iPhone from Globe – I just don’t get it
After paying some bills, we had to drop by a shopping mall to withdraw some money from an ATM machine. I did not anticipate that we were going to the mall so I was wearing sando, jeans shorts and Havaianas slippers. We then passed by Globe telecoms center and saw that today was the day that iPhone is officially released in the Philippines and Globe telecoms is the official distributor. I have always wanted to have an iPhone since the first version was released but it was yet to be released here in the Philippines until today. Wanting to get my hands on an iPhone, I entered globe and inquired about it.
The customer representative that faced me didn’t seem too enthusiastic about my interest on their product. Anyway, I still asked a few questions before finally buying one. (Okay! Okay! I admit that I’m an impulsive buyer at times 
)
For a year and a half now, I have been a postpaid subscriber of Globe telecoms with a GMix / GFlex 800 plan. That is 6 months away from ending the 2 year lock-up from my previous subscription contract. The selling price for a 16 GB iPhone prepaid kit is 43,799 pesos but with a GMix / GFlex 800 plan with a 2-year lock-up, it only costs 30,500 pesos. This gave me the idea: What if I just extend my plan to another 2 years and avail of the discounted price?
Nice idea huh? Unfortunately, according to the customer representative, this is not possible because this is only available for new plan subscribers. WTF!!! This is one of the most non-sense things that I’ve heard in years. Why wouldn’t you grab the opportunity to extend your customer’s contract, retain his subscription for another two years, and let him walk away happy about his new phone? Well, I can always ask my sister to apply for a new post paid subscription plan with Globe under her name but this is just smart. (Of course it’s Globe) It’s just the same amount of 48 months subscription in total. The only difference is that you have a happier customer with the other one while you have an unsatisfied customer who will surely terminate his subscription plan after his 2-year lock up contract (which is in 6 months) with the other.
Of course, I expressed my disbelief about what I’ve just learned to the customer representative and she started to explain like I was a poor, dumb guy who can’t afford an iPhone and was just wasting her time. Hmm… Could it be the clothes that I wear? Or could it be that she saw that I was only a subscriber of a GMix / GFlex 800 plan? Just a piece of advice, if a customer has a subscription plan that is only worth 800 pesos, it doesn’t mean that he can’t afford higher plans. It is probably the only amount of post paid subscription that he NEEDS. If he is not dressed up like a person who is working in an office, it doesn’t mean that he is not earning 10 times more than an office worker.
Keeping myself cool, I just told the customer representative that I need some more time to think if I will buy an iPhone. Tsk! I should be exploring my iPhone now but instead, I can’t sleep because of this day’s experience.
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6 Comments on “iPhone from Globe – I just don’t get it”
I also have an iPhone that I got early this year from a mobile shop in Pampanga, it costs me P29thou and to insert the SIM you have to curve it so you can insert it. Because I am an implulse buyer too, I bought it. Now, there’s this prepaid kit that Globe offers that makes me think…..
I feel sorry for you that the customer rep treated you that way….. Filipinos should change, it’s time to change…..
You should have hit the customer rep on the face! Well, there are a lot of people like that.. Don’t worry, you’ll surely have that iPhone on your hand soon.
Thanks for dropping by in my blog Mr. Loo. Are you from Pampanga? This actually happened in SM Pampanga. Anyway, I agree that it’s time to change. Enough is enough!
haha… if she only knew. that is the sad thing about discrimination e. judging people with the way they dress up. some people just don’t get it… people who really has the money doesn’t need to flaunt it by wearing flashy clothes – they just flash their wallets… hehehe
I suggest you hold back on buying the iPhone 3G for now. There are major issues for what should be basic needs of your phone, namely: it has a short battery life, calls get dropped. I also read that its software has issues.
And at 40k+, I don’t think it’s worth the hype.
I agree with you Ced. I agree that being one of the first people to get a hold of the iPhone is not worth 44K. I would probably buy one my late this year.