We Would’ve Been Way Less Patient!

In 2018, I was planning an international trip and called my cell phone company to ask about international coverage options. My parents had been to Mexico the year before and were charged unexpected roaming fees, and I wanted to avoid that if I could. 

We’re on a family plan and my dad is the admin. 

I called the company after work one evening at around 5:30 a few weeks before my trip. The employee asked a few questions about our plan and I realized I needed to confirm some information with my dad before I could continue. 

Me: “I’m sorry. I’m not sure about some of the details you’re asking for. I’ll need to check with my dad since he’s the admin on the account. Let me call him, and then I’ll call back once I know more.” 

Employee #1: “I need to know [information] before I can help you.”

Me: “I understand that, but I don’t know it off the top of my head since my father is the account admin and he deals with these details. I need to call him, and then I will get back to you once I know.”

Employee #1: “But if you’ll just tell me [information], I can work out what you’ll need while you’re traveling.”

Me: “And after I speak with my father, I can tell you [information]. But I need to speak with him first.”

The employee still didn’t grasp it, so I finally hung up. I tried to call my dad, but the phone company immediately called me back. 

Employee #2: “Hi. It seems like we were trying to help you with setting up a plan for while you’re traveling. Can you provide [information] and we can look at your options?”

Me: “Yes, I know, but I don’t know [information]. I need to talk to my dad, the account admin, and then I will call back later.”

Employee #2: “If you’ll just tell us [information]—”

I hung up again. 

I called my dad, but he didn’t answer. While I was waiting to hear back from him, I spent more time on the phone company website and realized that I could simply use my phone normally while I was traveling. If I wanted high-speed Wi-Fi, there was a fee, but I could call and text normally for free.

In the meantime, the phone company called me every forty-five minutes to an hour for the rest of the evening. And I ignored it because I hadn’t heard back from my dad and then because I had found the answer to my question already. 

They called again at 10:45 pm! This time, I decided to answer. 

Employee #3: “Hi, we’ve been trying to get ahold of you to answer your question about traveling?”

Me: “And I explained that I would have to call you back. It is now almost 11:00 at night and I am in bed. This is extremely unprofessional. Please stop calling.”

Employee #3: “I’m so sorry. Have a good night.”

Thankfully, that was the last I heard from them about it. I was able to use my phone without any problems while I was in Europe.