Why am I not eligible to get 9700 for $100?

[g_calderone]

I dont understand why I can not get the 9700 at the 100.00 price now after the 50.00 mail in rebate, even thou I am not available for the full discount yet, only half.

2 friends of mine (which live in different states) and were not available for the full upgrade either, walked into a TMobile store and purchased the 9700 for 150.00 and got the 50.00 mail in rebate.

Is it just their luck? Or did I just get a real uptight TMobile rep when I went to the store today?

And not to mention I have a Business account with T Mobile for over 5 years and spend tons of money with them on phone bills.

[Pearl9100]

maybe call retentions? they maybe can help you the most.

i hear that a lotta ppl b*tch to retentions, and they get sweet deals even though they were like 8months into their contracts.

you can try and say your trackball is crappin out on yah too to help your case.

[Armando175]

I was 16 months into my contract when I got my 9700. I got it because I told them that my 8320 kept freezing on me due to low memory, which was true by the way. I didn't speak to retentions though. I just happen to get an awesome customer service lady. She spoke to a supervisor and I got the 9700 8 months before my contract was up but it was for $199.99 when I got it. So I guess it all matters whom you speak to and how you come about it.

[BoldtotheMax]

I must have been lucky and got mine on-sale as I only paid 100 for mine, no rebates or anything...

Even seeing them giving both black and white ones away for free with a 2 year contract...

I guess they are back up there...

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[NorrisCell]

Originally Posted by g_calderone

I dont understand why I can not get the 9700 at the 100.00 price now after the 50.00 mail in rebate, even thou I am not available for the full discount yet, only half.

2 friends of mine (which live in different states) and were not available for the full upgrade either, walked into a TMobile store and purchased the 9700 for 150.00 and got the 50.00 mail in rebate.

Is it just their luck? Or did I just get a real uptight TMobile rep when I went to the store today?

And not to mention I have a Business account with T Mobile for over 5 years and spend tons of money with them on phone bills.

I want you to examine what you're asking. The full discount price is $100 after a $50 rebate. You said you're not eligible for a full discount, hence you're not eligible for the $100 price.

The fact that two people got that price and were not supposed to be eligible indicates that it was an exception. Recently T-Mobile has been relaxing its upgrade times in certain situations. There's no hard and fast guide to which accounts are getting these upgrades early, but in my observations, it has been personal accounts on higher dollar family plans.

Your question about getting an uptight rep makes no sense. You think the reps have power to change upgrade prices? We're on commission. You think he wouldn't rather make money on the upgrade than tell you that you weren't eligible?

Finally, ask anyone who has sold phones for a reasonable length of time and they will tell you that you have committed a very serious faux pas. "I should get this because I spend a lot of money here" is a worthless argument, as well as supremely irritating to people in the cellular industry. You pay your bill in exchange for a service being offered. In this case, phone service. Paying your bill does not entitle you to a special set of rules that differ from normal.

[ctrad45]

You are right on point, Norriscell. That last paragraph couldn't have been put any better. It applies to ALL customer service positions. I've been in retail longer than I care to mention and that line "I spend a ton of money here so can I get a discount?" Or some variation is the absoltute weakest and most irritating argument you can possibly get from a customer. As a customer that's what you do...you pay to get a good or service. As a company or customer service rep my job is to give you what you deserve, within the rules of what you've paid for, at the time you deserve or in some cases, qualify, for.

I've been with T-Mo for 5 years now and bought my 9700 at full retail on release day with my 20 month installment plan under EM+ plan. A month or 2 later they were doing buy one get one at my local T-Mo store. Did I "deserve" that deal? No. I wanted it on release day and paid what it was when I bought it. Them's the breaks.

Ok, I'm off my soap box.

Lol.

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[NorrisCell]

Originally Posted by Pearl9100

i hear that a lotta ppl b*tch to retentions, and they get sweet deals even though they were like 8months into their contracts.

Please don't encourage this behavior.

[NorrisCell]

Originally Posted by ctrad45

You are right on point, Norriscell. That last paragraph couldn't have been put any better. It applies to ALL customer service positions. I've been in retail longer than I care to mention and that line "I spend a ton of money here so can I get a discount?" Or some variation is the absoltute weakest and most irritating argument you can possibly get from a customer. As a customer that's what you do...you pay to get a good or service. As a company or customer service rep my job is to give you what you deserve, within the rules of what you've paid for, at the time you deserve or in some cases, qualify, for.

Thanks for the compliment. You obviously have seen similar situations in your industry.

[OfDoor13]

Originally Posted by NorrisCell

Finally, ask anyone who has sold phones for a reasonable length of time and they will tell you that you have committed a very serious faux pas. "I should get this because I spend a lot of money here" is a worthless argument, as well as supremely irritating to people in the cellular industry. You pay your bill in exchange for a service being offered. In this case, phone service. Paying your bill does not entitle you to a special set of rules that differ from normal.

Lolz, yeah it might be supremely irritating to you grunts/underlings but the sad fact is that IT WORKS, especially with supervisors, otherwise so many people wouldn't do it. My pops got a FREE 9700, 6 months before his contract ended, even though the 3 year contract price is $100...he got to the supervisor and used the standard lines, "been with you guys 10 years, we have multiple phones with you, and are ready to pack up and leave if you do not meet our needs".

