Earlier this year I bought a new phone. I had been holding out for a long time but finally, after much research and deliberation, I finally did it.
I thought the best, and safest way to purchase an electronic device, such as a cell phone was through my carrier. I have been a loyal customer for 20 years. I was sent a phone in the mail and for two weeks, it worked wonderfully. And then it suddenly stopped. It crashed and I simply couldn’t turn it back on. I was always very careful. Never dropped it, never got it wet. I babied it.
So I went online and chatted with a customer service representative who said I couldn’t be helped unless I called. I explained (again) that my phone didn’t work so I was not able to make a phone call. The person typing on the other end, said sorry, find someone else’s phone and call back when you can.
I don’t have a landline and my husband was out of town. So a couple of days later, I borrowed a phone and called them back. The next customer service representative said I could return the phone for a full refund, I just had to put it back into the original box and mail it. Unfortunately, I didn’t have the original box anymore.
I was decluttering and threw out all the old phone boxes. I didn’t think I needed them anymore. It was garbage and I was on a cleaning rampage. I explained that to the company, she said she needed it and wouldn’t allow for the return without it.
So I told her I’ll find someone else’s old box and mail it in that. She told me that I couldn’t do that, the numbers won’t match up. I kept asking for an explanation of why I would need the original box and never really got a straight answer.
I talked to her manager and got nowhere. I spent hours on hold and even longer explaining the situation to different people. There would be no return. I pushed and pushed but got no help. My phone carrier left me in the dust. I am now paying for a thousand-dollar phone that is unusable. It boggles my mind.
I didn’t even bother threatening to leave and take my services elsewhere. I mean, I am planning on it but the customer service representatives don’t care. The CEO of that company wouldn’t even care. I am one small person, not even a drop in the bucket. No one would notice.
This whole experience has made me glad that I live in a small town, with stores and services that are owned by people who care. Yes, shopping locally is good for our economy and the environment but it is also good for customer service. Talking face-to-face with people who know their stuff, appreciate your business and most importantly, who care, is priceless.