Shop Talk
Wouldn't it be nice?
Wouldn't it be nice if customers (read callers) had some freaking clue what they were looking for when they called in.
I know it's partially my job to guide them and help them know what's out there but SOME basic knowledge really should be mandatory. Questions like "Did you have a price range in mind for your phone?" or "Did you want open face, flip, or slider?" "Do you have a number of minutes in mind?" or one I foolishly use. "What type of phone were you looking for?" Are questions that I don't think should be answered with "Uhhhh... I don't know." Anymore you really should have a vague idea what you want, if you want a free phone, just SAY SO! Don't say "Well what do you have?" Because princess, I have about twenty five to thirty...
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I know it's partially my job to guide them and help them know what's out there but SOME basic knowledge really should be mandatory. Questions like "Did you have a price range in mind for your phone?" or "Did you want open face, flip, or slider?" "Do you have a number of minutes in mind?" or one I foolishly use. "What type of phone were you looking for?" Are questions that I don't think should be answered with "Uhhhh... I don't know." Anymore you really should have a vague idea what you want, if you want a free phone, just SAY SO! Don't say "Well what do you have?" Because princess, I have about twenty five to thirty...
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Thats why customers should come into stores. They end up coming in anyways when they get the wrong phone sent to them activated on the wrong plan.
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That's why I start with the higher plans and work my way to the lower ones with customers. There will always be some idiot who is unprepaired when they call or come in. It was probably some 19 year old girl who ran up Dad's bill so he kicked her off the plan. These BRATS have no clue as to how many minutes they use and so forth. Do all of your price plans have cool names or what?
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Yeah, they make us use the plan names too in our calls or we get marked down on our QA...
So we have to say dumb things like "Get More Plus!" and "Family Time Plan!" or "Get More Regional!" It's pretty dumb. It's not a big issue and it's an easy way I guess to get those points on the QA at least, to spout of gibberish names. Whatever, I'm out of here in a month anyways.
So we have to say dumb things like "Get More Plus!" and "Family Time Plan!" or "Get More Regional!" It's pretty dumb. It's not a big issue and it's an easy way I guess to get those points on the QA at least, to spout of gibberish names. Whatever, I'm out of here in a month anyways.
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School starting at the end of August and I have financial Aid.
I was planning on staying on part time, like weekends only in Admin but they won't work with my school schedule so they can go to hell... (Or "Go play hide-and-go-f#@K-yourself!") I have a couple little jobs at the college for pocket money too.
I was planning on staying on part time, like weekends only in Admin but they won't work with my school schedule so they can go to hell... (Or "Go play hide-and-go-f#@K-yourself!") I have a couple little jobs at the college for pocket money too.
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I figure the best response for me is the I fell out of the stupid tree yesterday and hit every branch on the way down. response as opposed to getting pissed so if you're going to be thick I'll be just as thick right back. Wheeeeeee!
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This is why we qualify our customers. We ask them a series of questions to get a feel for what their needs are, and then make a recommendation. It's not the customers job to come in and know exactly what all we have to offer. It is our job to be sure we listen to our customers so we can fully meet their needs. If what you do works for you stick to it! But we find ourselves having customers actually spend money on phones in our stores as opposed to just going with what's free. When you get a feel for what the customer needs to have in a phone, price plan, and features, and you match that completely on the sales end? Then and only then have you made a fully successful sale.
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It's not PARTIALLY your job to help lead and guide the customers. It is FULLY your job.
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umb, duh.
However, that's what I was getting at. You can't 'qualify' diddly when they won't answer any questions with anything but "I don't know."
You can say "Did you want an open face phone? or a flip phone?" And they say "What you got?" That's the qualifying I get. "What you got?" or "What you got dats free?"
However, that's what I was getting at. You can't 'qualify' diddly when they won't answer any questions with anything but "I don't know."
You can say "Did you want an open face phone? or a flip phone?" And they say "What you got?" That's the qualifying I get. "What you got?" or "What you got dats free?"
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You might have gotten that if you'd... read the post.
Because that's what I said... in the post.
It's really hard to do anything when they give you nothing to work with. When you ask the probing questions and they say 'derr...' like you're supposed to read you mind it's rather difficult to figure out what they want.
