What is it with cell phone customers?

[DesignFox]

Warning- long as usual

So, I just started working at a wireless retailer. I think I have encountered more crazies in the past 5 weeks, than in my entire 3+ years experience in retail.

Today is the best example. I wasn't in the store 5 mins when this horridly disrespectful couple come in.
Little background- we weren't busy at the time, and my two other co-workers were sitting nearby. They stay within earshot since I'm still new to the wireless business- that way I can get help answering questions when I need it.

Me-uh..yea me
SL- sucky lady
SM- sucky man
CW- Coworker

Me-"Hi, my name is DesignFox, how may I help you today?"
SL- "Nope, him" *points to husband*
Me- "Hi, sir, how may we help you today?"
SM- "I need one of these wire things that connect my helmet to my phone. The wife and I have them hooked in so we can talk while we are on our motorcycles."

The man hands me the phone, shows me the wires in the helmet. I have never seen this before, so I ask one of my co-workers who comes over to help.

CW- "I'm sorry sir, but we do not carry these. If you like, and if your headset is compatible, we can help you set up some bluetooth wireless, but we do not carry this cable- it is an older system."

At this point, I'm going to cut the conversation to make a long story short, but the couple begin to get angry, first because I had never seen what they were referring to before (which, duh, if our store doesn't carry it, I would not have) Then, they get angry because they ask if we sell phones that will work with their helmets. My co-worker explains that ANY phone will work, but that we do not have the cable they require, and suggests they try ____ electronics as they may have what they need... The man and woman continue to argue and belittle us, and repeat their question about capatible phones- to which my co-worker AGAIN explains that even the phone they already possess will work, but we do not have in our store the tool that will make it work! The guy yells at us that his phone does not have the capability, and the woman gets all pissy and in a very condescending manner tells him that they will "Go somewhere that the people know what they are doing" I'm standing there watching like WTF? I just thought my buddy here TOLD you what you needed and where to get it....

SO finally! They LEAVE. but can that be the end of it....no. or I wouldn't write about it. ASSHAT sucky guy has to come BACK in the store, to berate us again about how all of his friends motorcycle, and how dare we not have a phone or know anything about what his needs are. What part of "ANY phone will work- you just need to go to _____ to buy the cable?" didn't this guy understand???

They were just the ones to piss me off the most, but so far I've been yelled at by an emotionally unstable old woman, who the day before I helped set up a phone that she brought from home that a "friend" had given her...the next day the phone mysteriously doesn't work and it's all my provider's fault that her friend gave her a defective phone- obviously, I can't replace the phone because it was OLD I don't give a damn what her friend told her, and SHE DIDN'T EVEN BUY IT FROM MY STORE! But my co-worker just forced her to sign an even longer agreement than the one she signed with me, and gave her a phone with new activation- HA. That'll be loads of fun because I KNOW she wasn't listening and will come back in a year and try to cancel.

Other incidents include:
More creepy people hitting on me than I care to deal with.

There's also already been 2 or 3 drunk people.

And of course, the morons who come in 10 mins to close...and want an activation. PLEASE don't ever go to your cell phone place right before closing and need to activate new accounts. and choose phones. and choose features. and sign contracts. and choose accessories. It takes longer than 10 mins. Especially when you know NOTHING about phones. Which seems to be everybody.

Then there are the deadbeats who don't pay their bills and yell about how my provider is bad because their service has been shut off- pay your F***ing bill!

Then there are the morons who complain their phone is a "piece of junk" because it is getting worn out...the phone in question almost always looks like someone ran it through the washing machine...and dryer...about two dozen times. Maybe try taking care of the phone and NOT abusing it??? It IS an electronic device, afterall.


And yet somehow- the challenges have been good for me and I still actually like the job. Go figure- we'll see how long it takes for me to crack.

I want to know what some of the rest of you have dealt with in the cell phone industry.

[ahanix1989]

My old cell phone was indestructable. Kyocera KX1. Dropped it on the ground more times than I can count, dropped it in a sink full of hot, soapy water while it was turned on... still works to this day. Upgraded a couple days ago to an LG VX5300...

I do like one thing about LG:
Kyocera data cable: $40.00 online (eBay)
LG data cable: 49¢ online (eBay)

[Broomjockey]

My old cell phone was indestructable. Kyocera KX1. Dropped it on the ground more times than I can count,

You want indestructable cell phone? My friend and I were walking up those stupid stairs with no back to them, he's chatting on his phone, trips, drops it, and it falls through the stairs. It then falls a good 20m at least, including landing on another flight of stairs on its way down. We ran down to get it, and once he popped the battery back in, it was still good. The anntenna was bent a little was all.

