We came here tonight in search of a new cell phone and left empty handed, getting yelled at and…read morehurled with much disrespect from their insolent, "sales representative" named Dalton. The sale was going well for a while, and we were even moments from purchasing the new phone. And then he casually mentions to us right before the sale that we were required to purchase mandatory insurance with the phone that was actually more expensive than the phone itself, significantly spiking the cost of the phone. This is information that should have been stated earlier in the sale. When my boyfriend expressed that it felt like we were being strong-armed into buying something that we didn't ask for, Dalton immediately became defensive, got very hostile and started yelling at us, then ultimately demanded that we leave the store, even threatening to call the police. When we told him that he was being unreasonable, that he should have conveyed this information about the cost earlier, and that it appeared he didn't care about the customer, he simply gaslit us, saying that every AT&T store did that, and the mandatory insurance is something that we should have known about if we knew so much about customer service. He even had the nerve to tell my boyfriend that he would sell the phone to us if my boyfriend apologized. Dalton (the "sales representative") then called his manager, of who did absolutely nothing to correct his behavior. It was truly an awful experience and we left the store completely rattled. No customer should ever have that experience, nor should any business employ such a person to verbally abuse customers. If you don't want to have disrespectful, combative, entitled, bullying customer service, then I suggest patronizing another store. *Edit* As I am on my brother's family plan, he informed me this morning that he was charged $50 for the "new phone (The one that Dalton the "sales representative" didn't sell to me because he unjustly kicked us out of the store)", along with a $15 a month charge. This is actual fraud.

I do not believe I have ever left a negative review. Unfortunately, I feel compelled to do so in…read morethe interest of transparency and to help others avoid what we experienced. We visited the AT&T store in Highland, Illinois, and left genuinely rattled by the encounter. When we arrived, the employee appeared slumped over and possibly asleep, despite our vehicle being parked directly in front of the store. We walk inside, and he comes to life. Our first order of business is to pay off her old device before getting the new one. That much we got accomplished. We pick out a phone and then he tells us that he has to unlock the safe to get to the new phone, and that it will take 10 minutes. He disappears to the back for a while then reappears with the new phone. Then, right at the end of the transaction, the employee surprised us with a very costly charge that was presented as "mandatory insurance" that "costs more than the phone". His words. We were then told we were free to cancel later, but that the phone couldn't leave the store without it. When I questioned this, his demeanor shifted abruptly and dramatically. He became condescending and hostile, began yelling, demanded apologies, and threatened to call the police. I told him to feel free to call them as we had done nothing illegal. I hadn't yelled, I hadn't called him any names or hurled any insults at him. And for the record, that remained the case throughout the entire experience for my part. His mood swing was so wild, in the absurdity of the moment, I found myself actively wondering if he was on some sort of substance as the mood/energy shift was that unexpected and extreme. I am not being hyperbolic. The instability of emotions exemplified was perceptively strange and quite off putting.  At one point, he stated--slowly and in an exceedingly patronizing tone--"I will sell you the phone if you apologize." That statement alone should concern anyone responsible for customer relations. He then called the manager Jamie, who dismissed us outright and instructed us to return another day, despite our long drive. At no point was the behavior of the employee addressed or corrected. No customer should face literal intimidation or dismissal for questioning an extreme  upcharge. It is the consumer's money, and we have a right to understand the actual cost--especially given that the phone had repeatedly been described as "only $5.99 a month," without clear disclosure of the full pricing or nature of any supposedly unavoidable add-on's. As stated, at the beginning of the visit, I paid off the remaining balance on the existing phone specifically to ensure everything was in good standing before proceeding. After what we experienced, and given how underhanded, coercive and seedy the tactics felt, I am now legitimately concerned about whether our personal and financial information was handled appropriately. Again, I'm not being hyperbolic. This is an actual concern. What assurance do we have? Can and/or will AT&T actually do anything to make a difference here? It won't surprise me if the answer is a very silent "No" and that the employee(s) read these negative reviews with glee. Sadly, people are that petty and shallow these days that they do find glee in situations like this. It's generally because they are very miserable, and misery loves miserable company. Maybe it makes them feel powerful in the way only a truly petty person would take pleasure in.  AT&T should take this seriously. Transparent pricing, basic professionalism, and non-threatening conduct are not optional. No customer should leave a retail store feeling intimidated for asking a reasonable question, about an insurance policy I'm being scolded into buying, that costs more than the device itself.