Playground Rules

I don't know about you but I'm getting pretty
sick of seeing those Sprint "Holier than Thou"
commercials exploiting little kids. So...
I made up a list of Sprint's Playground Rules.
Here they are, enjoy.

Playground Rules () = small print

1. We'll give you 50 cents if you use our playground instead of
theirs. (NOT)(See problem monkey)

2. When the playground bully asks you to lend him some money
for something he wants to buy, don't worry, give it to him.
You'll get your money back. For sure! (wait 4-6 weeks and
hope the bully submits the right mail-in rebate paperwork)
(See solution monkey if he doesn't)

3. If you have a problem, see the solution monkey. If you have
a solution, see the problem monkey.

4. If the water fountain runs dry, you can turn it on. But
you'll need to sign a water service agreement, and that will
cost you 5 additional cents every time you use the playground.

If the jungle bars are too high for you, they can be lowered.
But you'll need to sign a jungle service agreement, and that will
cost you 5 additional cents every time you use the playground.

...

5. You'll get a ride home by our escort service after you finish
playing. (Parents, see problem monkey if your kid doesn't show)

6. Don't tell your parents (regulating commission) about our little
secret rules. Or we'll make you look like a fool when we tell them
it was all a mistake, we fixed it, and you're just making a big deal
over nothing.

---

› See More: Playground Rules

Jack SaturnOwner wrote:
>
> I don't know about you but I'm getting pretty
> sick of seeing those Sprint "Holier than Thou"
> commercials exploiting little kids. So...
>
> <snip>

"Holier than Thou?"

Personally, I think they're pretty amusing!

Larry

"Jack SaturnOwner" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> I don't know about you but I'm getting pretty
> sick of seeing those Sprint "Holier than Thou"
> commercials exploiting little kids. So...
> I made up a list of Sprint's Playground Rules.
> Here they are, enjoy.

Exploiting? Just how are they being exploited? They are doing a commercial.

Holier than Thou? Just how did you come to this conclusion? Because they
inform the viewers on the lowest level possible, on what is an important
question, on how many minutes a user actually needs, without getting hit for
additional minute charges of $0.50 or $0.75 if the outgoing call is LD? If
it is, then you are way off base.

Bob

In article <[email protected]>,
[email protected] (Jack SaturnOwner) wrote:

> I don't know about you but I'm getting pretty
> sick of seeing those Sprint "Holier than Thou"
> commercials exploiting little kids. So...
> I made up a list of Sprint's Playground Rules.
> Here they are, enjoy.
>
> Playground Rules () = small print
>
> 1. We'll give you 50 cents if you use our playground instead of
> theirs. (NOT)(See problem monkey)
>
> 2. When the playground bully asks you to lend him some money
> for something he wants to buy, don't worry, give it to him.
> You'll get your money back. For sure! (wait 4-6 weeks and
> hope the bully submits the right mail-in rebate paperwork)
> (See solution monkey if he doesn't)
>
> 3. If you have a problem, see the solution monkey. If you have
> a solution, see the problem monkey.
>
> 4. If the water fountain runs dry, you can turn it on. But
> you'll need to sign a water service agreement, and that will
> cost you 5 additional cents every time you use the playground.
>
> If the jungle bars are too high for you, they can be lowered.
> But you'll need to sign a jungle service agreement, and that will
> cost you 5 additional cents every time you use the playground.
>
> ...
>
> 5. You'll get a ride home by our escort service after you finish
> playing. (Parents, see problem monkey if your kid doesn't show)
>
> 6. Don't tell your parents (regulating commission) about our little
> secret rules. Or we'll make you look like a fool when we tell them
> it was all a mistake, we fixed it, and you're just making a big deal
> over nothing.

Too bad it's worse than you described.

(Jack=A0SaturnOwner) wrote:
> I don't know about you but I'm getting pretty
> sick of seeing those Sprint "Holier than Thou"
> commercials exploiting little kids. =A0 So... I
> made up a list of Sprint's Playground Rules.
> Here they are, enjoy. (big snip)

I find these commercials pretty funny, actually. I don't understand
where you get the "Holier than Thou" attitude from them... they are
meant to be somewhat sarcastic in nature.

Eric

(Jack=A0SaturnOwner) wrote:
> If you have a problem, see the solution
> monkey. If you have =A0 a solution, see the
> problem monkey.

Which monkey wrote up these rules?

Seriously though, some of what you wrote made sense, but some just seems
like nitpicking. Especially the mail-in rebate part... you make it
sound like Sprint is the only ones who require the appropriate paperwork
to be sent in to aquire one. Sprint has a good amount of faults, but I
think you are digging the bottom of the barrel here.

In article <[email protected]>,
[email protected] (Eric) wrote:

> (Jack*SaturnOwner) wrote:
> > If you have a problem, see the solution
> > monkey. If you have * a solution, see the
> > problem monkey.
>
> Which monkey wrote up these rules?
>
> Seriously though, some of what you wrote made sense, but some just seems
> like nitpicking. Especially the mail-in rebate part... you make it
> sound like Sprint is the only ones who require the appropriate paperwork
> to be sent in to aquire one. Sprint has a good amount of faults, but I
> think you are digging the bottom of the barrel here.

Everyone else does it is never a valid excuse for a customer unfriendly
practice.

