Saturday, August 04, 2007

Helio - Are they High?

Let me quote directly from the Helio site:

"We're some folks who got fed up with the existing carriers, their one-size fits-all philosophy, generic devices and disappointing service. We wanted more from our wireless experience. Since there wasn't already a mobile company out there for people like us, we created one of our own."

You can not believe how truly crazy this statement is.

Today Mr S. and I wanted to look at one of these phones. His phone is really screwed, and he'd been lusting after a Helio for months.

So we walk into one of their "premier" dealers in Fremont, Ca.

They didn't have one in the store, but we could order one. Why they think I'm going to order something site unseen is beyond me.

So, Mr S. decides he will have to call the stores before we waste our time driving around. We called three of their stores. Again, these are stores they list as premier sales sites.

Store after store said the following:

1. They each had a Helio Ocean shell (i.e. non-functional) they could show us.

2. They didn't display any working models because they were super paranoid about them being left out and stolen.

Lets address problem #2 first. Have they ever fucking heard of lo-jacking the phones? They aren't even that expensive compared to say.... a Blackberry. And the places who do sell expensive phones have them all cabled to the wall. So WTF?

What makes them think their service is better than other carriers when you can't even find a phone to look at. And if you did, all the guts have been removed so you can't even turn the phone on? Who's bright idea was that?

Update:

While I was writing this post Mr S. was on the line to the Helio sales department to ask them where he could see one of the phones in our area. The support rep asked for our zip code. It was at this point that Mr S. told them he had called all the stores in our area and none of them had a working model.

The rep then said the best thing for us to do was to buy one and take advantage of the 30 day "total happiness guarantee".

Mr S. stopped him immediately and told him that wasn't happening. Which made the rep say he didn't know what to tell Mr S. Who then said "Well then I guess you aren't selling a phone."

This is the best part. The rep actually said "fine by me".

It is times like this I wish I recorded the call. But you just don't expect support reps to say crap like that. I mean.. we aren't being unreasonable in wanting to see the phone in person. Are we?

I also don't think I should have to call all over Silicon Valley to find an in store model. Which at this point, I'm not even sure exists.

Thank heavens they are so concerned about disappointing service.

2 comments:

  1. That's very rude. They obviously don't have any sort of monitoring program going on.

    Seems very strange that no one seems to have a demo of a phone that you can look at.

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  2. Weird, right?

    I'm sort of used to rude. I mean my view of younger working folk is basically a "whatever" viewpoint.

    But, I don't understand a company that is trying to get into the marketplace being that rude. I mean.. Verizon can be that rude. They dominate. Helio on the other hand makes me think "good luck going out of business".

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