posted 06-17-2001 05:28 AM               

Our website is one the reasons customers call us, because of their phones being deactivated by web from simply redeeming units, phones being deactivated to soon due to the website not updating due date on codes properly, units not issued to phone due to website failing to recognize that units are to be issued or website wrongly showing that units were issued but in reality they weren't, etc, etc. I've had customers who have called me about their phones still not being active since first programming which was 3 months earlier. Customers programming phones and after programming, their phones displaying ROAM,no service or no signal being picked up by phone.

Roaming is ussually because a programming error in the system which gives the customers phone codes for his right area but system has in its records the coverage area being on another state or hundreds of miles from where the customer actually lives in. No service or signal on phone because TracFone trying to get the best price possible from the carriers, while they negotiate that , the customers in that coverage are will get no phone service and TracFone is willing to sacrifice the customers service.

That is a fact and I will testify to that. We have incompetent customer service reps in the call center that don't know their heads from their butts. Instead of going through procedure and fixing the minor detail which is causing the customer trouble, many agents will just transfer the call, which puts the customer in hold for another 15 to 20 minutes, ends up causing damage to phone(units disabled) which then customer needs to send in phone to us or go back to retailer or just tells the customer that it's a normal thing for the phone to do what ever it's doing and should wait 24 to 48 hours to see if happening still and then call back. I am proud to say I am not one of these and many others, but just the opposite. Now, TracFone has opened two new call centers outside the US. One is in Mexico, which is going to save TracFone lots of money since they can get 4 to 5 agents for what they pay one of us, basically, TracFone will be practicing the " SWEAT SHOP OR SLAVERY ACT".

This is sad and horrible that they will abuse workers or participate in such a thing. Other call center is in Canada, where they will spread their horrible service to. Another topic which I would like to touch on is the digital service that will be available in the next month or two. This service will provide caller ID and voice messaging. In order for the current customers to recieve this service, they must toss their presently owned phones which are analog and purchase new phones in order to use these new services. This means there will be almost 2,000,000 angry, confused, disappointed and hurt customers. And all that information is about the customers, what about the employees like myself. Well, lets see.......They withold wages due to us on a regular basis, like me.

They owe me 4 months of pay which they still tell me they need signatures from top executives in order to pay me that. They change payroll starting and ending dates often which causes them to withold 2 or 3 days from one 2 week paycheck and give it on the following payperiod, which I found its illegal to withold employee wages past 15 days. I am currently persuing this and will file for lawsuit if possible and have written to Dept. of Labor in Miami for this. Professional leadership lacks in call center. They rather have us play musical chairs during work, which takes about 15 minutes max, to move all agents together so that it could be easier to get supervisors to help or keep an eye on us.

Now, let me say this, 15 minutes for one agent causes 3 or 4 calls to be answered depending on situation of call. Multiply that times 20 oe 30 agents, it gives us 120 calls, 120 customers on hold for an additional 15 minutes. The move of agents doesn't accomplish anything and it's been proven within, but call centers managers and supervisors are so bored they can't find anything better to do with their time. It seems to me the majority of management , including CEO are in great, desperate need of Business Management education. I'm just a customer/technical service representative and I can see that. Makes you wonder, doesn't it?

Well, that's just the tip of the iceburg. Hope this will help in your descicions on how to choose a prepaid cellular service. I wish you all luck.