Please hold your call is important to us...
Yeah, that's not the first time I've heard that today.
I know, I only post once a day, but if I don't say something, right here, right now, I'm going to explode.
AAAAAA!
See, here's the story--while I'm on hold. I got a Sprint bill for our old cell phones yesterday. $432. Obviously I was a little upset. I called to express my displeasure.
$400 of that is early termination fees. Why? because they decided in January I wanted to sign up for another 2 years. They didn't ask me, they just knew my will and knew that I loved them that much.
I called them in February, as soon as it showed up on my bill as a discount. Beware discounts my intrepid reader. Nothing is free, especially with cell phone companies. When I called in February they said "No problem." in sales this translates as "We don't care." I knew it then, but my visit was documented. Documentation is your friend.
So, the first 2 times I called to cancel my cell phones, after they told me about the termination fee, I told them about the February call. They told me "No problem."
So now, once again I'm staring at a $432 Sprint bill.
No problem.
I called, and after 30 minutes on hold the girl comes back with, yes you guessed it, "No problem." Why don't I believe her? She also tells me it'll be cleared in 72 hours.I'll check. So the other $32? funny you should ask. See according to them, MyWife made 5 calls to premium text services. MyWife says "nay! Nay!" and I tend to believe her. She's not the type to make text calls. Especially not Premium calls. I suppose if there was a Text Divorce lawyer maybe, but Premium service? No. None the less, Sprint says "PBBBT screw you, there's nothing you can do about it." And they think I wanted to subscribe to this service for another 2 years? I"m getting divorced, I don't need to pay for this kind of treatment!
I hung up on the girl. I know it's childish, but it was better than telling her what I really felt. There's a point you reach where you know it's no use saying anything else. Now for the cool part: MyWife won't pay the bill. Both phones are in my name, so unless I want it to show up on MY credit, I'll pay it. It's blackmail, but that's what I'm here for. Some compromises are more fair than others.
So why am I still on the phone? That's a funny story. I signed up for Verizon's free test drive (remember the Pokey picture?). I didn't like the phone, so I returned everything. They charged me $18 bucks. I probably would have let it go, but after getting off the phone with Sprint, I wanted vindication.
The Verizon woman's been going back and forth between her manager and I explaining what the charges are, and I keep telling her "But that's what was supposed to be free." Hell, I even give her an out "I wouldn't mind being charged for these other services, I understand they weren't part of the free package, but you didn't charge me for that, you charged me for the free part."
Hold on...
Ok, what a difference. The Verizon woman understood. She just cleared the $18.00. All of it. See, and If I'd liked the phone better I'd have stayed with them. Oh well.
I'm sorry I ranted. I normally hate blogs that just bitch all day about how everybody screwed them over, but apparently I'm a little tense lately. Tomorrow I'll be back whining about how MyWife screwed me over; I promise.
12 comments:
Haha...I use my blog to vent... Notice I say 'vent' and not 'bitch'. Venting is good for getting it out of your system and moving on. (Which is what you're doing.) Those who bitch are actually trying to get people to say 'oh poor baby, your life is sooooo hard'.
Been there, still arguing with the cable company. It took me four weeks (five emails, three hour-long phone calls) to get rid of $400+ in erroneous charges.
Here's the kicker--I still don't have internet at home. Different 'story' every time I call. I just finished filing a complaint with the BBB...
See? And the last time I went toe to toe with a cell company, I called the BBB. They shrugged. Told me there wasn't anything they could do about cell phone companies.
Cable companies are a different monster. I've gone rounds with them, but you do get some pull with the BBB. I still have to call them and reduce my channels.
CRAP! I've still need to change my direct deposit!
Been there, done that with Sprint. I have to call them usually every other month to bitch about some error on their part. At least you got the refund from Verizon. Keep trying. Sooner or later you'll get it resolved. I always do. In fact, demand that you speak to a manager next time.
This is great! You are way better at bitching than whining! I like this Rob way mo' betta! Keep it up. I see a man with energy and enthusiasm breaking out of his protective shell. If I were younger, (and single) I might even go for you!
Wow! I get bitchy and everybody comes out to play! "Bitch and the world howls with you, whine and you pretty much suck eggs?" Anyway, you get the idea (apparently better than I do). So, to conserve time, I'll reply in 1 entry:
Extendedforecast:
Interesting note, (at least to me, everybody else can nod and smile). I have a problem sometimes reading faster than my eyes will go. When I do that I usually interpret by the tone of what I'm reading. So I'm whipping through your entry and read "In fact, I demand that you speak to a manager next time." I was like "yes ma'am. I will." So, why don't you call for me. ;)
Actually I tried the manager thing. And having done retail, I'm VERY familiar with "Let me speak to your manager." In fact, that's why I got into management. so I could say "That's me!" I quit the next day. Not really, but management isn't all it's cracked up to be. I tried that this time, but the girl wasn't real quick. She was real apologetic, but not quick. After about the 4th hopeless apology I knew the next words out of my mouth weren't going to be constructive. I will try later, I was just happy to have one victory over the Verizon. Ok crappy joke. Sorry.
Natalie:
LOL. If you were younger and single, then we'd talk about it. As it stands, I'm still in the process of moving out the wife I have; it's kind of a cart before the horse situation, but you give me hope for the next time.
Protective shell? It's been a while since anybody's accused me of having one of those. I'm not saying it doesn't exist, just that nobody's makes it close enough to tell me that it's there. Think of me as an M&M.
A green one. They're my faves.
