Out-Of-Towners

(After I move from a big city to a remote town, I need to call my cell phone provider to make a few changes to my account. The worker who answers the phone after about a fifteen minute wait time is talking with a very heavy accent. It is clear that she was either a first generation immigrant, or is working in a call center in another country.)

Worker: “Thank you for reaching [Cell Phone Company]. How may I help you?”

Me: “Hi. I need to change my local call zone as I have moved, and I would like to change my pre-paid plan for a regular plan.”

Worker: “We can only treat one issue per call. You will have to call back for the second one.”

(At this point I think this to be very bad customer service, but assume it wouldn’t do any good to argue.)

Me: “Well, okay… Let’s start with the local call zone. I recently moved from [Big City] to [Remote Town].”

Worker: *after about five seconds* “I can’t find [Remote Town]. Do you have another city?”

(Again, I find this odd, but I figure the other towns around would still be in the same zone. However, those other towns have complicated names, and it’s safe to assume that someone who never heard of them would make a spelling mistake while searching for those towns in a database.)

Me: “Okay, what about [Town #2]?”

Worker:  *after a few seconds only* “I don’t have that. Do you have another town?”

Me: “Hmm… maybe [Town #3]?”

Worker: *after a few seconds again* “I don’t have that. Do you have another town?”

(At this point, I’m about 100% sure she didn’t spell the names right, because I know this company has cell phone coverage in the area I’m in.)

Me: “Are you sure you’re spelling the names right? Those towns have tricky names and—”

Worker: *cutting me off* “Yes, sir, I’m sure. I don’t have those places in my list. Do you have another town?”

Me: “Well, the next town over is about 500 km from where I live, so I guess not.”

Worker: “Okay. Since we haven’t been able to resolve your first issue, we can go ahead and change your plan without you having to call back. So, what plan would you be interested in today?”

Me: “Is this serious? You cannot set me up in a local call zone, and now you expect me to stay with your company, AND to switch from my pre-pay plan to a regular plan?”

Worker: “Well, we have a lot of good plans.”

Me: “Never mind.” *click*

(I called their competitor, and got everything working the way I wanted within the hour. And they have actual decent customer service!)