[Kara]

I've got that beat. A friend of mine had a Nokia 5190 (the old "brick" phone). Ran it over with his SUV by accident. Not a scratch on it.

Interesting side note: Nokia has figured out a way electronically stimulate carbon powder and create a diamond-hard coating. They're supposed to have it out on their phones in the next few years.

I get customers all the time wanting invincible phones. Any phone can break if you drop it, I always tell people they don't exactly crash-test them. Still, I always get those guys "well, I work in construction and I need a phone that won't break." It's like, just buy a cheap phone and get insurance on it. "(Competitor)'s phones don't break." Yeah, uh, they use the same manufacturers we do, and yes, there's a chance if you drop it off a building or smash it with a power tool that it will go to phone heaven.

The Nokia 8801 that came out last year had a stainless steel casing. It was also $600. Customers want a phone that won't break, but when one comes along they run screaming from the price.

[jb17kx]

I'd pay that for a good phone that was also tough. Just as I paid $3000 (AU) for an IBM Thinkpad T60. Great for the road, small and powerful (Core 2 Duo, 1GB RAM), and it has all sorts of goodies like a magnesium backing in the screen to prevent flex damage, and a magnesium "rollcage" protecting internal components. And the keyboard! Bliss to use. And there's something about the sleek all-black case.

Now, I don't work in a phone store, but have any other members here noticed how many teenagers and groups thereof seem to use them places to hang with friends?

[ahanix1989]

Ah crap, sorry about the threadjack.

You should've slowly and carefully said to them..
"We know what you need. We do not have what you need here. What you need is available at (Store)"

[RentalRacer]

The Motorcycle people were obviously confused. What they probably wanted is something like this :

http://www.ridegear.com/rg/item/F-12...._Range)_.html

Obviously they were in the wrong store.

[Imogene]

The Motorcycle people were obviously confused.

I could be wrong, but I believe the customer was looking for the cable to connect the helmet (which they already had) to their phone.

[KamenRiderOsaka]

ahhh, welcome to the world of cell phone sales. I used to work cell customer service, and trust me, while sales gets some crazies, CS gets a lot of weirdos. I mean, we dont get phones thrown at us like in sales (and you WILL get a phone thrown at you!) but overall, its a good job.

[ahanix1989]

Hmm, if there gets to be evidence that cell phones cause cancer, would throwing phones be assault with a deadly weapon?

[DesignFox]

My co-workers have warned me of that happening (getting a phone thrown at me)...

As for assault with a deadly weapon..hehe that's funny. I think depending on when or how the customer throws their phone at me, they may or may not find themselves escorted out of my store by a police officer...

[CrazedClerk]

I heard a story just today about a man who so irate over the way he was being treated by his cell phone company, he threw the phone to the floor and urinated on it...

...IN the wireless STORE!!

and then, in true SC fashion, tried to get a replacement phone under the cell companies equipment protection program.

(thankfully he didn't get his phone, but can you imagine being an employee in the store THAT day)

[ahanix1989]

Hmm, assault, vandalism (if it scratched delicate glass), public urination, indecent exposure, and you can consider urine to be a health hazard if you want.

[DesignFox]

Also, the warranty company won't help you if there is any sort of moisture damage. They don't care HOW the phone got wet, if that little moisture indicator is red- you're screwed...as one of our wonderfully sucky customers found out today

These people brought in two phones that looked like they'd been thrown at the wall. The top of the casing was broken and the antenna was loose on one of them. One had moisture damage plus scratches all over the casing in addition to the above damage. Now, I might add, that the water damaged phone was only 2 months old- and was a replacement for the first phone that this idiot LOST. The other phone warranty exchange would take- but if it hadn't been for the fact that the customer was standing right in front of me- my judgement would be that the damage HAD to have been intentional- there is no way I would have even taken back ONE of those phones...

And this woman was insulted that they wouldn't replace her water damaged phone for free- idiot. "I, no put phone in water! This is ridiculous! I only have the phone 2 months, and I not drop in water! It just break, I don't know why!"

In my head- "Well, that's what happens when you ABUSE them, moron!"

Of course- I didn't say that...but I would have liked to.

and yea- I would have called the cops on mr. urination...