Announcement

**casey13** · 05-22-2010, 05:12 AM

Have you had someone threaten to get you fired because they let their prepaid phone sit without adding minutes to it and when they finally bought the minutes, it rejected it?

**Rugsrat** · 05-22-2010, 05:21 AM

Don't think so. The one time a guy threatened to get me fired, I'm pretty sure it was over a contract phone that we wouldn't let him return. But that's a WHOLE other story.

Honestly, most of the prepaid people I get are really nice about it. I just explain that they went over their service date, and that they'll have to re-activate the phone. If they're REALLY nice about it, I'll even help them do so.

**Aethian** · 05-22-2010, 07:12 AM

Quoth Rugsrat View Post

And now for two that have to do with customers in store!

My son's friend gave him this phone. It's legit, I swear!

Little backstory: A lot of the time, customers will come to us with various simple things, like calling carriers to switch the serial numbers on their phones. Now. In my store's parking lot, we actually have a corporate store for one of the major cellphone carriers. The one most people forget about. Their favorite color is yellow, and they don't use SIM cards.

SC: So this is my son's phone, its on its last legs. *hands me decrepit phone*

Me: Yikes...

SC: So can you call [carrier] and switch the serial numbers or something?

Me: You know there's a [carrier] store in the parking lot there and they can do this right?

SC: So you can't do it here?

Me: No, I can, but I have to call their customer service reps. They can just do it.

SC: Well since I'm here?

Me: *tiny sigh* Sure. *calls [carrier], starts switch*

Rep: I'm sorry, that serial number is active on another account.

Me: Uh... hang on a moment. *tells this to SC*

SC: My son's friend gave him this phone two days after he got it. He hated the service and had it cancelled.

Me: Sorry, apparently it actually wasn't. We're not going to be able to do this today. You might want to have your son talk to his friend.

SC: *Starts to gather things* Oh... ok. *walks away dumbly*

Me: *thanks rep and hangs up*

I don't think this one was very sucky, (Of course her attitude *might* have been, but still) as it was the son's friend who made it all weird. Which is making me wonder why the son wasn't there to switch his phone, no matter which one Mom brought home it would be wrong because it wouldn't have item "x".

**Rugsrat** · 05-22-2010, 03:27 PM

True, not the worst, nor VERY sucky, but just the way she handled the situation, kinda hard to convey through only text. Not to mention, she did this after being informed that it's not really my job. Technically, I only have to deal with the phones I sell. Really, she should have gone to a corporate store anyway, hell she could have gotten the serial numbers switched (or not switched) by calling herself.

Honestly, the suckier part of this one was that it was right on the heals of the previous one. Still, trying to go out of my way to help someone, only to have them insist that they're doing it right when they're not, it's certainly frustrating.

**CrazedClerkthe2nd** · 05-22-2010, 07:16 PM

Quoth Rugsrat View Post

"Smart Phone" is not a brand:

One from a while ago, almost crazier than the printer lady:

SC: I bought this Double Minutes card for my phone, but it didn't work. I want my money back!

Me: I'm sorry sir, but once the serial number of the card is entered, the card can't be returned...

SC: What do you mean?! I paid 25 bucks for that card!

Me: I know, and I'm sorry, but there's really nothing I can do.

SC: I better get my money back, or I'm gonna come back and light this place up! They'll be taking me out of here in a cruiser!

Me: Oh god... I'm too young to die... I'm really sorry sir, but there's nothing I can do... are you sure it didn't work?

SC: Yeah, I'm [censored] sure. I put the card on my phone, but my minutes stayed the [censored] same.

Me: Wait... you put the Double Minutes card on first? Or second?

SC: Second. Like my son said. Now gimme my money, or I'm gonna [censored] destroy this place!

Me: *quick thinking* Sir... I think you just put the cards on in the wrong order. It doesn't double what's already on the phone... it only doubles what you put on after that card. Did you add any minutes after this one?

SC: No. My [censored] son told me to put this [censored] card on after, and it'll double all the minutes.

Me: I'm sorry sir, but your son was mistaken. But now, any minutes you add to the phone will double.

SC: *anger starts to fade into embarrassment* Uh... really?

Me: Yes sir.

SC: Oh... thanks... *shuffles off*

Me: *can finally breathe*

One of the Assistant Managers actually thanked me for taking care of that one.

As soon as the guy said that, I'd be going to find a manager and calling the police. That's a SERIOUS threat right there.

I feel your pain rugrat as I used to work with cell phones. There were two things that made my head explode all the time:

1) People who couldn't understand that the "FREE" phone they wanted wasn't actually free (rebates required).

2) People who were say, 6 months under contract, broke their phone and couldn't figure out why it would cost them $200 to $400 to get a replacement phone when "Someone can walk in off the street and get one for free!"

**Rugsrat** · 05-23-2010, 02:56 AM

Had I not been scared that he was actually about to whip out a gun and kill me, I might have called the police. As it was, somehow, my only thought was to just make him less angry.

At my chain, we do have legitimately free phones, provided the customer is A) Opening a new line (account, or adding a line) or B) Eligible for a full upgrade with their carrier. Beyond that, you have to shell out retail price.

Your point number two reminds me of another fun story that happened a while ago. Might post that one later.

Announcement

Phone Vignettes From the Cellphone Department

Phone Vignettes From the Cellphone Department

Comment

Comment

Comment

Comment

Comment

Comment