got my fascinate today... vzw rep told me interesting things...

[Menno]

You make some good points and I only want to comment on this one. I always have an open mind when going into a retail store, and hope I get a good sales person.

But to answer your question as to why you should spend time outside of work doing research? Because it's your job is how I would answer that. If I don't keep up on the latest version of .NET, programming languages, trends, SDK's, etc. I get left behind and lose clients. I do that research on my own time in non-billable hours so I can stay on top and be successful. I've had real knowledgeable Verizon reps in the past, and when I go back to that store I ask for them, and recommend other people go see him as well. The problem is, the knowledgeable reps often move on to bigger/better things, and we are stuck with someone with lesser ability.

Actually, my job it to position and sell contracts to customers, and accessories. The phones are Loss leaders to entice customers so sign up for lucrative contracts. Phones factor very little into how much reps get paid past if the customer gets data or not, or if they are getting an EOL phone that is so marked down there is no profit.

It sucks, but that's the reality of the situation. As a rep, it doesn't matter to my wallet if a customer gets a palm, a blackberry, or any flavor of android. Yes, this is utterly counter-intuitive and anti consumer, but that's how the current structure is, and it will stay that way until devices are sold unlocked and unsubsidized. Then the reps will need to know equipment because that's what they'll make profit off of.

As a rep I do spend hours of my own time pouring over various sites trying to learn the ins and outs of current devices and to remain on top of the trends, but that's because phones are my hobby. But that extra knowledge that I've spent weeks developing has netted me a total of maybe 4 sales in over 2 years. Most of the time, questions are about plans because that's what I sell.

You're a programmer, so you keep up on programming. What you're asking store reps do is to keep up to date on the latest overclocking capabilities of extreme graphic chipsets. It's related to your job, but not part of it.

I'm not trying to defend stupid reps, reps SHOULD have a working knowledge of everything they sell, but consumers like you and me arn't asking for a working knowledge, we're asking for specifics (EVERY mainstream blog, even tech blogs, said that task killers were good initially.. you had to DIG to find that info)

And the reality about knowledgeable reps: Most of them end up getting fired or leaving the industry. Because those reps numbers will end up being lower than others in his store who just stick to the bare minimum.

 

[Menno]

Not too mention the looks on their faces when I don't buy 50 accessories to go along with my phone. They have to be making money off the sales of accessories because they push those so hard. An SD card reader? Please, I have a drawer full because they come free with every card I purchase.

If a rep is working off of Gross Profit Commissions (most indirects are) they make more off the sale of an SD card reader and a Car charger than they do if you get 2 Dinc's Buy one Get one.

 

[Menno]

And it shows in their faces. More than once, I've had a store employee become dramatically less enthusiastic when I break the news that I'm about to buy a phone from them at full price. I've learned over time, that buying online is the only way to go - contract renewal or not.

If you know what type of phone you want and you're familiar with the plans it is most of the time. I have no problems with people going online if they prefer it. As long as they use online customer service and support instead of coming into the local store only after they bought their phone on wirefly and demand 2 hours of the reps time to get it set up.

Full price phones are typically seen as lost money (especially for newer devices) because a full price phone nets about as much profit as selling a car charger.

 

[NickA]

@menno, very interesting information. Now it makes more sense. So that's why the rep was trying to sell me a "landline replacement" for 9.99 a month. He was really selling another 2 year agreement to add to my family plan. He didn't really care if I got another phone, just that I added that extra line.

 

[Menno]

@menno, very interesting information. Now it makes more sense. So that's why the rep was trying to sell me a "landline replacement" for 9.99 a month. He was really selling another 2 year agreement to add to my family plan. He didn't really care if I got another phone, just that I added that extra line.

pretty much. Phone's arn't cheap. I know there is signifigant markup, but that's all done before Verizon buys them. Verizon corp only marks up their phones 20-40 dollars over what they buy them for, some indirects make it a bit higher, but usually not by much.

New lines are pretty much the only way to make real money anymore. Not only do they pay more (so taking a 300+ hit on a smartphone activation hurts less) but the number of new activations are directly tied to their bonuses so the more they sell, the more they make per activation. New acts are the only ones that do this.

Current retail structure is really messed up atm, and it needs to change, both to help the customers and to help attract decent salespeople. The first company to do it is going to clean up big.

