Cell Phone Hell

Why is it that service means so very little to institutions today? 

I got so mad this evening that my hands were shaking...so silly to let something so small get me so throughly ticked, but it did.  Let me explain. 

Back in August we FINALLY decided to replace Shayna's cell phone for her.  She had pretty much mangled the old one after a series of drops - and while still operable, it was looking pretty ghetto.   Thank goodness for the insurance we pay for right?  WRONG!  We pay $5.99 a month for phone insurance for several years now (which, in hindsight is rather silly for a phone in the price range of hers).  When I called the problem in, we were two days too early to receive the "new plan deductible" so because of those two days the deductible was $70 instead of the $40 that it would have been if I had just waited two more days! ARGH.  Whatever though, I managed to let go of that bum deal pretty easily.  

What really hacked me off though is that when we got the "new" phone - which is actually a refurbished phone, Shayna immediately started having problems with it.  It would not hold a charge, kept locking up and going to a black screen when trying to text, etc.  I of course called the problem in and was told that it sounded like a common problem that a new battery would solve.  I requested a new phone instead, said that I really didn't see how a battery would solve things.  However, they know more than I do about these things, so I conceded easily and agreed to try the battery.  We made every attempt to solve the issues on our side when the new battery arrived.  Still, problems - the same exact problems as before except that this time the phone held a charge better than it did with the other battery.  

I called in tonight to get them to just replace the phone this time since it has not worked properly since getting it...only to be told that we would have to pay a new deductible.  Why you ask?  Because they claim a dot on the back of the phone that is red indicates that the phone has been exposed to moisture or water of some sort and therefore the warranty on the phone is not valid.  Ummm...excuse me?  The problems were here when we received the freaking phone! I have documented that with them since the week after receiving the phone and yet they will not stand behind it and send us a new phone? 

To add insult to injury, they continuously placed me on hold and transferred me around.  First I was with a claims adjustor, then I went to technical support - he proceded to tell me he couldn't replace the phone without a deductible payment - so I asked for a manager.  I was sent to another claims adjustor who after listening, then telling me the same thing as the tech support guy said she would send me to a manager.  I sat on hold for 4.5 minutes then got Lillian - she had absolutely nothing new to say, just listened again, and spouted off the same thing.  When I told her that if they did not stand behind the piece of junk they sent me and replace it with a new one I would file a complaint with the BBB she said that since I had threatened to file a complaint then she had to send me to another department.  I then reached David McMillian who said absolutely nothing new - had no new information except that, again...not replacing the phone.  So, really....I have to wonder...what exactly was the point of passing me to all of the various "managers" etc?  Just wasting my time?  In all, I spent almost a full hour getting absolutely nowhere with any of their representatives.  

I am more than mad at this point!  There may be nothing I can really do to change the outcome of this, but you can bet money that I will have a very strongly worded and documentation filled letter arriving at the BBB in short order.  Probably won't do me any good....but at least I will feel better about not just dropping it and letting them win without some sort of fight.  Grrr...