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At&t Chat about iPad....

G

Good.Shepherd

macrumors member
Original poster
Mar 8, 2011
94
0
USA
So I was researching a bit about the 3g plans for the iPad2. I was wondering if At&t or Verizon knew anything about if the contracts and prices would approximately mimic the plans for the iPad1.

I opened an At&t sales chat box and just asked. Her response was baffling.

Jasmine P.: Welcome to AT&T online Sales support. My name is Jasmine. How may I assist you today?

GS: I have a question about the data plans for iPad2.

Jasmine P.: I am happy to assist you with data plans for the iPad 2. :)

GS: How will the iPad2 data plans work? Is it expected that they will be similar to the iPad1 plans? No contract required?

Jasmine P.: Sorry, we don't have the iPad 2 yet, I am sorry but you can keep checking the site to see if it comes available.

GS: Uh...I don't need an iPad2, thanks, as I am planning to buy it from apple.
GS: I was just wondering if you had any information about if your data plans would be about the same. I'm trying to decide between At&t and Verizon.

Jasmine P.: Ok, I am happy to try and answer any questions for you about data plans for the iPad 2.

GS: Uh...Great. Do you think the pricing and contract structure of the plans for the iPad2 will be about the same?

Jasmine P.: I suggest going to your local AT&T store to see if they offer iPad 2 plans. I do not have information on the plans for the iPad 2, so I really can't be helpful on that subject. Sorry.

GS: "Jasmine P.: I am happy to assist you with data plans for the iPad 2."

Jasmine P.: I know I said that.

GS: Your next words were: "Jasmine P.: Sorry, I do not have information on the plans for the iPad 2"

Jasmine P.: I know I said that, too.

GS: So... do you see the disconnect in what you said, now, and why I might have found this conversation to be a bit unhelpful, overall?

Jasmine P.: Yes I do.
Jasmine P.: Thank you for choosing AT&T.

GS: ....but I didn't choose at&t yet, that's what I'm trying to....nevermind...take care...
 
Do you own research.

No need to be sarcastic. She could be new.

Give person a break, will ya?
 
Wirelessly posted (Mozilla/5.0 (iPhone; U; CPU iPhone OS 4_2_1 like Mac OS X; en-us) AppleWebKit/533.17.9 (KHTML, like Gecko) Version/5.0.2 Mobile/8C148 Safari/6533.18.5)

She could also be dodging a question they were told not to answer because of possible data rate changes to compete with verizon.
 
Davichi said:
Do you own research.

No need to be sarcastic. She could be new.

Give person a break, will ya?
Click to expand...

Uhh...I'm pretty sure contacting a company to inquire about their services qualifies as "do you own research".

And I was doing everything I could to not be sarcastic. I was trying to be as polite as possible. I was really trying to find out if I was talking to a computer program or to a translation program.
 
Good.Shepherd said:
Uhh...I'm pretty sure contacting a company to inquire about their services qualifies as "do you own research".

And I was doing everything I could to not be sarcastic. I was trying to be as polite as possible. I was really trying to find out if I was talking to a computer program or to a translation program.
Click to expand...

For some reason, it reads like someone who doesn't speak English as their primary language.
 
I could also relate my anecdote of when my wife's credit card expired and her unlimited iPad data plan was cancelled. I called AT&T to clear it up and the phone rep couldn't have been nicer. Probably 5 minutes total, including wait time on hold.
 
Good.Shepherd said:
Uhh...I'm pretty sure contacting a company to inquire about their services qualifies as "do you own research".

And I was doing everything I could to not be sarcastic. I was trying to be as polite as possible. I was really trying to find out if I was talking to a computer program or to a translation program.
Click to expand...

Yes, you are being sarcastic. She said thanks for choosing AT&T. That's what every AT&T employees say on the phone. You made a sarcastic comment about, "Uhh, I haven't choose AT&T yet."

You are being picky here. She told you that she has nothing to say about it because the product hasn't been released.
 
MacDawg said:
Actually, she was more gracious and patient than I would have been
She tried to tell you they don't have any information at this time
Click to expand...

