We are thinking (well, we thought and we acted on it) about switching to Sprint for our cell phone coverage. After 9 years of AT&T, tea re switching. Although, I switched 2 years ago. So, maybe it’s not that big of a deal…
So, I’m out running some errands a couple of days ago and see a Sprint Store in a nearby strip mall. Fortunately, they weren’t busy and I received attention right away. Unfortunately, I was wearing some of the worst of my paint clothes. Not exactly the time to be shopping for professional gadgets. As I walked in, I was keenly aware of this and realized it might be a small lesson in social mores.
As I mentioned, I was immediately and warmly greeted by Heather, the sales associate there. OK, it’s going to be ok. I proceed to explain my plight in paying too much for “air” and she helps me. She’s good. She PRINTS OUT options for us and clearly explains how she is going to help us. And she actively engages in helping me. Previous sales associates at other Sprint Stores and AT&T were, ummm, helpful to some degree. But they seemed to approach my issue from their viewpoint. Not really how they could HELP me but just going thru their “choices” without really understanding what I needed. I don’t need internet. I certainly don’t need TV. And home automation? How can AT&T help beyond what I can do on my own with known smart devices and even Apple itself…
But I digress. Heather was different. She understood. Sort of…
She went thru various scenarios and I asked several questions and remarkably, she actually KNEW the answers! But the, at some point, I think the “blue collar painter guy” mode kicked in. I asked about the supposed “unlimited” data plan. Her co-worker chimed in, “now music will be limited to 500kbs. Now maybe I just spoke a foreign language to you.”
Umm. Let me see. I was involved in IT for 10 years, 10 years ago. I am an audio professional despite what my clothes say. I think I got this. So, I replied, quickly, a little curtly, but not offensive, “I think I understand.”
Ugh.
We continue the process and Heather clearly explains that we can bring our phones in and they would be happy to transfer all of data to the new phones.
Hmm. No?
We regularly back up our devices to the cloud and/or computers. In fact, I don’t trust Sprint to effectively back up my data and port it over. Trust that they will do it correctly or trust that they won’t copy my data and mine it for details.
Nope. We got this.
Honestly, I give them a little grace. Middle-aged, fat, bald white guy in glasses with painted clothes… They’ve seen this before. And true to typical stereotype, they don’t know kbs from KGB. But “they” isn’t me.
Perhaps I should have flashed my stainless AppleWatch…
