Annoyed about poor cell service? Here's what NOT to do. - Tilted Forum Project Discussion Community

ratbastid · 05-16-2004, 11:38 AM

http://www.kstp.com/article/view/143364/

Quote:

Angry customer trashes Fargo store
Updated: 05-14-2004 11:25:26 AM

FARGO, N.D. (AP) - A man who said he was fed up with his cellular phone service went to a Fargo mall and started hurling phones across a store, striking an employee and causing more than $2,000 in damage, authorities said.
Jason Perala, 22, of Fargo, told The Forum newspaper that he planned only to yell at employees at Verizon Wireless.

<img src="http://img.kstp.com/img/Perala_Jason.jpg">
Jason Perala

"Then I just lost it," he said. "I just started grabbing computers and phones and throwing them. I just destroyed the place. ... I kind of regret that I did it, but I hope my message got across."

Police said Perala took off his shirt and put on safety glasses before throwing around computers, phones and other items.

One employee was struck in the shoulder by a phone before he and other workers dashed into an office, locked the door and called police, Sgt. Kevin Volrath said. Other businesses in the West Acres mall lowered their steel security gates during Thursday's incident.

Perala was arrested without incident and jailed on charges of felony criminal mischief and misdemeanor simple assault.

Hey, at least he had the good sense to put on safety glasses!

obDiscussion: What's the craziest YOU'VE gotten to make a point about something you were fed up with?

bparker805 · 05-16-2004, 11:48 AM

I bitched out everybody from the Pit Boss to the On Duty Manager of the New York New York hotel casino for one of their cocktail waitresses getting a friend of mine incoherently drunk. To the point that he was throwing up in an Elvis slot machine payout tray. Usually, I would let my friends reap what they sow when the get drunk but the waitress was bring him a Long Island Ice Tea and a shot of Cuervo 1800 everytime she came around... Ifigure after a few hours of this, the should have the sense to slow it down but the drinks just kept coming. So I was bitching out every manager I could... When I didnt get the desired result, I politely asked to talk to their boss. Long story short... comped room, wheelchair, two securtiy guards, and three comped breakfasts.

Jolt · 05-16-2004, 12:33 PM

About a year and a half ago, I attended a 2-day vendor training session which took place in a hotel on a college campus. I drove in the night before, found a spot in the garage, checked in, no problems...

The next evening, I wanted to drive down the road in search of food...but the obnoxious little immigrant parking garage employee said that the group I was with only had free parking for the next two days, not that day, and if I wanted to leave the garage, I'd have to pay him. "...Hotel is different business than garage!..."

I left the car in front of his tollbooth and walked back into the hotel desk to inquire/complain. I didn't care if anyone else needed to get out of the place or not.

Nice Desk Lady told me what to say to Annoying Parking Man, but he wouldn't hear of it...so after a couple minutes of sputtering at him, I went back in a second time, and this time she stamped or signed a card and told me to give him that.

I got out, I found some tacos, and I got back...only then did I notice that there was no gate/ticket machine/attendant at the entrances to the garage, only one at the exit. Anyone could park in that garage any time...they only charged people for the privilege of leaving.

Harshaw · 05-16-2004, 12:52 PM

First let me say that, yes I know your cell coverage sucks in some areas. But, it's a cell phone, not a landline. As a customer service rep, there is only so much I can do to make it better. Sure, it would be nice if I could give you a new phone, but they watch me pretty close, so it isn't going to happen. When you started with the company, you pretty much signed most of your rights away.

This really isn't the way to show the company you hate them. Really the only recourse you have is to vote with your money.

As far as what I've done to get even for shitty service is stand outside a restaurant that took forever with our food, talking semi-loudly about how crappy the food was.

cherriesue · 05-16-2004, 01:01 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by bparker805
comped room, wheelchair, two securtiy guards, and three comped breakfasts.

LOL! I bet you needed that wheelchair

phredgreen · 05-16-2004, 01:07 PM

He did what so many people have the good sense not to do but want to do anyways. My hat goes off to him for expressing the emotions of millions of jilted wireless customers.

