Unhappy Sprint Customer needs advice

[MizzPrincezz]

I recently took my 4th Sprint Touch Pro (got it in June and the kb stopped working in early August) into a Sprint Tech Repair Store to see about getting my unresponsive keyboard replaced (how inevitable) . My mother and I arrived a little more than an hour before the store closed on Labor Day (they closed at 2pm) . My mother sent her Blackberry Curve in for her SprintTV not working and several other customers were there also. The 2 men that were at the front desk were hardly paying us any attention because they were playing with their phones, one had a Palm Pre that he kept blabbering about to me.

They sent my phone to the tech and back fairly quickly. One of the guys at the front desk brought me back my phone claiming that my phone was damaged beyond repair . I asked him what he means by that, after all it was only the keyboard that wasn't working. He brings back my phone to me opened up showing me smudged finger prints (which probably belonged to the tech because I obviously couldn't do it) claiming it had been water-damaged and to use my TEP & file a claim with Asurion. He also had brought back several phones including my mothers BB claiming that they all had been water-damaged. With all respect to the Sprint Techs that do their jobs wonderfully I really believe that these particular Techs were being lazy that day and the only reason and they constantly say they aren't owned by Sprint as in a defiant attitude/tone so they won't have to help you.

I know for a fact that my phone has not been water-damaged AND that the keyboard being unresponsive is not my fault and I shouldn't have to pay $100 dollars for an obvious and proven defect because of battery placement inside the phone . I almost forgot to mention that the tech didn't even take the consideration to put all of my screws back into my phone. I didn't ask for a TP2 or anything I just wanted my TP fixed , which they could have easily done if they weren't in such a hurry to leave. My 3rd TP's screen went mental for no apparent reason and because that cheap plastic chrome had a deep nick in it I had to pay $100 for a deductible.

I called Customer Care. The first rep. was really nice and understanding, the second one (tech support) .. not so much. The CS tech support guy told me that my phone was damaged beyond repair and that I was going to have to pay $100. I attempted to explain what happened that day and he became very rude with me and at that point I just asked him to transfer me to retentions and that T-Mobile sounded like a better option to me. I hung up the phone after that because I didn't feel like chatting it up with CS anymore.

What should I do now ? I don't have $100 dollars to give (my mom is the owner of the line) and especially when I know that I shouldn't even have to pay it. I want my phone fixed I'm not even trying to get a TP2 like everybody else I just want my phone fixed and I want them to remove that Damaged Beyond Repair label from my account.

[santino405]

so this all happened in a non corporate store? I personally never take my phone in to a third party retailer. I rather deal with sprint directly. You dont have any corporate stores around you?

[MizzPrincezz]

Yes it did. In my area, Memphis that I've been told by Sprint's corporate stores that they don't have techs in the corporate stores so they make us go to what they call "Sprint Repair Stores". The way it used to be was that there were only 2 stores in Memphis that had techs in the corp stores but recently they just completely took them out and started using 3rd party techs and branding the store with Sprint stuff.

[Tuffgong4]

tomorrow call in and ask for retentions...only thing you can do.

[MizzPrincezz]

Originally Posted by Tuffgong4

tomorrow call in and ask for retentions...only thing you can do.

Well thats what I'll do then. I'll report back with the results tomorrow ..

[Rippa_MD]

Originally Posted by MizzPrincezz

Well thats what I'll do then. I'll report back with the results tomorrow ..

this is what happened to me a month or two back. my usb stopped syncing, I took the phone in with a custom Rom and the rep said that was the reason why usb stopped working and that I voided my warranty by using a non sprint rom and flagged my phone as 'damaged beyond repair.' Just like in your case, the rep said the only thing for me to do was go through assurion and file a claim and pay $100 deductible.

I flashed to a sprint ROM and the usb problem was still there so what I did is I filed an advanced exchance using this link https://indirect3.sprint.com/apps/ad...&FROM_SPRINT=Y even though they had flagged my phone as 'damaged beyond repair'. two-three days later I received a refurb tp and I sent in the tp with the bad usb on the return envelope that came in the box.

you mentioned that the tech showed you water damage...do you have the water damage stickers on the back of the phone and on the battery itself turn completely pink/white?

if yes then filing an advance claim might not be an option since the advance exchange dept specifically rules out claims with water damage.

if the stickers are still as 'new' on both the phone and battery, then advance exchange might be your solution to fix your keyboard problem.

enter this zip code 99501 so you don't get a repair center, (the zip code instead lets you continue your claim).

[apristel]

Can you try online advanced exchange?

https://indirect3.sprint.com/apps/ad...&FROM_SPRINT=Y

[MizzPrincezz]

Thanks everybody for your help and advice . I spoke with retentions and explained the situation. They agreed to send me a refurb which is in my lap right now. All is well now