Sprint dilemma. What would you do?

[jackroo]

OK so here's what happened...

I cracked my screen on my Sprint S3. I didn't have insurance, I didn't have money to fix it since I've been out of work for two months and on Twitter Sprint suggested I look at online pre-owned phones. I ended up getting a pre-owned Sprint S3 in excellent condition which I am using now.

I didn't have any use for the cracked one so I put it up on Craigslist since people in my area actually request to buy them and fix them. I took it into my local Sprint store to have them get my number off the phone since a guy replied back and wanted to buy it cheap and fix it. They laughed at me and told me it didn't work like that. I ask what steps I needed to take to sell the phone. They further insulted me by telling me to buy a case for it. I shot back and told the guy maybe I would have if I wasn't out of work and had spare money on me. The nerve of the guy! Then some other workers gathered where I was and heard my situation. One guy suggested I just walk around with a cracked screen until next august when I'm due for an upgrade and told me I need to get my priorities in line when it comes to looking for work and stuff. Unbelievable. I remained calm and simply told them I needed a phone so employers could call me back. I was angry enough at this point to say to one of the staff that I was considering switching over to T-Mobile which was down the street from my apartment. I could see they weren't going to offer any type of suggestions to help me so I left the store and grabbed lunch. I called the store back later and asked to speak with a manager. The guy said all managers were busy and that if I left my number a manager would call me back. Two hours pass and no call. So I called the store back again and immediately got a hold of a manager. I began explaining how rude the staff was towards me and he cut me off by saying he was within earshot of the whole incident. He didn't step in to help me or address the situation. Come to find out he just stood there and let his workers act like that. Then he claims I'm shouting at him (which I wasn't) and tells me he won't hear what I have to say if I'm going to argue and shout. He hangs up on me.

Got home and dialed the Sprint customer care and told them what happened. The lady on the phone was in disbelief. Waiting to hear their response--she said an area manager would call me in 24-48 hours to talk about what took place. Has anyone dealt with this kind of rudeness before and if so what did you do and was anything resolved for you? I hate being in this situation because I still have over a year left on contract. They said since I added a third line that my bill will go higher and there's no way to fix it without paying an early termination fee. I feel stuck and really upset this happened.

 

[bhero]

The manager sets the tone. The district may be his buddy. Happens sometimes. Pen a nice letter and mail it to the right place check the consumerist for a address or maybe a retention phone number.

In a case like this you feel like screaming. It will serve you well to wait until its all over to break down.

Chin up.

 

[Frisco]

Spoiler

OK so here's what happened...

I cracked my screen on my Sprint S3. I didn't have insurance, I didn't have money to fix it since I've been out of work for two months and on Twitter Sprint suggested I look at online pre-owned phones. I ended up getting a pre-owned Sprint S3 in excellent condition which I am using now.

I didn't have any use for the cracked one so I put it up on Craigslist since people in my area actually request to buy them and fix them. I took it into my local Sprint store to have them get my number off the phone since a guy replied back and wanted to buy it cheap and fix it. They laughed at me and told me it didn't work like that. I ask what steps I needed to take to sell the phone. They further insulted me by telling me to buy a case for it. I shot back and told the guy maybe I would have if I wasn't out of work and had spare money on me. The nerve of the guy! Then some other workers gathered where I was and heard my situation. One guy suggested I just walk around with a cracked screen until next august when I'm due for an upgrade and told me I need to get my priorities in line when it comes to looking for work and stuff. Unbelievable. I remained calm and simply told them I needed a phone so employers could call me back. I was angry enough at this point to say to one of the staff that I was considering switching over to T-Mobile which was down the street from my apartment. I could see they weren't going to offer any type of suggestions to help me so I left the store and grabbed lunch. I called the store back later and asked to speak with a manager. The guy said all managers were busy and that if I left my number a manager would call me back. Two hours pass and no call. So I called the store back again and immediately got a hold of a manager. I began explaining how rude the staff was towards me and he cut me off by saying he was within earshot of the whole incident. He didn't step in to help me or address the situation. Come to find out he just stood there and let his workers act like that. Then he claims I'm shouting at him (which I wasn't) and tells me he won't hear what I have to say if I'm going to argue and shout. He hangs up on me.

