My legs shake, my hands sweat. My heart beats while my throat dries. My jaws drop, my eyes open wide and I get this very strong urge to run to the nearest bathroom..!!!
That was me, when I saw I have to my mobile operator, 6000$ for the month of august!
Yes, dear reader. You did not misread that figure. It is three zeros beside the six, to the RIGHT of the six. In yens, it is 600,000. I spent 5 minutes trying to count how many zeros there are in this number!! I forgot the 3rd grade elementary maths, I even forgot how to speak, in ANY language!!
Is this 60,000? no no, there are five zeros!! five means what?? five zeros means.. wait wait.. Ten has one zero, hundred has two zeros, thousand has... what? thousand is hundred multiplied by 10 or 100? Thousand is ten hundreds. No a thousand is hundred tens!! wait wait. repeat again! Ten has one zero, hundred has two zeros. Ok so far. Thousand has 3 zeros. Fine. Ten thousands has 4 zeros and hundred thousand has 5 zeros. So this is SIX HUNDRED THOUSAND. Ok this means what? roku man (counting in Japanese)? no no this is roppyaku! no, this is roku sen man? NOO! this is ROKU JYUU MAN!!
At that moment I regained my consciousness. I calculated, in a less than one tenth of a fraction of a second (Yup, that is the adrenaline effect!) how long it will be taking me walking from my house to Tokyo University every day to save the train money. In the next fraction of the same second, I thought of just buying an air ticket and run out the country leaving everything behind, and never look back!!!
After taking a deep breathe, (and answering the strong bathroom urge), I realized the reason for this amount is using 3G internet on my new iphone. Yeah, they told me it is expensive, but I never thought it is 6000$/Month expensive!! I dont even have to check my email through the phone as any email I receive will be pushed as a notification! Ofcourse I have internet at home and internet in the lab so I do not need to use the phone so often! Urrrgh, I thought, Softbank is sooo dead for me!!! Those freaking thieves!!!
And thats when it hit me....
Yup it did...
I remembered when I first signed the contract that if I use 3G packets with a cost more than 4,000 yen (40$), the price will be frozen at 4,000. Why does it show up as 600,000???!!!
I called them. And here was their answer: "Yes sir, you will pay only 4,000 yens. But this is only to show you how much you used, and how much we will ask you NOT to pay, to let you appreciate our greatest offer of freezing your bill at 4,000 yens!!!"
Oh my god!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
You know what I answered then???
Can you guess???
Guess!!!
I said...
"4,000 yen?? Can you please tell me how many zeros are there in that???"
11 comments:
Wow, I was really relieved when I read the end part of this account. Softbank is awesome!!!
Thats what I call customer service. Now, I am really fond of Japan after you recommended watching Khawater at MBC. It is really a country in a different planet.
Unbelievable! If I were you I would die in Heart attack, and they should be responsible for that!! :p
Couple of months ago, I got a $1300 bill from AT&T. It was the real deal and they wanted me to pay it immediately. Needless to say it wasn't pretty
It was also for using the internet while roaming. My uncle in law got slapped with $24,000 bill. Luckily he was on a business trip so his work took care of it. But I'm telling you these things can get ugly pretty quick
Ikai-san,
Long time no see! I am so glad to see you commenting on my blog! Please visit more often!
Jaraad-san,
So you read the Khawater post and u posted no comments there? :(
Momiji-san,
It was pretty close to a heart attack! Allah satar!
Qwaider-san,
You reminded me to check with them if this offer includes roaming or not! The problem is that once u get used to reading ur email on ur mobile, its difficult to just switch back again!
wow!! what a great way to deal with customers and gain their trust for more years to come!!
I just read your post about khawater on mbc...a great one as usual...
and blue rose's comment was funny...I mean you guys getting used to the life style over there...could you talk about how it felt like when you came to Amman for visits, and how accepting you were to all the differences between here and there?
nido-san,
I did only little comparison here on my blog, with a very limited nature, and some people did not like it thinking our Arabic countries are perfect.
I think now after watching Khawater they have nothing to say. Coz that problem stresses the fact of the two planets.
I agree. BlueRose went to Amman recently, maybe we should hear her impressions!
looool that's hilarious!!
I hope they will take into consideration that some ppl have weak hearts!:D
I'm still a softbank user but I hate them cuz for about 3 months they were billing me for 2 bills, one is mine and the other I don't from where it came! After weeks from many visits to their shops and tens of phone calls I could get my money back(around 2MAN 5SEN yens).. Actually I was shocked (and angry)a company like softbank would make such a mistake!
hi,
what a surprise. I work for an outsource for a cellphone company and we have plans ofr internet fro 24.99 or one odllar a day. Hearing that you can get overcharged if you use it more scares me. Why? Because i can imagine dealing with customers with the same questions like you about overuse.
Just as a clarification, can i ask you: did you finally paid the 6000 with 3 zeros or 4000, with 3 zeors as well? : D
Hope your enjoying living in Japan its only a dream for me to go there, but its good for me that you share your experiences. Thank you. arigatou.
bye bye!
That's hilarious. They just wanted to tell you how much you should appreciate them for not charging you what they shouldn't charge anyone to begin with. That is some solid logic!
I also have a Japanese learning blog and would be happy to provide a link exchange. Stop by and say hello sometime! http://japanesewithchris.blogspot.com
Tell you the truth this post made me laugh my head off ..
But you should be thankful to such an honest provider.
Nice post though .. Loved it.
Best Regards,
Bluez
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