Correcting Sales Reps

[MarkPharaoh]

I am curious as to peoples thoughts on correcting sales reps in stores when they're talking to oblivious consumers. I was at AT&T today playing with the Inspire and the sales rep was talking to a guy next to me about the Atrix and the Inspire. Almost every single thing that came out of his mouth was wrong. I bit my lip when he said the Inspire was 4.5 (not a big deal, still annoying). Then he claimed that the Atrix wasn't coming out until May (I decided to chime in and say it's actually March 6th). Then when asked about the laptop dock and rep says he's not really sure but thinks it's going to cost $150 (Zzzz). Finally, he says that the guy could keep his grandfathered unlimited plan when buying the Atrix (IIRC you need to get the tethering plan?). I just gave him a look, finished my hands-on with the Inspire and headed out the door.

Would you bite your lip here since it's not really your place to make a rep look like an idiot and correct him every time, or would you chime in and help the poor consumer that's being fed poor information?

 

[Chrisy]

I mind my own bizniz usually. I don't disagree with correcting a rep though, but it's not what I'd do.

I suppose you could have struck up a convo w the customer and set him straight. No need to make anyone look like an dofus. Or you could have talked w the rep after.

Again, I'd have done neither. I avoid talking irl as much as possible though

I do think buyers need to be more pro-active in educating themselves. Yes, ask the sales rep. But also read, visit forums, read books etc.

 

[gdasilva16]

i think it was cool that you corrected the rep. i don't care who you are or what you are selling. know your product. if you don't know the answer to a question, then simply say "i don't know". i'm a sales rep, and i know that if i over hear somebody giving out the wrong info, i'm most likely gonna correct them. it's simple. know your product.

 

[Bombinadam1403]

I do that quite often. In fact did it when I went to get my iPhone last year. The guy kept trying to talk me into the 4, which just came out... Knowing the problems that it had at the time and the extra money that I DIDN'T have... He kept pushing me...
Then started pushing accessories. I know my stuff and knew what I wanted to get...

 

[kingtz]

As a customer, by the time I go in to buy the product, I've done so much research that I know practically everything about it, so my interactions with the rep are minimal. Why can't other customers be the same? It's not that hard to google stuff and spend a couple hours reading up on it.

The only time I'd step in and correct is if the rep is talking to a friend or family member.

 

[BlackHawkA4]

I just laugh when I hear what sprint reps say to customers. I even saw a rep get this one chick to get 2 hot spot plans for the 2 evos she was buying.

This one guy I typically deal with Is hilarious I'm surprised he doesn't remember me by now. Every time I talk to him he owns a phone from the same company I'm looking at.

I went in once to ask a question the first service update for the epic. The lady didn't know anything. I had to show her her phone was in fact updated. And solved my own question.

I questioned the one guy seriously when I was getting the phone about the 10$ add on for premium data. All he could say was your getting a richer days experience. He couldn't justify it to me. Then I played dumb and I'm like o so the faster processor speed is going to get me data faster and more at a time. That's what this is about? He's like yes. i walked out after that and didn't get anything that day.

 

[FreudSlipped]

My most recent experience with a Sprint store rep went rather well. I asked for someone who had an EVO and went from there. He was all business and didn't try to yank my chain on anything. I also noted that the manager in this store was on top of things. That makes all the difference in the world.