Admin Fee Rant #218

[alltherage]

Am I being unreasonable if I send this to an executive at my cell phone company? Man I am pissed.

I know it's long.

EDIT: I removed names and company name so that if they resolve it I'm not bashing the hell out of them. I'll keep those interested in this posted about how it is resolved.

Good Afternoon,

This letter is in regards to a phone conversation I had with [Manager] from your Manger Dept at your customer service, made around 1:00 Mountain Time on July 19 2010.

My blackberry failed yesterday. The speaker in the ear piece stopped working, so calls were not able to be completed. As I am in a contract with [Phone Company] and have been mostly happy with your service, I decided to call and ask about a hardware upgrade. [CSR 1] was extremely helpful and let me know about almost everything I needed to know: how much an iPhone would cost, that it would renew my term for 3 years, and that my plan would have to change slightly.

I went to [Dept Store] and the sales person was very helpful and got me set up with my new iPhone. He told me that the cost of the phone would be on my next bill $99.99 for 3yr upgrade. I was happy with that and took my phone home.

When I got home I saw that there was an “administration fee” of $35 on my account. I didn’t understand what it was, and why it was charged- no one brought it up to me at the time of purchase.

Today I called, and spoke to [CSR 2] in your customer service department. I wanted to make sure my plan would change according to my new phone so that I didn’t have a nasty surprise when I received my bill, and I wanted to address the $35 admin fee.

[CSR 2] was very nice and changed my plan for me. That was my first concern. Then I asked her about the fee and told her I was not made aware of it and I did not know why it was there. She told me it was part of subsidizing the cost of the phone. Why should I subsidize the cost of my phone? Subsidization means “to provide financial assistance”. Am I assisting myself? I asked [CSR 2] if I could speak to a manager, as she was very helpful but said she could not help me with the fee.

[Manager], the manager I was transferred to, told me exactly what [CSR 2] told me. She said the $35 pays to insure the phone for delivery, and to subsidize the phone cost. Why am I paying for [Phone Company] to insure delivery? And since when do customers subsidize their own purchases? All that means is that I pay to assist myself with paying! I feel that I was misled and as a customer of 4 years, paying around $80-90 a month, that I am being taken advantage of.

[Manager] told me I could return the phone but that she would not remove the fee. She told me it was company policy to bring up the fee at the time of purchase. It sounds to me like the only important policies to [Phone Company] are the policies that help [Phone Company]. You didn’t honour your policy of telling me about the fee, yet you have to back the policy that it can’t be taken off? That’s hypocrisy, and it smacks of a bait and switch tactic. You advertise the phone at $99.99 but I have to pay $134.99? That is downright unethical.

I explained my point to [Manager], and she continued to repeat herself that she would not do anything to remove the fee. At this point I was very frustrated, and told her I didn’t need her to repeat herself, that I heard what she said, but that I wanted her to address my points. She would not. She asked me not to make it personal- I had not made any sort of personal reference or attack! She then told me she could give me 100 free minutes. I don’t need extra minutes! I have a plan that fulfills my needs just fine, and I rarely if ever go over!

After getting to a point of extreme frustration, I told [Manager] to forget the administration fee. I wanted to go back to a different customer service agent to discuss my plan to see if I was using everything I was paying for. I have done this a few times in the past. I just like to make sure if I am paying around $85 that I am using up most of my plan and that I am not over paying.

[Manager] refused to transfer me to someone else. I asked her politely, and told her I didn’t feel like talking to her any more as I was very frustrated with her. She refused and told me that if she is capable of helping me that I have to speak to her and that she would not transfer me to someone else.

Excuse me, but am I wrong to expect at least a minimal regard to pleasant customer service? Never in my life have I had a customer service person bully me and tell me that I have to deal with them and cannot speak to someone else. Especially if you know your customer is getting frustrated, why not allow them to speak to someone else? I had completely conceded the $35 admin fee, and I wanted to talk to someone else about something else.

Honestly, it doesn’t matter to me if it’s a $35 fee or a $100 fee. Why is it there? Why are customers “subsidizing” the cost of their own phones? It looks like a bait and switch tactic. I appreciate that you make every effort to inform your customers, and if I had been informed, I would have been happy to pay as it would have been part of my initially agreed price. But now that I’ve been tricked, and dug into this issue, I am extremely displeased with this fee as it seems to be based on a contradiction. If I am the only person buying something, I don’t subsidize my own purchase... I BUY IT!

I encourage you to listen to our phone conversation as it has no doubt been recorded for quality purposes. I was being very reasonable on the phone, did not raise my voice, did not insult or attack, I simply was looking for answers or a resolution, of which I received neither.

I look forward to speaking with someone regarding this matter and how it can be resolved.
Thank you for your time.

