Bell Mobility Serves You... With a Side of Ketchup

First, I have received three phone calls from Bell Mobility telling me that I have won a free, $800 iPhone... all I need to do is sign up for a minimum $50/month three year deal ($1800) to get it! What a deal. *sarcasm

Secondly, I have to endure the heavily, heavily accented Indian who calls to inform me of this deal. I can barely understand his English, yet he claims his name is "John" (today), "Stan" (yesterday), and "Mike" (the first day). Of course it is. *sarcasm

Thirdly, I argued with Mike for a while about getting them to send me the phone but I don't want a new plan or any service on it. "But how can you use the service?" he asked. "I don't want to use the service," I reply. "Either I won a free phone or I didn't. If I have, then send me the phone. I'll either give it away, sell it, or get my own plan at my leisure."

Moments away talking in a language that definitely isn't English, and is not a romance/latin-based language either. "No, I'm sorry, we cannot do that. You have to pay for a monthly plan to get the free phone."

"Well, then, it isn't free, is it?"

Bell Mobility should get a new Indian calling center if they are going to outsource this, one that does a better job of teaching its clients English and English/American accents. And don't open with the line "John, you have been selected to win a free iPhone" if you don't mean it. Not everyone you call is a rube or a newb or an idiot... If I have to pay you, then it isn't free. Best case, there are call centers right here in SJ who employ many people who speak very good English who could be making these calls... why not employ them.

My ire doesn't end there. I call Bell Mobility's customer service phone number. I get Kathy, Katy, something that started with a K sound. I told her I was receiving annoying spam calls to my home phone number from Bell Mobility. She said, "I can't help you. If they are to your home number, then you have to call the Bell Home customer service. Or, I guess I could transfer you." Gee, you think? I agreed that she could, indeed, transfer me.

I got Natalie. I told her the same thing and she immediately typed my home number into their Do Not Call list. But then she said, "To stop the Bell Mobility calls, I'll have to transfer you to their Customer Service line. We are separate businesses and I can't...".

No.

I curtly explained that I had spoken to them, they had transferred me to you, and you, Natalie, are now going to help me with this problem. I will not be speaking with anyone else (except maybe your manager) to resolve this issue. The Bell Mobility support agent proved incompetent and unaware of her company's system/procedures, why would I give them a second chance?

"Let me see what I can do," said Natalie. A quick discussion with her manager later and sure enough, Natalie could help me.

Turns out, she simply called the Bell Mobility customer support number on a separate line, relayed my Bell Mobility number, and asked them to place me on their Do Not Call List. Good enough for me-- she solved my problem like a good customer support person should. She thought outside the box and left me as a happy customer after an initially poor reception at her company.

And that's the end result, isn't it? The first girl took an unhappy customer and made him even more unhappy. Natalie, on the other hand, made that very unhappy customer happy again. Bell in general, and Mobility in particular, needs to hire a few more Natalies and fire a few K-whateverhernamewas's.

Now, let's see if "Stan" or "Mike" or "John" call back tomorrow. *sigh