$200.00?! But I saw it online for free!...
How do you combat that customer that is looking to upgrade their handset but the online price is better at the time; and they dont seem to understand that pricing is good only for new activations (icing on the cake: and they say they will just cancel to get the online price, or have it activated under someone elses name)???? 👿 👿 Comments, suggestions, rip the customers a new one, etc...
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As an X T-Mobile indirect store owner here's what we did. We actually call T-Mobile CS and have them look up the customers account (on speakerphone) then we ask the price of a certian phone. Whatever they say we either match it or beat it. The last thing you want is a customer laeving your store with the deeling they can get a better deal somewhere else. Why you ask....? Becuase they will alomst ALWAYS check with the person they got their "great deal" from last time first. I actually think that if a cust. is eligable for the upgrade, then he/she will get the online pricing + 35 dollars. I have had numerous reps tell me this.
Also try a few of these. .... I assume you are an indirect sales person.
Match the price and give them all the...
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Also try a few of these. .... I assume you are an indirect sales person.
Match the price and give them all the...
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I'm actually in CS. I have never understood though, why customers dont get it. Isn't a service provider supposed to provide good service? Since when did the phone even matter? My biggest beef is with those customers who never use their phones, but just have to have the most expensive handset for the lowest price. I'll tell you a story. I loved my T-Mobile service so much, I bought a Samsung S105 right after it came out for $350.00. I then bought a Samsung V205 right when it came out for $450.00. Next came the Samsung R225 for $150.00. I was willing to pay the price just to have a cool phone. Why cant our customers think with this logic?
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I know what you mean. I'm with Cingular and I have had customer demanding the Moto V3 Razor for free with 2 yr contracts ($499.99 with 2 yr contract is the actual price)
And they all started with.... "I've been a loyal customer for x years and if you want to keep my business you will give it to me for free"
I don't understand how wireless customers can think that just because they pay for a service that they use (Way to much in some cases IMHO) that we some how owe them something. 😕
It makes no logical sense. 😳
If there is a customer who reads this forum who feels that his/her Wireless provider owes him/her something because they've paid there bill on time for a few years, please post and explain your reasoning to me!...
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And they all started with.... "I've been a loyal customer for x years and if you want to keep my business you will give it to me for free"
I don't understand how wireless customers can think that just because they pay for a service that they use (Way to much in some cases IMHO) that we some how owe them something. 😕
It makes no logical sense. 😳
If there is a customer who reads this forum who feels that his/her Wireless provider owes him/her something because they've paid there bill on time for a few years, please post and explain your reasoning to me!...
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Very good point. I'm assuming you have had cable tv before. I highly doubt you have ever called them up asking for a FREE tv because you are such an excellent customer that pays for what they use. Grr!! I wish this country had better morals. 😳
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We run into the same think with the company I work for. And I have accually used the tv one before. They hate that.
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My guess is customers are thinking, "You gave me a good phone at a discounted price to sign up. I now have the option to leave (contract up) and I assume you will do what you did before to get my business: give me a good phone at a discounted price. If you don't, another carrier will."
That, to me, makes sense. We've conditioned customers to get a perk when they sign a contract. At least as good as the deal they got before. Very Pavlov-esq.
Companies have gotten themselves into the habit of rewarding customers to retain them. And for the most part it makes sense because it is much, much cheaper (generally) to retain a customer than to spend millions on advertising and promotional materials to try to get them to switch from someone...
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That, to me, makes sense. We've conditioned customers to get a perk when they sign a contract. At least as good as the deal they got before. Very Pavlov-esq.
Companies have gotten themselves into the habit of rewarding customers to retain them. And for the most part it makes sense because it is much, much cheaper (generally) to retain a customer than to spend millions on advertising and promotional materials to try to get them to switch from someone...
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OMG.... ☹️
I am a T-Mobile subscriber and I can’t believe what the reps in this form are saying. I would love to see a supervisor read what you are posting. I am admittedly already unhappy with T-Mobile but this goes along way in explaining why.