 

[Cory Streater]

Somehow we veered way off topic, but still a good conversation.

As a customer, I don't care how the rep is being compensated. That's between Verizon and them. My expectation is that I will have a good experience regardless of what I'm buying and whether or not I'm signing a contract. Second to my mortgage, at $300 a month, my cellphone bill is my second largest expense.

And back to the original topic at hand, all I ask is that they not modify my phone. If OS and battery issues are that big of a problem, due to Android's handling of task management, then Verizon needs to get together with Samsung and Google and figure out how to solve these issues. And if it's contracts, not phones, that employees are interested in selling, I would think they would be rushing the customer out the door so they can help the next person in line, not fiddling with 3rd party app installs.

 

[Menno]

Somehow we veered way off topic, but still a good conversation.

As a customer, I don't care how the rep is being compensated. That's between Verizon and them. My expectation is that I will have a good experience regardless of what I'm buying and whether or not I'm signing a contract. Second to my mortgage, at $300 a month, my cellphone bill is my second largest expense.

And back to the original topic at hand, all I ask is that they not modify my phone. If OS and battery issues are that big of a problem, due to Android's handling of task management, then Verizon needs to get together with Samsung and Google and figure out how to solve these issues. And if it's contracts, not phones, that employees are interested in selling, I would think they would be rushing the customer out the door so they can help the next person in line, not fiddling with 3rd party app installs.

I agree with you completely. But the reality is that you Can't get that experience unless reps are compensated for customer experience (they're not). A verizon rep who doesn't make contract sales makes about as much as a walmart rep (indirects) or slightly more at corp, and unlike walmart, they'll get fired if all they provide is a pleasant shopping experience. The structure is entirely broken, and needs to be changed. I agree you should have a good experience no matter what, but there's currently no incentive for reps to provide it unless they're just nice guys.

Sorry for veering it off topic

That being said, there is no excuse to install apps on a customer's device without their consent. The ONLY apps I even recommend to customers are the facebook app (better on battery over blur one) and google maps for the fascinate. I also show off Vlingo on my own phone. If a customer doesn't want something, they don't get it.

 

[Cory Streater]

I also show off Vlingo on my own phone.

Now that - I like!!

And everyone has made some really good points.

 

[gizmo]

IMO,

Sales: Match a product with customers needs/wants (and that's where it should end)

Tech Support: Knowledge/Help

Also, if you back out of each app on your fascinate, you are not fully utilizing it's multitasking capabilities. Once the phone becomes noticeably slow or you are preparing to set the phone down for an extended period of time.. then open up the built in task manager and end all (to save battery). Simple. Easy. Life is good.

 

[NorCalStorm]

In training. There are told to install it on customers phones. Its an order from corperate.

Sent from my DROIDX using Tapatalk

 

[Snareman]

I don't think its good practice to use the autokiller (especially if you dont know what you are doing) and the reps should be asking the customers if they want/understand ATK before installing it. On the other hand, if every single customer looked at you and said "what the **** are all these icons for???" and you had no way to clean them up don't you think you would use a talk-off like "oh let me install this tiny app to clean up the phone"?

The problem with that is that for most customers entering the android market like I did, we/they have no clue if we need an app killer. If the Verizon rep tells me something I figure maybe I should trust him because I know nothing about the phone and he is supposed to know lots. So if he asks me, the newbie android customer, if I want this app installed that he recommends I'd probably say sure, go ahead if you recommend it.

 

[packerbacker]

The problem with that is that for most customers entering the android market like I did, we/they have no clue if we need an app killer. If the Verizon rep tells me something I figure maybe I should trust him because I know nothing about the phone and he is supposed to know lots. So if he asks me, the newbie android customer, if I want this app installed that he recommends I'd probably say sure, go ahead if you recommend it.

Yep. When I was on my 2nd or 3rd Droid, the rep was still pushing atk to be installed on my phone. After I had had so many problems, I had people tell me that it might be the task killer causing the problems. Unfortunately, that particular time, I went in the store with my dad and he was like, "You should listen to him, he knows more than you!" Smh.

 

[Glorfindale]

Well, the worst case scenario, if it is installed, just uninstall it... It's not permanently imbedded in the phone.

I don't argue the fact that the reps shouldn't be installing the apps either, though.