  This story is long. You may want to get a snack. About a month or two ago, the plastic hinge on my cell phone broke. I thought that since the phone broke through everyday use, it was not my fault and should be covered under the manufacturer's warranty. So, in between moves, I stopped by the Sprint store where I purchased the phone. The "helpful" sales person took the phone to the back room to talk with his manager, and came out later telling me that it wasn't covered. But, that I could pay $4 for a month of insurance, then file a claim in 21 days. While I did enjoy the Sprint employee encouraging me to participate in Sprint phone insurance fraud, I politely declined. Fast forward to last week, when Britt tells me she talked to Sprint people about the hinge breaking and was told that it's a common defect and should be replaced.
I'm banging my head on the wall at this point, because my phone has just had its first birthday. Anyway, I decide I'm going to go to Montgomery to try again. Surely if it's common, and I explain that I tried to get it fixed before I'd had it a year, they'll be understanding. But, since I, and others, haven't had the best experience with Sprint in the past, I decide it would be wise to call ahead and check so that I don't drive the 45 miles --&nbsp;one way --&nbsp;for nothing. So I call. And am transferred. Then transferred again. Finally I get someone to tell me that yes, even though I've had the phone for longer than&nbsp;a year, it should be replaced. I ask her to make a note on my account so that when I get to Montgomery I'm not told otherwise. She gets a little huffy and says no. I get a little angry. So, I drive up to Montgomery, finally find the Sprint store, and get in "line.
" There was no real form of a line, which also made me crabby because when the sales person would say, "Who's next? " someone who came in after me would say, "I think I was. " And this was a dirty, rotten lie. So, I wait, and wait, and wait, and finally this boy comes up to me and says, "Are you looking to start a new plan. " I tell him, no, I need a new phone. He looks at my phone and says, "Yeah, that hinge breaking is common. But, the warranty would be voided because there are other exterior scratches. " I tell him that's ridiculous, and he tells me not to give up and to talk to the two women who are working at the sales desk. So, I wait some more. Finally, I talk to Tammy, who is the first person I talked to on the phone. She tells me the same thing as the first boy. I also tell her that it's ridiculous that a common fault with the phone would be ignored because of a scratch on a completely different part of the phone.
She says she can't help it.&nbsp;I say, "I'm not angry with you, because I know this isn't your call, but where can I go to file an official complaint with the company, because this is ridiculous. " She tells me to talk with the manager. There is a line to talk to the manager, because let's face it, people don't go to the Sprint store to say, "Hey! My phone's working great! Thanks! " So, I'm waiting in line, and the boy comes out and says, "Did they get you fixed yet.
" And I say, "No, but I'm not finished. " About this time, a different sales lady walks by, and the boy, (who I've discoved is named Clay and I don't know how I feel about this. I don't think you should name children after geological materials. So, Stone's out, too. )&nbsp; says, "Can you help this young lady..." and he goes on to explain the situation. I approach them and say, very calmly, "Look. I'm not angry with you, because I know this policy is above you. But, I just find this to be a very ridiculous policy, since it's a common defect in the phone. I also think that as new a service as cell phones are, people are not brand loyal yet.
And, it's crazy how phone companies give people the run-around. What will it cost you to replace this phone for me, compared to what I will spend with Sprint if I continue to use you as my carrier for however many years I have cell phone? " Then, that sales lady, who is named Monica, says, "I'll see what I can do about this. " And she goes into the back room for a while. Then, she has to help some other people, but eventually, she says, "We'll get you a new phone. " And, I think that's pretty awesome. Then, as I'm walking around the circle of&nbsp; counters they have in the middle of the store, this boy says to me, "Did they make it right for you?
" And I said yes. And it made me smile. Then, as Monica was tranferring my phone books, a man is told that because his phone got wet and there are exterior scratches, his warranty is voided. His response was&nbsp;a little different than mine. He starts yelling at poor Clay, going on about how it's unfair for them not to honor their warranty, and that this is poor customer service, and it's just plain ridiculous, and he's going to take them to court!
He was really getting fired up, and I'm thinking, "No, buddy. That's not the speech that get's the new phone. You gotta use the brand-loyalty speech. Much more effective. " Because, I tell you, the manager did not seem one&nbsp;bit concerned about this guy taking Sprint to court. It made me very glad that as fuming as I was at times, I was never rude - I thought, anyway, - and I was always calm. The only casualty: My 100,000 mile roll-over picture. That's a fine trade-off, if you ask me. 
