Shop Talk

we can't blatantly do it per FCC. if that was the case then all the larger companies would buy out all the smaller companies who couldn't afford to do it... I'm sure depending on how many lines the customer has and depending on who your mgr is and how bad you want/need the sale, there are ways to be created... just don't let it be know that is for the ETF for porting from another company.... there will be consequences and repercussions for cingular!

The first thing that stick out to me is that he was "upper echelon" meaning he has never been faced with an unhappy customer in his life and obviously has no idea how to deal with it.

Pretty much if a customer has a contract with another company. That is between them and the other company. Cingular doesn't need new customers THAT bad to go paying an extra 150 to 200 dollars per.

I loathe and despise the people who call in and ask if we will buy out their contract with this or that other provider, it's just pathetic...and it's typical. There are so many people who think they shouldn't be held to the obligations they themselves make because it's inconvenient to them... I have a friend who ran up a very high credit card dept buying home appliances ... who was renting a house that when she moved into it she signed a one year agreement (and at the time I could have told her the place was to expensive for her.) and then when she couldn't pay the bills because she was also busying getting her nails professionally done and her hair permed and colored and buying millions of DVDs and games she just said "Oh they'll just hav...
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con·tract ( P ) Pronunciation Key (kntrkt)
n.

An agreement between two or more parties, especially one that is written and enforceable by law. See Synonyms at bargain.
The writing or document containing such an agreement.
The branch of law dealing with formal agreements between parties.
Marriage as a formal agreement; betrothal.
Games.
The last and highest bid of a suit in one hand in bridge.
The number of tricks thus bid.
Contract bridge.
A paid assignment to murder someone: put out a contract on the mobster's life.

v. con·tract·ed, con·tract·ing, con·tracts (kn-trkt, kntrkt)
v. tr.
To enter into by contract; establish or settle by formal agreement: contract a marriage.
To acquire or incur: contract o...
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Most people would rather sign a contract and believe they know what it means than to admit their ignorance and ask for clarification of said contracts. Internet sales seem especially prone to this.

although in other parts of the world this may be done on occasion too, i had someone from israel ask me if we paid companies ETF if they switched, they said they do it out there, but he could have just been full of sh*t. It's easy to do, but i dont see why someone would then ask for a free phone.

in my experience in this matter i have had customers come in and say that "cingular will pay the etf if i sign with them" regardless of which carrier they are with. after a few questions, i figure out that they are shopping at an authorized dealer and the store would cover the etf to get the business. NOT cingy corporate.

My upper echelon type told me that cell companies used to pay the etfs for cancelling anothers company's service, but that it became illegal. He then proceeded to tell me that there were ways to get around it, like giving someone a 150$ phone for free, or something of that nature. Like I said, he didnt get detailed about it, but he was talking about it like it was common throughout the marketplace.

Ok, so apparently some companies are buying people's etfs to get their business. Why on earth would anyone be willing to sign up a new customer and give them $150 worth of credit (ie new phone, credit, etc.) to offset the customers ETF. I doesn't seem to make any sense as to why anyone would want to do business with someone who doesn't actually fulfill their previous obligations (yes, you signed the contract and now, boo hoo, you don't want to now. Isn't that mean of those big bad companies) with their current carrier. By all means, you want their business that bad, dig into your pockets and pay off their debt for them, I'm sure your business will sky-rocket, right up until the end of your first quarter. Ask AT&T Wireless about that one...
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Well I can only imagine but on top of having their ETF paid they will want a free phone....headahces

Hey lets as Bob the cingular customer to talk to Stan sig... I mean satan if he would condone this thing.. 😈 I personally would not credit an etf unless it was a horible mistake cingular made I think in the last 4 yrs taking escalated calls for my reps I have given maybe 6 and most of those were to be cancelled within 30 days buyers remorse but customer took equip back to store and they did not cancel just took equip back. 😁

🤣 They don't just want to have the ETF paid and the free phone, they also want free activation (You scammer!) and some free accessories, like a car charger and a blue-tooth headset. MAKE ME A DEAL! 🙄