Cricket Wireless

Decided to go into a store to open my new account after my spouse had received no response regarding an online order.
I received very good and friendly service from the new employee. My account was set up and I was happy.
My issues began when I got home and logged on to my new account online. I discovered that, although I had only paid for my chosen plan at the store, my account was set up on the highest costing plan. I changed that myself right away, in addition to setting up my AutoPay.
When I went to turn on my PIN security however, I found that I was unable to set up my PIN, so I contacted customer support via web chat. They asked me for my PIN and security answer. I told them I did not have one, as I had just returned from the store about 15 minutes prior to starting the current support chat session. The support person said that it was set up and they could see the answers. Fully confused, I asked if I had to go back to the store, to which the support person answered affirmatively.
I returned to the store and found the same salesperson, who happily gave me my PIN and security question answer, and explained that it was store policy to do that on all setups so that everyone could have access to their accounts.
This doesn’t sit right with me.
After returning home, I logged on again to change my PIN and security question. I found that customers are unable to change the PIN and security question on their own. Unbeknownst to me, because I was never told to choose my PIN and security question, these are set up at the time of activation. (If you order online, you are prompted for this information before your order is submitted.) I had to do a web chat with customer support and have them do it. You can also go into a store, where your I.D. is checked and they might help you reset it, but since this particular store takes it upon themselves to decide what your personal PIN and security question is in the first place, well, I wasn’t about to trust them to reset my information and not make a record of it for their possible future manipulations of my account.
To be clear, anyone who has your number, PIN, and security question answer can go in at any time and change your plan (to a higher priced plan) without your knowledge or consent. If you’re like most folks, you won’t check your account until the payment is deducted the next month, and by that time, there are no refunds because it looks like you’re the one who made the change.
Both the PIN and security questions to very non-​secure, generic, and easy-​to-​guess settings by this store, so if you got your phone or SIM activated here and don’t know what your settings are, you’re taking a chance with your phone plan security.
Just a heads-​up.

I have been a Cricket customer since 2001 and I love them! I’ve loved never having to worry about minutes, texts, and data!
I moved across the country this year and the CS member at the Hall location made it quick and easy to get a local number and an awesome new phone. The store was very clean and organized. The guy behind the counter, Edgar, greeted me as soon as I walked into the building.
I live in Hillsboro and get FANTASTIC coverage! I love that I can venture out to Seaside and up to Mt Saint Helens and still have fantastic coverage.
I strongly recommend Cricket and especially the service at the Hall location!

Cricket is a ridiculous and horrible provider who care nothing for customer service, have seemingly no way for the left hand to know what the right is doing, make no effort to fix, change or tweak any of their customer service policies or politics. I have almost never had a good experience actually going in to a cricket store — but even fewer good experiences over the phone or online… Whew… Feels good to let it out. And that being said…
I found I needed to actually go in to a service center so I found one near where I was going to be this morning. There is usually someone in line, and if not, they somehow find a way to make you wait anyhow. So let it be here. The guy at the desk was calm, and able to deal with more than one customer. That sums up the positives.
I went in to split my account from my exes. I tried this over the phone a few weeks ago and was told that I would have to pay for that month twice to reactivate both phones since the bill had already been paid. I think not. So I went in today — on the day my bill is due. The guy calls customer service and they tell him the same thing, I have to pay the bill first and then they can split the phones and I will have to pay for one of them twice. You are shitting me! NOPE. There is only ONE day in the billing cycle where Cricket can split the accounts without double billing me and assuring I get both same numbers. So you see my point… cricket sucks.
Am I frustrated? Yes! Am I a handful? yes! Do I have every right to be upset over the ridiculous practices, the inconvenience, the time suck, the fact that no one told me this when I called them on the phone or the fact that I couldnt have done it yesterday because it was New Years Day? YES YES YES!
So when I show that frustration, when I get upset, when I raise my voice a bit because I am upset; because I am slightly bipolar (look at the sparkly stuff!); because I am led by my emotions… you are undoubtedly a little put off. But your job is customer service. Trying to calm me is one thing, reacting because my understandable frustration is making you uncomfortable, is not. Try EMPATHY. It will go a lot further. It would be lovely if all your customers had big smiles on their faces and songs in their hearts — but that just isnt the way life works. And I bet if Cricket handled itself like a professional company who gave a shit, their customers would be more likely to smile and sing. But until that time, you show me respect and empathy and I will be far likelier to do the same for you.