I found this today in this article:
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/20010697/site/newsweek/
"... 1,000 Sprint Nextel subscribers [were] let go last month for calling customer service too frequently. (A Sprint spokesperson says the company felt that since the customers still weren't satisfied after repeated calls, that "indicated they'd likely be happier using another service.")"
Maybe if you keep calling, they'll drop you. And then you'll have yoru freedom.
Wow, I invented a new way to spell YOUR.
LOL, that's an awesome story! They were let go for calling customer service? Isn't that the Marie Antoinette approach to customer service? "There's no bread..." Maybe if Sprint managed their customer service correctly people wouldn't call service in the first place. They've just attacked it from the back side. Sort of like drowning a cat so that it doesn't get run over. Those cooperations, they're wacky.
And Yoru? Not new. I use it all the time. Page 493 of "Rob's uncommon common English" says it's the form of the word used for fake, tofu people. Although I don't appreciate being called that, your usage was correct. Bravo. Your ability to adapt to Robspeak should appall your friends and family.
Tomorrow we'll go over the word "teh" As in "Teh cat is gouging my face off."
Yoru was a first for me. As for teh, we definitely speak the same language, or use the same dicitionary at least. It's my most common typo. Also, some days my fingers forget that the space bar exists. SoI'lltype asentencelikethis, except notonpurpose.
I'll have to watch my calls to sprint from now on. I wouldn't want to be dropped by them, considering they're the only provider that doesn't drop calls where I live. (I know because my husband has tried them all.)
Well now that you've spoken out publicly against Sprint, I'm sure you'll find a raise in dropped call frequency. I'll recommend you don't complain though, you've seen how they deal with malcontents. ;)
I've never had problems with dropped calls where I live. It's more reception issues. I live in the one bad pocket out here. Interesting thing is that it moves when I do. Coincidence? I'm gonna say yes.
...And another thing. If you're using my dictionary, I want it back! Curiously enough, I actually have the reverse of your spacing problem: I add too many spaces between words. So If I find any extra lying around, I'll post them on this page for you as a reserve; take them as you wish.
My latest typo issue (and I don't know where it came from) is that I've got a roving apostrophe problem. Words like "don't" become "do'nt." Of course if you stole my dictionary, it explains a lot...
As I don't have a blog of my own, and we have this ongoing discussion about Sprint, I felt the need to vent. Feel free to delete this comment if you wish. It won't hurt my feelings. This is more therapeutic for me than anything.
As I was clearing off my desk this morning, I came across teh copy of the rebate I was supposed to get from Sprint that I mailed off back in June. So I decide to check the status of my rebate online, and I get a message stating that in order to qualify for my rebate I have to agree to a new 2 year contract at the time of activation. Must I be crazy to assume that I already did that when I bought my new phone? I mean, the salesman told me that by signing my name on that electronic pad thing-y with the stylus that I was agreeing to a 2 year contract. Do I have proof? No! The message goes on to say that I should dial *2 to update my agreement. So I dial *2 and wait, and wait, and wait. The timer on my phone said 27:47 when someone finally answered. Good thing this new phone came with a speaker option that allowed me to get some actual work done. So the guy who answers clearly doesn't have a good grasp of the English language. I hate when people complain about this, and here I am. Anyway, what should I have done when he answered, besides hang up and hope for someone who could understand me? I should have asked to renew my subscriber agreement. Did I? Nooo. I went on to explain everything - 3 times. He decides to transfer me directly to the rebate department. Yay, I get put on hold even longer! It turns out that this rebate department is for dealers and employees only. They won't talk to consumers and I get hung up on. Nice, huh. So because I want my $150, I've called back and am on hold again. The call timer says 23:22. And I've just identified that music. There is a part of it that reminds me of Super Mario Bros. 3. If I think about it long enough, no, I got it. It's the part of Mario when he beats the koopa (or is it bowser) at the end of each world and falls from the sky.
So there, we've determined that I desperately need my own blog, that Sprint is going to drop me any day now, and that I played video games a little too much in my youth. Okay, I still play them, but I have kids! I have to beat the levels that they can't get past.
Help! I've just been boarded by a blog pirate!
Er..my blog boarded...
nevermind--it wasn't a great joke anyway...
There's an "I told you so" in the mail, wait for it, it should arrive before your rebate.
Really it's fine. Feel free to vent here. The page's name is "GAAAA" for a reason.
You did leave one important question unanswered: Did you finally get your rebate? As I understand your situation, they owe it to you. If not you should follow the advice somebody else gave me:
"Keep trying. Sooner or later you'll get it resolved. I always do. In fact, demand that you speak to a manager next time."
Be the squeaky wheel that gets canceled. The good news is you won't have a 2 year contract over your head. ;)
Also, is the account in yours or your husband's name? If you do get canceled, the other person can sign up. If both of you are already signed up as separate entities, then the one who gets canceled can join the other as part of a "Family plan." It's the shell game, but it's the Achilles heel of the larger corporation. It's the smaller boat attacking the big ship.
As for the video games, you'll find no judges here. I'm keeping all the game systems (no, the plural is not an accident). They're mine and I have no kids. The good news is I'll have more time to play. No I won't, I'll be devoting my time to writing.
Have you played Psychonauts? It's a great game. It's safe and fun for kids, but the dialogue is sharp and witty, adding a new level for the adults. I'd tell you the other stuff created by the same people, but that would only prove I'm a bigger geek than I let on.
OK, I've shared recipes,and video game tips. I'm going to change the blog title to "Why my wife left me, Exibit: A."
Keep us updated on your Sprint perils! I have plenty of space on this page.
Post a Comment