Shop Talk
Activation Fees on upgrades?????
Why do customers have to pay an activation fee if they're upgrading? Can someone explain the logic behind this??????
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I think it's ridiculous. This is the only thing I will side with a customer on. It's stupid!!
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What I don't like is that new customers are valued more than existing customers.
In my company everybody pays the same thing, but the employees are paid less for a renewal than a new activation. This means the employees are willing to bend more for new customers, who really don't deserve it yet!
We should be paid more for renewals than activations, that way we could give loyal customers MUCH better deals.
In my company everybody pays the same thing, but the employees are paid less for a renewal than a new activation. This means the employees are willing to bend more for new customers, who really don't deserve it yet!
We should be paid more for renewals than activations, that way we could give loyal customers MUCH better deals.
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I really get pissed off when people come in asking what kind of specials they can get because they're a new customer. I wanna kick them in the gonads and tell them to come back in ten years when they've earned for me to respect them.
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True, considering how much of my business is porting over from Company A to Company B. customers getting mad when they see great deals on phones with new activation while their upgrade gets a percentage off.
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thats the logical thing right? it makes too much sense for people to understand that concept 😎
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I agree, it's stupid. My company calls them equipment change fees, like it costs us money to change an esn! The good news is, starting tomorrow until after Christmas, we have no activation fees! Woopee. I hate explaining extra fees to customers!
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krickt said:
I agree, it's stupid. My company calls them equipment change fees, like it costs us money to change an esn! The good news is, starting tomorrow until after Christmas, we have no activation fees! Woopee. I hate explaining extra fees to customers!
Under certain circumstances we can waive the EQF...
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I can waive on renewals, but they are changing the system soon to make it impossible, without a call into CS. Any way they can squeeze money out of a customer, they will find to do it!
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I'm glad Verizon doesn't charge an upgrade fee. I'd have to deal with that question all the time.
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Speaking of that. Do they get charged the $20 early upgrade fee if they do it in a store or is that only if they do it online?
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You're never charged a fee for upgrading. I don't know who told you that.
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🤨 https://myaccount.verizonwireless.com/vzs/log inform
Click where it says "Get the Details". It says upgrade fee may apply in parenthesis
Click where it says "Get the Details". It says upgrade fee may apply in parenthesis
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I, nor anyone who I know, has ever been charged an upgrade fee when upgrading online. In fact, I just upgraded my phone back in September and was not charged a fee. My sister always upgrades her phone and her bf's phone online and has never been charged a fee. We don't charge them an upgrade fee at the store, either.
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The upgrade fee would show up on the bill if anywhere. Just like it does with new activations. It wouldn't have charged you a fee in September because the new early upgrade policy took place on November 16th. I'm just uncertain if they get charged the $20 fee online only or in the store as well. I'm surprised you didn't hear about this..
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We don't charge customers for upgrading. Neither does the corporate store. My sister just upgraded her phone two weeks ago online. She was not charged a fee on her bill. The new upgrade policy took affect on the 17th of last month. She upgraded her phone after that went into affect.
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Ok. So I just got off the phone with COOS. As it seems, in the philly market, the customer is only charged the $20 annual upgrade fee if they do it through anyone who uses NetAce. Online, eRoes, and telesales activations don't apply
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Early upgrade, not regular or new every 2. The corporate stores are doing that out here in the West.
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VZW went from what was called an early upgrade to annual upgrade. If a customer is on a $49.99 or higher price plan for the 3 previous 3 months and had their phone for at least a year can get an upgrade (phone at promotional pricing). If you go into a (in)direct store or customer service it will be applied to the account automatically. If you go online it will not apply, not as of yet anyways. System enhancements will begin to charge customers automatically in 2007. Any standard or NE2 upgrade this does not apply.
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May apply. I've sold countless Verizon phones and never heard of customers getting charged an upgrade fee. Maybe it's there so in the future they can, but I don't know.....
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Yes, the $20 is charged for in store ups for the "Annual Upgrade" which is actually a new name for the old "early upgrade"...at least in the Northeast region...
