Wednesday, January 25, 2012

Blarg... just ... get me the phone already

Okay, I didn't want to automatically post a crazy rant about my final "I'm going to do it" action to get the Nexus... I waited a bit; let myself calm down... and let me tell you.  I'm still ticked.

First it started off with a "I'll give tbaytel just one more chance".  Afterall, they said it should 'probably be there Friday'.  So, I called tbaytel and asked if they had a date yet.  2 different people gave me, what I can only guess would be cross-eyed looks over a phone.  One had no idea what I was asking, the other said there was no way to tell, it "...might be several more weeks", and that "...I best call Teleco, they know things better over there..."

Wow, so you blatantly admit that you don't know your own product line.

That's why I was better off with Rogers.

I call Teleco (the old Rogers dealer), and they also say they won't get notice of when the phone is coming in.  Pretty short and succinct... that sucks.

I call TouchUnwired, just in case.  The person there suggests I just keep calling back.  He suggests that I call on "inventory day" to see if they got any then.  I point out that it seems kind of redundant to call on the day they open packages.  Usually, companies have forewarning of what they're getting before they get it.  He chuckles and says "yah, we should".

So, it's decided, nobody attached to tbaytel clearly wants my money, so I call Rogers.  Last week I called them and they said it would take 2 days, and be only $575.  I told her to hold, and would get back to her... this is me hoping to pick up that conversation where it left off.

The new Rogers person I talked to seemed to take a dislike for me for some reason after I told her I was with tbaytel.  Despite all the reassurances that we are the same for all intents and purposes when we were FORCED to become tbaytel customers, it is, in fact, the opposite.  If I am not an actual Rogers customer, with a customer number (and tbaytel customer numbers, or a faked number would not work), the call centre would not be able to relinquish said phone.  Despite many numerous attempts to explain my predicament it continues to fall on deaf ears and the script is stuck to.

I manager up...

...or try to.  I ask repeatedly and she eventually puts me on hold to say "nope, Chuck Testa"... j/k, she literally says "my manager said the same thing".  How am I to know that?  I ask to speak to said manager, with no luck.

I do leave with a bit of a suggestion and a hint of success by the fact she says that this restriction is only for call centres, whereas dealers don't have it.  At first I thought -- dang, we have no dealers for Rogers in our area.  After I hung up I realized Teleco was the Rogers dealer, so the other locations should also be as well (only in Thunder Bay were their hands forced).  Now, if the other locations are carrying the phone, could they not stock-transfer (an ICST in the ol' Radio Shack lingo) one to the Thunder Bay location?  You would have thought the previous sales person (who I'm sure are working on commission and want every chance to separate you from your wallet) would have thought of this...

I call Teleco again.  I get somebody new this time, so I decide to explain what it is I want him to do in simple steps.  Luckily he comprehends and texts/IMs/messages the other store in Winnipeg, and within a minute has an answer that they do have them -- and his compatriot will send one over.

Kaloo Kalay... so however long it takes a store to transfer one the 800km from Winnipeg to Thunder Bay, I'll have the phone.  He couldn't confirm the price of it, but said "whatever Rogers was charging, we'd charge.".  Maybe I'll haggle him some.  Maybe I should call Frank.

All the while, I still had that struggle of "buy outright, or get subsidy".  And after this ordeal, I realize I'm going to buy outright for sure.  Even if it came out to some sort of less money scenario on the subsidy (read my previous post about how the monthly rate would be more expensive) I will not keep my money with tbaytel a moment longer than physically possible.  It is this kind of poor customer service and knowledge of the hardware that keeps me staying away.  Now, some might say "well, they're at the mercy of whenever Rogers sends them the phone...".  I call bull.  If they truly are the company they say they are, then they would have some pull and some clout (klout?) to be able to get the same items to satisfy their customer base.  Fido doesn't have this 'delay' with Rogers.  Kodoo gets the same treatment as Telus.

Anyways...
/rant

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