Got home and dialed the Sprint customer care and told them what happened. The lady on the phone was in disbelief. Waiting to hear their response--she said an area manager would call me in 24-48 hours to talk about what took place. Has anyone dealt with this kind of rudeness before and if so what did you do and was anything resolved for you? I hate being in this situation because I still have over a year left on contract. They said since I added a third line that my bill will go higher and there's no way to fix it without paying an early termination fee. I feel stuck and really upset this happened.

If there is something to be resolved, as you see it, and if you're in the U.S. or Canada, try the Better Business Bureau. They are stronger and more effective than in the past. I've had experience with them, as they acted as arbitrators and brought a situation with Alltel to resolution for me, resulting in my satisfaction.

United States and Canada BBB Consumer and Business Reviews, Reports, Ratings, Complaints and Accredited Business Listings

Enter your location on that page, then call them. You'll be pleasantly surprised. They actually contact the entities in question, and then work their way up the company hierarchy until they get to a person who expresses concern over customer treatment.

 

[jackroo]

Spoiler

If there is something to be resolved, as you see it, and if you're in the U.S. or Canada, try the Better Business Bureau. They are stronger and more effective than in the past. I've had experience with them, as the acted as arbitrators and brought a situation with Alltel to resolution for me, resulting in my satisfaction.

United States and Canada BBB Consumer and Business Reviews, Reports, Ratings, Complaints and Accredited Business Listings

Enter your location on that page, then call them. You'll be pleasantly surprised. They actually contact the entities in question, and then work their way up the company hierarchy until they get to a person who expresses concern over customer treatment.

Thank you for the specific advice and link! I am definitely looking into the BBB if I cannot get a solution from this area manager who will supposedly call within the next 24 hours. I appreciate it!

 

[jackroo]

I received an email from Sprint Cares and they said they will send along information to the management there. A lotta good that will do! The management was the problem and they're more than likely to delete the email. They won't work with me on anything

 

[Rxpert83]

I'd call customer retentions (is that Sprint cares nowadays?)and tell them exactly what you told us.

 

[jackroo]

They aren't budging from their stance. They want to now charge me $340 if I cancel one line and are not willing to change the bill until August. So on July 8th they want me to pay $210 for 3 lines + $340 for canceling the number tied to the broken phone. $550 bill

 

[vicshalls]

I have had that issue as well. Would have been beat to take the s3 you bought and had your number transfered to it then your broken phone would have been cleared to get rid of.

 

[Rigmaster]

You're not cancelling the line. You're replacing a phone. It would be no different if the phone was lost or stolen.

Get the name and schedule of the store's general manager, not shift managers. Go back when that person is there. Explain to them that you want your line transferred to the new phone, not cancelled. If you bought your phone subsidized, you should expect to pay out the remaining subsidy amount either through going through your existing contract tied to that phone's purchase or by paying out the subsidy up front, which would make you a non-contract, monthly customer. Sprint doesn't want you to do that, but tell them those are the options. Then wait. If that GM can't set that up, ask for his regional director and that RD's boss until you get resolution. Be calm about it, and let them know you're taking notes and will follow with the next person to let them know about whether the issue is being handled.

As to clearing your old phone, find out if your credit card doubles warranties. If so, you can have them deal with Sprint on your behalf after you complete the paperwork. AMEX makes this super easy, but the other cards less so.

Good luck.

 

[jackroo]

I FINALLY had the issue resolved. Unbelievable. I went through so many people, managers, emails etc. Thank you to all who had input on this!

 

[DonB]

I FINALLY had the issue resolved. Unbelievable. I went through so many people, managers, emails etc. Thank you to all who had input on this!

