Supposedly wrong information provided by one of the agents I interracted with

[calingiurgiu200]

I asked customer service to make me an offer on upgrading my phone with a trade-in option. The trade-in option is not listed on the Fido website. Hence contacting the customer service. The agent came back with the following offer:
"I have a great deal for you we have Google Pixel 8 it will cost you $10.00/month with $0 Down payment and You can have the plan which is $50.00/month for 50 GB but you make trade In with you Google Pixel 7 you will get $220 but it is an estimated price ,it depends on the device condition." - actual quoted conversation

I double checked with the agent:
"I am not quite sure I understand the 220 trade value. So, I would start a new 24 month period, paying $60/month + tax for phone and mobile plane and I can get a credit of maximum $220 dollars (depending on the Pixel 7 condition)? Right?"

Agent reply:
"You are totally right"

24 hrs later when I wanted to take the offer the next agent dismissed the offer saying that I have to pay in full the current phone (another almost $500), then I can trade it in for a maximum $200. Then I can get the new phone as specified for a 24 months contract. What kind of rip off is that? Pay 500 to get 200 (if that)?

"Unfortunately you do have a device balance on your current device. In order for you to get the trade in option, you would have to pay off your current balance, then and then only you would be eligible for the trade in credit.

..however our system, does not allow us to a do a trade-in option, when there is already a device balance remaining, with the current device." -agent

What kind of logic is that?  What is the point to talk with an agent if they are not capable of relaying the correct information? At this point who is correct the first or the second agent? For the most expensive mobile plans on the planet the customer service is the worst. 10 more months of contract  and I am done with them.

[Cawtau]

Hello Callingiurgiu200,

  Welcome to the community!

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@calingiurgiu200 wrote:

 ... At this point who is correct the first or the second agent?....

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  In a sense, they were both correct. They both informed you of the potential trade-in value for that device. Sure, there was a slight difference in the potential value of the device. However, it should be noted that Fido does not make the value determination. Likewize does (see here). Fido only presents the value Likewize may offer.

  I understand the first customer service representative might not have mentioned having to pay the outstanding balance on your current contract. However, your excerpt with the first representative makes no mention of still financing a device. Most people inquiring about trading-in a device have either already fully paid for their device or aware of the consequences of ending the contract early. If you finance a new device (including trade-in), it will cancel your current Payment Program agreement. If that happens, you will be charged the outstanding Fido Payment Program balance. 

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@calingiurgiu200 wrote:

 ... What kind of rip off is that? ...

What kind of logic is that? ....

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  It's not a rip-off. The remaining balance is what you owe on your current device. Trading in a device does not absolve you of the remaining balance of your old device. Those are two separate things.

  I understand you seem to feel this issue is with Fido. However, it would be the same with any of the other providers (or any transactional agreement). It's logical that people actually pay the fully agreed upon amount for an item. End the contract early; pay the remaining balance earlier. If your contract were closer to completion, your remaining balance would be less.

Hope this helps 😀

Cheers

[Cawtau]

Hello again,

  Firstly, I apologise for mis-spelling your username in my earlier post.

  I also wanted to comment on something else you noted:

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@calingiurgiu200  wrote:

...The trade-in option is not listed on the Fido website...

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  While I haven't found any direct links to the page, searching for Trade-in provides a link to this FidoTrade quote page. It's possible the link would be available to customers who are not currently under a Payment Program agreement looking to purchase a device.

Hope this helps 😀

Cheers