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The explanation I got was that it is to help cover the cost of provisioning a new phone on the network. Not that I nessecarily agree with it, it does cost money, time and resources. Do I wish we didn't charge it? Yes. But what can you do? ☹️
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Do what the average american does...call a lawyer. Or call customer service and say you were never told about it 🙂
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I never waive activation fees for customers. From what I understand that's how you store reps make your comission. It does state in the contract that they sign there would be an activation fee.
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Think of it this way. Cingular has around 60 million customers. About 45 million of those are postpaid accounts.
Half of those people are going to be eligible for an upgrade this year. (Logically, it's a two year contract, so they'll be eligible every other year.)
That's about 22 million people. Multiply that number by 18.
Cingular does it because it makes them about $422 million dollars a year.
There are 422 million reasons Cingular does it.
That's why.
Half of those people are going to be eligible for an upgrade this year. (Logically, it's a two year contract, so they'll be eligible every other year.)
That's about 22 million people. Multiply that number by 18.
Cingular does it because it makes them about $422 million dollars a year.
There are 422 million reasons Cingular does it.
That's why.
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...almost word for word....
"Any new phone on our network is required to pay an activation because, as simple as it looks to us, there is actually quite a bit of work that goes into activating a brand new phone on our network. I know to you and me, it looks like we just put in some numbers and magically your phone is working, but there is someone whose sole job it is to make sure that your brand new phone is recognized by our network and allows it to use all of the features that you, as our customers, have come to expect from our company. Features such as Caller-ID, call waiting, Call forwarding and voicemail."
Then the cust usually says something like, "well, I've never had to pay an activation fee before"
And I say, "That is p...
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"Any new phone on our network is required to pay an activation because, as simple as it looks to us, there is actually quite a bit of work that goes into activating a brand new phone on our network. I know to you and me, it looks like we just put in some numbers and magically your phone is working, but there is someone whose sole job it is to make sure that your brand new phone is recognized by our network and allows it to use all of the features that you, as our customers, have come to expect from our company. Features such as Caller-ID, call waiting, Call forwarding and voicemail."
Then the cust usually says something like, "well, I've never had to pay an activation fee before"
And I say, "That is p...
(continues)
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That was the best way of conveying the upgrade fee to a customer I have every heard. You should come work for Sprint.
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You really are the most negative, uneducated, nastiest person Ive ever had the displeasure of conversing with in my life.
I think if I knew you in real life, Id be forced to choke you with my bare hands.
I think if I knew you in real life, Id be forced to choke you with my bare hands.
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sure thing buddy... over the internet discussions of phones? you make alot of sense. 🙄
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Thats because you work for a bogus wireless carrier. We use SIM cards so when you upgrade a phone you just move the SIM card over.
Also the setting up voicemail, etc happens when you first openthe account. If you are just upgrading a phone technically all you are doing is registering a new ESN number to an allready existnig account where everything is allready setup. You have been a victim of your companys propaganda.
Also the setting up voicemail, etc happens when you first openthe account. If you are just upgrading a phone technically all you are doing is registering a new ESN number to an allready existnig account where everything is allready setup. You have been a victim of your companys propaganda.
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You have been a victim of your companys propaganda.
Glad I'm not the only one who can see this type of stuff.
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Wow, 😳 this is the biggest load of steamy bull crap that I've ever heard of. no wonder they don't argue, half the people you tell this to needs a diagram and road map to figure out what you just said. 👀 👀
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well, I don't know why we have them...and no one has been able to give me an answer that I like...so, when people ask me, this is what I kinda mde up. It kinda makes sense. And I can only credit back so much in a day, so I can't give the $36 act. fee back to EVERY customer who calls in...I know, it's wrong, but it's the only thing I could think of... 🤭
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i didn't mean for that to come off as a negative reply, it's actually kinda funny, and if my handle time wasn't through the roof already i probably would "test" it on a few people.
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well, upgrade fee technically. and i dont know why. its a way to make money.
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You shouldnt have to pay an actvation fee on an upgrade, at least not with the company I work for.
What typically happens is that a indirect dealer will do a bogus upgrade. Since with our carrier indirects are not allowed to do upgrades tey will run a scam on the customer. Basically they add a new line when they sell the customer the new phone and typically dont tell the customer that they did this. They would rather commit fraud than tell the customers they have to go to a corporate store to do the upgrade.
