The Customer Is Not Always Right

[Dot_Hack]

I hate working at [Store] because I get the dumbest customers. I work in the Wireless section of [Store] so I deal with a lot (and I mean A LOT) of people who try to scam us (It's a bit complicated). Anyway, here is a convo I had today with a customer:

Me: Hello, sir. How are you?
Guy: Good. I want 5 iPhone 4s. (By this point I knew it was fraud but went with it just for the hell of it)
Me: Alright. Did you plan on getting that with Att, Sprint or Verizon
Guy: It doesn't matter (Really? It doesn't matter?)
Me: Well, what plan did you want?
Guy: Anything (They say this because they plan on canceling it the next day anyway)
Me: Ok
Guy: Oh Yeah...I called the sprint store and they told me I dont have to pay a deposit (Crappy Credit = Deposit)
Me: Well, we still need to run you're credit.
(At this point I had another customer come in so I decided to stop)
Me: Ok sir, I'll need to see some ID and a Credit Card for verification

Guy pulls out a Drivers License of some random guy (plus it was expired) and a Debit card

Me: Sir, the license is expired and we can only accept Credit Cards for identification, not Debit cards (There is a difference)

Guy: Blah, blah, blah. I cant believe this. Blah, blah, blah. I should get a free phone for this. Let me talk to Sprint.
Me: Sprint has no say in the matter
Guy: Isn't this a Sprint store?
Me: No...This is [Store]>_>
Guy: Let me talk to a manager.

So I get a manager. Luckily for me my managers like me.

Manager: What's the problem here?
Guy: This worker will not let start up a new line. I'm trying to give you guys money (lol, I'll cover this later)
Manager: Is this true?
Me: Yes, he doesn't have the proper ID.
Manager: I'm sorry sir. These are the rules. You need a proper ID to start a new line. You can try [Other Store] next door though. Have a nice day.

He then stormed out. This happens 10-15 times a day>

Also, for people who were wondering, this is why we end up losing money.

Lets say [Store] buys the phone for $400
We sell it at a subsidized price for the customer; let's say $200
But, in return we make $300 from the carriers for starting or upgrading a line.

So: 400-200+300=$100 of profit per phone

But, if they cancel their plan before 30 days (they have their ways), we dont get the money from the carriers

So: 400-200= -$200. Now we owe money.

[ZormaX]

That sucks bro :/

EDIT: say the guy had proper ID, and then cancelled the plan, whats the difference? you would still lose money. Is your store selling contract phones?

[Dot_Hack]

That sucks bro :/

EDIT: say the guy had proper ID, and then cancelled the plan, whats the difference? you would still lose money. Is your store selling contract phones?

Yes, we sell Contract Phones. So we earn the profit from the carrier (Att, Tmobile, Verizon and Sprint) for the customer signing a 2 year contract.

Canceling the phone in 30 days is fine, as long as they do it the legal way (Returning the phone to the store), but instead they:
1. Use Special Codes given to retailers to call and pretend to be us and cancel the phone
2. Report their phone stolen.

Now because I didn't sell him the phone we didn't lose money. I would rather make $0 in profit then go negative.

[Xenonight2]

That sucks, man! But don't let those people get to you.

[ZormaX]

2. Report their phone stolen.

Hmmm.

1. Shouldnt service provider tell them to get a new phone because the contract can't be broken? Thats how it is for alot of carrier companies I know..i think.

2. Wouldnt the service provider block the phone if it gets stolen so its as good as useless?
_______________________________
Off-topic

Do you work in US or Canada? if Canada, what do you think the best service provider (for the price) is?

[Kw1q51lv3r_Vorian]

Either that guy is both smart enough to try contract fraud and dumb enough to not put forth a credible story for the scam, or he is just dumb.