July 11th, 2008 by Kathie Legg
So, I am not what you would call a “techie.” I don’t have to be first in line for every new gadget. I don’t own an iPod. I don’t even own a television.
However, my Blackberry (which I loved very much) went missing a couple weeks ago, and with that event, I realized it was time for an upgrade in my technology.
Since, I was due for a new phone, I figured I could sign up to get an iPhone. I went to an AT&T store to try to do this. The sales associate was nice; he said I could buy a Curve temporarily and then return it for an iPhone two weeks later.
This sounded good to me, and this is what I tried to do this morning.
I showed up at the AT&T store at 6:00 a.m. and waited with other patient iPhone-hopefuls for two hours for the store to open.
When I got inside, what seemed like some exclusive club, the sales associate told me an exchange was going to be too hard and too slow because their systems were moving very slowly. He suggested that I get some slip or some other thing and then come back a few days later. I said no, I have been waiting here since 6:00 a.m.
So, with that, he exchanged the phone. But then said their printers were down so I could not get any physical paper work to sign. I don’t know about you, but I like to read contracts before I sign them. I also like a representative to outline the terms with me. Since, I have never had an iPhone, I really would have liked to get extra time and attention with a knowledgable tech guru.
He said he would email me the paperwork.
Then he handed me the phone and told me to set it up at home. I said I wasn’t going home; I was headed straight to work, so I’d like them to set up the phone right then and there.
They said because the system was overloaded and they could not do that, and that I needed to set it up at work or home.
I was nervous. Again, I am no tech guru and I certainly wanted a working phone right away. I didn’t understand how a piece of shiny plastic they just sold me was going to automatically sync up with my old phone number from my Blackberry.
Confused, I left the store, feeling half-assured as the rep said: Call me if you have any questions and I will walk you through this.
Well, I tried to set the phone up at work and still…I sit with no phone. (And no voicemail apparently…once that rep took that sim card out of my Blackberry, I guess my voicemail was deactivated).
I called the store. They couldn’t walk me through it.
Hmmm…my feeling right now: this is a tough economy, and while $199 is a good price for a new phone, I expected better service. I expected the process to be seamless. I mean, this is Apple, right? King of all things modern, clean and streamlined?
I should have walked into AT&T with a Blackberry and walked out with a working iPhone and a smile.
-A frustrated friend of mine
July 13th, 2008 at 1:21 pm
This is actually very common for the new iPhone- take a look at some of the reports from Engadget, cnet and others about the early adopters and the problems people are having with activation, etc.
Apple sure does know how to create hype, perhaps more than they know how to handle!