Manipulativeness for fun and profit.

[rivka]

Sprint representative: I'm sorry, ma'am, I do see that offer, but it is only available for new lines.
Me: So, what you're saying is that Sprint values the business of a new customer more than they value my business?
Sprint representative: ...

Things various Sprint representatives told me today which turned out not to be true: your current plan is the lowest rate we have, none of our plans have free text-messaging, we don't give out free phones, we don't have any leeway to offer you anything better.

I hate making phone calls, and I don't enjoy haggling with customer service reps. (I know some people actually enjoy calling around and playing different companies off each other. That is so very much not me.) But I lost my cell phone just before I went to San Diego, and I really wanted to find a way to replace it without paying for it. So I called a couple of different companies to find out what they could offer me, and then I called my current carrier.

I was on the phone with Sprint for much longer than I would have liked. I just kept calmly refusing to accept what they offered me, and pointing out that while signing up a new customer does in fact increase the customer base, losing an old customer decreases the customer base and should therefore be considered equally important. I kept stating my position that, as a seven-year customer, I ought to be eligible for their lowest discounts. (Memo to CSRs: don't send someone to your website to look at a cell phone if you plan to charge her more for the phone than the "special web offer" price.)

I finally signed on to a plan that has more minutes and an earlier start to the free evenings, no charge for Michael and I to share the plan, 100 texts each per month at no charge (yeah, I know, to a lot of you that would be insanely and punishingly low, but we don't really text), two free camera phones, free shipping for the phones, and no upgrade fee. For $10 less per month than we're paying now.

I'm pleased with the final deal, but pretty annoyed that it took so much work to get there. Why should I have to practically stand on my head to be offered prices that are clearly available to other customers?

Comments

[ratphooey.livejournal.com]

It boggles my mind. Do they not read the industry literature? It costs three times as much to attract a new customer as it does to retain an existing one. Boneheads.

[charlottezweb.livejournal.com]

Sprint consistently has some of the worst customer service I've ever experienced. An interesting article here about that:

http://articles.moneycentral.msn.com/SavingandDebt/Advice/TheCustomerServiceHallOfShame.aspx

[jinian.livejournal.com]

Good for you on getting through it! That's just the kind of thing I hate too, and my last attempt was made of fail, so success is good to know about.

[firecat]

I don't do this but I'm told that "I want to speak to your manager" are the magic words in these cases because the regular reps aren't authorized to make exceptions but the managers are.

[duane-kc.livejournal.com]

And now you know why I quit being a Sprint Customer Service rep after only three months. Their definition of customer service is almost the same as the old Soviet definition of "pravda" (truth): "customer service" is anything that serves Sprint, to H*ll with the customer.

Someday, they'll piss off their last customer, and I will be there to dance on their corporate grave.