[FanIn80]

tl;dr

[Russic]

Writing a note to an executive for $35 seems a little bit much, but I understand it's more about the principal of it all. Seeing as you've already written it I'd say it won't hurt. My sister-in-law writes letters all the time and she gets loads of stuff sent to her as a result.

[alltherage]

Originally Posted by FanIn80

tl;dr

Damn, I was going to post in b4 tl;dnr.

WAIT.... you said too long, DID read... lol I win!

[alltherage]

Originally Posted by Russic

Writing a note to an executive for $35 seems a little bit much, but I understand it's more about the principal of it all. Seeing as you've already written it I'd say it won't hurt. My sister-in-law writes letters all the time and she gets loads of stuff sent to her as a result.

Yeah like I said in the letter it's no longer about the $35. It's about tricking people into paying it. Hell if they even had a reason for it that made sense I would have paid it. The Manager was such a bitch and was arguing in circles and being so stupid on the phone that I had to email them.

I'd pay 3 X $35 if they fire that manager. God she pissed me off.

[Phaneuf3]

Originally Posted by alltherage

Yeah like I said in the letter it's no longer about the $35. Hell if they even had a reason that made sense I would have paid it. The Manager was such a bitch and was arguing in circles and being so stupid on the phone that I had to email them.

It sounds like you were talking with someone from rogers...

Complain. Most companies will do something for you. Of course, not because they care about their customers - they just want you to go away and shut up. But free stuff is free stuff.

[FanIn80]

Sorry, I wasn't necessarily trying to be a dick...

My point was that it was a very long email for the sake of saving $35. There's a very strong possibility that people aren't even going to read it, but if they do... they'll just get pissed that they spent that much time reading something that they probably read 100 times a week from other people (but in a paragraph or less).

It's always been my belief that the best way to get a favourable resolution is to get to the point as quick as possible. The people you're sending it to are usually pretty busy.

[You Need a Thneed]

The $99.99 is for the phone, the $35 is to sign a new contract, just like the original $35 you paid to sign the original contract. It sucks, but that's how it is apparently.

[The Yen Man]

Originally Posted by alltherage

Yeah like I said in the letter it's no longer about the $35. It's about tricking people into paying it. Hell if they even had a reason for it that made sense I would have paid it. The Manager was such a bitch and was arguing in circles and being so stupid on the phone that I had to email them.

I'd pay 3 X $35 if they fire that manager. God she pissed me off.

What if they told you honestly, it's just so they can make a bit more money "processing" your applicaton for the change? I mean, it's reasonable and makes sense if you look at it from their point of view.

I absolutely hate admin fees, but it seems like more and more companies make you pay admin fees for anything. I get so paranoid that any time I sign up for anything the first thing I ask is if there are any admin fees.

[alltherage]

Originally Posted by FanIn80

Sorry, I wasn't necessarily trying to be a dick...

My point was that it was a very long email for the sake of saving $35. There's a very strong possibility that people aren't even going to read it, but if they do... they'll just get pissed that they spent that much time reading something that they probably read 100 times a week from other people (but in a paragraph or less).

It's always been my belief that the best way to get a favourable resolution is to get to the point as quick as possible. The people you're sending it to are usually pretty busy.

You're probably right about that, but I am a wordy person. I try to come off as being reasonable by telling the whole story in the hopes that I will win the person over.

Usually it works... I have a feeling since this went to the President's office that they will read the whole thing.

I have no reason to stay with them and I am seriously considering getting rid of the phone now.

It's not even about the $35 anymore. It's about that manager. If their management is this ridiculous, how can I expect the employees to be any different? Their corporate culture should start at the top.

[ken0042]

Originally Posted by You Need a Thneed

The $99.99 is for the phone, the $35 is to sign a new contract, just like the original $35 you paid to sign the original contract. It sucks, but that's how it is apparently.

I've never paid one of those fees; however I am usually aware of it ahead of time and tell them I won't pay it.

[VladtheImpaler]

Originally Posted by ken0042

I've never paid one of those fees; however I am usually aware of it ahead of time and tell them I won't pay it.

Ditto.

[Rathji]

Originally Posted by ken0042

I've never paid one of those fees; however I am usually aware of it ahead of time and tell them I won't pay it.

I rarely pay this fee.

If they refuse just point out that you can call in and order the same phone and they wont charge you the fee if you ask them not to.

[OilKiller]

When I recently got my Bold 9700, it was $99 plus that stupid admin fee. So I said to the guy, it's $134 for me to upgrade then. He said no, it's $99, the other $35 is an admin fee. I said, it's $134 you lying b@stard...he conceded.

Some of these companies and their admin fees. Please...I sign up for 3 more years and you want to nickel and dime me for $35 when I'm paying $150 a month for 36 months? Ugh...

