An Utterly INFURIATING Experience

We have AT&T even though we hate it.  Why?  Because my parents use AT&T and they offered to put us on their plan, which would save us some money.  I swore AT&T off several years ago when we moved houses and had no reception at our house.  When I called to inform AT&T, they said, "Sorry, but you have a contract.  If you want out of it, you have to pay."  Never mind that THEIR END of the contract said they would provide PHONE SERVICE.  Ugh.

Well, this week, I cracked my screen (again).  After an hour on the phone, I finally got someone who said my dad was eligible for an upgrade and if we wanted to, he could upgrade and I could get his new phone.  But we had to go in together.  (UGH.  I hate that place.)  So we arranged for Mom to watch the kids Friday afternoon.  I had the day off, Dad had the afternoon off, and we headed out.

After TWO HOURS AND TWENTY MINUTES - wait, let's stop there.  I can't make that up, folks. There is something to be said for the question my husband asked, which was "Why in the world did you wait?"  Well, for one, we had arranged childcare.  For two, we both had the afternoon off.  For three, after you wait about forty-five minutes, you're invested.  You've spent nearly an hour and you're not going to waste the time.  Anyway, we talked, met some nice people who were also waiting, and round about the two hour mark, someone comes to ask us what we need specifically.  We say to upgrade to the iPhone 4.  He comes back about 5 minutes later to tell us THEY ARE OUT OF iPHONE 4s.

Excuse me?

I am not generally very outspoken with strangers.  I usually would have said, "Oh, okay."  However, having two children for whom I arranged care and having given up TWO HOURS of a rare day off to be told something that they could have told me when I first walked in the door was infuriating.  A manager came out to talk with us about fifteen minutes later.

I (calmly) asked her why we hadn't been told two hours ago that what we wanted was not even available at her store.  The conversation went something like this:

Her: We don't have time to check the inventory until we sit down with you.  Do you see how busy we are?
Me: How about that lady who has stood at the door with her iPad and done NOTHING since we arrived but check people in?  Are you telling me that when we told her what we wanted she couldn't have checked that for us?
Her: No, she doesn't have access to that, but you could have if you'd gone online.  Our inventory is all posted there.
My Dad: So, you're telling us she doesn't have Internet access?
Her: That is correct. Not on the iPads.
Me: You're telling me you don't have wireless in here?  YOU'RE AT&T!
Her: (blank stare - it could not have been more obvious that this was bull crap!)
Dad: Could she not have gone back to use one of the computers that DOES have Internet access?
Her: No, but you could have online.  Next time, you need to check before you come.

At this point, I'm pretty heated.  We have wasted the entire afternoon because they couldn't check one thing in their computer system, and now she's telling me that I, the consumer, am at fault because I didn't know to check the system.  I reminded her that this was their screw-up, not ours, and asked her how she was going to make it right.  She said we were welcome to pay for an iPhone 5.

As we drove away, (both of us discussing the situation at the top of our lungs) I tried to figure out what had me so upset.  One was that my mother was at home with my kids AGAIN this week.  I hated to put her to that work.  Another was that this was my day off.  I had a million other things to do.  Another was that I DIDN'T GET MY PHONE.  But I think the thing that really hacked me the most was the way the woman addressed us.  Not once did she apologize for the situation, or act like she cared or even understood our frustration.  She literally talked to us like we were dumb kids who couldn't read or something.

Rick, bless him, tried several times throughout the rest of our Valentine's Day to remind me that I was letting this woman ruin my day by dwelling on it.  And he was totally right.  I really did try, but I'm still heated this morning.

I'm pretty sure we'll be dropping AT&T.  And good riddance.