My experience with a Sprint store

[98EX]

Ok, to start with, I currently have an N400 phone with sprint. Have had my acct for just over 13 months now and my 1 yr contract I originally signed up for is over(has been for about a month and a half almost) I left work yesterday with the intention of going to a sprint pcs store to play with the new Sanyo 5500. On the way there I figured I would call customer care to see what Sprint wanted to do to keep me a customer with them. First call I hold 7 min and call drops. Second call won't connect, thrid call won't connect, 4th call hold 3 min call drops. So After 4 calls I figure I have a problem(have been having issues with calls dropping as of lately) so I will have my phone looked at while at the store. I get to the PCS store at 6pm and get in line. 30 min later I finally get to a Rep, let them know my situation. they take the phone and tell me it will be about 20 min while hey test it. So I go ahead and use the time wisely to go over to the sales side and play with the phones.

First off, they did not have the 5500 issed:" class="inlineimg" /> I asked and they only got 4 of them and sold them already. Ok no prob, I continue playing with the phones(mainly the camera phones since that is what I am in the market for) 5 min goes by and stil palying with the phones, 15 min still playing with the phones, 20 min and still playing(if you don't get where I am going with this that means that not 1 agent asked if I could be helped--only person I talked to was the person I asked about the 5500 and that was cause she was closing out her register) After getting passed by by 3 different sales representatives(and there where only 2 other people in the sales side with me(two couples) I say F this and go back to check on my phone. After another 10 min of waiting rep comes back and said phone tested fine. Ok no prob. I went ahead and asked to speak with the Store manager to let him know my situation and what had happened(we are now at about 7pm) Manager comes over and I talk to him and let him know what had just happened. Told him that my contract is up and that I am basically shopping around for a new phone or new provider if need be. Manager tells me to wait a few moments and he will see what he can do, comes back and says I can upgrade you to an A500. I look at him like WTF?? I just told you I am in the market for a camera phone. I told hime that I could go to ATT and get a MUCH better deal on both service and a phone(Sony/Ericsson T616 camera phone for free and 650 anytime min with all the same services of sprint for 47.99 plus tax then minus my company discount of 10%) He said that there was nothing he could do then so I said that is fine, and then he said to contact customer care and speak with them. No problm, I take my phone and leave.

As I am leaving I call customer care. Hold time of 15-20 estimated according to the system prompt and off course my phone drops the call after 14. So I get home put up my things, change out of my work clothes sit down and call customer care again. This time I get through after holding for 25 min. I tell the lady that came on that basically my contract is up, and to see what sprint can do for me a customer in good standing. She then proceeds to look up my acct, and then tells me that she cannot do ANYTHING. Nothing nada, zip zilch, why you ask, cause I have not had my acct for 18 months. At this point I am starting to laugh a bit. I ask to speak with her supervisor( I just to make sure that they understood exactly what is going on here) While holding for the supervisor the agent is coming back on the phone and making sure I am ok(this agent was very kind and very helpful and I commend her--if only I could remember her name) Whiel she is coming on first time she asked if I was oka dn that we were still waiting. Second she offerred me a reconditioned VGA1000 for half the price of a new one-- I explain to her why do I want something that is used for $129 when at Best Buy you can get them Brand new for $75(if you are a new customer of course) and another company is offering me a free camera phone if I sign up with 2 yrs with them? At 50 min into my call a superivsor comes on the line. I explain to her everything I had just told you guys,and her response was sorry we cannot help you(not in such harsh words though) I told her that Sprint was willing to lose a customer who was willing to sign a 2yr agreement over a $75 phone( not only $75 at best buy cause at the store they have the deal for 2 VGA phones for $149 so basically $75 each) I told her that I really did not want to switch companies cause I like Sprint(even after all this I still like sprint) but that would not stop me from changing companies. I mean I was willing to pass up a company that was offering me more anytime min and all the same stuff as Sprint for less money.

