Most of the time, I read the news because I want to be informed about the world. Looking through articles, I spend my time on the ones that affect my world, give me an idea about what to expect in the future, and generally make everything clearer. Once in a while, though, I read the news for the sweet taste of revenge.
Looking through the paper today, I noticed that Sprint seems to be in big trouble. Yesterday, their stock dropped more than 9% after they announced a loss of over $29 billion in the fourth quarter of 2007. While this loss was largely tied to Sprint's disastrous merger with Nextel, a fair bit can also be chalked up to Sprint's abysmal customer service.
I have a lot of experience with Sprint's customer service. When I first got a cell phone, almost ten years ago, my provider was a small regional company. While I could only call from a very constrained area, I was generally impressed with the level of customer care that my provider offered. Most of the time, my phone calls were answered by a person, not a machine, and the company was very nice about crediting my account in cases of incorrect billing. Unfortunately, I was only with them for a few months before they were bought out by Sprint.
Sprint was like a classic drug dealer. Kind at first, Sprint seduced me into a long-term contract with a massively extended service area and very attractive rates. However, once they had my signature on the dotted line, they spun on me like Ike Turner on meth. All of a sudden, they were hitting me with fees, fines, and assorted other charges. Worst of all, they more or less controlled cell service in my small town, so I was stuck with them.
A year or so ago, I left Sprint for T-Mobile, and I haven't looked back. According to an article in today's New York Times, I'm not the only one; they have lost over 1.2 million customers this year, and are on track to lose 2.5 million in the first quarter of 2008. I'm not surprised; googling "I hate Sprint," I found myself confronted with hundreds of users complaining about the same things that had bothered me for years. Rather than continue complaining, Sprint's customers seem to be abandoning it in droves.
Apparently, Sprint is discovering that lousy customer service is fine, as long as you're the only game in town!
Bruce Watson is a freelance writer, blogger, and all-around cheapskate. He sticks pins in his "Sprint" voodoo doll every night..
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
2-29-2008 @ 8:09PM
herbster said...
i don't know where you are but i have had sprint since they came out in the boston area. and well early on in my experience i had lousy signals and dropped calls often and was a very disgruntlet customer i didn't leave because they have the best rates. now i must say i have had only one dropped call in about 2 years switched plans a year ago to lower my rate. i had that 1000 peak mins for 49 bucks with first incoming minute free and free nights and weekends at 9pm for about 8 years maybe more then i switched to nights and weekends at 7pm free sprint to sprint calls anytime and 500 peak mins for 39 bucks. the 7 - 9 pm is most used time for me and i haven't had a single issue since changing plans. i don't know why you would get fines and fees unless you go over your peak minutes or don't pay your bill on time or lockinto a long term agreement and then cancel early.
but it sure beat cellular one/cingular wireless for rates and terms for me and although i believe calling customerservice may be a head ache i haven't had any reason to call them in the last few years other than change my plan that one time my phone even works out in the ocean on my boat north of boston harbor when many of my friends who have other companies can't get a signal!
2-29-2008 @ 10:46PM
Bruce Watson said...
Herbster-
When I signed up, Sprint neglected to tell me about the various taxes and tariffs on my bill, which meant that my monthly payments were about twice what they said they would be. Additionally, they always found some way to cheat me out of minor fees.
Frankly, I've found that T-Mobile is as cheap or cheaper and a lot nicer to deal with.
3-02-2008 @ 1:18PM
owwsetton said...
SPRINT is the best! Best coverage, best phones, best rates and i rarely use customer serive because I PAY MY BILL! OMG $99 everything plan rolled out yesterday and now i have UNLIMITED EVERYTHING! for 1 price... I had Tmobile and had no reception most the time and I had att/cingular and the phone lasted 2 months and their customer service was horrendous! Why would any idiot choose Verizon when they are twice as expensive as Sprint and dont even give you 7 pm nights free!. I wish aol would monitor idiots who post about companies just because they are too stupid to pay their bills. All them taxes are gov't imposed by your elected crooks!
3-02-2008 @ 1:20PM
Bruce said...
Owwsetton-
I'm with you about Verizon; however, just because they are wretched doesn't mean that Sprint doesn't deserve to get a kick in the butt. And, by the way, the tons of customers fleeing Sprint seems to suggest that I am not alone in my emnity for the company!
3-04-2008 @ 3:59PM
nineseas said...
Also, the $99 plan makes it a level playing field - except for one thing - speed. I have Sprint with the free NASCAR Online and NFL Mobile. It's a junkie's dream! I get the Pit Pass and a leaderboard for NASCAR, which is excellent when I'm not near a TV or at my In-Laws. These new plans will make Sprint the outstanding choice for services AND now that they've been concentrating everything they have into Cust Service, things are gonna CHANGE! Maybe the stock will go up for a change!
3-04-2008 @ 4:01PM
Bruce Watson said...
Nineseas-
Gotta say, services or no services, if Sprint can't get its act together with customer care, it's going down!
3-10-2008 @ 5:02PM
Roger Waugh said...
Oh my god Sprint is the most worthless accounting phone service as of today no matter what their rates are they will make so many accounting mistakes always to their favor say what you want but they are so courrpt its unbelieveable how wrong they are plus being in business who has time every month spending days correcting your bill how they ever stay in business is mind blogging and a complete waste of time besides being on -line theifs of teck. my prodections is they will not servive the year stocks will fall faster then you think the worst investment of the year....
3-10-2008 @ 6:59PM
Bruce Watson said...
Roger-
Amen. Thanks for dropping in!
3-12-2008 @ 12:41AM
Ron said...
Roger, what amazes me is to read over your comments. I see why maybe you have issues reading your bills and have other problems. While Sprint is not perfect by any means, if you read and pay your bill you probably would not have near the problems you have. OH and Sprint is not an accounting company, but sometimes ignorance is pretty evident. I have been with Sprint for 10 years, and I love it!
3-12-2008 @ 12:23PM
Bruce Watson said...
Ron-
I think Roger was questioning the quality of Sprint's billing department, not referring to them as an accounting company. In that criticism, he is absolutely correct. If you've been with Sprint for ten years and haven't had a problem, I congratulate you. However, you should realize that you are incredibly lucky!
3-12-2008 @ 1:07PM
owwsetton said...
The new SPRINT bills are the easiest bills in the world to read. They come in full size 8.5 x 11 inch pages. I NEVER had a problem with my bill. I guess people who change rate plans in middle of bill cycle or add phones in middle of cycle, do not understand what proration and billed in advanced means. SPRINT is the ONLY carrier who allows you to make changes to your rate plan and NOT EXTEND YOUR CONTRACT! Try that with poor call quality att tmobile or verizon. I also use the SPRINT mobile broadband card and have smoked dsl lines. I have the cheapest dell laptop and I smoke Verizon dsl connections. We start on same page and click next to see who loads faster. I know we must be bored, but I can not wait till wimax is launched or xohm or whatever it will be called. SPRINT will own the wireless internet! Oh and for all those customers leaving. The majority of Sprint customers who left went to Nextel and the Majority of Nextel customers who left went to SPRINT, yet were included as leaving SPRINT. I personally know phone dealers who sell SPRINT and other brands. All of them agree SPRINT is kicking butt with features, prices, 4,000 new towers, rate plans , handsets , etc. I have invested $5,000 in this low cost stock so that in a year when it is $20 a share i will have quadrupled my investment in 1 yr. Even if only goes to $10 because of recession, not a bad investment.