> Holier than Thou? Just how did you come to this conclusion?

One crook knocking another crook's tactics.

Granted, I am a former ATiTy customer. And Sprint is an order of
magnitude better as far as everything goes. But still, there
is room for improvement.

> Because they inform the viewers on the lowest level possible, on
> what is an important question, on how many minutes a user
> actually needs

They just charge you something like 10 cents a minute for all minutes
instead of 10 cents a minute for the first 300 minutes then 40 cents if
you go over.

They call it a variable rate plan, but it's not variable at all.

Don't get me wrong. It's a great improvement for some people,
especially if you work weekends and have weekdays free, and all
your friends are like that too.

Me personally, I took the 7PM free nights, and practically I have
0 cents a minute for all other minutes, because I work M-F 9-5 and
my life doesn't start till after dinner.

(R=F8bert=A0M.) wrote:
> Everyone else does it is never a valid excuse
> for a customer unfriendly practice.

Normally, I would agree with you here, but since I was talking about
mail-in rebates... name me one mail in rebate in which any company
doesn't require you to send in proof-of-purchase and/or upc barcode?
This goes from anyone from cell phones, to dvd mail in rebates, to $3.00
off shampoo offers. I don't think requiring a customer to send in a
form plus proof of purchase as "unfriendly".

Eric

In article <[email protected]>,
[email protected] (Eric) wrote:

> (Røbert*M.) wrote:
> > Everyone else does it is never a valid excuse
> > for a customer unfriendly practice.
>
> Normally, I would agree with you here, but since I was talking about
> mail-in rebates... name me one mail in rebate in which any company
> doesn't require you to send in proof-of-purchase and/or upc barcode?

Pennzoil, I just bought a case of it at Pep Boys, and it didnt have
those requirements.

In article <[email protected]>,
[email protected] (Jack SaturnOwner) wrote:

> Me personally, I took the 7PM free nights, and practically I have
> 0 cents a minute for all other minutes, because I work M-F 9-5 and
> my life doesn't start till after dinner.

Retention now has the option of providing 7 PM nights with an offsetting
$5/month "Strategic credit" to make it free.

In article <[email protected]>,=20
[email protected] says...
>=20
> Retention now has the option of providing 7 PM nights with an offsetting
> $5/month "Strategic credit" to make it free.
>=20
>=20

Nope. That's a special offer that is being test marketed.

--=20
R=D8=DF
O/Siris
I work for Sprint PCS
I *don't* speak for them

(R=F8bert=A0M.) wrote:
> Pennzoil, I just bought a case of it at Pep
> Boys, and it didnt have those requirements.

Point taken. Any other rebates you care to name? I would venture to
say that 99% of mail-in rebates being offered requires you to send in a
upc/reciept/proof-of-purchase/rebate form. I have never sent in for a
rebate without having to send in these items (unless you count those
"instant" rebates, which doesn't fall into the same catergory). I don't
think that makes a company customer unfriendly.. they are just asking
for proof that you bought their product before they give you a rebate or
special offer.

Eric

"Jack SaturnOwner" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> > Holier than Thou? Just how did you come to this conclusion?
>
> One crook knocking another crook's tactics.

Sorry, but I still don't see that connects up with your prior statement.
>
> Granted, I am a former ATiTy customer. And Sprint is an order of
> magnitude better as far as everything goes. But still, there
> is room for improvement.
>
> > Because they inform the viewers on the lowest level possible, on
> > what is an important question, on how many minutes a user
> > actually needs
>
> They just charge you something like 10 cents a minute for all minutes
> instead of 10 cents a minute for the first 300 minutes then 40 cents if
> you go over.

No, what they do is sell a bucket of minutes for a certain price. If one
only used 150 minutes out of that 300 minute plan, then in your reasoning it
costs $0.20/minute. As to using the $0.40 / minute figure, that actually
depends on how old your plan is. Folks on newer plans would be charged $.50
/ min, for any AT minutes used, once the bucket minutes are gone, plus
$0.25/ minute on outgoing LD calls.
>
> They call it a variable rate plan, but it's not variable at all.

I haven't seen that specific language being advertised. What I do see from
http://fairflexible.sprint.com/pricing.html is that for those folks who
don't use their phone that much, but do use more minutes during a billing
cycle, it's cheaper, than the flat 300 minute plans. If one used 100 extra
minutes on the flat plan (and it's all incoming or local outgoing calls)
with a flat plan, it would cost them $50 more. Do any LD calls, and it's
going to be more and $50 in additional charges for that month.

With F & F, it would cost them $15 more & LD is included.

Bob

(Jack=A0SaturnOwner) wrote:
> Me personally, I took the 7PM free nights,
> and practically I have 0 cents a minute for all
> other minutes, because I work M-F 9-5 and
> my life doesn't start till after dinner.

I agree with you there. I work mostly days (although not strictly M-F),
and therefore, I do not use my phone until after 6pm, which is only an
hour outside of my 7pm night start time.

Sprint, while I think their advertising is funny, needs to get serious
in educating future customers (and their own reps and dealers) about how
to explain Fair and Flexible in a complete, decisive manner. This is a
program that will work for some, and will be ultra expensive for others,
and there needs to be training so reps can recognize which plans to
offer to which customers.

Eric