Because that's what I said... in the post.
It's really hard to do anything when they give you nothing to work with. When you ask the probing questions and they say 'derr...' like you're supposed to read you mind it's rather difficult to figure out what they want.
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I think it should go without saying that if you ask them "Hey, what sort of features are you looking for in your phone?"
And they answer with, "I'm not sure."
Free phone should be the one they get, by default.
And they answer with, "I'm not sure."
Free phone should be the one they get, by default.
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Well, then I apologize for taking your point incorrectly. I thought you were going a different way with that. And instead of me coming back and telling you "umb, duh" and treat you like a dumb-@ss, I'll just offer some advice.
If that was the point you were trying to make, that the most you can get from a customer for an answer is "what do you have?" You may just come back to the customer with a response such as "We have a lot of different options and features available. I'd hate for you to pass up a lot of great features that may be of use to you for something that is free."
But then again, I know that we have to cover so many different areas of features, products, and services in order to pass a secret shop. Maybe it's just be...
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If that was the point you were trying to make, that the most you can get from a customer for an answer is "what do you have?" You may just come back to the customer with a response such as "We have a lot of different options and features available. I'd hate for you to pass up a lot of great features that may be of use to you for something that is free."
But then again, I know that we have to cover so many different areas of features, products, and services in order to pass a secret shop. Maybe it's just be...
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You were treating me like a dumba$$ in your first response, I found your approach and wording incredibly demeaning.
We too have to treat every single caller as if they were a test call (our version of a secret shopper) or as if there were a QA tech listening to our calls, I've been here a long time too and I am neither stupid nor incompetent.
However. There are plenty of customer who call who are both, who cannot even answer simple questions like "Do you want a free phone?" People really can be dumber than compost sometimes.
We too have to treat every single caller as if they were a test call (our version of a secret shopper) or as if there were a QA tech listening to our calls, I've been here a long time too and I am neither stupid nor incompetent.
However. There are plenty of customer who call who are both, who cannot even answer simple questions like "Do you want a free phone?" People really can be dumber than compost sometimes.
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I have customers all the time who even if you ask the right questions, are still completely undecisive and don't understand (this is a customer I had early on today)
Cust: I want a camera phone
Me: Okay, were you looking for just a basic camera phone or did you want one with video capabilities as well.
Cust: I'd like one that takes pictures
Me: ( 🙄 ) okay, well all the basic camera phones are in this case (go into selling points of each model)
Cust: Stops me mid-sentence-I didn't want to have to pay for a phone, I want one that comes with the plan
Me: Okay, those are in this case here...they are not camera phones. The camera phones start at 29.99.
Cust: I want a free camera phone, you know, one that comes with the ...
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Cust: I want a camera phone
Me: Okay, were you looking for just a basic camera phone or did you want one with video capabilities as well.
Cust: I'd like one that takes pictures
Me: ( 🙄 ) okay, well all the basic camera phones are in this case (go into selling points of each model)
Cust: Stops me mid-sentence-I didn't want to have to pay for a phone, I want one that comes with the plan
Me: Okay, those are in this case here...they are not camera phones. The camera phones start at 29.99.
Cust: I want a free camera phone, you know, one that comes with the ...
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i had a cust come in and ask for a free treo 700w the first week it came out and she wasn't even ready for an upgrade yet
me - this phone is $500 and that's with a new contract, you aren't even eligable for an upgrade that means that it will be about $700
cust - i'll go to the other store then, they've given me free phones before
me - this phone is $500 and that's with a new contract, you aren't even eligable for an upgrade that means that it will be about $700
cust - i'll go to the other store then, they've given me free phones before
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That's when you wish them luck. You really don't want their business at your store anyways since they're just going to end up costing you money if you have given in to their stupid demands.
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Every time Ive seen this thread in the last couple of days, I start singing that song...
"Wouldnt It be nice---"
and my coworkers are getting mad because its stuck in my head 😁
"Wouldnt It be nice---"
and my coworkers are getting mad because its stuck in my head 😁
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yea yea me too!!! It's actually stuck in my head right now, it makes me think of the movie 50 First Dates.
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