AT&T announced the AT&T Guarantee this week, claiming to be the first and only carrier to offer a customer guarantee across both wireless and fiber networks for both consumers and small businesses.
The ambitious guarantee focuses on AT&T’s consumer and small business customers in the matters of dependable connectivity, attractive deals, and prompt and friendly service. If the provider falls short, it promises to “make it right.”
Kellyn Kenny, AT&T’s chief growth and marketing officer, said the company is “walking the walk and talking the talk — and this is just the beginning,” suggesting more announcements on the subject are to come.
“Customers tell us they want confidence in their service provider and offering a guarantee makes them four times more likely to choose a brand that offers one. It’s about being transparent, taking action and ensuring our customers know they are supported. We’re committed to delivering on our promises,” Kenny said.
The AT&T Guarantee coverage, with noted exceptions, includes the following:
- Upon a network interruption of 20 minutes or longer to fiber customers or 60 minutes or longer to wireless customers (caused by a single incident impacting 10 or more towers), AT&T promises to work diligently to restore service and make it right by automatically providing a bill credit of a full day of service to consumers or “options” to small business customers.
- The AT&T customer guarantee promises to provide its best deals on any smartphone for new and existing customers, without requiring customers to sign up for the most expensive plan. Additionally, the company promises no hidden fees or equipment charges with AT&T Fiber.
- Customers are promised to be able to speak to a friendly technical expert within five minutes or schedule a convenient callback. AT&T also promises same-day or next-day technician availability for fiber issues. In the event this doesn’t happen, the company promises to contact the customer as soon as possible with options to help make it right, including sending the customer a reward card.
Jenifer Robertson, executive vice president and general manager, AT&T Mass Markets & Mobility, talked about the company’s investment in customer experience over the past five or more years.
“We’ve been on a multi-year journey to improve the customer experience, placing our customers at the heart of everything we do. Since 2019, we’ve invested more than $140 billion in our network and almost a billion dollars in customer care and operations, and that’s brought us to where we are today — becoming the first and only carrier that offers a guarantee for wireless and fiber networks.”
Last fall, a few months before AT&T’s announcement, Charter’s Spectrum brand also overhauled its customer experience model, which included lowering some prices, introducing service guarantees, and promising no annual contracts.
