Questions for VZW Sales reps
I have a lot of customers ask what's the benefit of buying direct from Verizon Wireless ( over the phone, in store, online; whichever it may be) opposed to indirect/authorized agents such as Best Buy, Walmart, Wirefly etc?
With this economy, I find it hard to explain why someone should buy a phone from me for $200 when Walmart has the same exact phone for $100 less. đ
Any info would be appreciated to give.
TIA.
With this economy, I find it hard to explain why someone should buy a phone from me for $200 when Walmart has the same exact phone for $100 less. đ
Any info would be appreciated to give.
TIA.
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I guess the short answer is, there really is no good answer. You can spend hours bringing up multiple reasons why a customer should buy direct instead of indirect, only to find the only thing the customer cared about was price.
I always throw my customers for a loop. I tell them, quite directly, that I'll help them no matter what direction they take. That's what I'm here for. Other than that, I can talk to them about the differences between me and someone else. I can take time to explain why another company would take the price of the phone that my company set and alter it. I can talk about secondary contracts, inconsistent help from an indirect when they're not actually making money off of them, or how they'll need to produce a cop...
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I always throw my customers for a loop. I tell them, quite directly, that I'll help them no matter what direction they take. That's what I'm here for. Other than that, I can talk to them about the differences between me and someone else. I can take time to explain why another company would take the price of the phone that my company set and alter it. I can talk about secondary contracts, inconsistent help from an indirect when they're not actually making money off of them, or how they'll need to produce a cop...
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I think there is a big difference between indirects and "big box" retailers like walmart. I work for an indirect, but our pricing is almost directly in line with verizon's because we purchase the phones through them and not from motorola/lg themselves.
But I agree with what epik said. You need to sell yourself and your knowledge and experience. Even as an indirect I've seen countless problems caused by walmart and other big box stores when they try activating a phone... from people on the 44.99 internet plan when they just need the 29.99 one, or people on $20 text plans instead of select plans and having overages.
Part of the "extra cost" customers are paying is for more educated salespeople because saving $100 up front isn't worth...
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But I agree with what epik said. You need to sell yourself and your knowledge and experience. Even as an indirect I've seen countless problems caused by walmart and other big box stores when they try activating a phone... from people on the 44.99 internet plan when they just need the 29.99 one, or people on $20 text plans instead of select plans and having overages.
Part of the "extra cost" customers are paying is for more educated salespeople because saving $100 up front isn't worth...
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I wish we had more indirect agents in my area like the ones I see on this site. In all the time I've been in this industry, I haven't come across a single kiosk or store that hasn't done something stupid. I'm sure there are good reps, I just wish these companies would hire more of them, or cut out all the bull crap they pull.
I've had agents sell their own after-market chargers and then send the customer to me - often 30 miles or more - when their own accessories fail.
I've had agents sell old phones as new, even with dirt on the buttons. When I started, there was a company abut two hours from here that would sell Samsung a310s - at the time, a four-year old phone - as new, dirt on the buttons and all. An ESN check usually showed a...
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I've had agents sell their own after-market chargers and then send the customer to me - often 30 miles or more - when their own accessories fail.
I've had agents sell old phones as new, even with dirt on the buttons. When I started, there was a company abut two hours from here that would sell Samsung a310s - at the time, a four-year old phone - as new, dirt on the buttons and all. An ESN check usually showed a...
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I guess it depends on the indirects you have. I know our company doesn't look kindly at reps who make messes, or if they make them don't try and shove them off on someone else. I know we've fired employees who've tried to cheat the system in the way you described.
We also don't fill out rebate forms for the customers, specifically because people will try and return the phones later.
I can say as an indirect we've had our own fair share of issues with corporate (mainly phone sales people and corporate employees bashing us to our customers)
We also don't fill out rebate forms for the customers, specifically because people will try and return the phones later.
I can say as an indirect we've had our own fair share of issues with corporate (mainly phone sales people and corporate employees bashing us to our customers)
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I'd say the worst part about the direct/indirect divide in my area is the lack of accountability and/or responsibility. If I screw up, I own it, I fix it. When they screw up, they tend to dump it on us. Then the customer gets frustrated because they're driving all over town - or worse, two, three or six hours away. I know many customers who drive to our store from hours away knowing they have a schister in their own town who might help them if he or she was making money off of it. It's sad really. Indirects count for about 25% of Verizon's sales, you'd think the indirects would work harder to increase those numbers. I know that if I owned an indirect, I'd certainly be bending over backwards to keep the business in my store.
