Qwest - www.qwest.com

Complaint about Qwest and service

Dear ComplaintsBoard.com,

I have undergone a horrific experience with QWest and would like to share with as many people as possible so that consumers are aware of the horrible service the company provides. I am sending you a copy of the email I have sent to QWest.

Regards,
Steve

Dear Qwest,

I have given up hope of resolving an issue related to my Qwest DSL through your customer service departments. I have become extremely frustrated and disappointed with your ability and wiliness to assist a customer and dothe right thing. I will not call your customer service centers again. I cannot find an email address or a phone number to any of your executive staff (who deserve to know that this type of problem exists within the corporation). I am sending this email to the following email addresses; please make sure this email reaches your CEO and the rest of the executive staff.

Corporate.Compliance AT qwest.com; qnews AT qwest.com; Advice.Line AT qwest.com

I am also copying 'The Consumerist' on this email:

ben AT consumerist.com; marco AT consumerist.com

They (I hope) will be able to post the following details on their website as the public and your other customers deserve to know the details of the horrific experience I have had with your service, your lacking customer service abilities and your company.

Below is a synopsis of the experience/interactions I've had with your company over the past few months and more specifically, over the past week.

Details of the situation:

We established a bundled package service with Qwest (phone, DSL, Direct TV) in April 2007. After establishing service, Qwest sent us two wireless laptop cards in April 2007. For some reason, we didn't get an actual DSL modem from Qwest.

We called Qwest and notified them we needed a DSL modem and did not want, nor could use the laptop wireless cards (we were charged 35.00 ea plus shipping ($79.98)). Qwest representative provided us a RMA number and was to send UPS return stickers to return the laptop cards. We packaged the cards up and send back as soon as we received the stickers.

May passed and we received our June bill. The June bill did not show laptop card credit. We called and spoke with a Qwest rep who then deducted the laptop cards charge from the bill and told me to pay remainder of bill, which was then paid in full.

June passed and we received our July bill. This bill still did not reflect the credit for laptop cards. To make sure that we weren't going to have the service disabled due to the error on Qwest's side, we went ahead and paid the full amount of the bill, $170.92, which we mailed out on July 14, 2007.

After sending that payment, we received a follow-up statement from Qwest showing a $9.99 credit our bill, with a deduction of $79.98 (this was supposed to be for the laptop cards, but wasn't actually credited .. keep reading).

During the week of August 13, we received a letter from a collection agency which Qwest uses for debt collection purposes. We went ahead and called the collection agency (multiple times) to resolve this problem and understand why we were sent to collections (remember, above Qwest already 'supposedly' credited the account for the laptop cards). The collection agency stated that since we hadn't paid the $79.98 previously (for the laptop cards) that Qwest had turned that amount over to them and that was why there was a credit on our bill. We decided to pay the $79.98 to the collection agency (via electronic check on 8/15/07) and further discuss the matter with Qwest, assuming that they would do the right thing and hash this problem out.

We then called Qwest customer service to inquire as to why the laptop cards credit was sent to a collection agency as a debt. The rep put us on hold and contacted the repair department to verify if they had received the laptop cards. They advised that they had received them, but for some reason hadn't changed the account to reflect that they had received them. The Qwest rep apologized for the error and said the $79.98 would be credited to my account and she would call the collection agency to clarify the error.

On August 22nd , Qwest terminated our DSL service. We then called the Qwest repair on August23rd. Qwest advised that the reason for the termination was due to non-matching records in the database. The repair rep advised that he would put in an order to have it turned back on, but for me to call business office the next day as a follow up since it was after hours.

We then called the business customer service center the next day, 8/24/07. The rep told me she saw the error in their system and that my account showed the various credits. She advised that she was unaware on why our DSL service would have been shut off. The rep then advised that the order was in to have it turned back on and should take 2-4 hours, sometimes it takes 24 hours but that was very rare.

We waited patiently, yet service was never restored.

We called again on Monday 8/27/07 to find out why the DSL service was never restored based on the promises Qwest provided on restoring the service. The rep advised that the DSL was completely disconnected from my account and that they would have to transfer me to someone else to find out why and how to restore it. We were then transferred to a customer care rep who also told me she didn't know why my service was shut off, that she did see the credit on my account, and she would have to issue a new service order to have DSL turned on. She advised that the earliest the service would be restored would be Thursday 8/30/07 by 5pm.

