Wednesday, January 20, 2010

Why TMobile and Blackberry Need Better Customer Service Plans

My month old Blackberry decided to quit holding a charge a couple of days ago. Literally, it would be charged to 100 %, sit for an hour and be completely dead...to the point it would shut off. Today I took it back to the TMobile store where I purchased it originally. In what seemingly took forever, the "solution" is that Blackberry will send me a new battery (ground shipping, taking 7 to 10 days) at which point I can test that out. If that new battery still doesn't hold a charge, then they'll send me a new phone, taking another 7 to 10 days. So potentially, I could be without my phone for the better part of a month.

In the meantime, TMobile offered me a "loaner phone", which they charged my account $53 for (which I will be credited back when I return the piece o' junk). Oh, and it's water damaged, which you better believe I made them fill out paperwork stating I received it in that condition. I'm fairly certain the phone they gave me is the original cell phone. It has huge buttons and does nothing but make calls. Here's the rub. I pay good money for a BB Data plan. When asked if they'd prorate or credit my account for the days I will be unable to use my BB, I was told "no, we don't do that."

So, by no fault of my own, I have a BB that I can't use, a basic cell phone that doesn't perform the functions that my BB did and which I am still being charged for. Something doesn't seem right with that. Further, the fact that BB ships ground unless I want to pay $20 for UPS to replace a defected battery that their company produced seems ludicrous to me.

For now, I'll just have to suck it up and deal, but I have a feeling by this afternoon I will have decided to call Blackberry, TMobile, Better Business Bureau and anyone else who I can think of. Deep breaths....I just keep telling myself, "Deep Breaths!"

4 comments:

Joanne said...

I've found the technology companies seem to operate in this way, and so I try to have as little interaction as I can with them. Good luck :/

Terry L said...

Sounds pretty ridiculous. If they are sending a new battery anyways, why not just give you one off the shelf at the store and have RIM send it to the store. No down time, no crappy loaner phone...

Nancy said...

Wow that sucks!
I bought an IPhone in October and I have been thrilled by the phone and the service. I had a Blackberry through Sprint for a year or so and the phone and the service sucked.
Heck, my IPhone froze one day. I went on my computer to try and troubleshoot. Couldn't find an answer, had an option there to have a tech CALL ME. Did it, 2 minutes later they called, we hooked it up to ITunes, fixed the problem and I was on my way in less than five minutes. From My Home.
Hope you get results!

Moxymama said...

Joanne, there are days when I strongly think about eliminating every technological advancement from my home. :)
Terry, thanks for the practical sense comment. I wish someone at BB or Tmobile has thought of that solution.
Nancy, yes I am hoping this is not a sign of things to come. My brother, a major Mac proponent, mocks me everytime something happens with my phone or computer and tells me that is what I get for not having a mac or iphone. I suppose he's right. :) Like you, most people rave about their customer service.