I have been a loyal Fido customer since Fido's inception and have been a Blackberry user since the thumbwheel devices. I'll admit I have strayed to iPhone (for a few months), and Android (cheaply made plastic toys), yet I use my "smartphone" for what a Blackberry is inteded to be used for (efficient messaging, email, security, etc). Blackberry devices are made to last, and I can't help but feel proud to support a Canadian company.
As everyone else that has posted has said, it would be foolish not to support a company that:
- Created the smartphone segment
- Is Canadian
- Has a device that has sold out everywhere on launch
- Offers a product that consumers want and need
The endless slew of propaganda, slander, misinformation, alterior motive marketing, publicity stunt lawsuits, etc. from the American counterparts with vested interests in Apple (iPhone) and Google (Andriod) is slightly infuriating, especially when your own sales staff and customer service agents PUSH their customers to iPhones when some of us want Blackberry's. Prime example was myself when the Z10 came out. I called customer service to order one and the agent ignored the fact I asked for a Z10 and said "your iphone will ship..." At this point I said I asked for a Blackberry Z10, not an iPhone actually. I was met with the response of "Why? You would be the first" (roughly to that effect). Fast forward a year later, a couple friends of mine (one an iPhone user, the other an Andriod user) used my device while we were on vacation and wanted to purchase one when returned (both are Fido customers...actually, were not are). They called me a few days later and said they couldn't find a Blackberry at any local store, and the sales staff told both of them (at various locations) that the Z10 is "garbage", "has lots of problems", "is hard to use", "has sh**y battery life", "Blackberry is going out of business and Fido isn't carrying it anymore", "can't order it from Fido", etc. etc.
Fido, let me remind you that these "customers" that you lost, asked for a Blackberry. No sales pitch required. They walked in and asked to purchase the devices. Rogers stores didn't have this device in stock either since the aforementioned excuses were given there as well... In a nutshell, these two customers switched carriers so they could have the device they wanted (and since their contracts were up, and they found it humorous that they were swayed from a purchase).
I am not elgible for a subsidized upgrade, so I will buy it outright, but I would prefer to buy it locally from my Fido store. I hope this will be a reality shortly.
