Introduction: AT&T's Way of Communicating

What comes to mind when I hear AT&T? I think of Luke Wilson throwing postcards all over a giant map of the United States for one of their commercials. AT&T vs. Verizon commercials are like the new Mac vs. PC wars. They are quite amusing and creative.

I must say, I am not an AT&T subscriber. I know, don’t hate me; but if it wasn’t for the fact that I am on a family plan and my father doesn't get cell phone service out of his home office, then we would possibly be an iPhone family. If it matters, my older brother, who resides in Michigan, is part of the AT&T clan and persists we need to get iPhones.

So why did I do I care enough to have created a blog about AT&T you might ask? Because they are a Fortune 100 Company that is continuously evolving; constantly coming up with new ideas and strategies to connect with their consumers, while keeping their competitors on their toes. AT&T has utilized new and social media by creating Facebook, Twitter, Flikr, and YouTube accounts and is highly involved in community relations. They are currently helping Haiti by donating proceeds to the relief efforts.

Dallas based AT&T is an Internet, wireless, and cable 3G network company who’s mission is to connect their consumers with their world, whether it is for work, leisure, or both. Ranked #1 in Fortune 100’s “World’s Most Admired Companies,” AT&T takes pride in delivering new solutions and passionate customer service to their consumers. AT&T has been rewarded several other awards this year such as the Frost & Sullivan 2009 North American Portfolio Leadership of the Year Award. (Click here for complete list).

AT&T takes pride in its reputation—so much so that they have been recognized as the #1 “2010 Customer Loyalty Index Rates Based on Network Quality, Technology Leadership and Competitive Plans.” They maintain this reputation by being diligent with their customer service. When browsing their Facebook page, AT&T professionals are very consistent in answering consumers questions and concerns.

As always, with the positive does come the negative. AT&T has been under some scrutiny the past year with union workers due to expired contracts. With wireless phones increasing in popularity, AT&T’s land line business is declining. This past March, union workers right down the road from me in Connecticut protested against the company because they were in fear of losing their jobs and its benefits (WTNH). In January, AT&T announced that they could cut up to 160 jobs in the CT Union by February 19^th. With this date approaching and no negotiations yet made, I will keep this on my radar.

Just yesterday, the company reached an agreement with nearly 30,000 union workers in Southeast states including Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Tennessee. The new contract provides a 3% base salary increase in the first two year, and an increase of 2.75% in the third year, as well as pension increases.

AT&T has also encountered criticism and even lawsuits regarding their 3G network and the iPhone. Slow connectivity and frequent dropped calls have left many users unhappy. It is a public relations “no-no” to shift the blame to consumers when something goes wrong with a product. Unfortunately, back in December, some critics, like Tech Inciter David Coursey, felt AT&T was trying to push their malfunctions on their consumers.

Wisely, AT&T took this criticism as an opportunity to better their reputation. Ralph de la Vega, president and chief executive for mobility and consumer markets at AT&T told the New York Times that 40 percent of AT&T’s data traffic comes from just 3 percent of its smartphone customers. AT&T plans on educating its consumers so that they become aware of how much data they are using, in hopes that they will cut back on usage. Do they really think this could work? This is the generation where people want things NOW, I do not think they will be willing to be educated on how to cut back on, for a lot of people, an addiction. In addition, I think it was even poorer of Mr. de la Vega to propose a potential “pricing scheme” in hopes that people will cutback on usage. Has AT&T gotten feedback from their consumers asking how they feel about these possibilities? Possibly.

In December, AT&T did take the right step towards listening to consumers by introducing a new iPhone application called “Mark the Spot”, which allows users report data problems, dropped calls and spotty coverage. By doing this, AT&T is taking the opportunity to show their customers that they value their feedback, wants and needs. The corporation has also taken steps to improve their network reception. It has been said that New York City’s network has improved month by month since the fall of 2010.

All and all- AT&T is a company that has it’s “ups and downs;” we all know there is no corporation with a perfect track record. I will give it to AT&T and applaud them for continuously evolving their strategies to fit what their consumers are looking for in the "perfect" telecommunications company. Going forward, however, they will have to overcome some PR obstacles especially the common perception that their service is inferior to that of their major competitor, Verizon.