Cricket In Chattanooga TN

[topspin34]

After reading the posts from several other members it seems like the Cricket dealers in other cities are much more friendly and accessible than they are here. In Chattanooga Tennessee, we have one main Cricket store with several other dealers in the area. The problem that have encountered is that a good number of the employees here are very rude, and not very helpful. I have been a Cricket customer for over 10 years as Chattanooga was one of the first markets. On the rare occassion that I have to go into the main Cricket store it is usually because I am having some sort of problem with my phone that I cannot fix. This has happened 3 or 4 times in the last 10 years. Each time I go in for a repair I getv directed to a small waiting room where I am told to take a number. Last week there were 2 people ahead of me. I waited an hour and a half before I was seen, When my number was finally called, I explained to the repair guy what was going on with my phone. He immediately took the defensive, asking me if I had dropped the phone or thrown it in any way. My phone was exactly 3 weeks old and had never been dropped in any way. After this, he made a halfhearted attempt to fix my phone by turning it off and then on then taking the battery out and putting it back in. Then he went to the back room wheer I could hear him laughing and talking with his friend. Then 10 minutes later he came back and said "Sorry dude there's nothing I can do, just read the manual" and handed the phone back to me. I calmly explained that the phone was brand new and shouldn't be doing this. He replied with "I don't know what to tell ya" I asked if I could get a replacement phone that worked correctly (my friend who used to work there told me that when a phone is defective they just send it back and get a credit) so there's no money out of their pocket. He told me to wait again and went to the back. When he reappeared he handed me a new phone and took my old battery out and put it into the new phone. I could tell that he was really annoyed. He then told me that they were going to charge a 10 dollar fee to send the defective phone back. I then asked him if he could transfer my phone numbers over to the new phone. He first said that it would be a 15 dollar fee and then he said that he couldn't do it cause if the problem in the defective phone was in the software it would damage the new phone if the phone numbers were hooked up to the machine that transfers the numbers. Any way it has been this way each time that I have had to come in for repairs. On every other occassion that I have been into the main store the employees are very nice and helpful when they are selling you a phone but rude when you need anything else. It also costs $5.00 to pay your bill there which I never do but I find it odd. I also have a Verizon phone and whenever I have had a problem the guys at Verizon are extremely helpful and accomodating. The difference islike night and day. Don't get me wrong, I am not here to bash Cricket's customer service. I love Cricket for what it is, I was just wondering if any of you had experienced the same thing?

[Gravy Baby]

If you love cricket so much for what it is, you wouldn't post a book on all the bad aspects of Cricket, but the good.

What exactly are you wanting from this post? For people to come together and complain about the service they are provided in a cricket corporate store? What good will that do you and what benefits come from it; none.

I sit here reading your post wasting my time, thinking someone needed some help or had something useful to offer. Instead, you come here crying about some kid in a corporate store giving you attitude.

You complain about the fees, but consider the main goal behind Cricket. UNLIMITED minutes. You think they make their money on the 50 bucks a month you pay them? It's a business. Go pay your 600 a month Verizon bill and enjoy your 2 year contracts.

[cellularone]

I don't see anything wrong with what he posted. I am also unsure why you took such offense at his post. This is supposed to be an open forum. He simply told what had happened to him from personal experience. While it would be great if we could all post about how wonderful Cricket is, it is also important to hear differing opinions as well. I used to live near Chattanooga and used Cricket's service there and I know that their customer service reps are unusually rude. When I lived there, I took my phone in because the screen went blank. I also was treated like I had done something wrong. Now if there's a legitimate complaint why shouldn't he be able to voice it? I have been reading this forum for a while now and I recently got Cricket service again in San Diego. The customer service dept here is wonderful. There is enough space here in cyberland for all to voice their opinions good bad or indifferent. Let's not attack someone because they dare to say something less than glowing about an experience they may have had.

[Gravy Baby]

The point behind a forum is to ask for help and provide solutions/knowledge. Please, tell me what exactly from his post does either? O wait, yes... now I know not to go to Chattanooga, thanks.

[Woof]

Interesting thread. Although I agree it's crap you were treated this way, I have to ask a question?

What did you do to make the situation different? Did you ask for another rep? a manager? Did you escalate the problem beyond the store level?

There are two parts to a bad customer service experience. You happen to be one part. If you don't like how things are going, do something about it. Management actually appreciates it when you give feedback. Bad reps arent good for any company, but it's hard to rectify the problem if no one tells us about it.


As to the $5.00 payment fee. Most if not all wireless companies charge a fee to pay in the store. It's generally because they offer other free options. Paper bill, where you mail in a check and online payments and automatic bill pay via debit or credit card. All free, none requiring an expensive store front.

And for what it's worth, I have been treated the same way you have in a Verizon store. Customer service can suck anywhere.

[cellularone]

Well for one people should be warned not to expect a high leel of customer service when going there.

[Woof]

are you referring to Chattanooga or Cricket in general?

[Phelonius]

Cricket reps generally deal with being lied to all day. The demographic that cricket deals with is much differant than what contract companies have. You should have escalated the problem to a supervisor. Don't mail your Bill it will take at LEAST two weeks to process. And yes other markets have the same problems with their reps.

[johnw1953]

Cricket bought out a company called ChaseTel around 1998-99 and customer service changed almost immediately. Their attitude was then and is still today we're the cheapest game in town so take it or leave it. I've had a Cricket phone from the very beginning. Coverage has improved but service is still C rated.