Maybe I should just stop using mobile phones.
So… I have previously ranted about AllPhones being a naggy wench. But I’m not having much luck with 3 either apparently.
I know there’s an iPhone shortage at the moment. I know there are backorders and waitlists. But a few friends just got one so I was curious if there were some still available. I thought I’d call 3 first and find out if the branch closest to me has stock, or when they’re expecting more stock, then I wouldn’t have to make a potentially wasted trip. I probably would have saved more time driving the 2km…
So I call up the 3 number. I tell the guy what I’m after and say I’ve already looked on the site the IVR told me to check and it says sold out but doesn’t say when a new shipment is expected. The guy asks me which one I’m after and he says he’ll check. And then he comes back and tells me they’re all sold out. Well… I knew this already. I asked him when he was expecting new stock. He said he doesn’t know, they find out the day before.
I asked him whether this was just for where he is, or whether the individual stores will have information about when they get their stock. He said the shops have different schedules. So I say, great, can you give me the direct number to the shop nearest to me? He said no, but he can transfer me to sales. I say okay, that’d be great.
He tells me he’ll have to check my coverage first. I tell him I know we have coverage here. I have friends on 3 and they have coverage here. He tells me he needs to check coverage again and asks for my postcode. So I tell him. Then he says he wants the state. Okay, I remember this, I think there’s one postcode that straddles two states, so fair enough, I tell him the state. Then he wants the suburb. And I say you should be able to get coverage from what I’ve told you already… But no, he still wants the suburb. So I give that to him. Then he tells me I have coverage. *sigh*
Then he said he’ll transfer me to sales, but he needs to fill in a form first. What form? He needs to fill it in before he transfers me. Okay… he asks me for my street address. Why? He needs to fill in this form. I just want to talk to someone in sales. But he has to fill in this form first. But I don’t know if I’m buying yet. Still has to fill in this form. I’m getting annoyed now. I refuse to give him my street address. He asks me for my callback number. I thought perhaps I misheard him when he said he was transferring me and ask for a direct sales number. He said he’s transferring me but he needs to fill in this godforsaken form. I give him my bloody number. He tries for the address again and I tell him no. He puts me on hold to announce my call to sales then he transfers me.
I speak to a second guy. I tell him I know that the phones are sold out, but I would really appreciate a direct number to my local three store so I can enquire about stock. I finally get the number and call the shop.
And we begin again.
Me: Hi, I was wondering if you have any stock of the iPhone.
Them: No.
Me: Do you know when you’ll be getting some in?
Them: It was meant to be today but it hasn’t arrived.
Me: Okay. Do you know how many you’re expecting?
Them: No.
Me: You have no idea how many of which ones and what colour you’re getting.
Them: No, it’s random.
Me: Do you have a waiting list?
Them: Yes, but we’ve put a hold on it because there’s too many and we want to clear it before we allow more people to put their name down.
Me: Fair enough. But you don’t know if the next shipment will fulfill the wait list.
Them: Nope.
Me: So what do you suggest?
Them: Call back.
Me: When?
Them: We’ll know more later.
Me: So how often should I call back, daily, weekly, monthly?
Them: Weekly. But if we do get stock we can only hold it for 3 hours.
Me: Tight schedule.
Them: Yup.
Me: This isn’t making it easy for someone to want to sign up with 3.
Them: Nope.
Me: Okay… thanks I guess…
Wow… that was painful. WTF? Honestly, W. T. F.
I’m also starting to care less about the iPhone. But none of the others are of particular interest.
That and I’m over Vodafone (well AllPhones). Optus and Telstra are too expensive and those calls with 3 don’t inspire confidence in their customer service. Perhaps I should just ditch the phone and get a WiFi PDA. If anyone wants to talk to me, I’ve got twitter, IM and email. If you can’t reach me on those obviously your message is not important enough.
Technology rage. :/
