is the reason that I left Cingular two years ago (yes, it's my dirty little secret, I used to work for Cingular). I was tired of paying extra money for nothing. I could understand if that money covered my healthcare costs or something, but it went to line the pockets of the people that run the union.
Please don't be so naive as to think that unions are a good thing. They've destroyed what was once the worlds greatest car makers.
Wait...you can't tell me they do, because they don't. This is the reason that I left Cingular two years ago (yes, it's my dirty little secret, I used to work for Cingular). I was tired of paying extra money for nothing. I could understand if that money covered my healthcare costs or something, but it went to line the pockets of the people that run the union.
Please don't be so naive as to think that unions are a good thing. They've destroyed what was once the worlds greatest car makers.
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If you work for Cingular then you should know the benefits the Union fights for you to get. Do you think ATT/ Cingular would pay us or even provide insurance. Take for instance Pension new people don't get that now because it basically wasn't protected under the contracts
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When I worked for Cingular we had better benefits WITHOUT the CWA - in my opinion they are liars that will tell you anything to get you to join the union, but will do little for you. I actually lost time off when the contract went into effect. When my position was eliminated the union reps were nowhere to be found and thanks to poor bargaining on their part my severance was a BIG JOKE compared to what I would have received before they came around (I guess that is why the contract came in black and orange - trick no treat). BEWARE of the CWA!!!! Good thing that I still have my pension through BellSouth (I hope)
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I hope so too.
Sad thing is this: This is just one of thousands, if not hundreds of thousands, of these types of situations each year.
Sad thing is this: This is just one of thousands, if not hundreds of thousands, of these types of situations each year.
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MY BIG QUESTION IS WHATS GOING TO HAPPEN TO THE CINGULAR BLUE SIDE. NOW I KNOW THAT THEY TRANSFERED ALL OF THE ACCOUNTS FROM SIEBEL SYSTEMS TO TELIGENCE....BUT WHAT ABOUT THE ACTUAL ACCOUNTS? IS IT NOW GOING TO BE CINGULAR BLUE CINGUALR ORANGE AND NOW THE TRUE BLUE??? PLUS ANOTHER THING IS I REMEMBER THAT WHOLE BS ABOUT TELLING CUST. THAT THEY'RE SERVICE IS GOING TO BE BETTER NOW THAT CINGULAR ORANGE HAS TAKEN OVER...WE WOULD PUSH THEY'RE SIGNAL ...DO THE WHOLE IRDB SWITCH AND MULIT TASK IN WEB-AX BUT IT WAS JUST A TEMP THING TO BLOW SMOKE UP THE CUST. ASS....IM VERY CURIOUS TO KNOW IF ITS GOING TO BE THE SAME DEAL...AND IF IT REALLY IS JUST A SIMPLE NAME CHANGE THEN I CAN LIVE WITH THAT....BUT TO BE HONEST THEY TOLD US BACK IN 04' THAT THEY...
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PLEASECHECKYOURGRAMMARANDSPELLINGBEFOREPOSTIN GBYTHEWAYYOURCAPITALLETTERSDONOTLOOKALLTHATIN TELLIGENTEITHER
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