Your argument about not having an entitlement as a result of paying off your bills is inherently flawed because it simply doesn't hold water in the real world. First of all, you make it sound like phone companies are doing us a favour, which is a joke. Carriers in North America make huge profits of us consumers, especially when you compare it to the rates in Europe and Asia. To keep those profits coming in they will do whatever they can to keep their customers. This is where the concept of customer service/retention comes into place. And anyone who has spoken with a supervisor and threatened to jump ship knows how desperate these companies are to keep your dollars coming in (I don't know about the States but that's how the Big 3 are here in Canada).

I'm not saying people should get discounts simply for being loyal customers, but the fact is these companies have made thousands of dollars off of us over the years, and for them to go slightly out of there way to accommodate the customer and ensure a satisfactory experience is not an unreasonable request.

[XenomanX]

Originally Posted by ctrad45

You are right on point, Norriscell. That last paragraph couldn't have been put any better. It applies to ALL customer service positions. I've been in retail longer than I care to mention and that line "I spend a ton of money here so can I get a discount?" Or some variation is the absoltute weakest and most irritating argument you can possibly get from a customer. As a customer that's what you do...you pay to get a good or service. As a company or customer service rep my job is to give you what you deserve, within the rules of what you've paid for, at the time you deserve or in some cases, qualify, for.

Exactly. The saying something like that is the same as "I've been driving a Ford for the last 10 years, you should give me a free car!" It just doesn't make sense. It does work on some people and with some accounts, but not for everyone.

And to backup NorrisCell, reps don't have the ability to change phone prices. We're given something to offer and that's what we offer. That's it, if you want to cry to retention about leaving the carrier about the great injustice that's been done to you because you've not been allowed to upgrade your phone 18 months early then you can do so, but even then it's not a guarantee of getting anything better, they may just go ahead and offer to cancel your line(s).

[NorrisCell]

Originally Posted by OfDoor13

Lolz, yeah it might be supremely irritating to you grunts/underlings but the sad fact is that IT WORKS, especially with supervisors, otherwise so many people wouldn't do it. My pops got a FREE 9700, 6 months before his contract ended, even though the 3 year contract price is $100...he got to the supervisor and used the standard lines, "been with you guys 10 years, we have multiple phones with you, and are ready to pack up and leave if you do not meet our needs".

Your argument about not having an entitlement as a result of paying off your bills is inherently flawed because it simply doesn't hold water in the real world. First of all, you make it sound like phone companies are doing us a favour, which is a joke. Carriers in North America make huge profits of us consumers, especially when you compare it to the rates in Europe and Asia. To keep those profits coming in they will do whatever they can to keep their customers. This is where the concept of customer service/retention comes into place. And anyone who has spoken with a supervisor and threatened to jump ship knows how desperate these companies are to keep your dollars coming in (I don't know about the States but that's how the Big 3 are here in Canada).

I'm not saying people should get discounts simply for being loyal customers, but the fact is these companies have made thousands of dollars off of us over the years, and for them to go slightly out of there way to accommodate the customer and ensure a satisfactory experience is not an unreasonable request.

It's interesting to me that you could very well have posted your thoughts without name calling, yet you chose not to. That gives me some insight to your character.

You claim to not be saying people should get a discount for paying their bill, but that's exactly what you're saying if you are advocating that type of behavior. Is "IT WORKS" justification for acting like a spoiled child to a sales rep who has no control over the pricing?

For years the big US carriers offered cheaper service than that of Europe. Only recently have the prices equalized. Companies are there to make money. This is not news. However, handing out upgrades sooner than normal leaves less money for other desirable things, such as more coverage or faster data. So unless your pops truly needed a new phone, he did nothing more than add to the problem. Personally I think three year contracts are garbage, but that doesn't change the situation.

Just because some departments buckle and give people their way doesn't mean my argument doesn't hold water. People have this skewed idea that the company owes them, then claim they're getting bad service if an exception isn't made. Why have policies if they don't matter? And finally, the most important question: Where's the line? At what point, in your enlightened eyes, is the customer wrong? Do my job for a month, and I personally guarantee you will gain a new outlook on phrases like "I've been a good customer" and "I'll go somewhere else".

In then mean time, don't advocate behaviors in situations that you only understand one side of.

[metllicamilitia]

Seriously, I agree with some above posters. Don't complain that you can't get a real cheap price before your upgrade time. Me and my sister were looking at phones to upgrade to even though we knew we weren't eligible for even a half upgrade as it had only been 6 months since we had gotten our Curves.

Yet after inadvertently talking to 5 TMo reps, I got my Bold for $100, a discounted data plan and free expedited shipping. My sister switched to a Nokia E73 which didn't work, so she got a replacement, which also didn't work. So she got the white Bold and has to pay $100 on the next bill extra, plus another $30 or so for a few months afterwards and does not have a discounted data plan anymore due to having to change it for the Nokia and back for the Bold.

All we were doing was trying to get prices and each rep gave us a different story 'cause they wanted us to upgrade and get our money. Other than our last two upgrades the only times we have talked to Customer Care was with issues on the bill, plan or recently with their network at my sisters house.

So just pay your dues and good things will happen more or less accidentally like our Bold upgrade. Good breeds good, bit**ing breeds anger and no help whatsoever.

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[ctrad45]

Lol at "inadvertently talking to 5 T-Mo reps".

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[metllicamilitia]

Originally Posted by ctrad45

Lol at "inadvertently talking to 5 T-Mo reps".

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Its true, we were told to call CC to see what deals they could get us and they kept transferring us, the last one was just luck, someone was supposed to be transferring us to another department and anther rep picked up.

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[Deadlyspic]

my 9700 keeps freezing anyone know why ?