I am so angry right now. I attempted order of the iPhone via the web on Mon/Tues whenever it was it came out, only to find a site full of errors. So I pop down to enquire at my local store - Dartford 02 shop - and they say I can reserve one, so I fill out the form for that. I get a call last night about 6pm to say actually, they can't reserve them afterall, I'll have to pop down at 8.02am with everyone else and take my chances. So far, so bad.
I pop down anyway, I figure it could be interesting to see what all this queueing and excitement is like - I've never done it before.
I get there, the shop has 5 people in it already, and a queue of 20 before me. I knock on the glass ask the lady behind the locked door how many iPhones there are as I'm at the back of the queue, 6 months pregnant, and don't really want to hang about if there are 5 phones. She says she can't tell me. I say that's not good enough, someone obviously knows, so they can tell me. She says she'll find out. Yep, you guessed it, she doesn't open the door again. After waiting about for 5 mins like a monkey, I go back to my boyfriend and the rest of the queue and give them an update.
So I figure I'll give it another 10-15 mins. Still no-one has gone in or out, or any representative come out to talk to us. I go back, knock on the glass, she still doesn't know how many there are or any indication on time that each is taking to set up. Apparently, she's in her own words, "just a security guard" and has no information. I ask for someone with information to come and speak with me. She tells me no-one is free to let anyone in the queue know any information. Staff in the shop can see me there clearly looking at them holding my bump and trying to get information. A few people have left the queue by now.
Here's a photo of the queue, with babies, children, and everyone else in it, whilst they know the whole time there are no phones (click on it to go to my Flickr where I've added notes):
Ten more minutes later, and pretty pissed off, I go and knock on the glass a final time.
"All I can tell you is we're out of the 16GB ones" she says.
"And you didn't think to maybe let us know that?"
(no-one has entered or left the store, so they knew this from before I started queuing, or asked the first time)
"No.".
"How many of the 32GBs are left?"
"I can't tell you that".
So, a wasted 30mins (and that would have been longer, if I'd have waited patiently as they hoped I would), and a distinct lack of lie in, and if 02 think that they're getting any money off me in the next millenium then that just shows you how stupid they think their customers are. I'm sure they would have left me there the full 1-2 hours until my turn was up, before telling me there were no 16GB ones left, had I not have persisted. Disgusting.
Yes, iPhones are pretty, they work nicely, and the apps are really interesting. Does this mean I am going to take leave of all my senses, to be dicked about to get one? If that's the level of customer service I get when I'm trying to give them my money, there's no WAY I'm going to chance an 18 month contract with them when they've already got it.
What a load of cobblers.
[edit] worth pointing out, there were also people with kiddies in the queue, as well as me, clearly pregnant (and I told them so) as well as people able to queue for longer periods. Not once were we given any update, or information, offered water, or even acknowledged for that matter. Unbelievable.
[extra edit] I've just been on the phone to o2, who give no apology. They have given me this email address though: complaintreviewservice@o2.co.uk so if you've had a bad experience I would call you to arms and ask you blog about it and send them a link and a copy, if you feel like it, ping the url to your blog in my comments too.
We may be needy nerds, but we're certainly not helpless push overs.
[FINAL EDIT] Haha, what a surprise - I just got this back in my email:
"Hi. This is the qmail-send program at yahoo.com.
I'm afraid I wasn't able to deliver your message to the following addresses.
This is a permanent error; I've given up. Sorry it didn't work out.
I pop down anyway, I figure it could be interesting to see what all this queueing and excitement is like - I've never done it before.
I get there, the shop has 5 people in it already, and a queue of 20 before me. I knock on the glass ask the lady behind the locked door how many iPhones there are as I'm at the back of the queue, 6 months pregnant, and don't really want to hang about if there are 5 phones. She says she can't tell me. I say that's not good enough, someone obviously knows, so they can tell me. She says she'll find out. Yep, you guessed it, she doesn't open the door again. After waiting about for 5 mins like a monkey, I go back to my boyfriend and the rest of the queue and give them an update.
So I figure I'll give it another 10-15 mins. Still no-one has gone in or out, or any representative come out to talk to us. I go back, knock on the glass, she still doesn't know how many there are or any indication on time that each is taking to set up. Apparently, she's in her own words, "just a security guard" and has no information. I ask for someone with information to come and speak with me. She tells me no-one is free to let anyone in the queue know any information. Staff in the shop can see me there clearly looking at them holding my bump and trying to get information. A few people have left the queue by now.
Here's a photo of the queue, with babies, children, and everyone else in it, whilst they know the whole time there are no phones (click on it to go to my Flickr where I've added notes):
Ten more minutes later, and pretty pissed off, I go and knock on the glass a final time.
"All I can tell you is we're out of the 16GB ones" she says.
"And you didn't think to maybe let us know that?"
(no-one has entered or left the store, so they knew this from before I started queuing, or asked the first time)
"No.".
"How many of the 32GBs are left?"
