my phone has had issues for a while now. it won't call out when i try to then will randomly call people without being prompted. it's like it has mind of its own.
a few days ago, i had some time to kill so i stopped in a verizon store. curtis was a young associate and he tried his best to troubleshoot my problems.
after describing my frustrations, he took a look at the hardware and eventually made a call in for some additional help. he explained to me that he would need to reboot the phone and that there was no guarantee that my contacts or photos would be saved. i confirmed that it was fine, and to try everything he could to make it better.
while my phone rebooted, he told me that my phone was pretty old and tired and that it might just be best to say goodbye to it. he then tried to nonchalantly talk me into buying a new phone.
his speech started out with the question, "tell me about yourself." i gave him a skeptical glance and said, "well, i want a phone with a good camera and..." and he cut me off. "no," he said, "i didn't ask about the kind of phone you want. i want to know about you. what do you do? do you work? do you have hobbies? tell me about your life."
brilliant sales strategy, curtis.
so, i told him a little about my job and told him about the kinds of things i like to do with my friends. he used what i had told him to pick out three phones he thought would be a good fit for my lifestyle.
first, he tried selling me on the newest iphone. i've carried an android for so long though, that i just don't think i want to make the switch to the iphone. plus, it seems like everyone i know who has an iphone has trouble with it at some point. i mean, i've never had a screen crack on my droid... i'm not going to jump on the iphone bandwagon just so i can drop my phone and have to pay hundreds of dollars to get the screen replaced.
next, he showed off some huge phone that might has well be a tablet. seriously, it was huge. he boasted that the phone could run two different apps at once. apparently it has a stellar camera. i said it wouldn't matter because it couldn't fit in my pocket. the fact that he thought i would like this phone is simply laughable.
finally, he introduced me to a "mini" phone. i assume he picked this out based on my overt laughter over the gigantic size of the last phone he tried to sell me. by this point, i've stopped really listening and mostly i've given up on curtis' ability to help me. he tried to get really serious with me and said "look, i don't get anything from selling you a phone. i promise i'm not just trying to sell you something. i'm trying to help."
but i didn't want a new phone. i liked my phone. i didn't want what everyone else has. i didn't want anything more than i could handle. and i certainly didn't anything he had to guilt me into buying. i just wanted my phone to work the way it did three years ago when i bought it.
curtis fixed my phone, and it's working pretty well right now; but i know it's just a matter of time before it can't be bandaged and rebooted anymore. sooner or later, it's going to be time to trade it in for something new.
honestly, maybe it's time.
after describing my frustrations, he took a look at the hardware and eventually made a call in for some additional help. he explained to me that he would need to reboot the phone and that there was no guarantee that my contacts or photos would be saved. i confirmed that it was fine, and to try everything he could to make it better.
while my phone rebooted, he told me that my phone was pretty old and tired and that it might just be best to say goodbye to it. he then tried to nonchalantly talk me into buying a new phone.
his speech started out with the question, "tell me about yourself." i gave him a skeptical glance and said, "well, i want a phone with a good camera and..." and he cut me off. "no," he said, "i didn't ask about the kind of phone you want. i want to know about you. what do you do? do you work? do you have hobbies? tell me about your life."
brilliant sales strategy, curtis.
so, i told him a little about my job and told him about the kinds of things i like to do with my friends. he used what i had told him to pick out three phones he thought would be a good fit for my lifestyle.
first, he tried selling me on the newest iphone. i've carried an android for so long though, that i just don't think i want to make the switch to the iphone. plus, it seems like everyone i know who has an iphone has trouble with it at some point. i mean, i've never had a screen crack on my droid... i'm not going to jump on the iphone bandwagon just so i can drop my phone and have to pay hundreds of dollars to get the screen replaced.
next, he showed off some huge phone that might has well be a tablet. seriously, it was huge. he boasted that the phone could run two different apps at once. apparently it has a stellar camera. i said it wouldn't matter because it couldn't fit in my pocket. the fact that he thought i would like this phone is simply laughable.
finally, he introduced me to a "mini" phone. i assume he picked this out based on my overt laughter over the gigantic size of the last phone he tried to sell me. by this point, i've stopped really listening and mostly i've given up on curtis' ability to help me. he tried to get really serious with me and said "look, i don't get anything from selling you a phone. i promise i'm not just trying to sell you something. i'm trying to help."
but i didn't want a new phone. i liked my phone. i didn't want what everyone else has. i didn't want anything more than i could handle. and i certainly didn't anything he had to guilt me into buying. i just wanted my phone to work the way it did three years ago when i bought it.
curtis fixed my phone, and it's working pretty well right now; but i know it's just a matter of time before it can't be bandaged and rebooted anymore. sooner or later, it's going to be time to trade it in for something new.
honestly, maybe it's time.
just because i'm comfortable, doesn't mean it's right. right?
and just because i've had it forever, doesn't mean that it's still working well for me. right?
maybe i should give curtis another try.
sure, there may be breaks and there may be laughable blunders.
most importantly, i need to stop trying to dictate what i think should happen, stop judging and stop talking long enough to truly listen.
who knows, maybe we'll find something work taking home.
and just because i've had it forever, doesn't mean that it's still working well for me. right?
maybe i should give curtis another try.
sure, there may be breaks and there may be laughable blunders.
most importantly, i need to stop trying to dictate what i think should happen, stop judging and stop talking long enough to truly listen.
who knows, maybe we'll find something work taking home.