I guess Sprint has not grasped the concept that it costs nearly twice as much if not more to get a new customer than to retain a current one.
The call ended at 1 hour and 7 min with me not having a new phone and SERIOUSLY considering switching to ATT.(I am going to calm down a bit and wait and give Sprint one more chance before making the switch--I am sending this information in an email to Sprint corporate and we shall see what happenes)

[imported_comutek]

i'm ok w/ my sprint service. i don't really like dealing w/ their customer service dept though and their website (when it's up) blows. i would kinda' like a camera phone but not bad enough to buy one or extend my contract.

it was this weekend last year that i got my 4900 after my 4500 fell out of my pocket on the third largest roller coaster in the world!

haha, remember this?

[98EX]

Yeah I remembr those pics. My contract is up with sprint, if I go to ATT I would have to signa 2 yr agreement with them so I figured that me WANTING to re-up my contract was worth a phone to them. Guess not.

[imported_Kyle_G]

i hate to break it to you like this... but they dont give a shit about you. NEver have and never will. Theyve got a hundred thousand other customers. Keeping one doesnt make a bit of differnce to them. So when you were telling them that ATT can give you something better, for cheaper, but you'd rather stay.. all they were thinking was "If i had a nickel for everytime ive heard some one give me that line trying to haggle for better shit" 13 months with a company that large is nothing.

[98EX]

Originally posted by Kyle_G@Dec 2 2003, 11:44 AM
i hate to break it to you like this... but they dont give a shit about you. NEver have and never will. Theyve got a hundred thousand other customers. Keeping one doesnt make a bit of differnce to them. So when you were telling them that ATT can give you something better, for cheaper, but you'd rather stay.. all they were thinking was "If i had a nickel for everytime ive heard some one give me that line trying to haggle for better shit" 13 months with a company that large is nothing.

Yeah I see that now, but I know that EVERY company goes through information about unhappy customers and what the result of that is. I have worked in customer service and sales for most of my time that have been working and I once worked for was Pegasus communications which had 13.2 million customers(and that was back in 1999) for satellite service and that was one MAJOR concern that we try to keep the customer happy.

[simplegreen]

nesto you know what im going to say so im contemplating even saying it..

nextel ownz been with sprint been with att, cellone , cingular, verizon..

while i had verizon and was looking for a new service/phone friend made a comment, you'll never want another phone/service again.. i grined and said "whatever" well he was right.. providers like to bash nextel as having shitty service high rates etc.. well it's all untrue.. i used to go over my bill all the time i have YET to go over they give you so much for free.. yeah i pay 60 each month but thats with internet, insurence free everything.. (incoming, long distance, direct connect) with the new phones coming out for nextel, i'd look into it more IMO

[Synergy CiViC]

i agree... Nextel owns.. best customer service and all... i have at&t right now and its ok.. i cant complain that much.. service is kinda sucky in ny but most of the time it does what its supposed to do. my bill is like 60 a month.

Ill be going back to nextel when my contract is up.

[imported_comutek]

Sprint DFW Coverage > Nextel DFW Coverage


My bill is $45/month.
- 500 anytime minutes
- Unlimited Night/Weekends
- Free Long Distance

[Bryan_M]

i have verizon. 400 anytime minutes, free long distance, free nights and weekends, $40 a month. and i get service almost everywhere.

oh and i used to have cingular and they blow as far as service goes.

[imported_Kyle_G]

Originally posted by comutek@Dec 2 2003, 12:54 PM
Sprint DFW Coverage > Nextel DFW Coverage


My bill is $45/month.
- 500 anytime minutes
- Unlimited Night/Weekends
- Free Long Distance

Yeah.. same here. I was gonna pay the higher prices for a Nextel.. but after i talked a bunch of people that own them... they really arent happy. The service here sucks.. as well as for the rest of Florida.. and i travel too much to have crappy coverage. Ive got ATT.. havent had a problem with them.. have outstanding service/coverage and my bill is only 50 for nationwide long distance, free nights/weekends and like 500 anytime minutes. ive only gone over my minutes once. and damn did i ever pay for that. $600.00