just sounding off.

[TWOLF]

Forgive me for what I'm about to say,but in all honesty I've really been getting fed up with something. I really wish some of these twits who go get cell phones would read the material before getting the dang cell phones. How hard is it to not only read your contract,but read what you plan gives you. I don't know how many of these clowns call in going I bought a plan for 39.99 with 3000 minutes, unlimited roaming anywhere in the united states, and and I get unlimted txting for only 4 dollars. And then question why they got charged for roaming in Canada. Why? Because you never paid attention in school. Not only that but if your going to call me by my name it's Nick. not Rick or Brian or Robert. And customer's have the balls to say we don't listen. I say the first sign of a screaming kid and the person on the phone not doing anything we should be able to hang up. If I have to ask you to repeat something because your kids are running arround screaming like they are high, that should prove something.
I'm done, had to get that off my chest. Thank you and I apologize if posted in wrong area

[Best Made Tacos]

Why aren't you psychic?! Why can't you tell them everything they need to know, in one syllable words, in 2 minutes or less? At no point must they be asked to think, let alone critically!

From one (former) telecommunications company employee to another - my sympathies.

I really wish we could install electric shockers in phones and zap such customers when they become wilfully stupid. Sadly, our employers would probably end up using them on us.

[draggar]

The US hasn't annexed Canukistan yet? No pre-emptive strike against them? Sheesh...

Maybe I should go do it myself then.

[Kara]

I have talked to a lawyer before who didn't read his contract before signing. No one does it. Same as end-user license agreements with software. People just sign the dotted line or click "I agree," without even glancing at what it is they are agreeing to. People think it's just a formality, but they don't realize that if they don't get signal when they visit Cousin Jethro in Incestville, AR, they will get charged if they cancel. It's in the contract. If they're on the phone with a client making the deal of a lifetime and the call drops, that's in the contract. If their phone gets stolen and they get $8000 in charges to Far Far Away because they didn't think to call in and let us know the phone was stolen, that's in the contract.

[Best Made Tacos]

Precisely, Kara. I used to try and talk customers thru this when I organised new contracts or advised them on plan changes, but even the customers who ran their own business would brush me off "yeah, yeah, I know all that, just skip it and tell me about the handset features! Does it have a 3 megapixel camera? Can it play music? Does it vibrate?"

Fortunately, my employer recorded and stored all verbal contracts made over the phone - we could play it back to them very easily.

[Kara]

Does it vibrate?"

I've never encountered one of those, but oh, the stories I've heard from reps who have...

[Best Made Tacos]

I've never encountered one of those, but oh, the stories I've heard from reps who have...

lol, that doesn't surprise me.
I had a lot of business customers who thought that the vibrating function was of the utmost importance - apparently because they turned the ringer off during meetings, but still wanted to know when they they got calls - even tho they couldn't answer them at the time. Bah, who knows?

They were obsessed with the phones ability to play MP3s too. I would point out that music drained the battery very quickly (most phones, until recently, only had about 20MB of memory anyway), and it would be cheaper to buy a generic MP3 player, but they rarely listened. Same with cameras - $200+ to the price tag for a sub standard camera, without a flash, all because it was crammed into an oversized mobile phone.

Must confess though - I stopped reading the software user agreements a long time ago. Hard to understand, both jargon-y and vague, and reeeeally long. The tech help staff aren't trained to explain them, either. Besides, what can you do if you disagree with the terms? With a lot of software, there is no alternative except open source.

[Andara Bledin]

Actually, in California, if you cannot negotiate a contract, it is worthless. And the whole EULA thing has never been challenged in court, either. Neither side has any idea which way it would go and both are too scared to really put it to the test.

I'm a reader. I read manuals, and contracts, and I even skim all my EULAs to see if there are any non-standard clauses in there.

^-.-^

[braindead]

I don't work with cell phones but I feel your pain on contracts. I so wish I was allowed to send highlighted copies of these back to the people who want to argue with me about what they signed. Right here *big YELLOW line through reason*. Its not like our contracts are difficult. They are usually on and 8.5x11 sheet no small print. This makes no difference. They clearly outline price, monthly fee, and refund policy and yet daily someone wants to argue one of these points. Even though I'm not allowed to send nasty notes back I can usually count on my manager to politely tell them they are idotas.

[TNT]

I have talked to a lawyer before who didn't read his contract before signing. No one does it. Same as end-user license agreements with software.

I'm a born wonk, so I do read end-user license agreements. In 1993, I bought a piece of software that came with a 50 year license... after those 50 years, I promised faithfully that I'd return the disks and cease using the program. However, the company did say that if I was in the middle of a project after 50 years, I could apply for a six month extension.

I've lost those disks... and now I live in mortal fear that when I'm 83, they're going to come looking for me. They have my name and address...

[JustaCashier]

I've lost those disks... and now I live in mortal fear that when I'm 83, they're going to come looking for me. They have my name and address...

TNT, with that weighing on your conciense (sp?), I suggest refraining from pulling the tag off of any mattresses for....say.....the rest of your life.

That just may be a bit overwhelming to deal with!

Mike

[AFpheonix]

The US hasn't annexed Canukistan yet? No pre-emptive strike against them? Sheesh...

Maybe I should go do it myself then.

Well lord knows we tried in 1812, but they kicked our asses. Oh well.

These are the same people who cannot be bothered to read and comprehend what insurance plan they signed up for, and will then attempt to argue copays with me on medications that have generics available, but that the patient requested brand on.
My personal favorites are the customers who belong to a closed system like Kaiser, which means that their coverage only works at Kaiser facilities, and they act like this is totally new information to them when they come rolling up to my drive thru window at 10 or 11 at night. Did you not read ANY of the literature that came with your benefits package?

[Rapscallion]

The US hasn't annexed Canukistan yet? No pre-emptive strike against them? Sheesh...

Maybe I should go do it myself then.

Nah - you couldn't afford to keep bribing Quebec to stay in the union have me over a guest too often.

I cause great wear and tear on snowmobiles.

Rapscallion

[Gurndigarn]

Nah - you couldn't afford to keep bribing Quebec to stay in the union have me over a guest too often.

Keep in mind that the only parts we care about are the ones with oil in them. The rest are free to go.

[Myra]

Speaking of cell phone customers who cannot read or see reason - how about this one? I have had a handful of elderly customers who bring their bill to me, demanding to know why their bill is close to $60 when their brochure says their rate plan is $49.99. TRY explaining taxes to these people. "You know the sales tax you pay when you buy stuff? Kinda the same thing..." "NO, it doesn't say anything about taxes in the BROCHURE!" And when you point out the small print that does state the cost is before applicable taxes, they throw a fit about "false advertising" and whatever else they can.

I mean, we get taxed on EVERYTHING nowadays. It's pretty expected, isn't it?