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insiders

insiders

Best Buy Trained Me To Commit Credit Card Fraud, And 4 More Bad Things

A commenter to our Worst Company in America nominations picked Best Buy, his employer of six years, to win it all. His reasons, including the credit card fraud, phony bundling scams, and other schemes they made him do to keep his job, inside. More »

leaks

Tmobile Call Center Bans Kleenex

Update on that outsourced Tmobile call center that banned paper and pens earlier this week: our insider reports that Kleenex is now verboten as well. He furthermore notes that, "paper and pens, if they are to be used, have to be signed out from a supervisor. When signed back in, the paper is shredded by the supervisor." Any reps feeling the need to cry about their vaporizing dignity can use the back of their sleeve, after their request form is approved. A comment from our previous post explains why this might be a bad idea...

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leaks

Tmobile Forbids Use Of Paper and Pens In Call Center

An insider reports that a Tmobile call center has outlawed customer service reps having pens and paper out in the open. According to our source, the outsourced Business Care facility in Sarnia, Ontario is concerned about reps making off with data. Pens, paper, pencils are not to be left out on the work areas. If they are used, they must be put back inside the desk and locked after use. This has "made life considerably less pleasant for them...There are a number of reps who write faster than they type, so they use a notepad as a sort of buffer." Even photographs and other paper items on cubicle walls will have to be laminated to insure they're not used as illegal writing surfaces. The tipster says Startek-run call center is conducting an audit today to insure compliance with all of its new, policies. It's a good thing that no one working at Tmobile might have access to a small electronic device capable of data input and transmission.

phone numbers

Reach Qwest Executives

Here's a bunch of contact info for Qwest executives, lifted straight from their company directory. Got an issue with a residential landline or DSL? Problem with Qwest iQ Networking products? Concern about Qwest business related network support? Concern about Qwest marketing? Need to know who to send a lawsuit? Just need to get a message straight to the CEO? Inside, executive contacts for all of the above. More »

comcast

2nd Insider Says Comcast Indeed Decentralizing Network Operations Centers

Another Comcast insider says that the cable company is decentralizing its two main network operation centers. He says this is because of Comcast's different regions groups complaining about losing customers due to outages they had no control over. In addition, he suggests that while it might result in a better network, it may also lead to higher prices. More »

pr

Circuit City Denies Its In-Home TV Calibration Is A Total Scam

Speaking on behalf of Circuit City in regards to our post, "Circuit City's In-Home TV Calibration Is A Total Scam", Mike Vallebuona of New Media Strategies (a company that protects its clients from "online attacks, rumors and misinformation") send us the following pulsating pile of drivel: More »

ripoffs

Insiders: Circuit City's In-Home TV Calibration Is A Total Scam

According to a Circuit City employee, their in-home tv calibration service is a complete ripoff. Basically they give the employees glasses like you might get at a 3D movie and they're then supposed adjust the balance and contrast and brightness with the remote control. When he complained to his manager, his boss said to just, "make believe you're changing some settings. When you're done, tell them how much better their TV looks. Besides, once you perform the calibration, they can't get a refund." Will we soon see Circuit City in-home calibration kits being hawked in the back pages of Boy's Life? Full letter, inside... More »

bbb

"BBB Is Useless" Says Cable Company Call Center Manager

If you have a hassle with a cable company and you want to escalate it to an outside agency, one cable company call center manager told The Consumerist to forget the BBB. His exact words were, "The Better Business Bureau is useless — Public Service Commission is best policy (but a last resort)." Straight from the mouth of a man on the inside and in a position to know, the cable companies are more afraid of PSCs and PUCs than the BBB. Probably because of the two, only the PUC has direct oversight! So, you're more likely to get action by ccing your cable company complaint to the PUC than the BBB. Don't know your PUC's info? Here's a state-by-state list.

insiders

7 Confessions Of An Apple Macintosh Specialist

It was a dark and stormy night, and the Consumerist team was hunkered down at HQ poring over leads. Suddenly, we heard a ruckus coming from the alley. Footsteps, followed by the sound of breaking glass and a cat crying out as if to say, "OMGWTF?" We ran out to see who it was, but by the time we got there they were long gone. Only the noise of faint footsteps could be heard dissolving into the distant hum of the night. I glanced down and spotted something on the ground. As I knelt down to pick it up I saw it was a tattered white envelope bearing the words, "7 Confessions of an Apple Mac Specialist." Its contents, inside...
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Comcast Decentralizing Network Support Groups? A Comcast insider part of a network operations group tells me that Comcast is doing some behind the scenes reorganization and decentralization so as not to suck as much. The insider says:

sprint

Sprint Reps No Longer Allowed To Quote Customer In Quotes In Case Of Subpoena?