That being said, he's a complete and utter moron. Like Harshaw says, the best way to tell a company you don't appreciate the way they've treated you is to take your money elsewhere.

My job consists of me driving box trucks of various lengths to various vacation destinations for corporate events, and in the duration of those shows, the truck has to be somewhere, so I've experienced the best and the worst of customer service in trying to find places to store a 24 foot truck for up to a week.

The first show I worked was in downtown Miami. Just like any othe major city, downtown is a parking nightmare. I finally found a spot (actually, two) to leave it and paid way too much to some wily cubans who had the good sense to buy up a parcel of land in the middle of downtown, pave it, and paint lines onto it. I paid for the entire week's worth of parking up front, then fanned out the massive array of parking stubs onto my dashboard and left the truck for the week.

The show went fine, and at the end of the week I woke up early to pick up the truck and get on the road. Just my luck, they were having a footrace right through downtown, and the race path ran right past the entry/exit of the lot. I hopped in my truck to get out of there before racers entered the area, and this fucking woman who spoke three words of english, none of which were helpful, decided I wasn't allowed to leave until I paid another 20 dollars. To accentuate her point, she closed the gate in front of me. We proceeded to argue for about 20 minutes back and forth and I was just about to ram through the fucking gate when the racers started running by. I got intensely frustrated, decided that because the company was covering it, I paid her the money, and she opened the gate. I waited for an opening in the racers, pulled out into the race, and started following a couple of the runners. The look on their faces when they turned around and saw a commercial truck behind them was pure class. A race attendant saw me and freaked out, so she pulled open a barricade and I exited the race and found my way back to the highway and back home.

The moral of the story? There are times when bastards will trap you into giving them your money. A parking lot fence or a two-year wireless agreement are pretty much the same thing, you're under their thumb. But that being said, I'll never park a truck with those conniving theives again.

World's King · 05-16-2004, 01:14 PM

Just last night in fact...

I was trying to get to a BBQ and I happened upon a closed highway. See, a peice of a bridge fell and crushed a car earlier that day. But I didn't know this had happened. So I was pushed off the highway and made to go through this huge detour and I was starting to get really pissed becasue I needed to be drinking and sitting in the hot tub with lots of girls. So when I tried to get back on the highway to get to my exit the cop wouldn't let me. So, I yelled at him and he yelled back and he told me to get outta my car... I yelled some more... I drove off. Flipping off every cop and construction worker I could see.

Then this moring I saw the pic of the beam on the car. I feel bad now.
Link to Story.

Harshaw · 05-16-2004, 01:22 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by phredgreen

The look on their faces when they turned around and saw a commercial truck behind them was pure class.

That is such an awesome image. Wish you had pictures.

DDDDave · 05-17-2004, 03:16 PM

Bought a VCR from BestBuy.

After 91 days it stopped working. Just plain quit.

Took it back to BB customer service (an oxymoron).

They say' Sorry, we can't refund your money, and it is out of warranty. We will look at it to diagnose what is wrong though'.

They call three weeks later. 'Come and get it.'

I get there and they say 'it will be $95. to fix it.' I say 'I only paid $99 in the first place'. It is worthless to me now.

Then the killer line - 'You owe us $50. for diagnosing the problem'.

I literally threw the machine across the counter at the manager said 'Just fucking keep it' , turned on my heel and walked out.

I've never set foot in a BestBuy again.

basmoq · 05-19-2004, 07:37 PM

lol I'm going to have to get back to you guys on this one after friday, you see, my school just screwed me out of $5000 today and I'm going to try and do something about it. This is no small sum of money to me, so I plan on being quite insistent...

dirtyrascal7 · 05-19-2004, 08:02 PM

i nearly flipped out today when i took my car to the stealership because of a check engine light that had been on for a few days.

it cost me $40 for them to plug my car's computer into there little diagnostic machine and download the code. that's all they did... it took 30 seconds, including the time it took to pull my car around into the garage.

this may not seem like a big deal... but there's a whoooooooole lot of backstory and previous history with this dealership and i've already forked over $6000+ to them for repair and "service".

i would've loved to had access to a bulldozer or some other big machinery... something that i could just plow over all their mercedes's and audi's and right through their showroom.

or at least it would've been nice to rang the service manager's neck... lucky for him i was too tired to unleash my intense rage.

