Headaches with Picture Mail, can anyone help?

[Noodle]

Ok here is a PM I sent to another user here but thought I could expand my audiance to maybe get some other points of views as well.

Edit: I also should ad in case it makes some differance that during a call the other day I asked politely to speak to a supervisor at least 3 times and was placed on hold many times and was told also that "I'm not sure what you expect they will tell you the same thing"

Hey I've been dealing with CS for the past few days regarding my picture mail about to be turned off and I thought you might be able to help me out.

I have had vision for at least hmm 5 or six years (since sometime late 99 or early 00) when I got my LG 5350 $15 a month Vision premium pack with $10 DL credit. I was living in the Chicago area at the time.

2 years ago I moved back home to Iowa and changed my number and still had my usuall vision services UL data and UL text messages. About 6 months ago my LG 5350 broke and I got my Sanyo 8200 all I did was do an ESN swap and aldo recieved a retention deal.

When I asked the retention rep if this would affect my vision services they said no and all they had to do is change the calling plan code not the vision code. I also asked if I had grandfathered pics pack in my plan also since I had the grandfathered UL text. I was told yes.

For the past 6 or so months I have been using pic mail with no problems except once when this same thing happened telling me I had to add pic mail. I called troubleshooting and they looked into it and again told me yes it was grandfathered into my plan. Now I'm getting the run around telling me it was never on my account, or that oh it was but it isn't available in my new area since I changed my number. I tried explaining to the rep who said maybe it was just the 2 month free promotion and I replied then why has it been working for the past 6+ months with no problem. Both the Chicago area and IA are run by IPCS so I don't see why it would be different.

*sigh* sorry this is so long

[jh101_7]

just accept the notice to add pic mail and you'll be fine.

[Noodle]

yeah but the thing I'm worried about is then if it isn't fine then according to the runaround I've gotten from reps is that then I'll be paying the $5 a month and only recieving a $5 DL credit instead of the $10 credit. I actually use my full DL credit for things like Mobi MLB and/or Mapquest Mobile. If I end up getting charged $5 a month + use both of those with only a $5 DL credit then I'm still paying $10 more a month on top of what I usually pay.

Right now I'm not paying any extra and am able to use all those features like I have been pretty much all along.

[synthe]

yeah but the thing I'm worried about is then if it isn't fine then according to the runaround I've gotten from reps is that then I'll be paying the $5 a month and only recieving a $5 DL credit instead of the $10 credit. I actually use my full DL credit for things like Mobi MLB and/or Mapquest Mobile. If I end up getting charged $5 a month + use both of those with only a $5 DL credit then I'm still paying $10 more a month on top of what I usually pay.

Right now I'm not paying any extra and am able to use all those features like I have been pretty much all along.
hold up, you are thinking too much. if you accept the message then you will still be paying the $15 for the premium pack (and getting your $10 credit) and then the $5 for the picturemail over that, if it actually applies the charge. but you can choose to upgrade to the $15 pictures pack and get the pictures included but only $5 credit instead of $10. either way you are paying the same considering your content.

[Noodle]

I see what you're saying synthe but I just got off the phone with a CS Supervisor and now they are saying that if they do that they can't promise I'll be able to keep my UL SMS too. When I login to my account online it says UL Wireless Web messages because I have been using that service since it started. That then transfered to my Vision plan when I added that years ago.

This is still frustrating. I just want to have a definate answer as to if I can just get my Vision plan back the way it was or at least if I loose $5 on DL credits for adding pics offically will I get to keep my UL SMS without having to pay $5 for that too grrrrr....

[Deval]

PM me

[Noodle]

Well it's official I lost my picturemail. I spoke with the coolest customer service rep in executive services and he dug deep into the heart of my account and noticed that at one time I did have the UL SMS on my account but that when I moved and changed my number that all should have gone away because the code is the same as the current code on the account. Also because of a CS rep who didn't know what the hell they were doing they changed my vision plan a week ago for a whole day (I think he was changeing it ahead of time before I told him not to touch my account)

Anyway I now have the lovely Pictures Pack and get to pay an extra $5 a month to now get my UL text back because the Exec Services rep said there was no way to cod e the UL SMS back to my account for free. *sigh* way to go sprint. Try teaching your reps not to screw with account changes untill the customer agrees. I'm sure there are goals for the reps to hit in tearms of how long a customer should be on the phone but if that interferes with customers accounts getting screwed up then don't do it.

[rx7freak]

Uh, you decided to do the CSA swap. Granted, they should've informed you there was a possibility of losing those items (i've never seen a CSA swap where they've been able to bring back anything anyone had before) but that is just the case: changing CSAs requires a complete plan rebuild. This isnt the rep's fault. They were trying to meet your requests to begin with.

[Noodle]

Uh, you decided to do the CSA swap. Granted, they should've informed you there was a possibility of losing those items (i've never seen a CSA swap where they've been able to bring back anything anyone had before) but that is just the case: changing CSAs requires a complete plan rebuild. This isnt the rep's fault. They were trying to meet your requests to begin with.

See the thing is I have had no problem with my service or features for the past two years since I moved. Other than a retention deal I have not authorized any sort of change on my account. How do you figure it's not the rep's fault. Oh they aren't supposed to know what is going on. They aren't supposed to know what is or isn't offered? I understand they were trying to help me out when the one rep offered me pic mail for free for two months but DON'T TOUCH MY ACCOUNT untill I'm off the phone and HAVE AUTHORIZED A CHANGE!

I've worked customer service before and even phone support. I also understand quotas and timed goals. But it's just bad buisness to shortcut and screw with customers accounts when they haven't actually said yes to anything yet. This last paragraph is also assuming. But that is the only reasonable explanation I can come up with since I blatently told the first rep in this mess to not touch my account.

:) Sometimes it's fun to vent :)


Edit: I emailed eCare before I talked to Exec Services and and aparently eCare has given me my UL SMS for free. We will just have to see if it is true in a few weeks when I get my next statement.

[rx7freak]

Keep in mind that perks like your UL sms oftentimes arent even available in the system to re-add. However, there are 9 bajillion other plan items it COULD BE, most oftentimes they're expired in the CSA you're swapping to.

I agree it sucks that the rep jumped the gun on your swap, but I"m relieved to hear you've got 'er back.

[Halo2Proz]

Thats why I will never do a CSA swap, even if I move

[Noodle]

Thats why I will never do a CSA swap, even if I move

How can you get around doing a CSA swap if you move and need a new number?

To quote a wonderful 80's cartoon, now I know, and knowing is half the battle. :)

Sorry if I seemed like an ass in my responses rx7freak it's just a bit frustrating when you have a good thing for a few years and then all of a sudden it's gone. Hell I've been with sprint since 98, hell I've only been with sprint and would like to think of myself as a good customer.

Even if I call in for somthing since I have a large customer service background I never... well almost never raise my voice when I have issues. I've gone through many phones and only one actuall move. Granted most of my first phones where when sprint only had the basic call out or recieve calls features :) (check my sig if you're at all curious to what phones I have had.) Wow 8 phones in about 8 years... heh I never really noticed that before. Well that's not counting if I had multiples of the same phone. Anyway.

I know there are a bunch of other people here paying more than I do for their monthly fees but when you only have one line and are paying $60 to $70 already after taxes the extra $5 to $10 added on because of a possible screw up can kinda hurt.