As many of you know, I flew to England yesterday and one of my first priorities was to get mobile data back onto my UK mobile phone (a UK pay-as you go phone on EE). While living away it naturally expires and few weeks ago I tried to reactivate it on their website using my online account, but without success. I also tried their 150 number, but stopped short because the automated messages were not taking me where I needed to go.

So, when I arrived yesterday and had a couple of hours before my train home, I popped into the local EE store and was told just to use 150 and while I was a bit frustrated I thought "You know what, I will give it a go because I am in the UK now and my location might make a difference" and so I gave it a go and felt like it was going in the same direction as previously. 

A few hours later when I was back home I went into my local EE store and the first guy said again use the 150 number and I explained that I was not convinced, but he assured me that if I went a bit further on the automated system then I should get the right option...

And do you know what happened - I ended up paying for more phone credit!

It wasn't about the paying or not paying, but based on what he said I thought that once complete it will say that I had received the mobile data package. As soon as I realised I verbalised my frustration, but stopped short of swearing. In the meantime the guy who had told me had conveniently disappeared.

Nearby there was a youngish girl serving another customer and she became free so I asked for her help with a reassuring "Don't worry, I don't shoot the messenger" after she had seen my earlier outburst.

She then listened and collected relevant details before going on her computer and telling me what she was doing. She did however have a small technical difficulty and asked another colleague just for help on the technical side of things. She was even able to "pay" for the data package from my existing credit and so it didn't cost me even more money, although I still needn't have added the credit that I had just a few minutes prior to her support.

There is an important lesson here concerning customer support-

• listen to the client, they know what they need even if they don't know how to do it.
• don't fob the client off with  do it yourself attitude. I am there because I have already tried without success and need help.
• when she got stuck she reached out to a colleague 
• she delivered what was needed

Afterwards I couldn't be complimentary enough about their approach - because in the end it was both of them - and the colleague even said as a final peace of advice, during that brief after-chat, that if I encounter a similar problem again, then I should just pop into store, as it is the easiest and fastest way to resolve it.

Their customer service was perfect; flawless, speedy, efficient and responsive to my needs.

It was just a shame that it took three attempts to get there. Perhaps these two wonderful individuals should train all EE staff how respond. None of the staff were rude or abrupt, but at the same time most did not address my reason for going in store and addressing my need was and should have been their primary concern.

Politeness is pleasant, but if it doesn't address the customer's issue(s) then ultimately it is all a pointless waste of time.

As always stay safe and well my friends