05-16-2004, 12:52 PM	#4 (permalink)
Harshaw Is mad at you. Location: Bored in Sacramento	First let me say that, yes I know your cell coverage sucks in some areas. But, it's a cell phone, not a landline. As a customer service rep, there is only so much I can do to make it better. Sure, it would be nice if I could give you a new phone, but they watch me pretty close, so it isn't going to happen. When you started with the company, you pretty much signed most of your rights away. This really isn't the way to show the company you hate them. Really the only recourse you have is to vote with your money. As far as what I've done to get even for shitty service is stand outside a restaurant that took forever with our food, talking semi-loudly about how crappy the food was. __________________ This too shall pass.

05-16-2004, 01:07 PM	#6 (permalink)
phredgreen who? Location: the phoenix metro	He did what so many people have the good sense not to do but want to do anyways. My hat goes off to him for expressing the emotions of millions of jilted wireless customers. That being said, he's a complete and utter moron. Like Harshaw says, the best way to tell a company you don't appreciate the way they've treated you is to take your money elsewhere. My job consists of me driving box trucks of various lengths to various vacation destinations for corporate events, and in the duration of those shows, the truck has to be somewhere, so I've experienced the best and the worst of customer service in trying to find places to store a 24 foot truck for up to a week. The first show I worked was in downtown Miami. Just like any othe major city, downtown is a parking nightmare. I finally found a spot (actually, two) to leave it and paid way too much to some wily cubans who had the good sense to buy up a parcel of land in the middle of downtown, pave it, and paint lines onto it. I paid for the entire week's worth of parking up front, then fanned out the massive array of parking stubs onto my dashboard and left the truck for the week. The show went fine, and at the end of the week I woke up early to pick up the truck and get on the road. Just my luck, they were having a footrace right through downtown, and the race path ran right past the entry/exit of the lot. I hopped in my truck to get out of there before racers entered the area, and this fucking woman who spoke three words of english, none of which were helpful, decided I wasn't allowed to leave until I paid another 20 dollars. To accentuate her point, she closed the gate in front of me. We proceeded to argue for about 20 minutes back and forth and I was just about to ram through the fucking gate when the racers started running by. I got intensely frustrated, decided that because the company was covering it, I paid her the money, and she opened the gate. I waited for an opening in the racers, pulled out into the race, and started following a couple of the runners. The look on their faces when they turned around and saw a commercial truck behind them was pure class. A race attendant saw me and freaked out, so she pulled open a barricade and I exited the race and found my way back to the highway and back home. The moral of the story? There are times when bastards will trap you into giving them your money. A parking lot fence or a two-year wireless agreement are pretty much the same thing, you're under their thumb. But that being said, I'll never park a truck with those conniving theives again. __________________ My country is the world, and my religion is to do good. - Thomas Paine Last edited by phredgreen; 05-16-2004 at 02:51 PM..

05-16-2004, 01:14 PM	#7 (permalink)
World's King Here Location: Denver City Denver	Just last night in fact... I was trying to get to a BBQ and I happened upon a closed highway. See, a peice of a bridge fell and crushed a car earlier that day. But I didn't know this had happened. So I was pushed off the highway and made to go through this huge detour and I was starting to get really pissed becasue I needed to be drinking and sitting in the hot tub with lots of girls. So when I tried to get back on the highway to get to my exit the cop wouldn't let me. So, I yelled at him and he yelled back and he told me to get outta my car... I yelled some more... I drove off. Flipping off every cop and construction worker I could see. Then this moring I saw the pic of the beam on the car. I feel bad now. Link to Story. __________________ heavy is the head that wears the crown

