My cellphone service sucks.
I went to an AT&T
retail store today, and I’ve got to give it to the salespeople there–they’re smarter than the average village idiot.
Unknowingly, I walked into the store with the apparently obvious “oh my God my phone sucks” look. I didn’t realize how good they were at seeing it. The picture to the right shows what my face must have looked like while I was there.
Here’s the other thing I learned when you have the “oh my God my phone sucks” look. The salespeople there ignore you–seriously. You’d think I had a big mole on my face, or had a booger on my nose. They would walk around me staring at the floor, it was crazy. I wanted to catch one of them with a wicked elbow-drop as if to say “hey dimwit, I’ve been here two hours and you haven’t acknowledged my existence”. I’m dead serious folks, If you walk into AT&T looking like your cat just died, you won’t get any service. Then again, if you’re looking for some alone time, this might be a
good place to find it. No one will ever bother you with the patented “oh my God my phone sucks”™ look.
If I had been smart, I would have gone into the store with the “oh my God I’m getting a new phone!” look, also known as “oh my God this place is heaven” look. The picture to the left is an accurate depiction of what that look resembles. AT&T salespeople instantly notice you this way. It probably would have helped if I had been a hot chick, 6 feet tall, and had more legs than a bucket of chicken. Oh well, I wasn’t dealt those cards–besides, I’m a dude. Anyway, two girls came into the store with this “oh my God I’m getting a new phone” look, and they got snatched up quicker than smack at a detox clinic, and even faster than herb at a Snoop Dogg concert (which is crazy-go-nuts fast).
Anyway, my service with AT&T still sucks, and I don’t think they’re going to do anything about it. If you try to call me while I’m at my house, you probably won’t get me. My phone won’t work at my house. Then again, if you do magically get connected to me, I’ll probably be standing in line at AT&T all pissed off–since that’s the only place my phone actually works. See how that sucks? Now you know why I had the “oh my God my phone sucks” look on my face when I went in there.
Next time you need to go to AT&T, or whatever cellphone carrier you have, make sure you go in there with the right face on. It might also help if you put on a wig and heels. (you never know)
August 18th, 2004 at 4:12 pm
nextel
good service. the walkie talkie feature makes it even greater.
August 19th, 2004 at 6:08 am
bah. Nextel is only worth it if there are other people on nextel that you actually like talking to.
/doesn’t like talking to anyone.
August 19th, 2004 at 4:00 pm
Several years ago I had a Gateway computer and one day the keyboard suddenly died. Fortunately I live very close to a Gateway store, so I go in to buy a replacement.
When I told the disinterested-looking teenaged piercing collection working the counter that my keyboard died and I needed a new one, she responded in a really snotty tone: “We only sell whole systems here. You’ll have to buy it from our website.”
Of course, I immediately responded “I could do that…except the keyboard. doesn’t. work.”
She then muttered something about going to CompUSA or one of the other chains.
Another great moment in customer service. That particular store also had a service/repair clerk who, on a separate visit, greeted me with a nice, fat plug of chewing tobacco clearly visible in his lower lip.
Needless to say, when I upgraded to a new machine, it wasn’t another Gateway.
August 19th, 2004 at 5:55 pm
Craiger, the story you told is the beauty of a free market. I applaud you using you experience when choosing a brand. It is one of the things I love about this country.
August 20th, 2004 at 2:35 pm
Thanks, Joey. It was a real shame, because when I bought the computer, my experience couldn’t have been better (it was at a different Gateway store). The person who helped us was fantastic. He was cheerful, friendly, knowledgeable, etc., etc., and was a great public face for the company- he should have been the poster boy for Gateway.
But something sure slipped somewhere.
What was really funny was when I recieved a routine followup phone call from Gateway’s quality assurance people soon after my encounter with the tobacco-chewing customer service rep. She asked me all kinds of questions about my purchase (I also bought a new CD-ROM drive around the same time as the keyboard died)and my experience at the Gateway store in general.
I said that the merchandise itself was fine, and that the computer had always been really dependable. But when she asked about the likelihood of my buying another Gateway product,I told her politely but bluntly that I would never buy another Gateway product again due to the terrible experiences I had with their stores, tech support, and customer service (there was much more hassle & grief during this whole thing than I’ve detailed here).
So yeah, I exercised my free market privileges, but I still wonder if it has any impact in the grand scheme…
August 21st, 2004 at 4:45 pm
what, no alltel service in Dallas?
i have me one of dem ATT phones. Service is fairly good here in Atlanta. The price is not so great though, T-Mobile has the best rates it seems. ATT does credit you for dropped calls, a nice added plus…better to not drop the call though, eh?
da DK
August 26th, 2004 at 12:51 am
Alltel. pff.