"I can't tell you that".
So, a wasted 30mins (and that would have been longer, if I'd have waited patiently as they hoped I would), and a distinct lack of lie in, and if 02 think that they're getting any money off me in the next millenium then that just shows you how stupid they think their customers are. I'm sure they would have left me there the full 1-2 hours until my turn was up, before telling me there were no 16GB ones left, had I not have persisted. Disgusting.
Yes, iPhones are pretty, they work nicely, and the apps are really interesting. Does this mean I am going to take leave of all my senses, to be dicked about to get one? If that's the level of customer service I get when I'm trying to give them my money, there's no WAY I'm going to chance an 18 month contract with them when they've already got it.
What a load of cobblers.
[edit] worth pointing out, there were also people with kiddies in the queue, as well as me, clearly pregnant (and I told them so) as well as people able to queue for longer periods. Not once were we given any update, or information, offered water, or even acknowledged for that matter. Unbelievable.
[extra edit] I've just been on the phone to o2, who give no apology. They have given me this email address though: complaintreviewservice@o2.co.uk so if you've had a bad experience I would call you to arms and ask you blog about it and send them a link and a copy, if you feel like it, ping the url to your blog in my comments too.
We may be needy nerds, but we're certainly not helpless push overs.
[FINAL EDIT] Haha, what a surprise - I just got this back in my email:
"Hi. This is the qmail-send program at yahoo.com.
I'm afraid I wasn't able to deliver your message to the following addresses.
This is a permanent error; I've given up. Sorry it didn't work out.
It's been a while since I talked about what I've been up to, so I wanted to post an update. I've had a few people asking, and without microblogging (microbragging?) on Twitter, I forgot that a lot of you wouldn't know!
I've just finished some work for Apple which was really interesting. I have been researching social trends with regards emerging technology, to give them a presentation and report on how to evolve the Apple brand through community. I came up with the tagline "evolving through community" whilst working on the project, which I'm going to use as my company strapline.
Which brings me nicely onto a request for help - I have been trading under my own name, just because I never got round to thinking up anything better. However, I want to use something else, but I'm at a loss. Anyone got any suggestions? If you make a suggestion that I go with, I'll send you a hamper pack of my favourite Alergian coffee and chocolate :)
I've also been working on a social media strategy for Cogs Agency, and marketing work at Chinwag. Coming up, I've got some interesting research work in Second Life for Cheeze, and a recruitment project for a very exciting start up project that I can't talk about *just* yet but as soon as I can I'll let you all know.
So, all in all a blummin' busy January, and February's looking fairly hectic too! All very exciting.
I'm off to SheSays tonight, followed by Digital Outlook's 10th Birthday bash tonight, so will take my camera out for some good party shots, it's been a while since I got some noo meedja partay action pics!
I've just finished some work for Apple which was really interesting. I have been researching social trends with regards emerging technology, to give them a presentation and report on how to evolve the Apple brand through community. I came up with the tagline "evolving through community" whilst working on the project, which I'm going to use as my company strapline.
Which brings me nicely onto a request for help - I have been trading under my own name, just because I never got round to thinking up anything better. However, I want to use something else, but I'm at a loss. Anyone got any suggestions? If you make a suggestion that I go with, I'll send you a hamper pack of my favourite Alergian coffee and chocolate :)
I've also been working on a social media strategy for Cogs Agency, and marketing work at Chinwag. Coming up, I've got some interesting research work in Second Life for Cheeze, and a recruitment project for a very exciting start up project that I can't talk about *just* yet but as soon as I can I'll let you all know.
So, all in all a blummin' busy January, and February's looking fairly hectic too! All very exciting.
I'm off to SheSays tonight, followed by Digital Outlook's 10th Birthday bash tonight, so will take my camera out for some good party shots, it's been a while since I got some noo meedja partay action pics!
What is it with Apple pricing their products more expensively for the UK market? I just don't get it. Apple products are often already overpriced for the technology they're using, so surely no need to add some weird UK extra charge. WTF?
On Apple.com the new 13" Macbook Air is $1,799, which is £919 when I check on xe.com.
Yet, on the Apple UK site it's a whopping £1,199 - £280 more expensive, or 30% more expensive?!
Seriously, Apple can see their UK fanboys and girls coming, a mile off. I'd like to be surprised that people let them get away with it, but sadly I know all the Applonian Missionaries will be rubbing their knees in anticipation of parting with 30% more cash than their American counterparts for their latest slice of devotion.
On Apple.com the new 13" Macbook Air is $1,799, which is £919 when I check on xe.com.
Yet, on the Apple UK site it's a whopping £1,199 - £280 more expensive, or 30% more expensive?!
Seriously, Apple can see their UK fanboys and girls coming, a mile off. I'd like to be surprised that people let them get away with it, but sadly I know all the Applonian Missionaries will be rubbing their knees in anticipation of parting with 30% more cash than their American counterparts for their latest slice of devotion.
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