Sept. 14, 2010
OP-ED: Customer Service: From Qwest to Qworst
By Rene A. Henry
Special to Huntingtonnews.net
If you think the airlines and banks are finding every possible way to outrageously gouge customers for new fees and surcharges, a telephone company is now following suit.
If someone is making obscene phone calls to your wife, girlfriend or daughter and you complain to Qwest, the company will only block the calls if you pay an additional $5 a month. If you are paying extra for caller ID and have the name and phone number of the calling party, Qwest will only stop the calls if you pay extra.
The same is true if you are receiving threatening phone calls. Or someone is harassing you with phone calls at all hours of the day and night. Qwest is more than willing to help and block the calls, but only if you pay $5 extra each month. As Lily Tomlin would say, “We’re the telephone company. We don’t care.”
If you call the business office you’ll be referred to the Annoyance Call Bureau where the people are friendly but quick to tell you the only way they will resolve the problem is for you to dig into your pocket and increase Qwest’s revenues and profits.
If you call the business office you’ll be referred to the Annoyance Call Bureau where the people are friendly but quick to tell you the only way they will resolve the problem is for you to dig into your pocket and increase Qwest’s revenues and profits.
At one time, just one phone call to the telephone company would resolve the problem. The company would take immediate and whatever appropriate action. What was once considered service to the customer is no longer today – that is unless you want to pay for it. Qwest has gone from good to Qworst.
In such cases of obscene, threatening or harassing calls, always should file a complaint with your local police department and seek help through all appropriate legal channels. Also notify your local public utilities commission and write your state legislators and ask them to pass new laws to prohibit such charges.
Letters to Dave Mahon, Qwest’s head of corporate security, and Todd Townsend, vice president of marketing, have gone unanswered. Kate Oravez, head of corporate communications and responsible for Qwest’s image, responded to my e-mail by saying she had forwarded questions to both Mahon and Townsend. Her requests also have been ignored. If you want to Qvetch to Qwest, write Edward A. Mueller, chairman and CEO, Qwest, 1801 California St., Denver, Colorado 80202. I don’t believe you can reach him by phone. He probably has blocked his calls.
What can we expect next? Consider this scenario – your phone rings. You answer it, “Hello.” Then a recording comes on and says, “For an additional charge of only 50¢ we will connect you with the person calling you.”
* * *
Rene A. Henry, a regular contributor to Huntington News Network, was born in Charleston, WV and now lives in Seattle. His latest book, “Communicating In A Crisis,” has a chapter devoted to customer service. Many of his commentaries are posted on his website at www.renehenry.com. For David M. Kinchen's review of "Communicating In A Crisis," click on: http://archives.huntingtonnews.net/columns/080930-kinchen-columnsbookreview.html
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OP-ED: Customer Service: From Qwest to Qworst
By Rene A. Henry
Special to Huntingtonnews.net
If you think the airlines and banks are finding every possible way to outrageously gouge customers for new fees and surcharges, a telephone company is now following suit.
If someone is making obscene phone calls to your wife, girlfriend or daughter and you complain to Qwest, the company will only block the calls if you pay an additional $5 a month. If you are paying extra for caller ID and have the name and phone number of the calling party, Qwest will only stop the calls if you pay extra.
The same is true if you are receiving threatening phone calls. Or someone is harassing you with phone calls at all hours of the day and night. Qwest is more than willing to help and block the calls, but only if you pay $5 extra each month. As Lily Tomlin would say, “We’re the telephone company. We don’t care.”
If you call the business office you’ll be referred to the Annoyance Call Bureau where the people are friendly but quick to tell you the only way they will resolve the problem is for you to dig into your pocket and increase Qwest’s revenues and profits.
If you call the business office you’ll be referred to the Annoyance Call Bureau where the people are friendly but quick to tell you the only way they will resolve the problem is for you to dig into your pocket and increase Qwest’s revenues and profits.
At one time, just one phone call to the telephone company would resolve the problem. The company would take immediate and whatever appropriate action. What was once considered service to the customer is no longer today – that is unless you want to pay for it. Qwest has gone from good to Qworst.
In such cases of obscene, threatening or harassing calls, always should file a complaint with your local police department and seek help through all appropriate legal channels. Also notify your local public utilities commission and write your state legislators and ask them to pass new laws to prohibit such charges.
Letters to Dave Mahon, Qwest’s head of corporate security, and Todd Townsend, vice president of marketing, have gone unanswered. Kate Oravez, head of corporate communications and responsible for Qwest’s image, responded to my e-mail by saying she had forwarded questions to both Mahon and Townsend. Her requests also have been ignored. If you want to Qvetch to Qwest, write Edward A. Mueller, chairman and CEO, Qwest, 1801 California St., Denver, Colorado 80202. I don’t believe you can reach him by phone. He probably has blocked his calls.
What can we expect next? Consider this scenario – your phone rings. You answer it, “Hello.” Then a recording comes on and says, “For an additional charge of only 50¢ we will connect you with the person calling you.”
* * *
Rene A. Henry, a regular contributor to Huntington News Network, was born in Charleston, WV and now lives in Seattle. His latest book, “Communicating In A Crisis,” has a chapter devoted to customer service. Many of his commentaries are posted on his website at www.renehenry.com. For David M. Kinchen's review of "Communicating In A Crisis," click on: http://archives.huntingtonnews.net/columns/080930-kinchen-columnsbookreview.html
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