?

So let's say you walk into a hotel. You approach the front desk. A cheery gal is there to greet you.

Gal: "Hello sir, how can I help you today?"

You: "Well, I'd like to inquire if you have any rooms?"

Gal: "It would be my pleasure to help you find a room here. What would you like to know?"

You: "umm...I guess...if you have any rooms?"

Gal: "Hm. I don't know that. But I guess I could assist you if you wanted to know about if we have any rooms available."

You: "Ok. Great. Do you have any rooms available?"

Gal: "Hm. I don't know that."

You: "But you just said you could help me with that..."

Gal: "I know I said that."

You: "Ok. I guess I'll leave then. Take care."

Gal: "Great! Thanks for choosing to stay with us tonight."
 
Good.Shepherd said:
And I was doing everything I could to not be sarcastic. I was trying to be as polite as possible. I was really trying to find out if I was talking to a computer program or to a translation program.
Click to expand...

You were anything but polite. When she said she could help with answering your question about data plans, she never said she could answer ANY question. You asked a question that she could not answer- get over it and have some class. I hope someone comes to your place of employment and treats you the same way...like a rude, immature, teenager.
 
I'm not convinced this conversation took place in the same manner as it was posted. Notwithstanding, she told you that she had no info on the plans. Throwing her own words back in her face is unnecessary. She wants to help, doesn't have the answer. Sod off if you don't like that. Wait another couple of days when the iPad 2 is out and see what AT&T has to offer.
 
Good.Shepherd said:
?

So let's say you walk into a hotel. You approach the front desk. A cheery gal is there to greet you.

Gal: "Hello sir, how can I help you today?"

You: "Well, I'd like to inquire if you have any rooms?"

Gal: "It would be my pleasure to help you find a room here. What would you like to know?"

You: "umm...I guess...if you have any rooms?"

Gal: "Hm. I don't know that. But I guess I could assist you if you wanted to know about if we have any rooms available."

You: "Ok. Great. Do you have any rooms available?"

Gal: "Hm. I don't know that."

You: "But you just said you could help me with that..."

Gal: "I know I said that."

You: "Ok. I guess I'll leave then. Take care."

Gal: "Great! Thanks for choosing to stay with us tonight."
Click to expand...

And your analogy doesn't work.
 
I can see why the OP feels like he got nowhere with the CS rep, but the difference is that with your hotel, the hotel is already built and open for business, whereas with the iPad2, the service is not actually available yet, since the iPad 2 is not actually available yet.

At the same time, I can also see how she really wasn't too helpful. Why would she direct you to a local AT&T store when they wouldn't have the answer either? (Of course, that's the way their call scripts are designed, so I'm sure she was just doing her job, albeit minimally.)
 
SteveKnobs said:
You were anything but polite. When she said she could help with answering your question about data plans, she never said she could answer ANY question. You asked a question that she could not answer- get over it and have some class. I hope someone comes to your place of employment and treats you the same way...like a rude, immature, teenager.
Click to expand...

Ok:

1. What information could she possibly have offered about the data plan if not approximate price, if it was a contract or not, and if it could be expected to be anything like the existing plan?

2. Perhaps tone is not coming across, but if you knew me you'd know I'm not a very sarcastic person and in fact treat service people VERY well. But, take it however you want.

3. This is not att vs verizon. I have no horse in that race, and don't care. I've had good and bad experiences with both. But just to say just before this chat I spoke with Verizon and they were very helpful. They said, "we don't know if things may change or not, but here's the basic structure of how it will work and what the approximate pricing will be...." and he walked me through it.

4. Why is it a problem to contact a company about a service they offer and to inquire? I asked the way I did because I was confused and assumed that we were missing each other or there was a language barrier of some sort.
 
She attempted to be friendly and helpful throughout the process (as they are trained)

She said, "I am happy to try and answer any questions for you about data plans for the iPad 2."

It is possible you could have asked her a question she DID have information about and could have assisted you

After you asked your question, she informed you she did not have any information that would help you

"Thank you for choosing AT&T" is there standard closing line

What more do you want from her?