[alltherage]

Originally Posted by OilKiller

When I recently got my Bold 9700, it was $99 plus that stupid admin fee. So I said to the guy, it's $134 for me to upgrade then. He said no, it's $99, the other $35 is an admin fee. I said, it's $134 you lying b@stard...he conceded.

Some of these companies and their admin fees. Please...I sign up for 3 more years and you want to nickel and dime me for $35 when I'm paying $150 a month for 36 months? Ugh...

Exactly! Seriously, I pay $86/month for voice and data. That's more than I pay for my car insurance! What the eff!!

As far as I can tell this is seriously false advertising.

Originally Posted by wikipedia

Service providers often tack on fees and surcharges that are not disclosed to the customer in the advertised price. One of the most common is for activation of services such as mobile phones, but is also common in broadband, telephony and air travel. In most cases, the fees are hidden in fine print, though in a few cases they are so confused and obfuscated by ambiguous terminology that they are essentially undisclosed. Hidden fees are frequently used in airline and air travel advertising.[1].

Fuuuuuuu

[Igottago]

They charge it because they can, and most people don't want to deal with the headache of arguing over $35. Good on you for writing the letter, If more people did that maybe they wouldn't be able to get away with it. But most people don't care, so the company knows they can continue to charge and make money off it.

[alltherage]

Originally Posted by The Yen Man

What if they told you honestly, it's just so they can make a bit more money "processing" your applicaton for the change? I mean, it's reasonable and makes sense if you look at it from their point of view.

I actually did ask the manager why they dont call it a Phone Subsidization Fee... which she stumbled all over and could not answer. She was obviously in over her head with me at that point, and would not transfer me to someone above, below, or in equal authority to her.

[Phaneuf3]

How long is left on your contract? Threaten to switch providers. That seems to get their attention pretty quickly if you're soon to be contract-free.

My loathing of this particular phone company is only surpassed by my absolute hatred of HP.

[Cecil Terwilliger]

I recently got a blackberry from the telus store in Beacon Hill. Those stores are authorized dealers, not Telus employees, as I'm sure many of you know.

The girl that helped me was absolutely amazing. I went in to browse new phones and sign a new contract, as mine had expired months ago and I had an absolutely amazing plan but my old phone was totally ghetto and I wanted to join the 21st century.

She managed to get me interested in a cheap BB plan (no data but unlimited FB). I'm not a big fan of data so I was interested because it was barely more than I was already paying. But it didn't include caller ID which was a problem. SHe called telus for me and had the fee waived. I was now very interested. She told me once I switched that I couldn't have my old plan back. I said ok but told her that I wasn't going to pay more than $40 a month including taxes and I wasn't paying a penny for the phone.

Phone was listed at $25 or something and that was waived too. Told her I wasn't going to pay the admin fee and she waived that as well. It was really nice because she wasn't anti-Telus but she was very honest about the fact that if you barter they'll often cave.

I ended up signing a new 3 year contract. I later noticed in the brochure that my new plan came with a 50 bonus minutes for 3 year contracts but that it was't in my contract. I went back to the store and she told me I had to contact telus. Sure enough I called and Telus obliged. They did briefly try and tell me it was new customers only but the brochure nor the website said that.

I ended up writing the girl an email and expressed how pleased I was with the service and that she should forward it to her supervisor. She even responded and said I made her day when she came in an saw my email. Rare to write a happy email rather than an angry one.

This was all in late June. I went back last week because my D and X were unresponsive. Not all the time but enough times that I sent quite a few texts that had no Ds in them and it was annoying me. I dealt with a guy at the store this time and he gave me a brand new phone without giving me any hassle at all.

FYI I'm with Telus and pay $40 a month with Caller ID, voicemail, 150 daytime minutes, evenings at 8 or 9pm, five favorites across Canada, unlimited texts and BBMs and unlimited FB and Twitter.

Would be nice if my evenings were earlier but with the five favs and texting 150 minutes is pretty good. My old plan had no texting and I never went over 200 mins with 5pm or 6pm evenings.

[alltherage]

Originally Posted by fotze

Its more like a want to keep the price point below 100 bucks fee. It will soon go the way the airlines are.

$100 for the fuel, $100 for the seat, $44 for the nav fee, $35 for aircraft maintenance.

soon chocolate bars will be this way. $.20 peanut fee, $.05 packaging transfer fee, $.30 chocolate levy, $.25 nougat charge.

Its ridiculous.

What's especially ridiculous is that this manager probably uses this excuse all the time and 19/20 times she probably gets away with it.

Seriously, I can't get over how crazy it is to tell your customer they are subsidizing their own purchase. If I wasn't so annoyed about this I would probably be laughing hysterically.