Frazzleness

I’m beginning to think my technology issues have replaced my traveling issues. Remember the broken phone story I wrote two weeks ago?

And now, the rest of the story.

I was told to wait four to five days for the new screen repair kit to arrive at the big electronics store 10.4 miles from me since our local store does not repair Samsung.

After 10 days without a callback, I got in the car and headed out in the pouring rain, again winding my way around two road closures to find out what was happening. I looked at the bare shelves as I approached the area where the magical work was done. No one was at the desk, so I waited.

It didn’t take long for a gentleman to appear from behind the curtain. When I asked if the part for my Samsung had come in, he shook his head and said, “We no longer have an agreement with Samsung to repair their phones.”

Silence.

I could not find the words to express my feelings. I looked down. I was wearing a shirt that said FAITH. I did my best to remain calm and use my nice church-lady words.

“Sir, you have my $99. I have not been called to inform me of this new policy. When did this happen?” He apologized for all the confusion. He handed me a paper that told me to go to a uBreakiFix. I asked for a refund. Only a manager could give refunds. He informed me he would be there in the afternoon. He would have him call me.

I left, not holding my breath for the phone call.

I felt like I was in the Twilight Zone or a terrible Candid Camera episode.

Communication and Customer service were as broken as my phone.

Driving home, I decided to visit my Noblesville store. The nicest lady at the customer service desk greeted me. She listened while I lamented my complicated saga of woe.

My $99 was refunded. She said her manager would call the other manager, and they would get back to me in a few hours.

I left the store with my broken phone and a lot of anxiety. I was in the abyss of technology madness. There were six visits between two stores, paying for a technology package that didn’t seem to exist, and no communication that had been promised.

I stopped by the “fix-it” store. If and when they could get the part, the repair would cost me $359. It’s not going to happen.

Several hours later, I returned to the store, hoping to speak to a manager. Surely, to goodness, one did exist.

I was greeted by five smiling young men. “How can we help you?” Honestly, I was near tears. I was weary. I asked to please speak with a manager. One young man said, “I’m one!”

Pointing over to where there were chairs set up. “Can we chat?”

I did my best to tell him the Reader’s Digest version of the last 10 days. He kept shaking his head. There seemed to be a lot of confusion with Samsung, and I was caught in all the “we can, we can’t” affiliation mess.

I told him I just wanted a phone that would work without using a stylus pen. I have had to deal not only with a broken phone but also with broken promises of phone calls. I have spent hours ping-ponging back and forth between stores.

I told the manager, “I’m really a nice lady, but this has rubbed my niceness down to a frazzle.”

He shook his head and again apologized. “I think we need to order you a new phone.” It was a good thing I was sitting down. Could this 17-day exhausting aggravation be over?

Two days later, my new phone arrived. I took it to the big store in Noblesville, and a friendly, brilliant young man transferred my information into my new phone in less than an hour.

To top it all off, my phone rang at about 8:00 that night. It was from the big store 10 miles away. A voice said, “I’m calling to let you know the part for your phone is in, and we need to set up a time for you to come in and repair it.”

I can’t make this stuff up. It shouldn’t be this complicated. I do think my technology issues have replaced my travel issues. Time will tell, and so will my phone, internet, smart TV, laptop, and cable service.

Kudos to the assistant manager at the big Noblesville store who rescued me from my frazzleness. (I know that’s not a word, but this week it is.)

Janet Hart Leonard can be contacted at janethartleonard@gmail.com or followed on Facebook or Instagram (@janethartleonard). Visit janethartleonard.com.