AT&T, would it be the hardest thing to send a text to users when they are near their

[wikoogle]

AT&T, would it be the hardest thing to send a text to users when they are near their limit for minutes, text, or data for the month.

Especially now that users have to keep track of all three things simultanously.

A simple text along the lines of

"Dear Valued AT&T Customer, this is free text msg to inform you that you have used up 180 Text Messages of the 200 Text Messages alloted to you for the month. If you would like to upgrade to the 2GB Data Plan for $10 more, please call an AT&T Representative at ###### or log into your account at wireless.att.com"

Or better yet, lock out the data completely once you used your limit for the month ala...

At the last minute I opened up a chat with an AT&T rep to ask about setting a lock on data overage for our lines. I figured that this would be trivial. That there was some setting in my account or that I could just call AT&T's 800 number to have it set up. No such luck. In fact, the only way to set an overage limit is by paying $4.99/month/line for "Smart Limits for Wireless Parental Controls". Bull-****ing-****.

I was all for switching from unlimited to 2GB seeing as its so much more than I need to use, but now they want me to have to pay $25+$5 just to prevent myself from making it $25+$10? That's retarded. It even makes the decision to switch my 60MB/month sister to DataPlus questionable: if one month she discovers pandora and streams a lot of music, overage is $15/200MB.

This would save a lot of hassle for customers. I have to be vigilant in keeping track of the amount of text msgs sent on my account, and minutes used up for my whole family, and then call and inform everyone on my account when we are near the limit. It would be nice if AT&T simply sent a text to everyone.

Those text messages would also push more users to higher data and text plans.

And it would likewise prevent lots of calls to their customer service centers from people calling because of their overage charges and asking them to be reduced and threatening to leave AT&T if they leave unsatisfied.

Lastly, it would build good will from their customers with AT&T who in turn would retain more customers. Customers who are pissed off about overages are more likely to leave to other carriers.

This is how Apple retains its customers, by offering up fantastic customer service.

 

[UngratefulNinja]

And it would likewise prevent lots of calls to their customer service centers from people calling because of their overage charging and asking them to be reduced.

Lastly, it would build good will from their customers with AT&T who in turn would retain more customers. Customers who are pissed off about overages are more likely to leave to other carriers.

Because other carriers do this? Verizon never sent me a text when I was approaching my text limit.

 

[Capt Underpants]

Because other carriers do this?

No. Because it would be a useful thing for a company to do.

 

[wikoogle]

Because other carriers do this? Verizon never sent me a text when I was approaching my text limit.

No because customers aren't rational.

If they're mad at AT&T for anything, even over overusage charges from months ago that AT&T refused to take away, they are going to jump ship.

It's psychological. Anything that leaves behind a bad impression of a company will stick around in the customers head as a negative association with AT&T, long after the original cause passed, even if the competitors are no different.

 

[UngratefulNinja]

No. Because it would be a useful thing for a company to do.

But he specifically said people would leave for other carriers because of overages. I was curious as to whether or not other carriers did this.

 

[JajoPGH]

I do not think they are obligated to look after you. It's your responsibility to know how much money you have in your pocket, right? Same thing with minutes/texts.

I would like it too. In addition to a "Low Battery" message, have a "Low Messages" message too. But, AT&T is in business to make money.

 

[Next Tuesday]

Cell phone companies wont do this. They will lose money. Just think, if they did that, they wouldnt get people to go over their plans and be charged extra money.

 

[skyehill]

AT&T is going to text you three times if your near your data limit. If you own an iPhone, it's actually cheaper and smarter to use a texting app and avoid ATT raping you for 20 bucks a month just to send minuscule bits of data.

 

[Tara Luvs Apple]

They would never do this because they secretly want you to go over. If you go over, that means more money for them. This does not include anything for the new data text messages though.