The customer seems to be rarely right
March 28 2007
by Jake Liddell
I tried numerous phone shops, including the three in Broadgate/Liverpool street station, and 5 on Moorgate. The strange thing was that not only did they not even stock them (apart from Curries, who had a delux one for £20), but each sales assistant seemed determined to want to get into a great debate about the subject. I’ll paraphrase:
Me: “Please can I have a small-to-large USB cable?”
Helpful Sales Assistant: “Certainly, what phone is it for?”
Me: “Any phone, it doesn’t matter. They’re all the same.”
Helpful Sales Assistant: “No, they’re not. You need to buy the right connector for your phone.”
Me: “No, really, they’re all the same - just a standard small USB to large USB please.”
Helpful Sales Assistant: “No, actually they’re different for different manufacturers. Which phone is it for?”
Me: “OK. A Motarola.”
Helpful Sales Assistant: “Sorry sir, we don’t have that one in stock.”
Me: “OK. OK. It’s not a Motorola, it’s actually a Blackberry.”
Helpful Sales Assistant: “Sorry sir, we don’t sell them!”
Me: “Damn! Ok, it’s a… Do you actually have any in stock, for any manufacturer at all?”
Helpful Sales Assistant: “Sorry sir, no, we don’t seem to at the moment.”
Hmm. Ok, after trying branches of Carphone Warehouse, Vodafone, Phones for you, Orange, O2 and Curries, I was getting pretty fed up. One more try, the Orange Shop, 82 Moorgate, London EC2M 6SE. Same old banter, I’d like a USB cable please, small to large. Imagine my surprise, when he replied:
Helpful Sales Assistant: “Certainly sir. I know we don’t have any prepackaged out here, but let me just check out the back.”
Minutes passed…
Helpful Sales Assistant: “Here you go. (He hands me a loose cable.)”
Me: “Thanks! How much do I owe you?”
Helpful Sales Assistant: “Oh, don’t worry about it. We have loads kicking around - every phone comes with one, so we’ve always got spares.”
My chin hit the floor. It’s the little things that make the difference - always the little things. He’s missed out on an “opportunity” to charge me a fiver, but that missed fiver has bought my goodwill, some free advertising, and maybe hundreds of pounds of extra business. I flit regularly between the providers, so there’s every chance that I’ll come back to Orange sometime. When I do, I’ll buy from him. Maybe you will too?!