The CSI Factor (the grade a customer service provider receives) short for the “Customer Service Index- Factor” series (Episode One here, Episode Two here) is back.  Today is PART TWO of our Sprint experience and on a scale of 1-10 (1 being the worst, 10 being the best), they receive a 0.

Here’s what went down:
1.  Tuesday, we had a nightmare experience with Sprint.  I learned in the comments that many others have had similar experiences.

2. Wednesday, we thought we’d try again.  Because my husband’s Treo650 is insured, if repairs can’t be done at a Sprint store, it is relatively easy to have it replaced.  Well, if you’re in a Sprint corporate repair center (SCRC), not to be confused with a Sprint repair center that is a reseller.    I look online for another inconveniently placed SCRC and set out for Round Rock, hoping for a better experience.

3. We arrive at the SCRC and go to the little host booth where the guy who has apparently had a recent frontal lobotomy said “we don’t have a repair center.”  The Sprint website said it was a SCRC.  “Obviously we’re not,” he said as his slumped arm lazily pointed to the back wall where there was no repair center.  We asked for suggestions and he pointed us to another location which was contrary to the website (which we now determined was bunk).  So, do we rely on the bunk website or the guy who could give a crap less that we were at our wit’s end?

4. Neither.  I call Sprint customer service and ask for them to locate a SCRC for me.  They told us the same address and we let them know that we needed another one due to our new knowledge.  They were very friendly over the phone and instead of just saying “uh, I’m sorry but that’s the only one unless you go to where you went last night,” he said, “let me call and find out what shopping center this one is in.”  I asked if he would verify that it was a SCRC and not third party.  Nearing the 7:00 cutoff of SCRC, we sped to the next Sprint store and walked in to the host podium.

5. We’re sorry, but they’re not taking phones anymore (it’s 6:55).  Now, I’m a kind person and I am very nice in person, but I’m pretty sure there’s some section of my brain where the blood vessels popped and the freakin’ Hulk was about to come out.  This poor girl had no idea what we’d been through.  Benn calmly asked if she could go check because we’d been through hell and back to get there.  My clenched fists and shallow breathing and new posture of “I may snap” helped.  As she walked away, I said audibly “I think this is the final straw- we’re leaving Sprint.”

6. “Okay, he said he’ll look at it,” she said as the clouds parted, a beam of light shone on her and I think I imagined that she sprouted feathered wings and grew a halo.  “Thank you so much,” we said exasperatedly.  The other customer was being helped, so the Sprint lady asked what we’d been through.  We told her.  She was upset with us but wasn’t surprised.  “Yeah, Sprint corporate stores are just like that.”  WHAT?  “You’re not a corporate store?”  You’ve got to be effin’ kidding me- Sprint told me they’d called and verified that it was a SCRC.  I could sense the Hulk coming out again.  “Don’t worry- we’ll take care of your phone here.  If he doesn’t fix it, we’ll replace it at no charge.”  I may have told her that I love her, but I’m not sure.

7. The non-corporate Sprint store was my new best friend.  The guy in repair had a personality and said we’d experienced a great disservice by our past experience and assured us he would do more than just push the reset button.  After a long examination, he simply came out and told Benn that it could not be repaired and he didn’t have a replacement in the store but it meant that when he ordered it, Benn would probably get an upgrade in 3-5 days.  Sweet.  I may have told him that I love him, but I’m not sure.

8. Within 48 hours, they called us to let us know that the new phone was in and it WAS an upgrade.  They under-promised and over-delivered which has never once happened in the entire time we’ve been with Sprint (10+ years).  I generally have the theory that if something ain’t broke- don’t buy a new one and I prefer to replace phones when they are completely dysfunctional (like missing pieces or having to hold the battery in with your hand while talking) while Benn likes the shiny and new tools.  When we picked up the new phone, we decided (and informed them) that in the future, we would purchase ALL of our phones there and refer everyone there because of their level of service.

So, the lesson is that Sprint corporate earned a 0 but the Sprint Reseller earned an 11.  Thank you, Round Rock Sprint for not giving me an aneurysm as we all know that I was pretty dang close to having.  We decided to stay with Sprint and drive the 20 minutes away when we need any help of any kind.  It only takes a few people that are caring to keep a corporation alive.