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We do everything we can. Our issue is that the corp stores are really bashing us because they keep putting us in the same boat as some of the shady retailers corp actually called us in to either shut down or provide enough competition that they shape up.
My main issue with corp is that I do try to compete, but we JUST got the ability to refund customers for activation fees (port in main lines only). We can't view notes on an account so if a customer comes in with an exception upgrade (and the verizon rep on the phone swears that there is a note there) i still can't do it.
We also suffer from the fact that we are an actual store, not a kiosk, so when customer service tells a customer to go to "any verizon store" to have their issue re...
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My main issue with corp is that I do try to compete, but we JUST got the ability to refund customers for activation fees (port in main lines only). We can't view notes on an account so if a customer comes in with an exception upgrade (and the verizon rep on the phone swears that there is a note there) i still can't do it.
We also suffer from the fact that we are an actual store, not a kiosk, so when customer service tells a customer to go to "any verizon store" to have their issue re...
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And where is that? They're opening in a lot of new markets in the next few years. đ
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Well Said.
I work at an indirect as well. We actually had customers in 3 times on tuesday that customer service sent to US to do a replacement. Our "local" Corp is 60 miles away and we hear all the time of them bashing us or they will send a customer to us for something we can not handle, so we unfortunately have to explain why we can't help and send them back. We then have a customer who hates us âšī¸ because we are limited in what we can do.
As for the rebate. We stress waiting the 30 days and explain why but we NEVER help fill out a rebate form for a customer before the 30 days.
We try as well to be very careful what we say and try to inform our customers as much as possible as to what we can and can not do...
We suffe...
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I work at an indirect as well. We actually had customers in 3 times on tuesday that customer service sent to US to do a replacement. Our "local" Corp is 60 miles away and we hear all the time of them bashing us or they will send a customer to us for something we can not handle, so we unfortunately have to explain why we can't help and send them back. We then have a customer who hates us âšī¸ because we are limited in what we can do.
As for the rebate. We stress waiting the 30 days and explain why but we NEVER help fill out a rebate form for a customer before the 30 days.
We try as well to be very careful what we say and try to inform our customers as much as possible as to what we can and can not do...
We suffe...
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I don't know if you'll get THIS FAR UP. Canadia, aye, is only a hop from me lol...aye. Any companies in MA?
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I'm unique. A dying breed, it seems.
Verizon could have a ton of me if they would just give up the old ways and embrace a new way of doing business.
Verizon could have a ton of me if they would just give up the old ways and embrace a new way of doing business.
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I'd have to say, for a company that prides itself on its ethics - even placing it on our company credo - Verizon tends to bring out whats left of the unethical practices from its sales team.
Ethical standards, emphasis, and practices have drastically improved since I started. The problem, as I see it, is that the company still expects the old-style sales metrics we had when we were apt to bend the rules almost to the breaking point.
For example, the expectation in our area is to sell an average of over 2.5 accessories for every phone we've sold. So, if I sell 100 phones a month, I need to have sold more than 250 accessories. If I sell ethically, I talk about the phone and the value of available accessories. I point out the phone pr...
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Ethical standards, emphasis, and practices have drastically improved since I started. The problem, as I see it, is that the company still expects the old-style sales metrics we had when we were apt to bend the rules almost to the breaking point.
For example, the expectation in our area is to sell an average of over 2.5 accessories for every phone we've sold. So, if I sell 100 phones a month, I need to have sold more than 250 accessories. If I sell ethically, I talk about the phone and the value of available accessories. I point out the phone pr...
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and i've noticed that the corp stores tend to do this more than the retailers around here.
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seen them jerk around the price plans to pad their commissions. Usually, it's moving the primary line to a secondary and adding a new primary. This practice went away a long time ago, but has recently made a comeback this last year.
I worked in a corporate store for 7 years, and this crap happened until the day I left. Its called Comissions fraud and happens all the time. Reps say they didn't know or were asked by the custy to change it. I beleive that if the game isn't played fair then you need to get out of the game.
Think of the whole direct(I'm speaking in regards to big box dealers) v.s. indirect like this...
If you buy your equipment from some indirect dealers they will tell you "have any questions give me a call. But when you...
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I worked in a corporate store for 7 years, and this crap happened until the day I left. Its called Comissions fraud and happens all the time. Reps say they didn't know or were asked by the custy to change it. I beleive that if the game isn't played fair then you need to get out of the game.
