No offense to any RS employees, but I had the most hilarious RS experience. Went in to check out some new phones, the Echo in particular, and i was asking the guy which os version it had. I asked if it had Gingerbread. He said, "Gingerbread? I think that's the name of the computer chip." I said, "No, its the latest os version 2.3. Most new phones, including my Evo are still on 2.2, which" I explained "is called Froyo." He had no clue, and insisted that it was the name of the computer chip. I was like, "Are you serious?" It is seriously pathetic that anyone is selling any electronic device without any knowledge of the product, especially smartphones with how fast they're evolving. Just thought I'd share that funny experience.
Another Radioshack moron
- Thread starter Airwolf79
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the title would definitely be offensive but im pretty sure most RS employess arent as incompetent as that employee. Id prefer the rep say hang on let me ask then give false and uninformed information. While i support ALL third party Sprint sales, i do suggest going into a Preferred Retailer 3rd Party store, much better experience at least in my opinion. The shack might have some deals but for the majority of the standard public, the rep could cause serious issues later on down the life of the account.
[RANT]
The problem is that people who work at Radio Shack, Guitar Center, and most Auto Part chains is that they are just working a retail job as far as they are concerned. It can be really frustrating when you need some help from someone with specific knowledge about it, but they aren't necessarily expected to have it. It makes it extra nice to find someone who has a shared interest and a large knowledge about what theyare selling. It is an effect of large chain-store America
[/RANT]
The problem is that people who work at Radio Shack, Guitar Center, and most Auto Part chains is that they are just working a retail job as far as they are concerned. It can be really frustrating when you need some help from someone with specific knowledge about it, but they aren't necessarily expected to have it. It makes it extra nice to find someone who has a shared interest and a large knowledge about what theyare selling. It is an effect of large chain-store America
[/RANT]
Agreed. Although, if I worked at RS, I would seek the knowledge because Im a techy, not because it was asked of me. Obviously, not all RS employees are morons, but just one bad store can really hurt the rep of the whole company. Look at what the CEO of Dominos is doing. At least he's trying to correct the mistakes made by a few bad stores. Other CEO's should learn from him.
Settings>About phone>Software information (Or that phone's like menu structure)?
/thread
I mean, unless it's all dummy units. It's been years since I've been in a Radio Shack
DirkBelig
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- May 17, 2010
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I don't know why retailers don't demand their drones know their merchandise or why the drones don't have the initiative to learn what they're selling. I've found at auto parts stores, they really know their stuff, but Guitar Center has always baffled me with how inept their staff is, especially when they're working on commission.
I was looking for a DAW and willing to spend up to $2000 for it and I could've been standing there with money hanging out of my pockets and they walked by. When I finally flag someone down and ask a question, the guy goes and gets a magazine and reads the features of an ad for the product as if I didn't already know that stuff. Let's not even go into the tendency to hover over the teenaged kid with his mom who is going to get a $200 starter guitar bundle while ignoring the 30-something adult looking to try the expensive stuff. They must have girlfriends supporting them by stripping or something, judging from their lackadaisical work habits.
working at Target for 5 years, you can be fired if you perform work off the clock. researching products specifically sold at your store---when demanded by your management---is considered "work" and therefore must be paid compensation for the time spent researching. i'd imagine most companies don't want to pay an extra 3-5 hours/week for research when the employee is at home--surfing the forums--and potentially being on facebook/farmville. the employer has no way of supervising.
i agree with you--that it's frustrating to seek knowledge from a sales associate who just doesn't say "i don't know", but unless the employer is willing to pay--there's really nothing they can do except hand over any informational guide that came with the display phone. anything further (research) is off the clock & can be reprimanded/disciplined.
but it wouldn't hurt if they worked commission & took it upon themselves--and didn't tell the boss.
