Cell Phones VS Cars
So it has been talked about enough. There is nothing better to compare using, owning, and buying a cell phone to than the same with a car. Specifically servicing, insurance, and regular maintainance. Just wanted to get some discussion rolling on this topic and see what everyone else thinks.
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Oh when I was a rep I (and everyone else around me) used that one all the time for analogys.
If someone claimed the faceplate just came off and demanded a new one free, it would be : "Well if you hit a pot hole with your brand new car after driving it off the sales lot and lost a hub cap, the dealer wouldn't give you another one free, but they would sell you one"
Another one we got to use frequently was warranty stuff. Someone broke their phone-so because they can't use the service they're paying for, it's the providers responsibility to give them a new phone at no cost: "We'll sir/ma'am, we're sorry to hear you let your 2-year-old play with your phone while in the shopping cart who threw it down and smashed it all to pieces. Your war...
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If someone claimed the faceplate just came off and demanded a new one free, it would be : "Well if you hit a pot hole with your brand new car after driving it off the sales lot and lost a hub cap, the dealer wouldn't give you another one free, but they would sell you one"
Another one we got to use frequently was warranty stuff. Someone broke their phone-so because they can't use the service they're paying for, it's the providers responsibility to give them a new phone at no cost: "We'll sir/ma'am, we're sorry to hear you let your 2-year-old play with your phone while in the shopping cart who threw it down and smashed it all to pieces. Your war...
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how about this one?
"I need my phone! I use it for business. Every minute I'm without my phone I'm losing money!"
Well you need your car to get to work. If you make SO much money and your car is SO important, pay to get it fixed, or get another one to use as a backup. And if it can't be repaired, time to go talk to your insurance company, nothin else I can do.
"I need my phone! I use it for business. Every minute I'm without my phone I'm losing money!"
Well you need your car to get to work. If you make SO much money and your car is SO important, pay to get it fixed, or get another one to use as a backup. And if it can't be repaired, time to go talk to your insurance company, nothin else I can do.
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I always use cable TV as a comparison, too.
Customer: "I've been a customer for x number of years, I deserve a new phone that works."
Me: "When your TV breaks, does your cable company give you a new one? Or even a discount on a new one? No."
Customer: "But, I got this for free when I signed up..."
Me: "Yes, we gave you a discount on the phone so that you would be our customer, be happy for that...but you are not getting a new phone just because you pay your bill every month. You need a new phone, you buy one...just like a TV, or a car, or anything else for that matter."
Customer: "I've been a customer for x number of years, I deserve a new phone that works."
Me: "When your TV breaks, does your cable company give you a new one? Or even a discount on a new one? No."
Customer: "But, I got this for free when I signed up..."
Me: "Yes, we gave you a discount on the phone so that you would be our customer, be happy for that...but you are not getting a new phone just because you pay your bill every month. You need a new phone, you buy one...just like a TV, or a car, or anything else for that matter."
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yeah that's perfect...You didn't need a new T.V. for free as a perk to sign up for cable, but you wanted the *service*, which is what you pay for every month.
The only thing that can get in the way of that one it's not that easy or sometimes even possible to change cable companies. Once a cell phone contract is up, you can take your number and everything and it's quite easy.
In that case you have to counter the "joe schmo can walk in off the street and get a free phone where as I have been a loyal customer for x years and I don't think you should charge me" arguement with: " Well, you were once joe schmo that walked in off the street and got a free phone...and if you chose to pay for one, you still had the option of getting one free....
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The only thing that can get in the way of that one it's not that easy or sometimes even possible to change cable companies. Once a cell phone contract is up, you can take your number and everything and it's quite easy.
In that case you have to counter the "joe schmo can walk in off the street and get a free phone where as I have been a loyal customer for x years and I don't think you should charge me" arguement with: " Well, you were once joe schmo that walked in off the street and got a free phone...and if you chose to pay for one, you still had the option of getting one free....
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Bah! All he has to do is take it to a corporate store and they can probably swap out the battery and/or phone.
And don't get the razr...it sucks. It looks cool, but inside, it's got the brains of a block of cheese. At least the Blade (A900) has music, video, tv, all that good stuff. And it's $350, not $400.
And don't get the razr...it sucks. It looks cool, but inside, it's got the brains of a block of cheese. At least the Blade (A900) has music, video, tv, all that good stuff. And it's $350, not $400.
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Whenever I've had my car worked on, I've always been given a loaner, for free. It's part of customer service. Car dealerships know I'm paying them money for their service and for the car I bought from them. They try to keep me happy, so that when I need to purchase a new car, I'm more than likely going back to the same dealership.
Now, I'm not saying it's the same with Cell companies. They should try to be more lenient with customers. For instance, reguarding the post about the cable and tv set. If my tv set goes out, sure, I can't call up TimeWarner and ask for a new one, but I can cancel my cable until I replace the set. You can't do that with a cell phone provider. With Sprint, you can't even drop down to a lower plan without...
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Now, I'm not saying it's the same with Cell companies. They should try to be more lenient with customers. For instance, reguarding the post about the cable and tv set. If my tv set goes out, sure, I can't call up TimeWarner and ask for a new one, but I can cancel my cable until I replace the set. You can't do that with a cell phone provider. With Sprint, you can't even drop down to a lower plan without...
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You can suspend your account if you do not have a phone. Just ask for a vacation plan.
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No it does not...people do that if they don't have a phone to use, and can't afford to buy another one...
I have never seen it lengthen the contract...
I have never seen it lengthen the contract...
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Wow, that's a pretty good idea then. That'd come in handy, like, let's say the service gets really bad and I decide to switch companies. I can just go on the vacation plan and sign up with the new company. May be cheaper than paying the ETF. Too bad Cingular didn't have one of them.
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Yes it does! If you alter your rate plan after the 90 period after activation it will require your contract to start over.
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Altering the plan does. But temporarily suspending the account because you cant use the phone doesnt. Military is the easy one. if someone is deployed you can put the plan on hold or cancel it with no ETF. If you are going somewhere where the carrier doesn't have service, like overseas, you can put it on hold.
I've even heard of people just moving, and not having service there cuz they moved to the boonies of Arkansas or whatever and Sprint letting them out with no ETF. They had to provide proof such as a utility bill at the new address though.
I've even heard of people just moving, and not having service there cuz they moved to the boonies of Arkansas or whatever and Sprint letting them out with no ETF. They had to provide proof such as a utility bill at the new address though.
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This reminds me......I need to change the oil in my mm9000 and change the csa on my 'vette. 🤣 Thanks guys, don't know what I'd do without ya!
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