Shop Talk
No more contracts!?! What?
So I met a customer that apparently knows a lot today. He informed me that the cell phone industry is so comepetitive now that even though carriers all moved to 2 year contracts they are all going to offer options with no contracts soon to stay in business. This was his excuse not to do an upgrade. He still needs to do more research before he upgrades.
...
My store has options for no contracts on upgrades. The customer just gets to pay full price. Heck we even have options for new customers and no contracts. The plan sucks and they either have to have a phone that will work already or pony up 150+ for a new phone. You can only imagine how excited people are for no contract plans 🙂
...
I told him he could pay retail for the phone and that the reason companies went to 2 year contracts is so he doesn't have to pay retail for the phone. I love it when people try to argue when they have no industry experience, just hunches. Do they go into the doctor with illness and tell the doctor what their self diagnosis was and ask for the corresponding prescription? Or, do they listen to the doctors prognosis.
...
Do you get the retort of, "Like you guys really didn't pay that much for that phone. Why should I?"
People never believe it when i tell them that we don't make money when we sell a phone full price. We make money on the service contract where they pay us money over time. That's how we recoup costs. "Yeah right why would a company wait to make money of a customer instead right at POS." Well let's see, that's the way it IS done and the wireless industry is a huge multi billion dollar industry. Probably because it is still pretty profitable...
People never believe it when i tell them that we don't make money when we sell a phone full price. We make money on the service contract where they pay us money over time. That's how we recoup costs. "Yeah right why would a company wait to make money of a customer instead right at POS." Well let's see, that's the way it IS done and the wireless industry is a huge multi billion dollar industry. Probably because it is still pretty profitable...
...
I showed him the pick your plan but then showed him why the contract plans are such a better deal for families.
...
Actually this is entirely accurate but there are extreme limitations.
1) You must be within 100 yards of the person you are calling
2) 100lb test is required
3) The cans must be 16oz no more no less to ensure clear communication
1) You must be within 100 yards of the person you are calling
2) 100lb test is required
3) The cans must be 16oz no more no less to ensure clear communication
...
It's called "any prepay-style service that any carrier offers...you friggin' j**k off"
...
Cingular has always offered a no-contract option. You buy the phone at retail and get no free promotional features on the plan. Just your daytime with rollover and night & weekend minutes.
I set a customer up on one of those last week.
I set a customer up on one of those last week.
...
What's so hard to believe about that? Did the customer ever mention a "free" phone? Signing up with a billed monthly service without a contract has been an option for a VERY long time.
...
Well yeah, but aside from your one custy last week, who's going for that? You know they all want something free or close to it...and the only way they're getting that is to sign here, and here, initial here, and sign here. I know it's possible, but in rare cases, highly improbable...
...
If they want a free phone, it's impossible. If they have their own phone or just hate contracts they'll buy it at retail. I usually only get about one customer a month on a zero commitment, but it happens regularly.
The sad thing is I'm the only store around here who apparently knows how to do it. I've had customers go to corporate stores nearby and they'll tell them it's flat out impossible. Then they'll drive straight to me and I'll have them activated in 20 minutes.
The sad thing is I'm the only store around here who apparently knows how to do it. I've had customers go to corporate stores nearby and they'll tell them it's flat out impossible. Then they'll drive straight to me and I'll have them activated in 20 minutes.
...
We usually get around 10-15 customers a month on pick your plan. We don't offer the no contract non promotional plans here though my boss would castrate me.
...
My company might, but I have no way to ring them out so I don't get paid on them.
...
i can do no contract plans too but get absolutely zilch for them. So as far as I'm concerned they don't exist. If I were to get compensation for them I would be all about it, especially with the large amount of international college students that are here for only a year. I would only set one up IF the customer explicitly asked about it. Otherwise I'd set them up on a prepaid which I do get paid on.
...
How do you go about doing it? We've never been trained on no-contract service like that. Can they still get media packages and everything?
...
Well, assuming you use POSII, when you go to pick the plan, click view all and it will list the non-promotional versions of the plans. After selecting the corresponding plan where it asks you to select contract length it should allow 0,11,24 month contract options, shabam!
...
We do indeed use POSII. So, when you guys say non-promotional plans...they still get the anytime/rollover minutes, N&W, and mobile-to-mobile, right? They just can't get the free trial stuff like roadside or voice dial?
...
No, from what I remember it doesn't include mtm or rollover. I can't remember though but you can still sign up for all the features.
...
It has no m2m, but it does have rollover.
In that box where you select the service plan, you click view all. The no contract ones say NONPROMO next to it. They can still get any kind of extra features they want to, but they still have to pass the credit check because it's not prepaid.
In that box where you select the service plan, you click view all. The no contract ones say NONPROMO next to it. They can still get any kind of extra features they want to, but they still have to pass the credit check because it's not prepaid.
...