RANT
a lot of knowlege, especially about a job, comes from time on the subject/job. Taking cellular for example, Sprint has between 30 and 40 phones in the lineup (not talking just about the devices you see in store, but phones from 5 years ago til now) and it sounds like you guys want me as a rep/tech to know every in and out about every phone in the lineup, granted i do know a lot about the whole lineup we had/have because of the time ive invested in this career and the fact that im a smartphone fanatic (except for BlackBerry, i hate BB). Most of the reps in stores werent in the business 5 years ago, so why would you expect them to know everything about the phones back then. Yes, i know a rep should know the specifics about the Evo since its our most popular device in our line up, im just talking expectation in general. Basically what im saying is the more of one specific device, or product (since its not just cellular this applies to) you deal with, you start to know more about. Most of you as soon as you clock out, wont go home and start "working" again. People will know more asked about the most popular device than a 2000 dollar piece of equipment that maybe one or two people come in and ask about a month. Give the reps a break, like what was mentioned before, if the rep is making 7-10 dollars an hour, i doubt they are going to spend any significant time off the clock researching products that they might not ever have to sell (Guitar dude above my post)
End Rant
a lot of knowlege, especially about a job, comes from time on the subject/job. Taking cellular for example, Sprint has between 30 and 40 phones in the lineup (not talking just about the devices you see in store, but phones from 5 years ago til now) and it sounds like you guys want me as a rep/tech to know every in and out about every phone in the lineup, granted i do know a lot about the whole lineup we had/have because of the time ive invested in this career and the fact that im a smartphone fanatic (except for BlackBerry, i hate BB). Most of the reps in stores werent in the business 5 years ago, so why would you expect them to know everything about the phones back then. Yes, i know a rep should know the specifics about the Evo since its our most popular device in our line up, im just talking expectation in general. Basically what im saying is the more of one specific device, or product (since its not just cellular this applies to) you deal with, you start to know more about. Most of you as soon as you clock out, wont go home and start "working" again. People will know more asked about the most popular device than a 2000 dollar piece of equipment that maybe one or two people come in and ask about a month. Give the reps a break, like what was mentioned before, if the rep is making 7-10 dollars an hour, i doubt they are going to spend any significant time off the clock researching products that they might not ever have to sell (Guitar dude above my post)
End Rant
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Although I understand is unreasonable to expect every sales rep to be completely knowledgable about every piece of technology on the store, what I find reprehensible is the rep giving false information to the customer rather than getting someone more knowledgable to answer the customer's question.
In my opinion, it boils down to work ethics; willingly providing bad information to the customer as an easy way out, is not good work ethics in my book.
RANT
Are you serious? I'm sorry but it is your job to know about the products. I understand where you're coming from on the "product from 5 years ago" point but anything current you should know, ESPECIALLY if you're on commission. And HELL YEA you should know about the most expensive item that you sell. Even if you only see one or two people a month for that particular product, if you have the knowledge, you will be more likely to sell it!
And to the person who said you can get fired for researching at home..... tell me about ONE person who's gotten fired for that? For all of my jobs that were in sales, my bosses EXPECTED me to go home and research. If I didn't know the product, I would've been taken off the sales floor or sent home for the day.
/RANT
Sent from my Gingerbread lovin' Evo
i definitely agree with you A ONE, as i stated in an earlier post. To reps that are like the rep mentioned in the OP, ASK BEFORE SPOUTING FALSE INFORMATION!!! It will only help you learn as better sales/customer service rep. Asking questions is how people learn and grow, be it the customer asking the rep, to the rep asking someone else thats more informed.
Are you serious? That's the biggest load of crap I've ever heard. If you had to feed your kids on commission, they would starve. The worst kind of employee is the kind who does the absolute bare minimum that the job requires.
This is single-handedly the STUPIDIST thing I have ever read in my life! You're telling me that your employer will fire you for assisting the customer? I think it's time for you to find a new job, and for me to shop somewhere else!
I'm not sure where the "5 yrs back" requirement came from?? I think most people have an expectation that when they walk into a store to buy something that the sales employees who work there actually have some basic knowledge about the products. Why would someone wanting to buy a new product have questions about a device that was out 5yrs. ago?? I don't have any expectations of sales reps knowing anything about older products, but I do expect them to know something about the products they are trying to sell me.
And the point about becoming knowledgeable on your off time needing to be compensated by your employer is ludicrous! Have some pride in what you do for God's sake! It's shameful that these employers don't provide any kind of training and will throw these ignorant people out there that end up misleading the customers! This is the primary fail here. However, if you have any pride in yourself or passion for what you do, you should always be looking out to keep yourself informed about things that pertain to your job/career! If you don't then you are just as much to blame as your employer.
And the point about becoming knowledgeable on your off time needing to be compensated by your employer is ludicrous! Have some pride in what you do for God's sake! It's shameful that these employers don't provide any kind of training and will throw these ignorant people out there that end up misleading the customers! This is the primary fail here. However, if you have any pride in yourself or passion for what you do, you should always be looking out to keep yourself informed about things that pertain to your job/career! If you don't then you are just as much to blame as your employer.
Radio shack sells hundreds, if not thousands of products in an individual store. Do you really expect a retail clerk to know and be current on every single bit of information about every piece of technology they sell? Mobile devices are just one part of their sales. Do you expect them to know everything in detail about Blackberry, iOS, WebOS, and WP7 too? That's just the mobile side. What about the radios, televisions, cables, connectors, etc.
Don't be so arrogant.
Don't be so arrogant.
I will agree with you on that, but they are also required to go through training for new devices such as phones.
Sent from my Inspiration
I doubt the training involves the intricacies of which Android version a device is launching with, other than maybe the word "newest".
igotsanevo4g
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Okay guys, ive cleaned up a little. Keep the tone and mood down, debate all you want, as long as its civil.
Anything else and its locked + infraction time.
Anything else and its locked + infraction time.
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