iPhone 3G - Crappy Carphone Warehouse Experience

I couldn't resist any longer the temptation to own one. Having already download the v2 software and loaded onto my v1 iPhone and played with some apps I was compelled to go get the hardware.

I bought my first iPhone from Carphone Warehouse(CW) on launch day and so I decided to leave it until 11AM on Friday for this launch. Needless to say there was a queue of around 7 people and 3 serving staff taking on average 20 minutes per customer although I had heard that the credit auth system had gone down for 2 hours. So after a 2 hour wait I emerged and you guessed it - with no iPhone. Apparently this store had asked for 35 or so and received 9 from their central depot so they sold out within 10 seconds of opening. Instead I parted with my cash and £15 extra for a next day (Saturday) delivery direct from their warehouse. The sales guy was guaranteeing before 1pm delivery. So at 2pm Saturday I knew the jig was up and rang through to CW sales to chase my phone. After a 30 minute wait in the call centre queue a very nice lady looked up my tracking number and promptly put me on hold and then dumped me back into the main queue. I guessed this due to the ridiculous music that suddenly piped up yet again. After another 10 minute wait I get another guy. I complain and give him my tracking number again. He goes off and checks it out then tells me its because it hasn't been fulfilled at the warehouse (which basically means they sold me a phone they didn't have). No wonder the first agent dumped me back in the queue, she must have known how pissed I would be. So after a good moan I could feel the other guy cremating in his chair. He promptly refunded me my £15 charge and gave me the complaints address.

It's just striking how appalling the customer service is in these places and CW seems to do this to me every time I go in their store. This is the last time I will use them. I wonder how many other people got sold vapour phones.