Interesting, completely unverified, tidbit from an anonymous Sprint employee: "We're no longer allowed to quote the customer in our notes [on the account] because if they're subpoenaed by a judge then they'll be evidence proving they're telling the truth regarding their situation." Any Sprint insiders care to comment?

(Photo: Maulleigh)


insiders

5 Confessions Of An Apple Tech Support Supervisor

A tech support supervisor, from what we figure to be Apple, has stepped forward to break down some behind-the-scenes workings with his underlings who sometimes make both his and consumer's lives difficult. For instance, one of the reasons you might be on hold so long is agents using fake work codes to avoid taking calls. Also, we know that metrics rule the call centers, but, in one of the confessions, he talks about how not only is it important to not go over your average handle time, you also can't go too far under. Just strive to be perfectly average, and you'll go far... More »

refunds

Cablevision: Techs On-Time Or You Get $20

A Cablevision tech support rep told us that if your Cablevision tech arrives past the service window, you're entitled to a $20 credit (this press release supports it). And if you're in the Bronx or Brooklyn, you can get a free month of cable TV if the tech shows up late (this is applied on a case-by-case basis but it is possible. Should the tech pull a noshow, call customer service and speak to a supervisor, who may offer you credits (usually $40-$50) or a free month depending on your customer history. Inside, Which customer service number to call, based on the first four digits of your account number: More »

leaks

Internal Documents Show Why Verizon Isn't Fulfilling Advertised Discounts For Tens Of Thousands

These internal Verizon emails, sent by the same insider and as a a followup to "LEAKS: Insider Says Verizon Isn't Fulfilling Advertised Discounts For Tens Of Thousands," shows why some of our readers have complained about Verizon offering them one price and billing them another, and then being inflexible in offering service credits. It appears to show that Verizon mailed out a half a million "Blitz" promotional rate cards, then decided it was an error and pulled the offer from the computers. Then Verizon let people get the advertised offers, but only if the customer specifically asked for it. Around the same time, on March 3rd, management cuts the discounts reps can give to $150. Two weeks later, it's $50. Two weeks after that, it's zero. Even if a customer was overbilled and legitimately deserved a credit, tough titties, Texas, you weren't going to get it. Verizon insider's explanation, rebuttal to the response by Verizon PR pointman John Bonomo, and the internal emails, inside... More »

insiders

Citicard Exec On Ending Universal Default: "It's Like Telling People You Stopped Beating Your Wife."

I was talking to a high-up marketing type person from Citicards recently and she wanted to know what Consumerist readers were complaining about with regards to the little plastic devil she pushes. She told me how Citicards had recently stopped doing Universal Default, which is where if you're late on your payments with one creditor, other creditors get to treat you like you defaulted with them and spike your APR. She said she was personally appalled after finding out that her company had the policy in the first place, but then struggled with how to tell customers about it, because, she said, "It's like telling people you stopped beating your wife." More »

leaks

Secret Document Reveals How To Be A Taco Bell Superstar!

If you, like so many grade-school children, dreamed of one day working at Taco Bell, but worried whether you had the technical aptitude to master their complex procedures and delicate processes, study this Taco Bell insider document, snagged by ANIMAL, and possibly the most scintillating of all the leaked materials we have ever posted, and you'll have a leg up on all the former i-bankers clamoring for the same position. Flowchart in full glory, inside... More »

insiders

7 Confessions Of A Sears Electronics Salesperson

A Sears electronics salesperson has generously offered to share some insider knowledge of how the game is played at Sears. Inside you'll learn why you shouldn't buy the extended warranty, why the salesperson keeps steering you towards one certain brand, and the pricing codes that tell you whether or not you're buying a discontinued product. Enjoy!
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insiders

Confessions Of A Hedge Fund Manager Redux

n + 1 has a published a sequel to their much-beloved-by-us anonymous interview with a hedge fund manager. In this episode, HFM explains what went wrong with Bear Stearns:
n+1: So can you tell me what happened with Bear Stearns? What were the steps?
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