AT&T Revisited

I plundered through my enormous summer bag as the tune emanating from my phone increased with each repetition. Finally laying hands on the shiny, mirrored device, I noted that the number wasn't familiar as I accepted the call.

The female voice on the other end seemed uncertain. Even timid, perhaps. Belle? she asked. When I affirmed my identity, she claimed to be calling from AT&T to follow up with the complaint I submitted online the other day. So someone actually looks at those, huh? Amazing, I thought while preparing myself for the I'm-so-sorry-and-you're-a-good-customer-and-we'll-do-anything-to-keep-you-except-of-course-the-right-thing spiel I expected.

But Lacy didn't come with that company-line bullshit we've all come to expect. Instead, she offered to reimburse me for the charges I incurred last month for text overages. And then, without my even asking, she also offered to pay for the first year of my SmartLimits plan. More than a bit stunned and amazed, I thanked Lacy and got off the phone.

I know I should have asked what AT&T plans to do about the issue at hand for the rest of its customers, but I was taken off guard by the whole situation.