Just My Luck
It all started Thursday afternoon; my cellphone would only display The White Screen Of Death. Crap. I encountered this exact same affliction last year, but on a different phone.
So on Saturday I once again returned to the mall to send it in on warranty repair, which ironically, expires on Tuesday. But with a smug smile, the associate informed me that as of last month, they are a Sales Only store. As is their SECOND outlet in the same mall. I was directed to take my phone to their Service Centre to be sent away for repair.
Their Service Center.
Way on the other side of town.
Crap. Just my luck.
OR... They could give me $150 (less the $ 25 activation fee) off the no-contract price (ie. top cost) of a new phone. IF I signed another three year contract, that is. Great. So I have two options:
1) Drive to the other side of the city twice, to bring in and pick up a year old phone to be sent away for about a month.
2) Get a new phone. Which with taxes, the crappiest model with far less features than I have now would COST me $100, plus I would have to sign another three year contract.
Um, pardon? Sure, take the cheapo phone, that with just my luck, would never last another three years.
I decide to go the repair route. I looked up the Service Center location on the web, and thankfully they were open Sundays. But on the way there, I thought it would be just my luck that they were closed, so I wanted to double-check. But I couldn't.
Because....oh, yeah. I had NO PHONE! 
So I drove across town, found them in the industrial park and produced my paper weight phone for repair.
It was then that I was informed my afternoon jaunt had been in vain.
For they couldn't take repairs OR activate loaner phones because their computers were offline and she had no idea when they would be back up. She wouldn't even let me leave the cell to be sent in later.
She just stood there. And smiled. And shrugged.
Crap. Just my luck.
Holding back a few choice four-letter-words, I demanded to speak to the Head Office. They got them on the phone and I let them know in no uncertain terms how unhappy I was with their so-called Customer Service.
Miraculously they instructed the staff that yes, they COULD take my phone, and activate a new one without using the computer. I actually had to show them how to take an "old-fashioned" imprint of my credit card and the Head Office activated a loaner for me over the phone.
But why the heck did I have to get mad to get this done?
And why the heck did I apologise 3 times to the two young female staffers, who were rolling thier eyes at each other about me?
And why the heck did their computers boot back up just as I was leaving?
Because that's Just My Luck.
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Ah yes... good Ol' cellphone companies - I'm guessing that you and I have the same provider (took hints from the photos) - and yeah, they make me so mad... but what can I do? switch to another provider who will make me just as mad and charge me more for a plan? Good thing we have blogs to publicly complain on! yay!
Mobile companies are all evil. You cannot win. Ahh well, have some cake. x
With a service like that, it's no wonder terrorists use cell phones to blow up things.
It's not that they want to bring harm to anyone, they just want to blow up their phones.
This post just made me start singing "That's Just The Way It Is" by Bruce Hornsby. Now everyone in my office is looking at me.
Thank you, so much, for seeing to the on-the-job training of two (unfortunately, only two) dimwits who will now know forever, how to handle someone with your type of problem. Now, if one could only find a way to teach those and all other dimwits how to think on their feet (or butts) we ALL be much happier campers.
I wish I could empathize with you...but I have a personal/company phone where I pay $15/month for unlimited calling and texting. Also, they handle all problems and replacements with the phone company. How sweet is that?
Customer Service has turned into just that...the customer has to do all the service!
I had a clever little comment, I did. Then I read Jeff's comment and now all I've got is Hornsby! Thanks, Jeff!!
Grr...that would have burned my buns. I totally feel for you there. Those are the days when you think...oh, yeah, at one point we used to totally live without these...now we can't even imagine life without a cell. I feel naked without mine. Sorry to hear you had to go through so much trouble. Sounds like their customer service, quite frankly, stinks.
And the moral of this story is, if you want service, GO TO THE TOP! Do not talk to the peons in the shops making minimum wage, they don't know and don't care, but, you got it right... except for the triple apologies... you were too kind there! Hopefully your phone gets repaired soon! At least they gave you a loaner! I'd call that lucky!
Your life mirrors my life, almost exactly....scary.
Ugh. The Customer Service standard sickens me because there is no longer any customer service. People in those positions blame you for making them do work. Uh, it is your job to help us, that is what customer service is. And cell phone companies are the worst. Sure, they are great when you spend loads of money on new phones and service but when you need them to honor a part of the contract that causes them to exude some effort, they can't be bothered. Sometimes I really hate people.
Ugh. Glad even if you did have to get mad & drive across town that it did finally work out. :-(
Ugh. Don't get me started. At least, unlike Bell Canada, their customer service is here and not in India.
But you're so right. They should have gone that extra step to help you, just because the computers are down doesn't mean the world stops... grrr...
Glad to hear your phone was fixed. That's the main thing.
Hey, you've officially been tagged! To see what's up, see this post on Small & Big. Depending on how you feel about mems, either You're Welcome or I'm Sorry.
Jo: You are correct… I had keylime pie tonight; does that count?
Be.Bart: Har! All they need do is take away our cells; we would be useless then.
Jeff: LOL! Now *I* have that song in my head… thanks!
Iceel: Ah, you’re welcome. I couldn’t believe they didn’t have some kind of back up procedure since they tell me the computers go down about once a month. And you should have seen the girl try to put my credit card in the imprinter; it was just sad I had to do it myself.
VE: You’re lucky. And yeah, I like your definition of Customer Service!
Ed: Me too… ;)
Melinda: I don’t get mad often, but when I do, look out!
Phoenix5: Yup. I had no problem getting the Head Office on the phone. I was not leaving until they did SOMETHING.
Lotus07: My condolences…
Vegas Princess: You are right. In an effort to cut costs, they centralize their office, making the customer do the driving. As a long time customer with three phones on her account, it pisses me off to no end.
Jill: True. I just hate being that person.
Drowsey Monkey: Yikes! I don’t think I would have gotten anywhere speaking to someone in India!
PL: This is true. I just hope it doesn’t take a month. Oh, and thanks for the tag. Don’t know if I’ll partake though… I haven’t done a meme in a loooong time.
"Just My Luck"...
So I gues the trip to Vegas was canceled...and you were kicked out of the lottery club.
Keep smiling.
lol I do market research for a living...one of our customers is a phone company. When I hear the crap they pull on their customers it seriously irritates me...kinda feel bad for the people getting screwed over.
Customer service - don't you love it? :)
They are evil. So evil.
I just went into my provider store with three screaming kids... they gave me everything I wanted.
Just saying.
I might as well use them while I can to get what I need. Eh?
Canadian Flake: Yikes! I would NOT want to hear about all the things a phone company puts people through...
Toners: I guess if you want something done right....
OhMommy: Next time, I'm calling you to borrow them... ;)
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