New experience with old dimensions

A mind that is stretched by a new experience can never go back to its old dimensions.  – Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr.

Quick think of all the times when you've purchased the newest and greatest version of something you already own.  Replacing something that you've become familiar and comfortable with stretches your brain.  There's that little piece of your brain that wants to go back to the familiar because it worked for you.  Then there's the rest of your brain that is excited by the newness of your abilities.  You can never really go back, only forward.

My cellphone service has been reminding me faithfully that it is time to upgrade if I wanted to jump into the future and continue receiving text and video messaging.  My vintage model would continue to receive voice messages, but other than that, it would become obsolete.  They even offered me a "free" smart phone to entice me to do so.  Score for me, I've been waiting to upgrade when the pricing looked more reasonable.  I looked in the fine print and didn't see where the sales person on the other end wouldn't be as excited about the experience as I would be.  A free phone = zero commission, even when you remind them of the monthly fee paid by the user which does equate to a continuity of business and revenue.  I didn't fall for the bundled battery, face cover, car charger thing for the value deal of $99.99 either.  I found this awesome Katy Perry case for $2.97.  I did buy the face covers - they are essential and never on sale.  Again, I was on a mission to keep this deal a deal.  I could tell I wasn't the "favorite" customer of the day.

Regardless of who's side is correct (the customer or the sales person), the customer service should remain consistent correct?  I'm very excited about my new phone.  I was very lucky to have a teenager who could set it up for me and give me first hand lessons on how to FaceTime, read email, check Facebook, and blog!  What I didn't realize as I walked out of the door at the cellphone store, is that my customer service rep neglected to thoroughly check my service package with me during set up.  Now I can't text!  Isn't that why I had to upgrade in the first place???

A deal isn't a deal unless it lives up to the expectations of the customer.  I guess another visit to the store is in order.  I'm positive the blow to the deal will be, "oh, you didn't say you wanted to be able to text, that will be ____ per month more."  You're right, nothing is really free!  Don't let them fool you when they tell you that!

Happy Monday - Thanks for stopping by!  Hope you find some real deals today!

Bye bye vintage model - you've been a great
companion - no more T9 texting, just a new
phone that I can't text on either!