(PCM) It is not very often that I make the decision to share a personal story online, however I was so hurt and infuriated about the service I received during a recent visit to a Cricket Wireless store that I felt compelled to share and let them know that the type of service I received was completely and totally unacceptable.
Many of us have worked in retail over the years and we all know that customer returns can certainly be one of the bigger headaches that occur on a day to day basis. Most retail employees have surely heard every excuse in the book as to why a person needs to return a particular product. Often times the employees hands are tied at being able to complete the return due to each stores specific policies, procedures, etc.
Here’s where I get to Cricket Wireless. I did read online that the company offers a seven day return policy on all of their devices, which I was not aware of until after this incident, however I admit that I was trying to return the device on day eight. I should have probably prefaced this by saying that we are currently dealing with a personal family emergency, as my mother-in-law is currently on her death bed and we have been extremely busy with around the clock care making sure she is as pain-free and comfortable as possible during her final days. Hence, the reason that I was not able to get the phone back to the retail location for return any sooner.
One of my mother-in-law’s wishes when she was first hospitalized was to finally own a smart-phone, as she wanted to use it to check emails and make calls easily during her hospital stay. My fiancee purchased the phone for his mother, as per her wishes, and it was then that she tragically took a turn for the worst. Hospice has been called in and she obviously has no use for the phone at this time. Since it had only been purchased a few days prior to her health decline, we figured that the company would be fairly understanding about our reasons for wanting to make a product return.
I took the phone, still in the box, along with all the paperwork and receipt to the Cricket Wireless location at 3616 Kirkwood Highway in Wilmington, Delaware. The dark-haired girl behind the counter, whose name I unfortunately can not recall, took a look at the paper work and informed me of the store’s seven day return policy. I explained the entire situation about my mother-in-law’s illness and the reason that the phone needed to be returned if possible. Although I did understand that we were unfortunately one day too late.
I saw the store employee send a text message out to who I am guessing was the store owner or manager and then finally make a phone call about the situation when she received no immediate response. It was just myself and two other gentlemen in the store at this time. I heard the employee telling the owner/manager my situation and then she hung up the phone. It was at this time that she shockingly looked at me and said verbatim “He said he doesn’t care”.
With the ordeal that my family has been going through these last few days, that was probably one of the most cold and cruel responses to come out of her mouth. I was flabbergasted and said to her “He really said it like that?” She said “yes, he doesn’t care”. Even the other two gentlemen in the store were as absolutely shocked and horrified as I was about her response.
I mean, even if that was exactly what the owner/manager had said to her on the phone, there is a way to sugar coat things a bit when dealing with a customer who is currently in a fragile emotional state. It was not so much that they could not take back and refund the phone, but it was the utter lack of common sense and decency when speaking to another individual. It was so cold and heartless. She could have easily said “I’m very sorry Miss, but my manger unfortunately told me I can not return the phone, as I can not break store policy” or “I’m very sorry for your situation, but at this time there is nothing I can really do about assisting you with the return as the manger will not allow it”.
Anything, and I mean anything at all would have been better to hear that “I/He doesn’t care” at that given moment. Cricket Wireless should be ashamed of themselves for not providing better customer service training and teaching their employees to show at least some shred of compassion towards their customers. I can say with certainly that Cricket Wireless has lost a customer for life and I will do everything in my power to make sure that other consumers know that this is how the company behaves and treats its’ clientele.
Shame on you Cricket Wireless, shame on you!