Let is know what they did, report back with the update. Remember other read these forums and it might just help someone else

 

[jackroo]

Let is know what they did, report back with the update. Remember other read these forums and it might just help someone else

Hi Don! Sorry I completely forgot to tell what happened! My bad!

I was in a back and forth email relay with a Sprint Cares rep and it was getting nowhere. The replies were slow, not going anywhere and I wasn't getting results I wanted.

A few nights ago I was fed up so I was determined to call in person to a representative and keep climbing the ladder until I reached someone higher up. It took me well over an hour, 3 departments, and several people until I finally reached the cancellation department. I was told the call volume was high and that if I gave my number that they would call me back. I was okay with that. About ten minutes later I received a call from the manager supervisor of the cancellation department. I remained CALM (key point here) and explained my situation 100% truthfully and told him that if things could not be worked out that I would be forced to leave because my bill would be too high. I told him I didn't want to leave. After about 10 or so minutes he finally agreed to put the third device on seasonable standby which ultimately lowers my bill.

I would say the key point to dealing with any carrier is this:

1) remain calm. No one will take you seriously if you get all worked up.

2) be prepared to stay on the phone at least an hour or more

3) politely ask to speak with someone higher up until you reach them. You may get put on hold but in my case it helped. I had to wait for a call back in my case.

4) Don't email the carrier. It won't help. It's basically back and forth and ultimately you're left hearing stuff that sounds like it's from a standard form letter.

This took up a good part of my evening but I got the result I was looking for.

 

[drexappeal]

Sorry, I'm still a little confused on what happened. Are you saying this is what happened:

1) Phone screen on S3 broke
2) Purchased pre-owned S3 on separate line w/ new 2 year aggreement.
3) Phone with broken S3 was still active and they would not terminate line.

I'm curious why you didn't just purchase a used phone, off contract, and then activate the new phone on your existing line. Why add an additional line? Was it just to save up front costs of a replacement phone?

No offense and I'm not trying to be rude, but if the main purpose was to get a phone so that potential employers could call me, I'd personally just get a basic flip phone for the line that was connected to my broken S3 and once I had a new job, I'd just use my upgrade eligibility once I had a new job. It doesn't cost any money (no activation fee required), if you activate another phone that you already own, on an existing account. I've done it several times, where I've sold my smartphone prior to upgrading, and just temporarily used an old sprint flip phone. They didn't charge me activation because it was not a "new" phone that I upgraded to.

That definitely doesn't excuse the employees acting the way that they did to you, but if I were in the same situation, the last thing I'd want to do is add any additional debt until I were employed again. The additional $10 premium data fee, just to have a smartphone, wouldn't be worth it for me until I had a job. Just my .02.

 

[jackroo]

Thanks guy but I was also in a situation where I needed a smartphone. I didn't have wifi access in my apartment and needed to look for jobs, email etc. Looking back now yes, I could've made a different choice like the one you suggested, but I think it worked out in the end. I'm happy with this phone and now I have a job again.

 

[drexappeal]

Thanks guy but I was also in a situation where I needed a smartphone. I didn't have wifi access in my apartment and needed to look for jobs, email etc. Looking back now yes, I could've made a different choice like the one you suggested, but I think it worked out in the end. I'm happy with this phone and now I have a job again.

See, you hadn't explained that, so it makes more sense that you needed a smartphone and I definitely understand why now.

I still likely wouldn't have added an additional line for another 2 years. That's $360 of committed money. Just in case you didn't know it was an option, you can purchase any used smartphone and have that activated on your existing line (at anytime), even if you're locked in to a new 2 year agreement. They don't really care what phone you are actually using, it's more-so that you stick with Sprint for 2 years. Sprint has been very understanding, whenever I've mentioned needing to bring my phone in for repair, so I've had them activate a spare phone and have never been activation fee, with exception to a single instance where a rep mis-keyed the info.

For this reason, I've always kept at least one spare Sprint smartphone.