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View Full Version : Need advice w/ frustrating situation re: lockline


BJGFSU
12-10-2004, 11:00 PM
Hey everyone. I've been reading the posts for a few weeks and really think you could all help. I apologize in advance for the lenght of this story. I'm a poor graduate student on internship, and can barely scratch by as it is. My 5300's port stopped working in october, and since I had it just 11 months I had no choice but to purchase a new phone from Radio Shack with no incentives. It was a Sunday, and when they tried to activate my phone in-store they told me they were doing maintence and I would have to make the ESN swap call myself later that day.
When I called that evening, the rep did the swap and stated I had to leave the phone off for 4-6 hours to let the swap take place. I also wanted to activate the insurance. The rep said I could, and transferred me over to the lockline people. Lockline said it would have to make a test call, which I know is standard, but what I realize now was ridiculous was that it made the test call attempts while the phone was in the process of being activated, making it impossible for me to receive the insurance test calls. At the time I was unaware anything had went wrong. I lost the phone in the last week, and tried calling for a replacement. They explained to me that the test calls had never been received, and could not replace the phone.

What I'm hoping is that someone here can tell me where I might take my complaint, which is that the customer service rep transferred me to the insurance setup without explaining what would happen, and that it was impossible for the insurance and ESN to be activated at the same time. Had it been explained properly, I would have at least known to call again to set up the insurance and wouldnt be in this lousy situation. I already have a retention plan stemming from a period earlier this year when Sprint didn't send me a bill for FIVE months despite numerous complaint calls when they screwed up my online bill pay registration. Even if they cannot offer me a new phone for just the deductable, any sort of price reduction would at least help me somewhat.

Thanks for any tips or ideas you can provide me with.

service4life01
12-14-2004, 10:37 AM
Hey everyone. I've been reading the posts for a few weeks and really think you could all help. I apologize in advance for the lenght of this story. I'm a poor graduate student on internship, and can barely scratch by as it is. My 5300's port stopped working in october, and since I had it just 11 months I had no choice but to purchase a new phone from Radio Shack with no incentives. It was a Sunday, and when they tried to activate my phone in-store they told me they were doing maintence and I would have to make the ESN swap call myself later that day.
When I called that evening, the rep did the swap and stated I had to leave the phone off for 4-6 hours to let the swap take place. I also wanted to activate the insurance. The rep said I could, and transferred me over to the lockline people. Lockline said it would have to make a test call, which I know is standard, but what I realize now was ridiculous was that it made the test call attempts while the phone was in the process of being activated, making it impossible for me to receive the insurance test calls. At the time I was unaware anything had went wrong. I lost the phone in the last week, and tried calling for a replacement. They explained to me that the test calls had never been received, and could not replace the phone.

What I'm hoping is that someone here can tell me where I might take my complaint, which is that the customer service rep transferred me to the insurance setup without explaining what would happen, and that it was impossible for the insurance and ESN to be activated at the same time. Had it been explained properly, I would have at least known to call again to set up the insurance and wouldnt be in this lousy situation. I already have a retention plan stemming from a period earlier this year when Sprint didn't send me a bill for FIVE months despite numerous complaint calls when they screwed up my online bill pay registration. Even if they cannot offer me a new phone for just the deductable, any sort of price reduction would at least help me somewhat.

Thanks for any tips or ideas you can provide me with.
BJ, sorry to hear what happened to you, from a Lockline standpoint, the insurance wasn't added, plain and simple, not to sound cold and sorry if it does, I would recommend you go back to that particular store and have a discussion with the manager or his superior about the training opportunities in his stores.

MsRandall
12-14-2004, 10:43 AM
This is a hard one...I dont think you will get anyone to bend on this one. Lockline explains the process on the phone about the test call...The rep should have known this...sheesh. It doesnt hurt to try and get a credit for a phone or something.

Why did you buy a phone ...the 5300 should have still been under warranty at 11 months??? You could have gotten a replacement

DF@Work
12-14-2004, 10:55 AM
You can argue it (nicely) with Lockline. Have them check the 'notes' on your account to see if it was added. If it indicates that Lockline service was added to the account, then you 'might' have a chance of them covering it.

macaddiict
12-14-2004, 11:06 AM
Do they do test calls when activating new equipment? I would think you could argue it from the standpoint of "Why is a test call necessary... I bought the phone and added insurance within 24 hours... and only now claiming it."

HOWEVER -- if it has been a few months and you haven't been charged for it on any of your invoices, you're probably out of luck. A smart rep might think of that and argue with you about it, but if you get to average joe who just wants to fix your problem and go to lunch, you might just get them to work with you...

DF@Work
12-14-2004, 11:08 AM
Make sure you approach in a nice calm manner. Advise them it is a new phone, and if the notes concur, then you never know.

macaddiict
12-14-2004, 11:21 AM
Make sure you approach in a nice calm manner.

Quite possibly the best advice I've ever read on this forum... it should be a bumper sticker.

DF@Work
12-14-2004, 12:16 PM
I've worked a callcenter once (or twice or...) we're all human.

service4life01
12-17-2004, 10:34 AM
if the insurance is added at the inital point of activation, no test call necessary, brand new phone, if a customer walks out of the store and comes back 5 minutes later, test call from lockline needs to be done, who is to say phone wasn't dropped on the sidewalk outside or something.

 
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