Why do we expect new phones at a discount? Because you advertise them to new customers at for free. You are willing to spend $$$ to get a new customer but you treat existing customers like the stuff on the bottom of your shoe (expletive deleted). Why should we say with you if you’re are not willing to treat a loyal customer as well if not better then a new customer. I don’t understand why I should not expect to get the same deal that is nationally advertised and available to any one off the ...
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I am a T-Mobile subscriber and I can’t believe what the reps in this form are saying. I would love to see a supervisor read what you are posting. I am admittedly already unhappy with T-Mobile but this goes along way in explaining why.
Why do we expect new phones at a discount? Because you advertise them to new customers at for free. You are willing to spend $$$ to get a new customer but you treat existing customers like the stuff on the bottom of your shoe (expletive deleted). Why should we say with you if you’re are not willing to treat a loyal customer as well if not better then a new customer. I don’t understand why I should not expect to get the same deal that is nationally advertised and available to any one off the ...
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Timrek said:...
OMG.... ☹️
I am a T-Mobile subscriber and I can’t believe what the reps in this form are saying. I would love to see a supervisor read what you are posting. I am admittedly already unhappy with T-Mobile but this goes along way in explaining why.
Why do we expect new phones at a discount? Because you advertise them to new customers at for free. You are willing to spend $$$ to get a new customer but you treat existing customers like the stuff on the bottom of your shoe (expletive deleted). Why should we say with you if you’re are not willing to treat a loyal customer as well if not better then a new customer. I don’t understand why I should not expect to get the same deal that is nationally advertised
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Disciple247365 said:...
You, my friend, have just all the more validated what everyone who posted before you on this thread has been trying to say. Thank you very much.
As for the whole "I can't believe what the reps are saying... I would love to see a supervisor read what you are saying" remark: You should re-read what was previously posted in this thread. At this time, those who have posted on this particular thread have NOT been making disparaging remarks about customers. This is a real issue that those in direct/indirect sales must cope with. People's commission-based paychecks are effected by this very real issue. What I find appalling is how you are browbeating these agents for voicing their frustrations
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Actually, your major logic flaw is in assuming that everyone who posts here is a rep for a wireless carrier. It might be the case, but it is not by any means a universal truth, alternately someone might be a rep but not for the wireless carrier whose forum you're reading--we cross post all over this site.
As for the rest, customer service people are professionals and we know very well how to keep our actual opinions of our customers out of our voices. It's a knack... 🙄
As for the rest, customer service people are professionals and we know very well how to keep our actual opinions of our customers out of our voices. It's a knack... 🙄
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Aleq said:It's a talent. Being an Operations Manager I've got the knack myself.
Actually, your major logic flaw is in assuming that everyone who posts here is a rep for a wireless carrier. It might be the case, but it is not by any means a universal truth, alternately someone might be a rep but not for the wireless carrier whose forum you're reading--we cross post all over this site.
As for the rest, customer service people are professionals and we know very well how to keep our actual opinions of our customers out of our voices. It's a knack... 🙄
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Does T-mobile have a loyalty department that handles cusotmer that want to cancel for those reasons. a (retention specialist)
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for my dept I am the retention specialist (save specialist) as well as the general Cust Care so if they don't like the save offers I give there is no back up dept to make better offers, but some dept do have the 2 split up
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I was wondering because where I work we do have save que and we look at tenure and do what we can to keep them on service. It works well for those who already havn't gone to tmobile before they call me. 😁
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Timrek said:...Disciple247365 said:
You, my friend, have just all the more validated what everyone who posted before you on this thread has been trying to say. Thank you very much.
As for the whole "I can't believe what the reps are saying... I would love to see a supervisor read what you are saying" remark: You should re-read what was previously posted in this thread. At this time, those who have posted on this particular thread have NOT been making disparaging remarks about customers. This is a real issue that those in direct/indirect sales must cope with. People's commission-based paychecks are effected by this very real issue. What I find appalling is how you are browbeating these agen
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I agree with rathofbuns and Timrek. And its the exact reason why I dumped SprintPCS two years ago. Before they came out with the $150 coupon toward the purchase of a new phone after 18 months of service.
