Tom had a problem with Sprint: an authorized retailer had broken a promise and/or set up his phone upgrade incorrectly. He set out to remedy it by deploying an exquisitely crafted executive e-mail carpet bomb. Now, when you deploy an EECB, we recommend that you provide relevant details, but also that you open with a short executive summary so that the busy people you’re emailing (or their busy underlings) can get a quick idea of what you’re complaining about, and route it to the correct person instead of immediately trashing your missive.

If you spend a lot of time online, think of an executive summary as a “tl;dr” summary that you put first, instead of at the end. Combine that with a clear letter and spelling out his (quite reasonable) expectations, and it’s no wonder that Sprint whipped a response and a resolution to him within the hour.

[Here’s] the short version of the story – full story below:
I went to an authorized Sprint store in [redacted]. The associate at the store said he would waive our two, $36 activation fees. He wrote on both of our contracts that the fees would be removed, then signed it with his name. When I got my bill for December, both fees were on there. After calling the Sprint customer service line and using the online chat, no one at the customer service level will remove the two activation fees (which, after tax, total $77.04). I’ve spoken to four different chat representatives and nearly five phone reps. Both chat and phone folks have transferred me to managers.

Some have said, “Oh, sorry for the trouble, let me remove it right away. Check your account in 15-30 minutes to see the new monthly bill amount.” None of them have made the appropriate notes in my account and the two activation fees remain on my account.

Could one of you please see that the activation fees are removed from my account? If you would like, I can email you a PDF of both contracts that have the “remove the activation fees” statement written by the store representative. Please reply back if you’d like to see this PDF file.

I’ve gone ahead and filed a complaint with the FCC using Form 2000B. My “reference number” with the FCC is [redacted].

Tom then repeated the tale again in further detail, including representative names and accounts of each of his fruitless interactions with Sprint. He closed by saying:

Here’s what I need: Please remove the two $36 activation fees on my December 29th bill. With tax, the two fees total $77.04.

I don’t know who made the errors here. Sprint? [The salesman]? [The store]’s management? All I want is for this promise to be honored and the two activation fees removed on my December 29th 2012 bill.

The bolded sentences were that way in his original message. Great letter, Tom, and great resolution! The only thing we would have done differently would be to put your specific requests before the lengthy account of what happened, not at the very end.

If you’re reading this post for info to launch your own message at Sprint, first give their Consumerist Hotline a call at 866-561-0035. That’s a direct line to a real, live, competent person who may be able to resolve your problems without having to resort to e-mail blasts.

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