That evening, Monday, we called the business office again. After being received from a first level support agent, a manager was requested and ended up getting a manager on the call. I explained the situation (again) and was advised that the debt collections team needed to make a change and she would walk over and discuss with them. After sitting on hold, she returned to advise me that they had gone home for the day and were unable to help. I asked for her manager. During discussions with her manager, I was advised that there were limitations on what the night crew could and could not do. They were unable to help, but would provide a 2 month credit. I requested that I receive a callback at 8am the next day with a status of 'your DSL has been fixed and is working'. The manger researched whether or not a callback could occur and eventually advised that a manager would call back the next day.

Tuesday Monday 8/28/07. A callback was NOT received from Qwest as previously promised. I called back in the morning and received an agent from the collections department. She put me on hold and researched the issue, where she advised that our DSL was due to be turned on Thursday, 8/30/07. I advised her that the timeframe proposed was unacceptable and requested to speak to a manager. I then spoke to 'Josh', who stated his title was 'Customer Service Agent'. After describing the situation with this agent, he advised that the reason the DSL was terminated was not due to the network card issue, but rather due to non-payment by us (was terminated on 8/20 due to non-payment). He validated that the account showed that we were paid up and infact, had a credit. I requested that he do whatever it took to then enable the DSL. He declined to do so, advising that I would have to wait until Thursday. I requested to speak to his manager and was refused. After further discussions with this agent, he advised that he actually could re-enable my DSL right then and there, but he was unwilling to do so as the service was terminated due to non-payment by us. I explained that the situation was not caused by non-payment from our side and that the issue was caused by them and I wanted the DSL turned back on. He completely refused. I clearly asked 'Are you telling me that you are able to enable the DSL, however you are unwilling do to so' and he confirmed this was his stance. I requested a manger at least 7-8 more times and was refused, with the agent saying 'I will not repeat myself again'. I advised him that I would be contacting the corporate headquarters to further resolve this issue. I hungup the phone.

That same day, we received a call from Qwest (a female manager) on 8/28/07 at 12:30pm stating that our service was to be back on within 2-4 hours, sometimes it takes 24 hours but that is rare. I asked if she was sure as that is exactly was I was told the previous Friday and my service was never turned back on. She said she would keep the initial order open, which was to have service turned back on Thursday 8/30/07 by 5pm just in case. She also said she was going to give us two months credit, but actually only gave us one month credit (we already had $89.+ credit and she only added on an extra $75 credit to our already existing credit, making it two months instead of adding two months to our already existing credit and I was no longer willing to fight this battle) Our service has still not been turned back on.

At this moment, our Qwest DSL service has not been turned back on. It has been 7 days since Qwest erroneously terminated our DSL service and caused this problem. It has required multiple (no, more than multiple) telephone calls to various departments within the Qwest corporation as well as the debt collection agency, only to end up in a dead end situation where the rep on the phone was able to, but unwilling to help me. This is unacceptable.

I cannot find the right words to describe how horrible and defeated I have felt during this situation with Qwest. No where along the lines, as a consumer, has my family done anything wrong. We paid our bill; we sent the internet cards back and have provided Qwest every ample opportunity to make this situation right. The problem has been continuously compounded by the fact that the inept employees at Qwest were unwilling to do the right thing, which was to provide any customer service.

We can live without DSL and Internet. I cannot live with the disrespect, dishonesty and unwillingness Qwest has taken to correct the situation. Qwest what happened to your customer service? If you ever had a customer focused business approach, it has gone downhill rather quickly.

Exhausted and disappointed in your service,
Steve

Qwest Communications allowed our business telephone account to be switched to another carrier without my knowledge. This occurred in May 2001.

When I found out what they had done, they switched my account back and promised any charges on the old account would be credited due to the inconvenience. May 2006, five years later I get a bill from Qwest. Can you believe that! When I told them the statuate of limitations had expired, they threatened to disconnect my service. I spoke with Mary at the executive office. She was rude and obnoxious. She refused to return my calls, refused to send documentation about the bill and lied to other co-workers and the corporation commission. Let me remind you, this is the Executive Office at Qwest!! They hide behind voice mail so they dont have to deal with there customers.
So 5 years later, Qwest gets away with extorting money from me. There way of solving a problem is not returning telephone calls, threats, intimidation, and being rude. I hope the $196.00 is worth it to Qwest as I have a very long memory!

So BEWARE....DO NOT ALLOW QWEST TO SCREW YOU. TAKE YOUR BUSINESS ELSEWHERE.