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I think I've lost track of the original problem here. 🙂 I believe we were talking about people "demanding" ridiculous (sp?) amounts off phones for simply being a customer.
Should you get a new phone in the middle of your contract simply because you've been with a company for six years? No. Not according to your contract. (Granted, I think we all wish that was the way it worked, but alas...)
Now, at the end of their contract, is the customer entitled to a new handset at a discounted price if they sign a new contract? Yes. That's what the contract says.
As far as I can understand, no one has any problems with those two points.
Should the carrier give them a discounted price on a phone to re-sign? Yes. And I feel it is in ...
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Should you get a new phone in the middle of your contract simply because you've been with a company for six years? No. Not according to your contract. (Granted, I think we all wish that was the way it worked, but alas...)
Now, at the end of their contract, is the customer entitled to a new handset at a discounted price if they sign a new contract? Yes. That's what the contract says.
As far as I can understand, no one has any problems with those two points.
Should the carrier give them a discounted price on a phone to re-sign? Yes. And I feel it is in ...
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And you know what? No customer care rep in the world has any problem whatsoever with the customer who calls up after a year, orders a phone at discount and accepts the contract. We love these customers dearly and are often willing to throw in an extra tidbit for them being so cool and easy going. This is all part of the carrier/customer/rep dynamic and nobody is saying there's any problem with this scenario.
The trouble comes with the customer who insists they should get ANY phone they want at ANY random price they saw on ANY indirect dealer's site. That THEY shouldn't HAVE to sign a contract to get a discount. That even though they don't meet the criteria for discount due to rate plan or tenure that we should just automatically make ...
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The trouble comes with the customer who insists they should get ANY phone they want at ANY random price they saw on ANY indirect dealer's site. That THEY shouldn't HAVE to sign a contract to get a discount. That even though they don't meet the criteria for discount due to rate plan or tenure that we should just automatically make ...
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I think I just found the perfect analogy for the Iwannanewphonefree argument--when you first hook up with someone, the sex is amazing, you get it all the time and it's hot. Then you fall in love, get married, you don't have that honeymoon sex any more but instead enjoy the rewards of stability, familiarity and comfort. You still have sex, but not as often and it's not usually as intense as those first days. Same with your wireless carrier--first time out you get the hot phone and the big incentive action, then after a year you have the benefits of knowing how the coverage is, no surprises on your billing, everything is just fine. However, just like getting that much anticipated anniversary BJ, every year you get your upgrade credit for a...
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Aleq said:...
I think I just found the perfect analogy for the Iwannanewphonefree argument--when you first hook up with someone, the sex is amazing, you get it all the time and it's hot. Then you fall in love, get married, you don't have that honeymoon sex any more but instead enjoy the rewards of stability, familiarity and comfort. You still have sex, but not as often and it's not usually as intense as those first days. Same with your wireless carrier--first time out you get the hot phone and the big incentive action, then after a year you have the benefits of knowing how the coverage is, no surprises on your billing, everything is just fine. However, just like getting that much anticipated anniversary BJ, every year yo
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Are you saying there aren't just as many if not more people who do just that as there are ones who get new phones every three months? I'd bet the percentages are about the same, and that there's a direct proportional correlation to risk seeking behavior, low boredom threshold and attention deficit... 😉
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Aleq said:Geeze. It was just a joke.
Are you saying there aren't just as many if not more people who do just that as there are ones who get new phones every three months? I'd bet the percentages are about the same, and that there's a direct proportional correlation to risk seeking behavior, low boredom threshold and attention deficit... 😉
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As was my reply, albeit pedantically phrased. I'm channelling some sort of toffee nosed, Empire style Victorian stuffed shirt today, it seems. Tomorrow it could be a rapper, never can know ahead of time. Mental illness--never a dull moment... 😳
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Aleq said:You should run that by Johns Hopkins as a slogan idea: "Mental Illness: Entertaining Till the Last Drop".
As was my reply, albeit pedantically phrased. I'm channelling some sort of toffee nosed, Empire style Victorian stuffed shirt today, it seems. Tomorrow it could be a rapper, never can know ahead of time. Mental illness--never a dull moment... 😳
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muchdrama said:Aleq said:You should run that by Johns Hopkins as a slogan idea: "Mental Illness: Entertaining Till the Last Drop".
