Why Won’t T-Mobile Change Its Trans Customer’s Account From Male To Female?

If there is one truth in this world it is that telecommunications companies — whether cable operators or phone service providers — simply do not understand how to work with their customers. And as one trans T-Mobile customer has learned, they have no idea how to change the account holder’s gender status.

Writes user mskallisti on Reddit:

In every communication I’ve had with customer service since beginning my transition, I have had to explain YET AGAIN why a girl is calling on an account listed under a male name. In each call, I have asked them to check their notes as to why this is, and each time they claim there is no notation. I then asked for a notation to be added to my account, to prevent having to preface every request with an awkward and uncomfortable outing conversation. In several conversations, I was assured this would happen, though I’ve also gotten the responses of:

“Well, you need to use your male name when you call us.” “We can’t do anything about that.” “You need to see this from our perspective and stop being so sensitive.” “It isn’t our fault you haven’t taken the steps to change your name.”

Because I moved to a new state shortly after beginning transition, I cannot have a legal name change until I’ve lived in my new state for a year to establish residency. With EVERY OTHER company I have a professional relationship with, this has been a non-issue. Comcast, for example, added my new name as an authorized user to my account to sidestep the issue, which is a fine solution. In fact, it’s one I proposed several times to T-Mo, and was alternately told it had been done or couldn’t be done. Regardless, the issue persisted in subsequent calls. I encourage you to vote with your dollar, LGBTers. Keep reading if you want to do so without wasting money, and potentially saving a lot of it.

Purely from a monetary standpoint, they have failed to maintain competitive rate plans in the face of new, emerging prepaid options. If you’ve held off on switching because of their hefty ETF, you should know they have unpublished rate plans that are only available after asking to talk to someone in cancellations. Today, I was offered the following plans:

$5/month: .20/minute flat rate $10/month: Unlimited text and .20/minute flat rate.

I took the latter of these, as it will cost less by my cancellation date than the ETF of $200. (Which is the highest of all postpaid carriers at present.) If you are within 180-91 days of your contract expiration, the cancellation is $100. With less than 91 days left, it’s $50. Under 30 days it is the lesser of $50 or your remaining plan charges. I encourage you to switch carriers in the way that takes the least money out of your pocket and into theirs, redditors.

And therein lies the biggest misunderstood fact about customer relationship management software at these telcos: Account notations are there so reps can leave nasty comments about you, not provide you better service. Five bucks says “obnoxious tranny” is written next to “his” name?