I have been a Google Fi customer for a few years now and I appreciate the flexibility on the pricing of the service and love the phones. Recently my phone has started dying, but good news, Google has the new Pixel 2 coming out. On the announce day I ordered one.

A few days later, our CTO Josh also ordered a phone as well, the same exact phone.

Yesterday Josh mentioned that his phone had shipped, while mine is still in some warehouse limbo. I thought, “Well that is odd, I ordered mine before Josh. Shouldn’t I get my phone first? ”

I emailed support at Google and after a few back and fourths I got a response from Google about their ordering process.

My response from Google

I took some additional time and reached out to a specialist here within Project Fi Support. This specialist works within our higher level of support, and truly the best place to take this question. After further review, I’ve been informed that orders are processed on a first come first serve bases based upon when the order was placed. Please know that we here at Project Fi are only privy to this information in regards to this specific inquiry.

So it is done on a first come, first served basis! That is great. So where is my phone? Something is going on at Google. Is it because Josh was a trading in an old Pixel and I was trading in a Nexus 6P? Is it because I complain too much? I just don’t know. The customer service dance continues with me seeking answers right up until I get my phone. Then I will be so excited that I will forget to keep complaining.

Customer expectations are hard to manage. I get that. It is a daily challenge for anyone in any business. But time and again, when I order products from Google, they under-deliver. I want to believe it is just a coincidence, that I am not on some Google list of annoying customers, but I don’t know. Josh got his phone a day early, exceeding his expectations.

At last check-in Josh has not even opened his phone, but he would like me to know that it is already probably the best phone he has ever owned.