Think of the whole direct(I'm speaking in regards to big box dealers) v.s. indirect like this...
If you buy your equipment from some indirect dealers they will tell you "have any questions give me a call. But when you...
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Yes, big time fraud.
The only time I ever felt comfortable with it was when the customer had a single line with a Migo for their kid and decided to move their T-Mo or AT&T line to Verizon and make a family share. The New Every 2 on the Migo was a joke (and back then it was an ordeal upgrading and putting the phone on another line), and having the Migo as a primary line was hilarious at best. I think I had one instance where someone had been maintaining a line for their elderly parent and did the same thing that the few Migo single lines did when they decided to form a family share with more lines, but in that instance I hesitantly did it.
I'd guess it's happened about five times in all my time with Verizon. And every time, you bet y...
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The only time I ever felt comfortable with it was when the customer had a single line with a Migo for their kid and decided to move their T-Mo or AT&T line to Verizon and make a family share. The New Every 2 on the Migo was a joke (and back then it was an ordeal upgrading and putting the phone on another line), and having the Migo as a primary line was hilarious at best. I think I had one instance where someone had been maintaining a line for their elderly parent and did the same thing that the few Migo single lines did when they decided to form a family share with more lines, but in that instance I hesitantly did it.
I'd guess it's happened about five times in all my time with Verizon. And every time, you bet y...
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straight up, call in sales is how to do it. call the people who go through months of training before taking a single call.
so even going to a sales rep in a store..make sure you go corporate.
at least corporate gets it right more often than indirect sellers like best buy or walmart.
so even going to a sales rep in a store..make sure you go corporate.
at least corporate gets it right more often than indirect sellers like best buy or walmart.
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I'm at an indirect and yet I find myself fixing walmart and best buys mistakes. I went through a month of training before I could sell a phone. My rep is always getting compliments about us because we go above and beyond.
Our local corp store will sell a voyager or dare on a basic plan with no v-cast. The customer comes in screaming about their $600 bill. We fix it as best we can with no commission on the line.
Not all corps are like ours but....don't rule out ALL indirects either.
Our local corp store will sell a voyager or dare on a basic plan with no v-cast. The customer comes in screaming about their $600 bill. We fix it as best we can with no commission on the line.
Not all corps are like ours but....don't rule out ALL indirects either.
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We still help them regardless of where they got the "problem" in the first place. We spend OUR time to take care of the customer!!!!
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haha...well of course.
its what we do. but still.......
VZW CUSTOMER CARE R HAXORZZZ
WE CAN HAS CHEEZEBURGERS!!!!11
đ˛ đŗ đ˛ đŗ đ˛ đŗ đ˛ đŗ đ˛ đŗ đ
its what we do. but still.......
VZW CUSTOMER CARE R HAXORZZZ
WE CAN HAS CHEEZEBURGERS!!!!11
đ˛ đŗ đ˛ đŗ đ˛ đŗ đ˛ đŗ đ˛ đŗ đ
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As a customer (not a sales rep, sorry), I can tell you unequivocally that corporate has paid my postage fees to return a phone I bought on ebay that didn't work (after trying almost an hour to get it TO work). When my brother bought his niece a phone on eBay (bc at the time she had no insurance), and it broke days later, he took it into corporate and they replaced it for $50 with a refurb unit (or whatever you guys call it). I don't know if we got lucky with reps, I don't know if they followed protocol, and I don't know if indirect does any of this, but I know my local corp store has always gone above and beyond, and it's one of the reasons I will shop nowhere else.
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Indirects are limited by what we can do in the system.
We don't have the ability to do phone exchanges in store if we didn't sell the device originally (and don't have refurb units) We also just have a cellbrite machine, and not the tech department
We do try and help customers with phone issues if we can, but we are a lot more limited than our corp counterparts. And if I were to pay for your postage, it would be from my pocket, because there is no way I could charge that to the company.
We don't have the ability to do phone exchanges in store if we didn't sell the device originally (and don't have refurb units) We also just have a cellbrite machine, and not the tech department
We do try and help customers with phone issues if we can, but we are a lot more limited than our corp counterparts. And if I were to pay for your postage, it would be from my pocket, because there is no way I could charge that to the company.
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The only indirect I believe I ever dealt with was Radio Shack (years ago when they sold Verizon), and honestly, I never had any problems with them. The verizon store is just closer to me geographically than Best Buy or any others, except for Walmart - and I just have a problem buying a cell phone from Walmart.
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