*****

My version would have probably gone something like this....

Jasmine P.: Welcome to AT&T online Sales support. My name is Jasmine. How may I assist you today?

GS: I have a question about the data plans for iPad2.

Jasmine P.: Geez, not another one. How many times do I have to answer this stupid question today? How about you calling back when there is an iPad 2 available and we actually offer plans for the iPad 2?
 
dacapo said:
I can see why the OP feels like he got nowhere with the CS rep, but the difference is that with your hotel, the hotel is already built and open for business, whereas with the iPad2, the service is not actually available yet, since the iPad 2 is not actually available yet.

At the same time, I can also see how she really wasn't too helpful. Why would she direct you to a local AT&T store when they wouldn't have the answer either? (Of course, that's the way their call scripts are designed, so I'm sure she was just doing her job, albeit minimally.)
Click to expand...

This is what I was dealing with.

And with the hotel analogy, it's EXACTLY how I saw it when it was happening. I didn't realize "until after this" that they didn't have any information about it. Especially since my previous call to Verizon had been very productive and friendly. I had anticipated a similar experience.
 
You folks kill me on here...lol...I can't believe the OP was as kind as he was to be honest...and the rest of you are so caught up in trying to attack a poster on here you cant make sense yourselves. I mean the first responder says:

"Do you own research.

No need to be sarcastic. She could be new.

Give person a break, will ya?"

Now make sense of that !!!! A little pot callin' the kettle black eh?

Anyway, just funny how one must pre-qualify and be so careful about how they pose a question or post so they don't get blasted...and usually they still do.

Had he posted that he felt sorry for the CSR at AT&T, and sent her a dozen roses for her lack of knowledge and help, you would have found a reason to blast that...now back to the booth :D
 
MacDawg said:
*****

My version would have probably gone something like this....

Jasmine P.: Welcome to AT&T online Sales support. My name is Jasmine. How may I assist you today?

GS: I have a question about the data plans for iPad2.

Jasmine P.: Geez, not another one. How many times do I have to answer this stupid question today? How about you calling back when there is an iPad 2 available and we actually offer plans for the iPad 2?
Click to expand...

Ok, wait. So I called in with an honest question (I'm not a gear head and don't stay up to the second on devices, rumors, and tech stats) and I was a bit baffled by the response and I was considered rude.

But for me to call in and ask the same question (in good faith) but to have a rude and berating response returned to me would have been proper?

I guess I'm still lost. I didn't realize that technology had become a sales environment where people were belittled just for asking.
 
Good.Shepherd said:
Uhh...I'm pretty sure contacting a company to inquire about their services qualifies as "do you own research".

And I was doing everything I could to not be sarcastic. I was trying to be as polite as possible. I was really trying to find out if I was talking to a computer program or to a translation program.
Click to expand...

The data plans have not and will not change. $15 for 250MB and $25 for 2GB.
 
To the OP: I think you are spot on in being upset.

Having worked in customer service and responding to e-mails, I am quite familiar with the company line of just cramming scripted answers (blurbs, we called them) down customer's throats. Yes, it works for standardized questions. Yes, it maintains a professional company image.

But when you have entry level reps with lower intelligence, it is a disaster for a customer with a non-frequently asked question (or, in this case, a question likely to be asked frequently but for which the blurb hasn't been written yet).

To the people criticizing the OP: Seriously?
 
Good.Shepherd said:
This is what I was dealing with.

And with the hotel analogy, it's EXACTLY how I saw it when it was happening. I didn't realize "until after this" that they didn't have any information about it. Especially since my previous call to Verizon had been very productive and friendly. I had anticipated a similar experience.
Click to expand...

I wouldn't worry about it too much.

Phrases like "I am happy to assist you with" are probably just copy/pastes from her PC, so I wouldn't take those things at face value. (It's actually quite a sad thing, but that's what it's come to unfortunately.)

Also, your experience with Verizon seems to be out of the ordinary too. Company reps (even support reps) are generally prohibited from giving out "forward looking" statements, and the Verizon person may have done that.
 
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