Ordinarily I wouldn’t name any company outright on my blog, after all why give press to a company that clearly doesn’t deserve any – even if it is just here on my relatively unknown blog. However, in this particular instance customers deserve to know so they won’t bother wasting their time.
Yesterday one of my close relatives rolls up to the local T-Mobile store in the Dallas, Texas area. The intention behind this visit to T-Mobile was to obtain a new phone number. Pretty basic one would assume, after all the more active phone numbers a cell phone provider has in operation then the more money they make off customers… but whatever… After being greeted by one of the store clerks the following conversation ensues:
Clerk: What can I do for you today?
Relative: I would like to get a new cell phone number.
Clerk: Um, we don’t have any cell phone numbers available right now.
Relative: Isn’t this store a cell phone service provider?
Clerk: Yes, we just don’t have any cell phone numbers available right now.
2nd Clerk who steps in: He’s right, we don’t have any numbers available right now.
Relative: Ok, well isn’t that like going to the grocery store and them telling you they don’t have groceries?
Clerk: Um yeah, I guess so…
Relative: Well maybe you need to put a sign on the door that says “T-Mobile is out of phone numbers” and then close up shop for the day.
My relative then left but was so put-off by the experience that she called T-Mobile customer service who advised that phone numbers with certain area codes were becoming scarce in her local area. My relative was given the choice of opting for a new area code – to which she agreed. She was then given a selection of various new phone numbers to choose from. Need met, problem solved.
Not very complicated at all, so WTF you stupid store clerks?! Not only did you jeopardize losing a customer but you didn’t even have enough sense as men to find a way to keep my very hot looking relative in your store longer. Total fail on your part you idiots!
As for T-Mobile itself, there are obviously some staff training and other business issues going on... So attention T-Mobile: It doesn’t take a business genius with an MBA to realize that if you want to retain existing customers and increase your market share then you had better ensure you have enough phone numbers to meet consumer demand. …I’m just saying…
Training will not solve the absence of some common dog!
ReplyDeleteAnd some businesses wonder why they fail. Feel free to use this example in your future business consulting -- under the category of what not to do when you want to succeed!
ReplyDelete