Sprint Nextel Corp. (NYSE: S) can't seem to climb out of its funk. The company continues to lose customers to the competition, it ousted its CEO a month ago, and the customer service rap the wireless carrier gets from just about all the media I see is atrocious. It's no wonder the third-largest wireless company gets smacked around more than a well-played racquetball.To set the record straight, I am a Sprint customer. After having tried the other national wireless carriers, the one that just works best for my family is Sprint. Let me preface this by saying YMMV (your mileage may vary). The phone I use, the clarity of every voice conversation, the roaming capability I have nationwide and the data features I receive all work pretty flawlessly and have for some time. And the cost is very reasonable. When I've emailed Sprint customer service for questions and changes to anything on my account, responses typically take no more than 18 hours and aren't canned replies -- they are written to answer my questions, not pawn me off to a website for help.
So, it's interesting to see that Sprint receives such a bad rap these days. In my experience over a few years, the company's products, service and support are top-notch. I cannot say that about my experience with T-Mobile (NYSE: DT) or Cingular, now AT&T (NYSE: T). Dropped calls with those providers were normal, and the value was just not there for what Sprint supplies. Things may have changed since 2005, of course.
So, although Sprint may be down for the count at the moment, I wonder when the company will rise to beat the market perception it has right now. Investors may not be pleased, but this customer is. I don't plan on giving my wireless business to any other company, as long as Sprint continues to treat me like it has in the past, which is rather good compared to almost any other company I do business with.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
11-05-2007 @ 3:27PM
laphyll said...
I agree that the service has a great connection, however, they need to have roll-over minutes as an option. Every month I have a balance.
11-05-2007 @ 3:48PM
lewnow LLC said...
I feel sprint is a quality service provider as stated in article. I have witnessed the seamless service provided to customers both average consumers as well as used by super stars of the entertainment world in person. The continued erosion of the customer base is partially a lack of attention to a mutiprong business model that is needed to attract new as well as motivate current users to remain with sprint. I feel they have also not been attentive to the demographic proportions of potential customer bases in regions. still in need of stellar services because the bottom line is the focus and not growth. once direct lackings are identified, i can see this company moving past other competitors in the marketplace. I have used several services. and have experience much of what the shortcommings described as a result.
11-05-2007 @ 3:57PM
Jeff said...
who drops a call anymore? are you living in nowhereville?
11-05-2007 @ 4:06PM
Lee said...
According to Consumer Reports Magazine, Verizon is the best wireless company in the country, as voted by its readers. In the last few years, both Verizon and AT&T have been making large profits in wireless, and investing that money into more cell towers. Service is getting much better every month.
Sprint is not as profitable, and there are sections of the continental U.S. where sprint coverage is weak, and not so popular.
But if there are enough Sprint towers where you live and commute, you are Golden.
11-05-2007 @ 4:50PM
fribadiloro said...
"I have witnessed the seamless service provided to customers both average consumers as well as used by super stars of the entertainment world in person."
So you have seen it used by super stars? I am so jealous!
The truth is sprint customer service sucks really bad. Go to a store or call them with a real issue and you are not golden but rather dipped in brown.
11-05-2007 @ 8:32PM
Eric Flanagan said...
My wife and I have been with Sprint since they bought Nextel. As an example of the customer service we recieved over the years from Sprint. While in the Bahamas last year we didn't have cell phone service there. After realizing this we had to purchase and use phone cards. When we arrived back state side and called customer service to "complain" They credited our bill very generously for the phone cards we used and the attemped calls we made with our cell phones. plus a "service credit" for "thier" mistake? What a great company. We have never given up on Sprint. I do not wish to go back to the cingular days. They are headed in the right direction by getting a new CEO and focusing on wifi, helping out Vonage, and concentrating on the paying customer.
11-06-2007 @ 4:46PM
David said...
I am a Sprint customer. I am also bewildered by the company's lack of success. I almost never experience a dropped call, and the phone and plan I have are top-notch for an incredibly reasonable price no other carrier could match.
My hunch though is that once Sprint starts developing phones based around Google's Android software suite, and debuts WiMax connectivity to their phones, they will be going up in the market steadily. Sprint knows that voice is only a tiny fraction of the bandwidth they can provide and that cell phones are becoming all-in-one powerful computing devices. Sprint customers in my experience also tend to be technically savvier than other cell phone companies' customers. They know how to tweak their phones, customize them, etc. This can be a valuable type of customer to have, even if the numbers aren't in your favor.
11-07-2007 @ 5:38PM
Perry said...
I have been a Sprint client for 10 years. I pay my bill timely. I have recently experienced dropped calls, by the way.