As was my reply, albeit pedantically phrased. I'm channelling some sort of toffee nosed, Empire style Victorian stuffed shirt today, it seems. Tomorrow it could be a rapper, never can know ahead of time. Mental illness--never a dull moment... 😳
Wouldn't that be a more appropriate slogan for base jumping? 😳
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Aleq said:I've base jumped. And I'll never do it again.muchdrama said:Aleq said:You should run that by Johns Hopkins as a slogan idea: "Mental Illness: Entertaining Till the Last Drop".
As was my reply, albeit pedantically phrased. I'm channelling some sort of toffee nosed, Empire style Victorian stuffed shirt today, it seems. Tomorrow it could be a rapper, never can know ahead of time. Mental illness--never a dull moment... 😳
Wouldn't that be a more appropriate slogan for base jumping? 😳
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See, perfect slogan then... 🤣 I guess that's kind of like "it's always in the last place you look." No kiddin'... 😁
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This is a stupid argument to have. Do you think anyone even remotely related to this forum has any power to change corporate policy? I agree, the policy is one sided, but that's the way it is. If you factor in mail in rebates and you actually shop around, you can usually find a deal fairly comparable to the new customer one, and you also have the option of porting to another company to get new customer deals.
I think your argument is greedy. You signed a contract, a contract which said your wireless provider would give you service and you would pay for it for a set period of time. You said that you fulfilled your end, but they fulfilled theirs as well by providing service. They are in no way obligated to provide anot
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Here's a challenge to all those reps out there... suggest that you discount every customer 50 to 100 dollars every time the whine, b*tch, moan and groan. Then multiply that amount by the customer base of your customer. Then realize that the loudest moaners are the ones on the tiny rate plans in most cases.
Then pack up a lunch, get dressed up nice, grab a stack of resumes....
Then pack up a lunch, get dressed up nice, grab a stack of resumes....
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phoneguy3376 said:
Here's a challenge to all those reps out there... suggest that you discount every customer 50 to 100 dollars every time the whine, b*tch, moan and groan. Then multiply that amount by the customer base of your customer. Then realize that the loudest moaners are the ones on the tiny rate plans in most cases.
Then pack up a lunch, get dressed up nice, grab a stack of resumes....
Dammit, you owe me a new keyboard! *snicker*
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: grins sheepishly, hands Aleq a new keyboard, and walks away muttering something about the evils of Mountain Dew:
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Aleq said:There's a new way of introducing caffeine into your system: Huffing Mountain Dew.
Not to mention the nasal distress! 😳
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Correction said:...
I know what you mean. I'm with Cingular and I have had customer demanding the Moto V3 Razor for free with 2 yr contracts ($499.99 with 2 yr contract is the actual price)
And they all started with.... "I've been a loyal customer for x years and if you want to keep my business you will give it to me for free"
I don't understand how wireless customers can think that just because they pay for a service that they use (Way to much in some cases IMHO) that we some how owe them something. 😕
It makes no logical sense. 😳
If there is a customer who reads this forum who feels that his/her Wireless provider owes him/her something because they've paid there bill on time for a few years, please p
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They have been conditioned by seeing ads all the time for free phones with XX carrier. Also, they figure that they pay $xx per month anyway, and the phone is more $ on top of that.
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amumey said:
I'm actually in CS. I have never understood though, why customers dont get it. Isn't a service provider supposed to provide good service? Since when did the phone even matter? My biggest beef is with those customers who never use their phones, but just have to have the most expensive handset for the lowest price. I'll tell you a story. I loved my T-Mobile service so much, I bought a Samsung S105 right after it came out for $350.00. I then bought a Samsung V205 right when it came out for $450.00. Next came the Samsung R225 for $150.00. I was willing to pay the price just to have a cool phone. Why cant our customers think with this logic?
