Sprint's Early Termination Fee Cost Me a Job

How long ago did you receive the first invoice for the ETF?

$179.00 for an early termination fee does not sound correct I
researched all contracts that my wife and myself have signed with
Sprint(we have been customers since november 1997) all the early
termination fees listed on the contracts have been 150.00 or 200.00

Why not wait until your contract was up? Seems to me you left early
and they dinged you.... sorry but you knew your contract had not
expired.

$179 is an unusual amount for an ETF. Depending on when the contract
started, the ETF is either $200 (it used to be $150) or follows the
following chart: www.sprint.com/etf.

I assume they send you a bill that said "Early Termination Fee...
$179." If not, confirm that this is what this is for.

For example, it may be to cover your final month. Typically, Sprint
charges in advance of the month, but it's possible that your account
really did have $179 left on it.

Or it could be something else, including an error on their part.

If this is an ETF, what did they tell you when you called and said
that you didn't cancel until your final bill was paid? Knowing
Sprint, I could see the rep putting in that you canceled prior to the
end of your contract. The Sprint computers have been programmed to
only accept "today" cancellations. Which means that what you were
told is not true. And, knowing Sprint, what a rep tells you doesn't
matter. Their contract states (surprise!) that a rep's word is not
binding. There are hundreds, if not thousands of people that have
been told things by reps (even in writing) and Sprint has reneged
stating that the rep's statements were not consistent with policy.

Out of curiosity, what are you going to present to show that this was
the only reason you were denied the job?

Anyway, Sprint has long had bad customer service. I can tell you that
they have "improved" it by taking all abilities away from reps and
stating that a rep's word is not to be trusted. For real.

If your letter hear yields nothing, I'd recommend calling and getting
an explanation for the $179. Even then, the rep may not be able to do
anything for you as you are no longer a customer. Reps cannot issue
refunds or change bills. What they can do is note your account that a
credit be given in a future billing.

To get this fixed, you're going to have to reach a supervisor. You
might try e-mailing "dan@sprint.com." This is a line setup to reach
senior reps.

(No, this is not a secret e-mail address.... it's been advertised on
television). I've used this and, while I'm not always happy with what
I'm told, my recent use of this e-mail address has put me in touch
with someone that will take the time to research an issue.

How can you be certain it was the early termination fee on your credit
report that cost you the job? Being a former hiring manager, there are
many things that are considered before someone is hired. Maybe the
interview didn't go as well as you thought? In any case, if the Sprint
CRS said you wouldn't be charged, then you shouldn't have been.
However, if your contract was up in less than a week, why didn't you
simply wait until it was officially up?

Did they send you a bill for the $179, and did you contest it before
this got to your credit report? It almost sounds like you are equally
upset about the charge being excessive and unwarranted. But from the
conversation with the CSR, you shouldn't hae been charged at all,
meaning any fee would have been excessive as it was totally
unwarranted.