Sprint Customer Service Sucks!

As most people know, I am a total technology junkie! I love my iPad, my iPod Touch, and just about any other device that does cool stuff. I would kill for an iPhone, but I would rather gnaw off my arm than get my cell service from AT&T, so I haven’t taken the leap. This and the monthly service for an iPhone is about $120 per month. If I wanted them to treat me that way…. I would ask them to kiss me first.

I’ve been doing without a smartphone for about 2 years. I do like my Samsung Rant, but besides talking on the phone and texting, it’s not that helpful. The one thing I do love about it is the sliding QWERTY keyboard that enables old guys like me to effectively text. Kids can text on a regular phone pad blindfolded which being chained to a log and submerged underwater. I’m up to texting around 4,000 per month, so the slide and type has become very helpful.

Last month I discovered that Sprint was putting out the Samsung Epic 4G. This is a souped up smartphone with a 4” AMOLED screen, 5 megapixel camera, and an HD Video Camera. If what I just typed seems like a different language....just trust me when I say it's very cool!!! It’s part of Samsung’s new Galaxy S line of smartphones, powered by Android. While I have been loyal to Apple, I have noticed that Android is making headway. The best part is that while all four major carriers will have a Galaxy S handset, Sprint is the only one that is including a sliding QWERTY keyboard. Jackpot! I need this thing yesterday……

I start following a bunch of technology mags to try to get a handle on the release date. Finally I find out that it’s coming out on August 31st, and that as a Premiere customer, I will have first shot at reserving a phone to be picked up at my local Sprint store. So…as so as they start taking reserviations, I jump on line and sign up. Awesome! The phone will be waiting at the MacArthur Rd. store at 8am on Tuesday, August 31st. May cut my workout short so I can get there early.

A few days later I realized…..I’m gonna be at the beach on the 31st…..until the night of the 2nd. Sprint will release my phone when I’m not around to pick it up. Shit! I can’t wait to go to the beach, but I want my phone, dammit. I wouldn’t be so upset, but Sprint’s first 4G phone, the HTC EPO is about 30 days backordered. You can’t get one without bribing a Sprint Representative. Ugh!!!

Wait a minute I figure.....this will all be ok. I’m a Premiere customer, right. I call the store and tell them my story. I ask them if they can hold the phone for me until I get in on the 2nd. No shot. I offer to pay for it in advance so they won’t be taking a financial risk. Can’t even sell the products until the 31st. Can I have someone pick it up for me? Nope….the phone has to be active when it leaves the store, so my current cell would be dead. Nope….sucks to be me. Ok….I call Sprint Customer Service. They tell me they can’t make the stores do anything…I am at their mercy. She suggests going to the nearest Sprint store or Best Buy to the beach, which is about 30 miles into Salisbury, MD. I politely decline as I would probably be decapitated if I tried to take ½ day of beach time to get a new cell phone. At the end of a very frustrating conversation, the operator (who was at least very nice), asked me if she was able to help me. I said….what do you think?

So….please someone tell me. You have a 12 year customer who wants to buy your new product and is willing to pay now and take delivery later….couldn’t we work that out? Nope.....because they're bastards!