Maybe I need to work for t mobile
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To be honest, I haven't had any problems with this and T-Mobile. I am on my second phone and 3rd year with T-Mobile with no real complaints. When I went to the T-Mobile store to upgrade and was told we can't sell you that phone because it is only for new customers, I just called the T-Mobile reps and they not only sold me the phone, but sold it at the new customer rate and not including any activation fee, and gave me a month of service for free. If they had just sold me the phone at regular price I would have been happy, but hey if they want to give me a deal because of poor in store customer service who am I to complain. And after reviewing all these great new phones that all the other companies have, I figured out that they are really...
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you ask one hell of a good question, my friend I wish I could tell you how to combat it. Most consumers don't care, even though as far as a business standpoint we have our reasons. The overhead cost of advertising, fufilling orders, and establishing service is much lower by doing it online vs. store or upgrade pricing. What people fail to realize is how many web sites there are out there that will ONLY activate new service, and our website (in terms of sales) is designed to compete with other websites. Look at any other service providers, they all do the same thing. However, compare our upgrade program with the rest, and you'll see we actually have a great program.
How do you sell that to an escallated customer who doesn't care about act...
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How do you sell that to an escallated customer who doesn't care about act...
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Ok guys *cracks knuckles* I just got home and had time to read some more and I'm going to cover a few things in addition to my previous post.
First off, New Customers generally do not have price expectations until they see the pricing. Nobody is discriminated against, All new customers regardless of where they purchase are given the choice of phone models at X price with X contract with no variance. If one customer goes into a T-Mobile corporate store and gets a free Sharp TM-150 (for example) and signs up for a $99.99/mo pricing plan, the next customer who only signs up for a $39.99/mo pp can get that Sharp TM-150 for free too. At any new point of sale weather it be direct or indirect will offer the same pricing to the same customers for...
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First off, New Customers generally do not have price expectations until they see the pricing. Nobody is discriminated against, All new customers regardless of where they purchase are given the choice of phone models at X price with X contract with no variance. If one customer goes into a T-Mobile corporate store and gets a free Sharp TM-150 (for example) and signs up for a $99.99/mo pricing plan, the next customer who only signs up for a $39.99/mo pp can get that Sharp TM-150 for free too. At any new point of sale weather it be direct or indirect will offer the same pricing to the same customers for...
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Bingo! (Nice to have ya back in the saddle, there, bizkits...) It's all about the people...
I just spent almost a half hour with a customer who is just tad shy of genius level IQ, let's leave it at that. I tell him, you have 550 minutes of overage! He says, No way, I paid my bill! I tell him, No sir, you're paying for current overage. He says, Nope, I paid for my overage so now I should have more minutes. Sorry, sir, but you only get new minutes once a month, and that's thirteen days from now. We're ripping him off. You've only used 1800 total minutes this month, how about a 3000 min regional plan? Nope, don't wanna do that, cuz you're ripping me off (colorful language ensues). Sir, you are ripping yourself off by using your phon...
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I just spent almost a half hour with a customer who is just tad shy of genius level IQ, let's leave it at that. I tell him, you have 550 minutes of overage! He says, No way, I paid my bill! I tell him, No sir, you're paying for current overage. He says, Nope, I paid for my overage so now I should have more minutes. Sorry, sir, but you only get new minutes once a month, and that's thirteen days from now. We're ripping him off. You've only used 1800 total minutes this month, how about a 3000 min regional plan? Nope, don't wanna do that, cuz you're ripping me off (colorful language ensues). Sir, you are ripping yourself off by using your phon...
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You stated "At any new point of sale weather it be direct or indirect will offer the same pricing to the same customers for the same phone. "
This is incorrect. You will ALWAYS get a better price on a phone from an indirect dealer vs. a corp store. This is becuase Yakmore Wireless (for example) can lower their phone prices to move more product. You can also bargin there and ask for free stuff or you won't do the deal there. At a corp store, there is no barganing at all. Also you have to pay 20 bucks for a car charger that cost an indirect dealer a little over 50 cents to buy.
I was an indirect store OWNER. Not an employee. I know that there are so many BAD and unethical indirect dealers out there. Then again anyone who chooses to argue...
