The Mobile Store

I continue my search for the successor to my present mobile . Should the day arrive when I have to change the handset immediately I should be very clear on which brand and model will be the chosen one .

( my reluctance to change hand sets frequently stems from environment concerns and the quantum of data transfer it invariably involves )

A few days ago I visited a retail outlet that specialises in mobile phones . Enquired about a particular model . Was informed that it was not in stock . They noted my contact details . Before leaving the store I asked for a store card . I did not hear from the store .Today I pulled out the card to call and check if they had received a set . The card of The Mobile Store has only one solitary land line number ! I turned the card around few times to look for a mobile phone number that should logically be on a card of The Mobile Store ( or any mobile store for that matter ) . I tried calling on that number only to find it engaged for the few times that I tried .

Looked at the card again and noticed that this enterprise is a venture between Essar and Virgin.2 large business groups in their respective countries have joined hands to market mobile phones in India . And the retail store ( at least the one I visited ) does not have a mobile number as a contact . They have put in considerable effort to create a brand identity . The stores externally look distinctive , the team at the store all wear T-shirts with the brand logo , the visiting card has the brand logo . Hopefully someday soon they will start to use the product they market .

This is more than just about whether The Mobile Store uses a mobile or not . It's about the convenience for customers , being accessible to customers , missed opportunities. Instead of waiting to get through on a land line one could message . And the store could respond . If I don't get through to the store and I don't therefore know whether they have stock of the set I want I could easily go to another store and make the purchase. Worse , I'm imagining ' what if I buy a product and then need to get in touch with them for some query or to solve a problem ? '

Completely obvious ?