A Moray man has described the moment he complained about a broken mobile phone in Elgin as “akin to the Monty Python dead parrot sketch”.
When Dug Coutts’ iPhone 5 refused to charge he figured no problem, after all he was paying Vodafone £13 a month insurance – so he called in at their Elgin store.
However, Dug, from Lossiemouth, got a little more than he bargained for when a sales assistant insisted on examining the phone that no, it was not broken – it was just not recharging.
A confused Dug explained: “The young lady tried to charge it and told me it would not charge – which I pointed out was the reason I had taken the phone to the shop.
“So she says ‘OK what do you want me to do’ to which I replied fix it or replace it under the insurance.
“Her reply that it was not broken, just not charging left me more than a bit confused. When I asked what she meant by that her response was that the insurance would not cover it as it was not broken – it was merely not charging, so it was fine.”
The determined consumer pressed on, asking the assistant how it would be “fine” when it would not switch on and therefore would be impossible to use. He added: “She then suggested that I might get it fixed in a local repair shop – to which I pointed out that I was paying them £13 a month insurance as insurance, and that the phone did not charge so was broke – but still she argued that it was fine.
“I asked her if she knew the dead parrot sketch to which she said ‘what’s a parrot got to do with it – that’s for bluetooth connections in a car’.
“She then continued ‘you see sir, the phone is not actually broken, it just will not charge or switch on’ – again insisting that not being able to be charged does not mean it is actually broken.”
When the assistant assured Mr Coutts that his insurance would not cover repair costs because the phone was not actually broken, he was left to wonder just why he was paying a monthly fee of £13 against the eventuality of his iPhone not being usable.
The confused customer finally left the shop – but unlike Monty Python’s dead parrot, it would appear that his iPhone may yet be brought back to life.
Dug said: “I returned to the shop the following afternoon and I’m pleased to report that a more understanding assistant accepted my phone for repair – but only after I paid a £50 excess!”
For the benefit of those of the younger generation not aware of the classic Parrot sketch…..