I'm in the position where I've never signed a "contract" with Sprint during my tenure. I have an older phone (2002) which still works fine (??--dropped calls) and suits me. However...when (and if) this phone quits, Sprint will require me to sign at least a two-year contract to continue to be a customer.
Personally, I resent this fact. I also resent the unsolicited phone calls from Sprint telling me I am a "valued customer" and to inform me about "offers."
If I am such a "valued customer" then I challenge Sprint to set up customer tiers. If they value my business (which they've had for 10 years without a signed contract), then perhaps Sprint should consider making it easier for me to consider remaining a Sprint customer rather than twisting my arm and requiring a signed commitment.
There are different customer levels at just about any other business out there, especially banks. Maybe it's time for Sprint to "think outside the box" and stop talking about "valued customers" and start treating them as such.
11-10-2007 @ 11:11AM
Angela said...
I am also a Sprint customer, but put me in the unhappy camp. I signed a contract with Sprint while living in Orlando, and was delighted with the service -- phone and email were wonderful. We have 3 lines with them, which are our business phones, vitally important to our work.
Then I moved to Naples -- no coverage at all. When I called Sprint, they told me if I just lived 1 mile away, I would have perfect coverage. What does that matter? At the place I actually do live, it is dreadful, constantly looking for service. Our bills show us roaming in Miami on one call, and then roaming in Tampa 10 minutes later.
But they won't let me out of my contract without paying the termination fee. It's bad enough that I can't carry my Treo to another carrier. It is service like this that earned them the bad reputation, and I don't see them turning it around anytime soon.
11-11-2007 @ 4:16PM
egkillings said...
I have been a sprint/nextel customer for over 8 years, why I don't know. The worst service, cheap phones, drop calls even inside my house. Don't let a bunch of trees appear, dropped call. I am happy to know that something is being done about getting out of contracts because I need to do that. Nextel is very expensive and lousy. Traveling to most parts of the country means I have to have to have calling cards or use someone else's phone. No service. Erma
11-13-2007 @ 10:10PM
Donna said...
Sprint has terrible customer service. I have had problems with them for the past month and still dont know if they are all resolved. It will drive you nuts trying to deal with them over the phone. They even charged me a $200.00 cancellation fee after I called them to renew my contract for 2 more years. I can't wait until my 2 years are up so that I can change to some other company. Unfortunately, they are probably all the same.
11-20-2007 @ 3:34PM
Len said...
Laphyll,
If you have rollover minutes left over then you're on the wrong plan and are paying too much per month since you don't use all your minutes. You should get a plan that fits your usage.
11-20-2007 @ 3:38PM
Len said...
Perry give me a break, every carrier requires a contract you're just lucky you hadn't have one in 10 years. And if you're fine with the service what do you care if you're in a contract or not? Don't you people have something better than this? It's people like you that complain about the smallest things that give Sprint a bad rap. The grass isn't greener that's for sure.
11-20-2007 @ 3:41PM
Len said...
Lee,
Sprint's network is built from the ground up and not duck-taped together with several other acquistions. Sprint roams with Verizon and vice versa so there is no difference in coverage there and in fact since Sprint roams with Alltel it actually has more covereage.
11-20-2007 @ 3:43PM
Len said...
Lee,
Sprint's network is built from the ground up and not duck-taped together with several other acquistions. Sprint roams with Verizon and vice versa so there is no difference in coverage there and in fact since Sprint roams with Alltel it actually has more covereage.
12-02-2007 @ 2:21AM
Will said...
Len, u are right n the money.
and for those typical users I have great news...
Sprint no longer required u to sign a contract when u change to any plan and even if u switch to a cheaper plan.
btw sprint is the best. verizon is good but sprint is better on when it comes to technology broadband etc.... sprint is not just for a typical users. but for advanced users.
my plan
1350mins
unlimited nights/weekend starting at 7pm
unlimited internet/text and anything with internet.
and all other basic stuff.
if i ever ever experience a drop call which i dont, u can always dial a number and get credit for the drop call. if verizon is ur best service well guess what typical users, when there is no sprint singal then it switch to roaming which is free and it use the verizon network but more than sure if u have no sprint signal then for sure u can forget about verizon.
sprint is the best in NYC .
typical users dont know jack about phones.
stupid ppl buy crappy stuff. sprint has best network and best phones. tell me something that I cant do with my treo? tell me? I can do anything that ur imagine can think off
I love sprint. I have had at&t-cingular same crappy network with 24delay on sending text msg & t-mobile-before and after they keep changing their name 20 million times.
I dont want free 9999999mins from tmobile or at&t crap.. i want something that works and is top quality and this is why i have sprint.
my job is computer system administrator and network management