"This phone sucks, and you need retraining!"

[cellconnect89]

So it's a normal day in the store..i'm in the Sales part of the building where we deal with new wireless accounts and bill payments.

A woman comes in and upon calling her name off the list, informs me she is a new customer and wants a phone but is unsure of what to get. Perfect, it's what i'm there for. I narrow down what she's looking for (Camera, bluetooth capability, speakerphone, etc.), give her suggestions of which models to stay away due to the issues I commonly see with them, etc. etc. I sell her the phone, give her the phone number, explain her billing info, and all is well with the world. She thanks me and leaves.

Two hours later, I'm returning to the floor from my lunch break to find her standing there. I greet her warmly, thinking she may just have some more questions for me. She takes the phone from her purse and slams it on the counter. "This phone sucks, and you need retraining!," she shouts.

Me: What exactly is the problem?
Her: It doesn't work!
Me: *tries to turn on phone, and it won't turn on*
Me: *removes the battery and observes the bright red Liquid Damage Indicator (LDI) on the back of the phone*
Me: "Ma'am, this circular sticker is a Liquid Damage Indicator. Its color tells me this phone has gotten wet. Would you know how that happened?"
Her: "My son dunked it in the toilet but that wouldn't cause it to stop working!"
Me: Yes, ma'am..that will cause the phone to not work.

She got pretty fiesty...and her insurance wasn't effective either since it becomes effective after the first month it is paid for...and new service with our company always comes with the first month free.

I took the next customer while my manager finished off with her. The next customer showed me their flip phone in two separate pieces, wanting a replacement. I just pointed next door to the Service side of the building, hoping that my brain cells would last me the rest of the day.

[jerkface11]

So no matter what the insurance doesn't cover the first month? WOW I bet the bean counters love that one.

[Ghengis51]

Would the service even cover water damage? Most phone insurance plans are made null by that.

[South Texan]

Her: "My son dunked it in the toilet but that wouldn't cause it to stop working!"

Please tell me she wasn't thinking that only exposure to water would cause the phone to stop working, and since something else was in that toilet bowl, the phone should have been OK....

I hope you washed your hands after that one.

[Chanlin]

Don't you know that water doesn't damage electronics.

http://www.customerssuck.com/strip/i...ate=2007-10-14

[Evil Queen]

I have dropped my phone in water many times. The best thing to do is to take the battery out and let the phone sit overnight on some paper towels. If it's a flip phone, flip it open and allow it to dry.

The next day, put the battery back into the phone, charge and use as you normally would. It'll work just fine then.

[karath]

I have dropped my phone in water many times. The best thing to do is to take the battery out and let the phone sit overnight on some paper towels. If it's a flip phone, flip it open and allow it to dry.

The next day, put the battery back into the phone, charge and use as you normally would. It'll work just fine then.

hey, sweet! i'll be sure to remember that! Knowing my luck I'll definitely need that

[Evil Queen]

hey, sweet! i'll be sure to remember that! Knowing my luck I'll definitely need that

It works quite well. I've dropped two phones in water -- one I dropped twice; once in the lake and once in a glass of tea. Don't ask. And the other was in the toilet. But it fell out of my pocket as I was sitting down, not after I used it!

Every now and again the phone will say something like "car setting" or "hands free setting" after turning it back on. It will not allow you to make or take calls. Just turn it back off and leave it alone for a couple more days as this is an error in the phone. If you take it to a tech, they'll tell you they can't do anything about it (and honestly, they can't.). Just leave it alone to continue to dry and it'll be good as new.

But drop it in salt water and you're screwed.

[BookstoreEscapee]

and once in a glass of tea. Don't ask. .

I dropped my iPod in a cup of Diet Coke once. Left it to dry for 2 weeks and it works fine. Every once in a while it freezes and I have to reboot it but somehow I don't think that's from the soda at this point.

[rvdammit]

Sodas are acidic enough to eat through the pcb wiring traces. This can happen with residue on the pcb getting damp in humid conditions.

[JoitheArtist]

i've also heard that putting a wet phone in a bowl of uncooked rice will help, as the rice will extract and absorb the moisture. dunno if it works, but it might be worth a try.

[DesignFox]

Hi fellow cellphone slave!

I hate when customers get their phones wet and then SOMEHOW think it's OUR fault!

Although, I have to say, that's a pretty shitty policy regarding the insurance...On the other hand, I've never heard of a customer shitting up their phone within 2 hours of owning it, either.

[TWOLF]

yes there is a company that does cover liquid damage and most people don't beleive it even though it says so in the brochure. Of course I'm still curious as to why people take their phones with them when deep sea fishing

[kdruboen]

Two hours!?

I'm just a little confused, here. She brought it back two hours later. The last couple of phones I bought, I couldn't even use until the next day, as the instructions said to fully charge the battery 12 - 16 hours before the first use. How did she get a full charge in less than two hours?

[Bloodsoul]

..at first I thought it said you needed "restraining."