I gifted my mother age 80 a new mobile phone for her birthday. My mother, a former mathematics teacher, has a great affinity for digital technology. She shops online, gathers information from the internet, excels at e-banking, and uses various apps to simplify her life. I always have to tell her about the latest AI applications I use at work. My mother is by no means ignorant and is more proficient in modern technologies than many people 30 years younger than her. I am proud of her.

Her phone was 4 years old and showing clear signs of aging, so she needed a new one. At my mother’s request, we went to the O2 branch in Hostivar, as she is a very loyal customer and has her phone subscription with O2. My mother knows what she wants and makes decisions quickly. When we arrived at the branch, she wanted a new Samsung device. To our surprise, the salesman showed us a phone from another Chinese manufacturer that was 1/3 cheaper than the Samsung model my mother wanted. The salesman claimed that the model he showed us had the best value for money, especially for seniors with their needs, it was entirely sufficient. I had expected the salesman to show us a more expensive and powerful model, but apparently, he had classified my mother into the category of “old and almost senile”. My mother convinced him that she wanted a Samsung, not a cheaper model. Unfortunately, the desired model was not available in the store, which meant it had to be ordered. My mother did not want it to be sent to her home; instead, she wished for the installation and transfer of existing apps to the new phone. The salesman emphasized that he would be happy to do that for her, that everything was included in the price, and that everything could be transferred smoothly. I was skeptical because, in my opinion, for example, banking applications are not transferable. However, the salesman convinced my mother that it was possible, and we ordered the phone.

I can’t say it was an excellent customer experience, but it wasn’t bad either. Maybe except for the fact that the salesman didn’t mention any possible discounts for my mother as a subscriber when buying a phone. We had to request that ourselves. I had rated the visit as neutral, and my mother wanted this provider.

Two days later, we received an SMS saying that the phone had arrived at the branch and we could pick it up. That was annoying because it was my departure day, and I had to go to the airport soon. However, since my mother did not feel comfortable going alone, I offered to accompany her and go directly from the branch to the airport. Our second visit can be summed up like this: If I didn’t have to travel to the airport, I would have persuaded my mother to leave the new phone in the store and buy it elsewhere.

In the branch, there were two gentlemen, probably both under 30 years old. It was not the same man as in the first conversation. Even though we had bought a product, and they had earned money from us, we didn’t feel welcome during the second visit at any moment. My mother was on the verge of tears (and she is not easily moved), and I was just annoyed. I don’t want to repeat the conversation we had here, but my mother was barely explained anything; she was told several times that it was not the duty of the salesman to transfer her apps and install the new phone, and that if she went downstairs to the Datart provider, she would have to pay for it. It was emphasized several times that my mother should do it herself and that the installation should be understood as an absolute exception and a generous gesture.

I don’t know how the O2 store salespeople are trained, but if the store only wants to serve customers under 30 years old, that should be stated on the doors. I was upset about how my mother was treated, and I politely but clearly told the salesman. After that, it only got worse. I asked who was managing the store, and the second colleague spoke up. He had probably never heard of the rules on how to handle complaints. He did nothing to improve the situation.

My mother needs a working phone for her everyday life, and I had to leave in 30 minutes. I bit my lip and endured all the inappropriate remarks from the salesman. The experience couldn’t have been worse.

After 20 minutes, the installation was done, and my well-mannered mother asked how much she should pay for the service. The salesman replied, “Give what you consider appropriate,” and my mother gave him 450 crowns, which he accepted. I was really shocked by his audacity.

We left that store as soon as possible. My mother was trembling, and I wanted to buy her something small to eat and drink before departure.

I will never voluntarily enter that branch again. I have never experienced treating a customer, an elderly lady, with such disdain, condescension, and arrogance. They probably don’t need customers like my mother. It’s a shame I didn’t capture this experience on video. It could have been used for training purposes to show how not to treat customers.