I recently read that (some of) the directors of Nextel in the US had stepped down. This does not surprise me, since their stupid policies in the US have affected their operations in Mexico.
This is not quite a rip-off, as I knew (or should have known) what I was getting into. I would like also to say that, despite their stupid, infuriating policies and lack of response to my suggestions for alleviating the problems, their treatment of me was always courteous, although 100% stonewalling.
Slightly over two years ago, my youngest daughter turned 15, a big deal in Mexico. Since she was not interested in having the traditional big party (like a coming-out party in the States), but did want a cellular telephone, and since many of her friends used Nextel, and since Nextel is the only company in Mexico, as far as I know, with 'free' radio communication with other Nextel users, this seemed like a reasonable birthday present for her.
I went to Nextel, and initiated the sign-up procedures. I should here state that Nextel is perhaps the most expensive cellular phone company in Mexico, although they do have the mentioned radio services that other companies seem to lack. Our original plan was to purchase two cellular phones (with their own plans) for ourselves, as well as the one for our daughter (naturally, she wanted one of the most expensive models, which we (I) acceded to, since this was a major birthday present. We chose the cheapest plan they offered which also had unlimited monthly radio calls, as well as a certain amount of free telephone calls.
Our other two children were then studying in the US, and our son had independently taken out a plan with Nextel in the US. For some reason (though not surprising to me) he was at that time planning to switch companies, which he later did to Verizon (a company which, as far as I know, is not available now or then in Mexico). Our daughter had a different cellular phone company. We were planning to 'make' our kids keep or take out a contract with Nextel, and to buy and pay for additional international coverage through Nextel (including Mexico, US, Canada and Argentina).
Since my wife is Argentine, the last would also have been very convenient, allowing us to communicate with family members, not only in the US with the appropriate Nextel plan, but also in Argentina.
In short, since we live in a small town near Puebla with relatively unmarked streets, the messenger service was unable to find our house to get our signature, and they finally called me about that. I went in and had to do the paperwork at their (Puebla) headquarters. While there, they informed me that the original plan I had provisionally signed up for had been discontinued. Since I and they had not signed the paperwork finally, they were not bound, of course, to the original agreement, and refused to honor it.
My options were to cancel the whole thing (which, in retrospect, I should have done), negotiate, or sign for a more expensive plan than what we had bargained for. Negotiating proved fruitless, though I went as high as the regional director (or subdirector for customer affairs), and even though I offered to contract the International service, as well as force my kids to take out Nextel contracts in the US. They turned out to be 100% impervious to my blandishments, offers, complaints, etc. They did offer to make me an appointment with the regional director, who would call me to confirm. This never happened, despite some prodding on my part.
Finally, since my daughter's birthday had by then passed and I felt bad about not finalizing her present, I did sign up for a required 19 months. Once that happened, they clearly lost all interest in customer satisfaction, etc., and no more progress was made on that front. Of course, I only signed up for one telephone (instead of three in Mexico, two in the States and five international plans at extra cost), so they stupidly lost that business.
In addition, they of course alienated me, and at the first legal opportunity I had, I canceled the contract, which I naturally had told them I would do, and so we are currently looking for another, cheaper cellphone provider.
When companies issue their financial reports, they include a category known as Good Will.in this case, Nextel definitely has my Bad Will, for what I consider their (non) use of intelligent customer relations, which cost them initially four cellular phone contracts and five international contracts, and now will probably forever keep me from signing a Nextel contract again for anything, however good the deal *seems* to be.
Jim
Puebla, Puebla
Mexico
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