Widow Brings Husband's Ashes to T-Mobile Store After Company Refuses to Cancel His Contract A 56-year-old widow from Wales has said that it was easier -- procedurally speaking -- to bury her late husband than to cancel his T-Mobile cell phone contract.

By Geoff Weiss

Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

Maria Raybould, a 56-year-old widow from Wales, has come to a tragic realization that should also serve as a chilling lesson in customer service. Procedurally speaking, Raybould says, it was easier to bury her late husband than to cancel his T-Mobile cell phone contract.

After David, 57, had died of cancer, T-Mobile tried to stick Raybould with cancellation fees, and bill collectors repeatedly harassed her seeking payment, she told the Telegraph.

Pushed to her limit, Raybould did the unthinkable: she showed up at her local T-Mobile store with an urn full of David's ashes, a death certificate and the funeral bills. "I lost it in the shop," she says. "I gave them 20 minutes to sort it out. I went outside and had a panic attack."

Related: This Might Be the Most Infuriating Customer Service Call Ever

Though the store's managers assured Raybould that they would stop the contract, she continued to receive letters demanding either $200 in unpaid bills or a cancellation fee. "I've had texts since then asking if David wanted to pay an extra $4 for broadband and letters saying that bailiffs would be coming," she said.

While death in our digital age has introduced a host of unfamiliar complications, such an oversight not only feels like a total no-brainer, but paints a particularly soulless picture of T-Mobile's customer service outfit.

"We apologize to Mrs. Raybould for any distress caused at this difficult time," a spokesman told the Telegraph, adding that the mishap had occurred due to delays in its automated system. "We can confirm that the account has been closed and the balance cleared."

Related: 35 Restaurants Where the Customer Isn't Right

Geoff Weiss

Former Staff Writer

Geoff Weiss is a former staff writer at Entrepreneur.com.

Want to be an Entrepreneur Leadership Network contributor? Apply now to join.

Leadership

7 Telltale Signs of a Weak Leader

Whether a bully or a people pleaser who can't tell hard truths, poor leadership takes many forms.

Business Ideas

70 Small Business Ideas to Start in 2025

We put together a list of the best, most profitable small business ideas for entrepreneurs to pursue in 2025.

Growing a Business

What Our Digital World Is Missing — and How I Turned It Into $100 Million After Dropping Out of High School

I went from high school dropout to $100 million CEO by sticking to one very important learning principle.

Social Media

With This LinkedIn Algorithm Change, Your Best Posts Could Reach New Readers for Months

It's one of many new features rolling out on the platform in 2024.