“Can You Hear Me Now?”

It has been a while since I went on one of my rants but circumstances this week have forced me to do it again! I was told that I could get a new phone through my cell phone supplier and it would be free. This was because I had had my contract for over two years. Since my cell phone is a little grungy from use I thought it might be a good idea to pick up a new one. 

I went to the shop where they keep the phones and walked in the door. There were no customers at the counter so I walked right up. Not so fast, dodo, I had to go back and sign in and give my cell phone number to a machine. I also had to state the purpose of my visit. After that was done I waited (thought there were no other customers) and eventually my name was called.

I stated I had come for my free phone. The girl, who looked terminally bored, asked for my password. I told her to give me a clue and she settled for the last four digits of my social security number. She then verified that I had indeed had a contract with them for over two years.

When I asked if the phone would be free she replied I would have to sign up for another two year contract. I said fine. She then showed me what my “free” phone would look like. I commented it looked pretty good for a free phone. That is when she said there would be a twenty dollar activation fee. I asked her why there would be an activation fee when I was already active in her system. She said that was the way it was.

I asked if that meant I had to pay twenty dollars and sign up for another two years too. She said yes. I asked if I would still get a phone with my same number and the information in my current phone transferred to it. She said yes but there would be a ten dollar transfer fee. Since it only means taking a chip out of one phone and putting it in another, I asked what the fee was for. She said that is the way it is.

So it turned out my “free phone” would cost me twenty dollars for activation, a two year extension on my contract which incurs a fee if I drop the service earlier than two years, and a ten dollar transfer fee. All because that is the way it is.

By this time I was foaming at the mouth. I am just so sick of being the customer victim rather than the customer honoree. It seems businesses are out to get you any way they can. Not only are they bored waiting on you, they don’t want to provide you with any incentive to be their customer. That’s just the way it is.

So having heard all this from the bored out of her mind representative I told her she could forget it and I would keep my phone. It barely registered on her mind as she looked to see who was next on the list.

Sometimes you want to do something just to make yourself feel better and writing this all down has served that purpose.

Hey cell phone company, can you hear me now!!!!
 

 

 

 

 

©2008 Jackie K. Cooper

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