Life In Montana: Cellphones
Yes, we have cell phone service in Montana. Of course we do. While Montana seems to be the only state without Vonange (look it up, it's true) we do have various, ok a couple, of cell phone services. Ok, I'll be honest. We have 2 cellphone companies. Yes TWO. Cellular One, which just turned into AllTell and Verizon. Ok sure, there are some local ones with some type of smaller network bologna. I don't understand that, and honestly I don't know much about it.
This is what I do know. My work just recently implemented a new plan to pay for employee cell phones. (Yes they pay for my phone.) Acutally this is a good deal. The timing and everything else is just wrong.
OK let me elaborate, because this is one interesting story.
My work had a plan where they paid for my phone, and I never saw the bill etc, but I found out later that they complained about me in meetings. (yup, my name was brought up.. lovely huh?) Ok so obviously that wasn't working, and not just because of me. But hey, if I have a phone I'm gonna use it. Besides, I'm not going to tote around 2 cellphones, and if you (work) ever expect to get a hold of me on off hours, you should darn well expect to pay for it. Such is the case even.
So they decided to give us phone allowances instead. This means instead of them getting the bill and paying for overages and what-not, I get my own bill and pay for it with the allowance. This is going to save them all kinds of money, and my name wont be brought up in meetings. If my bill is higher because of something work related, I can then get reimbursed, otherwise, I pay the difference. I love it, It is fair.
But, switching phones sucked. OK it is STILL SUCKING!
Yes that's right MONTHS have passed since this went down, and the whole phone thing is still not straighted out.
Here's my story:
My co-worker, the sales guy, knows this chick at the cell phone place. He says that he can have her come in and get us all set up. I'm thinking, great, I don't have to leave the office.
So this cell phone lady comes in, and it is some chick I went to High School with. *rolls eyes* (get me out of this town!)
So she's all nice and talks about plans and it sounds all great. So we tell her what we want, and she sets up a time to come back with phones to show us. .. time passes, she comes in with the phones. We pick out what we want, and go about our day.
Now you should know, that my company is a small part of a larger company. But, we spent some major bucks with this lady. She should trip on herself to make things smooth... You would think huh?
As of today, Valentine's Day, I have not yet gotten my activation fee waved like she promised (which is like $70) Keep in mind that I got my phone just before Thanksgiving.
What else went wrong? Oh I never got the case I was promised, it took her a week and a half to drop off the receipts/contracts after we got our phones so we could mail in for our rebates. She gave one of my co-worker's the wrong receipt, and so his rebate didn't go through. When everyone in the office got their first bill but me, she told me I wouldn't get it for a couple of weeks. That's when I started getting calls from Verizon about paying my bill. (nice way to start out eh?) When I told them my rep told me my bill wasn't due out yet, they did nothing to reprimand her. I mean for God's sake, where is the accountability?
My other coworkers and I feel genuinely like we just bent over and took it up the rear. One of the other ones had his bill way messed up, his old account got someone reactivated, and he was getting his bill at the wrong address. His ex-wife who was removed from the account's name showed up on the bill, and it ended up at his old address.
This sounded like it was going to be a good thing, but when Cellular One changed to AllTell, I didn't want to take my chances with the new company. My old phone was under Cellular One, and it sucked. I knew that verizon had better coverage in this area, and was less flaky.
So I guess since this is about Montana I'll have to say, I guess these kind of options and choices, and this kind of great service is just part of the deal, because really, where else are you going to go??
The second I get that waived, I'm writing her manager a letter. Until then I want to make sure I get it.
This is what I do know. My work just recently implemented a new plan to pay for employee cell phones. (Yes they pay for my phone.) Acutally this is a good deal. The timing and everything else is just wrong.
OK let me elaborate, because this is one interesting story.
My work had a plan where they paid for my phone, and I never saw the bill etc, but I found out later that they complained about me in meetings. (yup, my name was brought up.. lovely huh?) Ok so obviously that wasn't working, and not just because of me. But hey, if I have a phone I'm gonna use it. Besides, I'm not going to tote around 2 cellphones, and if you (work) ever expect to get a hold of me on off hours, you should darn well expect to pay for it. Such is the case even.
So they decided to give us phone allowances instead. This means instead of them getting the bill and paying for overages and what-not, I get my own bill and pay for it with the allowance. This is going to save them all kinds of money, and my name wont be brought up in meetings. If my bill is higher because of something work related, I can then get reimbursed, otherwise, I pay the difference. I love it, It is fair.
But, switching phones sucked. OK it is STILL SUCKING!
Yes that's right MONTHS have passed since this went down, and the whole phone thing is still not straighted out.
Here's my story:
My co-worker, the sales guy, knows this chick at the cell phone place. He says that he can have her come in and get us all set up. I'm thinking, great, I don't have to leave the office.
So this cell phone lady comes in, and it is some chick I went to High School with. *rolls eyes* (get me out of this town!)
So she's all nice and talks about plans and it sounds all great. So we tell her what we want, and she sets up a time to come back with phones to show us. .. time passes, she comes in with the phones. We pick out what we want, and go about our day.
Now you should know, that my company is a small part of a larger company. But, we spent some major bucks with this lady. She should trip on herself to make things smooth... You would think huh?
As of today, Valentine's Day, I have not yet gotten my activation fee waved like she promised (which is like $70) Keep in mind that I got my phone just before Thanksgiving.
What else went wrong? Oh I never got the case I was promised, it took her a week and a half to drop off the receipts/contracts after we got our phones so we could mail in for our rebates. She gave one of my co-worker's the wrong receipt, and so his rebate didn't go through. When everyone in the office got their first bill but me, she told me I wouldn't get it for a couple of weeks. That's when I started getting calls from Verizon about paying my bill. (nice way to start out eh?) When I told them my rep told me my bill wasn't due out yet, they did nothing to reprimand her. I mean for God's sake, where is the accountability?
My other coworkers and I feel genuinely like we just bent over and took it up the rear. One of the other ones had his bill way messed up, his old account got someone reactivated, and he was getting his bill at the wrong address. His ex-wife who was removed from the account's name showed up on the bill, and it ended up at his old address.
This sounded like it was going to be a good thing, but when Cellular One changed to AllTell, I didn't want to take my chances with the new company. My old phone was under Cellular One, and it sucked. I knew that verizon had better coverage in this area, and was less flaky.
So I guess since this is about Montana I'll have to say, I guess these kind of options and choices, and this kind of great service is just part of the deal, because really, where else are you going to go??
The second I get that waived, I'm writing her manager a letter. Until then I want to make sure I get it.