Blog of Wade Making Connexions

Staff Who Follow Stupid Policy

Seth Godin in Small is the New Big, talks about following policy in a post titled A Wake Up Call about Wake Up Calls.

Before going to work out, I called to cancel my wake up so the ringing phone wouldn’t bother the neighbors. The receptionist then asked, “Would you like me to cancel the follow up call as well?”

Obviously, there’s no reason on earth that someone who is already awake and is cancelling their wakeup call would still want to be reminded of the call fifteen minutes later.

 
Yesterday I tried to call T[Life], George Street. After Google failed to turn up the number, I called Telstra’s Mobile division, hoping for an answer on stock levels and options for an iPhone.

The CS rep I spoke to couldn’t help, but offered to connect me to the shop. Unfortunately, she also couldn’t find the number either. After about 5 minutes, we decided it’d be best if I just went to the shop. I continued searching for the number. Eventually, I found it. I called and got an IVR answers saying the mailbox is full. Way to go. I would not like to be the consultant developing this brand¹.

So I went into T[Life], because I couldn’t speak to someone on the phone. I was looking to purchase an iPhone. The first lady I spoke to said sure, as long as I had an active Telstra Account. Well, I don’t have an active account. The T[Life] Lady said sorry she couldn’t help me.

When asking could I sign up for pre-paid on the spot and purchase an iPhone outright at the same time, I was told No. I was told that doing that would violate policy. She referred me to her assistant manager, who confirmed this policy. Dumb founded by a company wanting to turn down $1000, I kept at it with the assistant manager.

I couldn’t believe that I had to convince a company to take my money!

Eventually the assistant manager, Adam, saw the light. Without formally confirming, he managed to communicate to me, that yes, it was possible, but there was a few hoops to jump through. Adam suggested I walked to the Telstra Pitt Street shop and buy a pre-paid sim and get it activated on the spot and then head back with an “active” account for my iPhone.

Stupid, but not a problem. I got an activated pre-paid account, and $25 later was back at T[Life]. The first lady who I’d spoken to before came up to me saying “I’m sorry, Adam made a mistake, our policy doesn’t permit us to sell you an iPhone, even though you now have an active account”.

So at this point, I’m thinking I just burnt $25 on getting a pre-paid SIM. She now takes me to the Customer Concierge, to confirm I can’t get an iPhone even though I now meet their stupid conditions.

The Customer Concierge says there’s no problems with what I’ve done, and I’m welcome to a phone. The Lady continues stating their policy and how it’s not allowed, and how I’ve just signed up for a pre-paid account. Again the Customer Concierge says it’s not a problem, and finally she bends, saying it’s “okay, but only because we made a mistake telling you about it”.

From here it was all smooth sailing, when asked for my number, I handed over my pre-paid SIM pack with the number on the back, and no one even flinched at what I was doing.

The first customer service lady was doing her job, very proficiently, but blindly so. She was turning down a sizable sale, and pushing away a customer. Seth, in the same article as above, helps illuminate what’s wrong here.

I know it’s more difficult, but hiring people who can think for themselves is usually a better long run strategy…

The moral of the story? If you’re going to hire, please hire humans, not machines.

I had the same stupid exchange, except I was informed that I wasn’t allowed to buy one of the two 16GB iPhones in stock, that they could only do that deal on the 8GB.

The first store I spoke to said that I had to re-enter the store with an active account - that they couldn’t do it there either. Not only that, it was then a $150 charge (so I’m informed) to unlock the phone to use on another network.

Did you have to pay for the unlock as well? Did you get a 16GB?

Hi Grant,

Great to see OpenID worked, did you have any issues? Last person to use it, Lachlan, had a few issues.

I was charged the unlock fee, but I was expecting to be charged it. I was only after the 8GB, but they said I could get any model if I wanted to.

Thanks for adding your experiences here. Instead of educating and informing their staff, it appears Telstra are playing games of chinese whispers and superstition.

Peace,

Wade

So what was the final price you paid? And why Telstra? I’m with VirginMobile (owned by Optus). I’ve found them pretty good, and their recent talk about 5gb mobile data plans sounded promising…

Amazed on the patience you had to exert in order to make that transaction happen.

Hi Tim,

Not too sure. Think the phone was $799 + unlocking fee of $150. Why Telstra? So I could get it off Telstra, and back to my current contract on Vodafone. I wanted to buy it outright, and the only carrier selling outright at the moment is Telstra. Optus are doing Post-Paid only.

I’m moving OS in <5 months, I didn’t want a new contract hanging over my head, as well as paying out an existing contract.

Peace,

Wade

Hi Janette,

Glad I’m not the only one who thought this was a bit insane Thanks

Peace,

Wade