The manager in the Jesup store is the most most unprofessional employee I have ever had to deal with in this town. I hope one day AT&T figures out who they are allowing to manage their Jesup, Georgia store, although it's not likely, as their complaint policy is ineffective at best, and unresponsive. I called twice to try and resolve an issue and have heard nothing. There is also no accountability, when you call back to inquire, you are lucky if they can locate any documentation of the complaint - much less a resolution. In fairness, the people at the "Last Step Before You Fire AT&T Services" department were very pleasant and empathatic, but ineffective (due to limitations with AT&T's complaint process).
I don't want to re-hash the whole complaint here, so I'll just hit the most shocking points. Child threw fiancee's phone in toilet, needed a loaner to use until it dried out. Bought a flip phone and came back when the sim card would not fit. I returned a few hours later and spoke to the man who sold me the phone (older man named Harold, I believe). He told me to hang on a minute and he would get the simcard and activate it, so all she would have to do is slide it in.
While waiting, a man with glasses, wearing torn, raggedy clothing (no AT&T clothes, at all), and no type of nametag and a miserable look on his face walked up to me and asked what I was waiting for, I told him I was waiting for Harold to get me a simcard and activate it. He stormed off and returned with a simcard and told me “you can call them yourself and activate it” in an ugly and demeaning manner. I responded that I had bought a phone from Harold earlier and that he was going to activate it when he got a minute. First he told me Harold was too busy to do it, and when I said I was willing to wait he said “I’m the manager and I won’t allow him to do it”. I wasn't asking for special treatment, just trying to ensure everything would be right so I wouldn't have to return a third time.
At this point I’m getting frustrated, as generally the wait time to see someone is an hour in this store, as it is understaffed, and right now it is empty. I tell him I spoke with the other manager earlier in the day who said getting a flip phone and a simcard was the right course of action until her phone dried out. I go on to tell him I have been using AT&T services since they arrived here and bought up AllTel, that I am responsible for paying phone bills for 6 other family members on multiple plans, and that I have trouble with the technical stuff over the phone.
His response is “get out of my store”. (That’s a direct quote). He continues telling me this and raising his voice so much, that I realize that anything I’m going to do will only further escalate the situation. I have never been so embarrassed and shocked, all along wondering whether he really is a manager with his teeny-bopper clothing and unprofessional behavior. The staff and all the other customers were just as embarrassed. I asked his name multiple times and he would not give it. Mind boggling.
After a few days I was able to get someone on the phone to take the complaint, who said they would document and report it and that I may feel free to go to the store whenever needed. I went back last week, but did not see him. Another staff member told me “his manager says I’m not welcome at the store”. Apparently, he is in charge, with no accountability or control whatsoever, and has the rest of the staff in fear for their jobs.
Why isn’t the store manager wearing a name tag or any type of company clothing indicating his name or the fact that he works there? Refusing to even provide his name or a card ?
Does he know his unprofessional behavior tells his employees its fine to act that way and get AT&T sued?
Would he have been a bigmouth tough guy if we were outside or if he worked at the store in LA or Atlanta, instead of a small town?
Does he know his actions have resulted in the loss of 6 accounts that I personally pay for since the incident, not counting the other customers who spoke to me outside after the incident and everyone else I have told about this?
Does he know how much time and money it will cost to replace the customers he single-handedly lost?
The answer to all is “I doubt it”, because clearly he has had no management training whatsoever or AT&T has horrible company training for management. I don’t mind paying significantly higher phone and tablet bills for average services, but I’m not going to be intimidated or spoke to like that by anyone. Somewhere in between these visits, I called the same number to see if there were any updates on the complaint and of course no one can find anything. A true complaint department takes your contact information and assigns a control number, because their goal is to be effective and handle complaints. I guess this is how a manager likethis stays employed for so long. I wonder how many tens of thousands of dollars this guy has cost AT&T.
A manager is supposed to be the one person who goes above and beyond to be a brand ambassador and service the customer. I hope someone from AT&T reaches out, so we can get this solved before I cancel my last 2 accounts. I will also file a report with the Better Business Bureau, to aid other consumers – I would be horrified to know he spoke like this to a friend or family member. What’s sad is any good manager would have seen I have 2 lines up for renewal since September, and tried to get me locked back in. If I don’t hear back, Ill be on that new Droid Turbo2 or S6 with Verizon.
The answer to all is “I doubt it”, because clearly he has had no management training whatsoever or AT&T has horrible company training for management. I don’t mind paying significantly higher phone and tablet bills for average services, but I’m not going to be intimidated or spoke to like that by anyone. Somewhere in between these visits, I called the same number to see if there were any updates on the complaint and of course no one can find anything. A true complaint department takes your contact information and assigns a control number, because their goal is to be effective and handle complaints. I guess this is how a manager likethis stays employed for so long. I wonder how many tens of thousands of dollars this guy has cost AT&T.
I still have no clue who this guy is or why he felt like he could get away with talking to a customer like that. Had he opened his mouth to me like that anywhere else, the results would have been remarkably different. I hope someone finds a way to correct this before AT&T get sued or loses it's entire customer base here. Word travels quickly in small towns.
A manager is supposed to be the one person who goes above and beyond to be a brand ambassador and service the customer. I hope someone from AT&T reaches out, so we can get this solved before I cancel my last 2 accounts. I will also file a report with the Better Business Bureau, to aid other consumers – I would be horrified to know he spoke like this to a friend or family member. I have no ill will, just want an explanation and assurances this will not happen again to a loved one.
What’s sad is any good manager would have seen I have 2 lines up for renewal since September, and tried to get me locked back in. If I don’t hear back, Ill be on that new Droid Turbo2 or S6 with Verizon.
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JG