Reps from THE MOBILE SOLUTION are notorious for doing this. I love calling outthe mobile problem every chance I get.
What typically happens is that a indirect dealer will do a bogus upgrade. Since with our carrier indirects are not allowed to do upgrades tey will run a scam on the customer. Basically they add a new line when they sell the customer the new phone and typically dont tell the customer that they did this. They would rather commit fraud than tell the customers they have to go to a corporate store to do the upgrade.
Reps from THE MOBILE SOLUTION are notorious for doing this. I love calling outthe mobile problem every chance I get.
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thats funny because i used to work for the mobile polution and it is sad that thats what we were trained to do. i have worked for other indirect dealers too and they are just as shady just quiet about it. i'm glad i don't work for an indirect company anymore because now i go to sleep with a clean concience every night
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How do they do that without causing the customer to end up with two lines or pay an ETF?
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Well thats how I found out about their scams. A month later when they get their bill and its too late to cancel the line without an ETF they come in to our store complaining about the extra line they didnt agree too. Since weare corporate and the oter store isnt I have to tell them sorry, we didnt do it so we arent responsible.
Unfortunately forthe customer typically they do go to TMS - the source of the fraud - and they basically tell the cust to pi$$ off then they end up over here.
As much as I love to help our customers and protect the good image of my company I really don feel srry for theese people that much. If they had checked their receipt they would see that the line was added, and additionaly if thay had come to see me instea...
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Unfortunately forthe customer typically they do go to TMS - the source of the fraud - and they basically tell the cust to pi$$ off then they end up over here.
As much as I love to help our customers and protect the good image of my company I really don feel srry for theese people that much. If they had checked their receipt they would see that the line was added, and additionaly if thay had come to see me instea...
(continues)
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we were told to only do it when their contract is up on the line they have and tell them to cancell the first line after a month. they knew they had two lines now and yes sometimes they did get charged the etf but usually if they called cust care and told them the second line was for another person and they no longer needed the first line it would get waived. this is very shady and i would never do this anymore but companies like tms do not pay their employees for upgrades. people need to realize they should only go to direct stores. if you go to the better business bureau's website you can see how many complaints there are against tms and other similar stores
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As a former employee of The Mobile Solution, let me tell you that I am proud to to be a former employee. That company had fraud written all over it. I worked there for about three years and those were the three worst year of my life. During my final months at TMS, I went to a market that was full of fraud. We had a four man team to clean it up. One guy gave up and quit the company because it was to much to handle. Almost every sale that they did in the past was fraud. I had to do countless reports on fraud and was once encountered by a private investigator on one of their local tv networks. The stress was unimaginable and the hours were long. I am talking about 16 hour days. We had to retrain all the employees that worked there bec...
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https://www.phonescoop.com/forums/forum.php?fm=m&ff= ... »
There I compiled a list of what "activation charges" cover according to the *cough* professional reps here.
It's quite silly as you will see.
There I compiled a list of what "activation charges" cover according to the *cough* professional reps here.
It's quite silly as you will see.
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good work man, that was actually quite funny i showed it to some of my co-workers and we had a good chuckle. as if most of the carriers don't make enough money to cover these charges already. but hey, who said capitalism was fair. 😁 😁 😁
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Someone at my store told me they're FCC required (which I don't believe) but I just tell people it's because of the work required for the network switch and people don't argue. Either that or I tell them they can call customer care to upgrade and maybe they will waive it but they have to wait to get their phone shipped to them.
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People believe anything when you tell them the big, bad government says they have to do i t... 🙄
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LOL people don't even believe me when I tell them they can't get a vanity number because of FCC number pooling regulations, which is actually real LOL
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I never actually tell people they're FCC required because it would be quite easy to figure out that I'm lying.
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Thats a flat out lie. All the FCC requires is compliance with their stadards and number portability.
Taxes are regulated by local and federal government.
Activation fees are totaly internal.
Taxes are regulated by local and federal government.
Activation fees are totaly internal.
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