05-17-2004, 03:16 PM	#9 (permalink)
DDDDave Addict Location: Sarasota	Bought a VCR from BestBuy. After 91 days it stopped working. Just plain quit. Took it back to BB customer service (an oxymoron). They say' Sorry, we can't refund your money, and it is out of warranty. We will look at it to diagnose what is wrong though'. They call three weeks later. 'Come and get it.' I get there and they say 'it will be $95. to fix it.' I say 'I only paid $99 in the first place'. It is worthless to me now. Then the killer line - 'You owe us $50. for diagnosing the problem'. I literally threw the machine across the counter at the manager said 'Just fucking keep it' , turned on my heel and walked out. I've never set foot in a BestBuy again. __________________ I am just a simple man trying to make my way in the universe... "Go confidently in the direction of your dreams. Live the life you have imagined." - Thoreau "Nothing great was ever accomplished without enthusiasm" - Emerson

05-19-2004, 07:37 PM	#10 (permalink)
basmoq It's a girly girl! Location: OH, USA	lol I'm going to have to get back to you guys on this one after friday, you see, my school just screwed me out of $5000 today and I'm going to try and do something about it. This is no small sum of money to me, so I plan on being quite insistent... __________________ "There's someone out there for everyone - even if you need a pickaxe, a compass, and night goggles to find them."

05-16-2004, 11:48 AM	#2 (permalink)
bparker805 is KING! Location: On the path to Valhalla.	I bitched out everybody from the Pit Boss to the On Duty Manager of the New York New York hotel casino for one of their cocktail waitresses getting a friend of mine incoherently drunk. To the point that he was throwing up in an Elvis slot machine payout tray. Usually, I would let my friends reap what they sow when the get drunk but the waitress was bring him a Long Island Ice Tea and a shot of Cuervo 1800 everytime she came around... Ifigure after a few hours of this, the should have the sense to slow it down but the drinks just kept coming. So I was bitching out every manager I could... When I didnt get the desired result, I politely asked to talk to their boss. Long story short... comped room, wheelchair, two securtiy guards, and three comped breakfasts.

05-16-2004, 12:33 PM	#3 (permalink)
Jolt Insane Location: Over here	About a year and a half ago, I attended a 2-day vendor training session which took place in a hotel on a college campus. I drove in the night before, found a spot in the garage, checked in, no problems... The next evening, I wanted to drive down the road in search of food...but the obnoxious little immigrant parking garage employee said that the group I was with only had free parking for the next two days, not that day, and if I wanted to leave the garage, I'd have to pay him. "...Hotel is different business than garage!..." I left the car in front of his tollbooth and walked back into the hotel desk to inquire/complain. I didn't care if anyone else needed to get out of the place or not. Nice Desk Lady told me what to say to Annoying Parking Man, but he wouldn't hear of it...so after a couple minutes of sputtering at him, I went back in a second time, and this time she stamped or signed a card and told me to give him that. I got out, I found some tacos, and I got back...only then did I notice that there was no gate/ticket machine/attendant at the entrances to the garage, only one at the exit. Anyone could park in that garage any time...they only charged people for the privilege of leaving.

05-19-2004, 08:02 PM	#11 (permalink)
dirtyrascal7 That's what she said	i nearly flipped out today when i took my car to the stealership because of a check engine light that had been on for a few days. it cost me $40 for them to plug my car's computer into there little diagnostic machine and download the code. that's all they did... it took 30 seconds, including the time it took to pull my car around into the garage. this may not seem like a big deal... but there's a whoooooooole lot of backstory and previous history with this dealership and i've already forked over $6000+ to them for repair and "service". i would've loved to had access to a bulldozer or some other big machinery... something that i could just plow over all their mercedes's and audi's and right through their showroom. or at least it would've been nice to rang the service manager's neck... lucky for him i was too tired to unleash my intense rage. __________________ "Tie yourself to your limitless potential, rather than your limiting past." "Every man I meet is my superior in some way. In that, I learn of him."