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This is incorrect. You will ALWAYS get a better price on a phone from an indirect dealer vs. a corp store. This is becuase Yakmore Wireless (for example) can lower their phone prices to move more product. You can also bargin there and ask for free stuff or you won't do the deal there. At a corp store, there is no barganing at all. Also you have to pay 20 bucks for a car charger that cost an indirect dealer a little over 50 cents to buy.
I was an indirect store OWNER. Not an employee. I know that there are so many BAD and unethical indirect dealers out there. Then again anyone who chooses to argue...
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justinwilliams said:...
You stated "At any new point of sale weather it be direct or indirect will offer the same pricing to the same customers for the same phone. "
This is incorrect. You will ALWAYS get a better price on a phone from an indirect dealer vs. a corp store. This is becuase Yakmore Wireless (for example) can lower their phone prices to move more product. You can also bargin there and ask for free stuff or you won't do the deal there. At a corp store, there is no barganing at all. Also you have to pay 20 bucks for a car charger that cost an indirect dealer a little over 50 cents to buy.
I was an indirect store OWNER. Not an employee. I know that there are so many BAD and unethical indirect dealers out ther
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errrr...that's not what I meant.....
I meant for example if 2 customers walk into an indirect store and activate new service, regardless if the first signs up on a $39.99/mo pricing plan, and the other signs up on a $99.99 plan, they are both new sales and you will give them both the same price, they are not discriminated against. Same as at a corporate store (in comparison), we aren't talking about upgrades, that's a totally different story...the arguement is not who's pricing is better; direct vs. indirect....and as long as we're on the topic, although a large majority of dealers will discount their prices lower than direct stores to win the sale, thats not always true either.
I will say this though: I know there are a lot of crum...
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I meant for example if 2 customers walk into an indirect store and activate new service, regardless if the first signs up on a $39.99/mo pricing plan, and the other signs up on a $99.99 plan, they are both new sales and you will give them both the same price, they are not discriminated against. Same as at a corporate store (in comparison), we aren't talking about upgrades, that's a totally different story...the arguement is not who's pricing is better; direct vs. indirect....and as long as we're on the topic, although a large majority of dealers will discount their prices lower than direct stores to win the sale, thats not always true either.
I will say this though: I know there are a lot of crum...
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As far as the pricing, that's not entirely true, at least not with my company. While list prices are the same for all plans, the super cheap plans don't always qualify for the mail in rebates (which is the same with corporate). Also, my profit goes up based on the plan the customer activates. For instance, if they're doing a plan over 99.99 on TM, I get more profit dollars, which if I want I can then use to discount the phone a little bit more. Also, multiple phone deals will more than likely always get some kind of discount when I'm making a sale.
I don't know if all indirects are like this, but at my store we're given a range to play around with and are allowed to make a sale anywhere within it.
I don't know if all indirects are like this, but at my store we're given a range to play around with and are allowed to make a sale anywhere within it.
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If you activate on a 39.99 plan I make 290.00 If you activate on a 99.99 plan I make 355.00
Also the 19.99 feature pay 90.00 on top of that
So there is a diff of 65 bucks between the teo plans.
My point is if customer A comes in my store and wants and HP IPAQ (on 39.99)my selling price is 429.99 for a 39.99 customer, and no lower.
If customer B comes in my store and wants the same phone (on a 99.99 plan) there will be a little more room to neogiate price, and we would probably come down a tad more if asked to.
Only problem is I owned the store, and operated it. Thus being able to know what I get paid. Also knowing what I can and can't do on price. Even if I am not working, and one of my employees is neogating price , they will ...
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Also the 19.99 feature pay 90.00 on top of that
So there is a diff of 65 bucks between the teo plans.
My point is if customer A comes in my store and wants and HP IPAQ (on 39.99)my selling price is 429.99 for a 39.99 customer, and no lower.
If customer B comes in my store and wants the same phone (on a 99.99 plan) there will be a little more room to neogiate price, and we would probably come down a tad more if asked to.
Only problem is I owned the store, and operated it. Thus being able to know what I get paid. Also knowing what I can and can't do on price. Even if I am not working, and one of my employees is neogating price , they will ...
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