Got a new phone and needed it activated. Tried the online service and it froze then refused to let me activate it. I called the 1-800 number only to get someone who barely spoke English and kept thinking I bought a used phone and didn’t understand what was going on. I hung up on her and decided to go in store but I needed the account holder with me. So I went and picked up my father, who is 70 years old, will matter later, and we went to the store.
Once inside, there was 1 worker and 1 customer who had just finished and leaving as we walked in. The employee asked what my problem was and I told him:
"I bought a new phone, tried activating it online and it froze and when I went to try it again, it said it was already in use. I’ve tried everything, I think I just need a new sim because mine seems locked for some reason." (For the record, I used to work for one of the big name phone stores)
We spent nearly an hour there and THE ENTIRE TIME the guy was on the phone to, I assume, his girlfriend/wife. The reason I say assume is because he was speaking a different language.
For the next 30 minutes he tried "troubleshooting methods" before telling me he needed to factory reset my phone. I tried to explain that the phone wasn’t the problem, again, and that I probably just need a sim. He said, "I tried everything else, I need to factory reset it, it’s the only way." Well screw me I guess. I have to have my phone for work and life obviously, so I let him. About this time my dad said he needed to use the restroom but the guy wouldn’t let him use the employee one. So my dad walked out and started going to the other shops in this little plaza and no one would let him. He came back and said he could hold it.
Another roughly 10 minutes passed and my father said he couldn’t hold it anymore. At the same time, the guy…GET THIS, was replacing the sim. So I told him to just go use the restroom there. He asked if I was sure and I said yes. So he walked right past the employee and went to the back. The guy started to make a fuss but never stood up. After my dad went back the employee was obviously upset with me and said he can’t be back there. At this point I was already pissed so I just said, "Yeah, well you aren’t going to stop him either." He made a comment about us stealing now that one was up front and one in the back.
Oh yeah because I’m totally going to steal on camera, with you holding my phone, and you have our account information pulled up…what an absolutely genius idea.
Anyway, he asked me if I would step out and he lock the door so he can make sure my dad isn’t stealing. I told him if it would make him feel better, I had no issue with that. So I stepped out and he locked it. 5 minutes later he brought me my phone, that was now working. AFTER REPLACING THE SIM AND SPENDING AROUND 10 MINUTES SETTING IT UP! Few minutes later, my dad was finished and we left.
If he just got off his phone and did his job, we would have left a long time ago.
WAY back in the day I worked at a Tmobile retail store. Long story short, a rep let someone use our employee only bathroom and got fired for letting someone in a restricted area (it’s right next to the safe etc) Not worth his job. Unless they serve food they don’t need to provide a public restroom. YTA
YTA. Their bad customer service doesn’t give you permission to hijack the employee bathroom.
Yta, besides the risk of you stealing, having non employees in the back is a liability issue/ insurance one, youre incredibly entitled and rude to encourage you father to ignore the employees and go back anyways
The rest of your issues with the staff are irrelevant, your dad should have looked more in the plaza
Right, while I agree the bathroom needs of the elderly are very important, the OP could have left and taken dad somewhere he could go.
I also don’t understand all the extra information about other languages. It’s one thing if you aren’t happy with the customer service but I fail to see how language comes into play here. And why make any assumptions about who the rep was talking to when OP doesn’t speak the language? Could absolutely have been work related if more than one person in that company speaks an extra language than English.
Also that employee could have been following required steps. Do I think YTA though it’s important to find a bathroom for dad. There could have been another way to find one.
YTA
you should file a complaint against the worker who spent the whole time on the phone.
Since it was taking long to fix the phone, why didn’t you drive your father to a close by restaurant or fast food place instead? Then you can be back and pick up your phone after.
Sometimes people can no longer wait to find the nearest bathroom, especially when they are older.
YTA because of the disrespect. You don’t run the store or work in the store. If this was taking so long why didn’t you drive someone down the street for a bathroom? You don’t get to act like the boss just because you think you know what going on. Unless they serve food, they don’t need to let you use their bathroom. I would even say unless they serve food, they are not required to provide you with a bathroom.
YTA; The employee can get in trouble for letting folks into a bathroom that isn’t for customers
ESH.
The guy gave horrendous customer service and wasted time, dad would not have had an urgent bathroom issue if he had worked efficiently.
And.
Your dad going into the back room could get him fired (cameras, so it is known etc); and fired by LP can mean no unemployment in most states. (Vs fired for “not making goals” etc if enough ppl called corporate.)
I’d like to see a lot of these commenters actually refuse to let an elderly person use their business restroom. Don’t talk to me about ‘security’, this is just cold. The man tried to find a restroom in the vicinity and couldn’t, tried to hold it but that time came and went.
YTA. You don’t know who the employee was speaking to as it was in a different language so you’ve leapt to a conclusion that has made you angry. He could have been on the phone to a customer, head office…. you don’t know so you just guessed and made yourself mad.
Then because you were mad you decided it was OK to be disrespectful and break rules. Had you tried to enter a restricted area in my store I eould have called the police and had you ejected from the store. Areas are off limits to customers for a reason, insurance liability, access to stock and cash etc etc.
>Oh yeah because I’m totally going to steal on camera, with you holding my phone
This is a recognised tactic, take in a broken item and distract the staff with it while your accomplice steals or cases the joint for a later break in. You sound like an ass.