Richard Junker sent a message to Michael White that said:
Mr. White,
I was provided only a PO Box for my first letter to you. Clearly ,in nearly three weeks it has not found its way to you. I'm delighted to have found this direct channel to you. Please review my petition, and call me to discuss.
Sorry for the collapsed formatting of this box@
Cordially,
********************************************
Richard Junker
Mobile: (813) 597-9967
Riverview, Florida 3578
December 7, 2019
Direct TV
PO Box 204089
Austin, TX 78720-4089
Mr. White,
Iâm writing you today on behalf of my friend and landlord, Ronald Chavez, a Direct TV account holder, customer number 259298058.
I am authorized by Mr. Chavez to represent him for direct TV, pin number 7474. Since Ron is not a native speaker, he has asked me to deal with customer service issues.
Our issue is with Item 10 on the bill from October 22, 2019, as below: Direct Protection Plan Premier $20.99.
Phase OneâElimination of Direct Protection Plan Premier
Mr. Chavez opened the account in October 2013.
In August this year, four months back, a technician came to the home at 9930 Also Brook Ave., Riverview, FL 33578 make a repair.
Immediately afterward, two things occurred:
first, Ron began receiving paper bills for the first time ever;
second, he eventually noticed a large spike in the monthly bill from examining invoice.
From speaking with customer service at 800-531-5000, I learned that the technician had upgraded the account to Direct Protection Plan Premier, with no authorization from Mr. Chavez. Noting the obvious absence of endorsement by the customer, the CSR reversed the charge, to the extent of the excess of premier over basic protection, a $12 per month reduction, = $20.99-8.99, over the span mid-August to mid-November.
So far, so good.
Phase TwoâBasic Protection Plan $8.99
I reported back to Ron that the basic protection plan had been included in the bill at $8.99 a month since the date he opened the account in October 2013. Ron immediately replied that he never enrolled in protection plans as a matter of principle, and had no knowledge he had been paying $8.99 a month for over six years, totaling ~$675 =74*8.99 (six years, two months).
The CSR explained to me that on enrolling, the protection plan was offered free for 30 days, then automatically charged on the bill at $8.99 a month thereafter, until the customer cancels. All Ron ever saw until recently was the total paid to ATT on his credit card statements. If he received emails, he never saw details of the bill, only the total paid, maybe. I assert this is deficient disclosure, lack of transparency. Doubtless overlooked by thousands of other of your customers.
Looking for the positive side, I shared with Ron that if equipment failed, he would save the replacement cost, up to $99, as the CSR explained. Ron was not impressedâit is Direct TVâs equipment, Ron pays nearly $200 a month for his package, so he figures ATT/Direct TV should pay for breakdowns of its own hardware.
At first blush, this doesnât seem a valuable benefit, requiring equipment breakage more often than annually to break even. Nonetheless, I sought from CSRs to obtain the benefits Ron has enjoyed from past claims, possibly to demonstrate that the protection has been good value for him. I was told repeatedly, by FIVE CSRs/supervisors that only 24 months of back bills are available, and no prior monthsâ bills can be retrieved from archive storage. No results; minimal notes of our discussion; promises to contact the âLoyalty Teamâ to retrieve the billing history to October 2013, but repeatedly nothing on call-backs; extremely poor listening skills, requiring me to repeat myself endlessly over several hours in total.
Iâm a patient and fact-based person, inclined to believe that the truth and the facts will ultimately become evident. Yet I cannot tell you adequately how frustrating I have found communicating with your CSRs. Ron has been paying nearly $2500 a year, for a total of nearly $15,000 income to ATT. He deserves competent service, he deserves transparency. To bury a fee of $8.99 in a large bill of 14 items is deceptive revenue-creation practice. Despite all my efforts to identify benefits Ron may have received over more than half a decade as a customer, nothing of demonstrated value has turned up, despite my strenuous urgings to your CSRs.
Accordingly I ask that in equity, you, Mr. White, Mr. President, authorize a credit to Ronâs account for the sum of all past Basic Protection Plan payments back to the opening of the account in October 2013, plus all four related taxes.
Cordially,
Richard Junker
