Sounds like BS to me, quick way of getting rid of the foreigner without having to deal with him…
I guess I’m lucky as I know someone that works for CHT which has made things a lot easier to say the least.
I was with my wife so there was no communication problem, except him trying to sell me cellphones I didn’t want, and me being able to understand certain fundamental Chinese.
I’m wondering whether it may have been the Senao computer system unable to take ARC numbers perhaps?
Some discrimination is merely computer programmed.
Does anyone here have experience with Senao?
I can just bypass this and go directly to Chunghwa but I wish we didn’t have to suffer these inconveniences all the time.
Was it one of the smaller Senao shops? Did he have the phone there? Sounds like he didn’t have the phone in stock, tried to push you what he had and wanted to save face so he pulled this card? Could it be not so much discrimination as a lazy store clerk?
Do note the HTC Desire is now a year old, has been superseded by the Desire S, and is likely to be on the way to phased out if it is not already out of production.
Probably better luck at the big stores. An HTC retailer perhaps or even 3C can do 中華電信 contracts, so easy game.
Easy. You say to the guy, “show me”. He won’t be able to - I’ve bought phones there before. Then you ask him for his name, and the name and the contact details of his supervisor/manager, whatever. Tell him that you want to further investigate this phenomenon of foreigners not being able to buy phones. You don’t have to be mean about it, but be clear. You’ll get what you want. It always works for me.
I had a similar problem last year at a Senao in Ximen, they told me that foreigners can only sign upfor contracts at a Chunghwa office and not Senao, somi walked out and went next door to FarEastone and got the same phone in less than 15 mins
You should protest. I’m sure the local Taiwanese will be sympathetic. Try throwing eggs at inanimate objects or bowing on your knees on the sidewalk. Be sure to wear a surgical mask.
Same here. I’ve been told time and time again only big offices can handle foreigners changing plans, phones, getting extra services, etc…
Annoying to say the least. But they’ve always been helpful, gotten great service, then tehy write teh specifications I want -and the money I want to pay- and I just take the paper down to Zhonghua later.
[quote=“TheLostSwede”]Sounds like BS to me, quick way of getting rid of the foreigner without having to deal with him…
I guess I’m lucky as I know someone that works for CHT which has made things a lot easier to say the least.[/quote]
Same here, he’s using my wife’s ID and stamp … nothing funky because we know him, SO is a friend of my wife. Go in, decide what to buy and done … although he can not bend the rules when it comes to prepaying an expensive phone … new rules at CHT, pay first than use and start paying for use a year or so later …
[quote]Was it one of the smaller Senao shops? Did he have the phone there? Sounds like he didn’t have the phone in stock, tried to push you what he had and wanted to save face so he pulled this card? Could it be not so much discrimination as a lazy store clerk?
Do note the HTC Desire is now a year old, has been superseded by the Desire S, and is likely to be on the way to phased out if it is not already out of production.[/quote]
Yes, it’s a small branch in my neighborhood. I don’t think he was out of stock but thanks for the info about the Desire S. Probably another good reason to go to the big store.
He suggested using my wife’s ID but I rejected that strategy. It might give her more leverage. Yes, a big upfront fee too. Something like NT16, 000.
I stopped wasting time with the small ‘fry’. I always go to the HQs of the phone companies now, or at least the ones which are VERY prominent. The others ones have staff that are not trained in dealing with ‘big noses’ and other non-locals. While our demands aren’t complex, somehow we just don’t fit the ‘mesh’ applied to customers here. Sometimes there are legitimate rules that apply to us, but for the most part it’s just BS.
Oh, and I would recommend asking two or three people at the same company if you don’t like the answer you hear! … you’ll surely get three different answers!