I hope they know what they're doing. As mentioned before, I thought Cingular's repuation as a carrier was superior to that of AT&T these days.
Federated Department stores, which owns Macy's has converted all the department stores it owns to Macy's. In some cases this may have been foolish as it killed off highly respected and beloved local names and popular store house brands. They renamed a popular store brand candy and lost business.
I used to shop at Bamberger's which was changed to a Macy's. Actually, Macy's owned Bamberger's since the 1930s, but let it run independently out of its Newark HQ. I liked it as an independent store, but don't like it as a Macy's.
It's funny how we were so damn passionate to break up the national Bell System, yet we welcome these other business merger concentrations such as in department stores, discount stores, supermarkets, banks, and telephone companies.
Frankly, I don't trust them. I think such companies, particularly in the wireless business, are very "disconnected" from their consumers. Their sales staffs appear to be on commission and are out to sell! sell! sell!, not caring if the customer is happy or well served; they want to make their commission now. I suspect there have very high turnover among their sales staff so there is little continuity or true support. In my own recent shopping adventure, I got many conflicting answers* from sales kiosks, the web, and telephone people. That shouldn't be.
"Customer Service" is often used as a way to sell callers even more features, not necessarily _serve_ the customers. Free advice is not profitable. Everything focuses on profit, Sell! Sell! Sell!. Providing high quality service -- going that extra mile to minimize cutoffs or noisy connections -- is a low priority.
(anyone with a different opinion on wireless businesses)?
public replies, please.
*I was told I'd get a one year contract. The unit arrived with a 2 year contract. When I called they said (not making this up): "yes, we we set you up with a 1 year contract but when we sent it out it became a 2 year contract." [TELECOM Digest Editor's Note: In Chicago, I think Macy's bought out Marshall Field and Company, a well known store and changed its name. And yes, I agree with you on Cingular vrs. AT&T brand names, although I do not care that much for Cingular either. I suggest a plague on both their houses! PAT]