There May Be Hope For WP8 After All

[fatclue_98]

I didn't want to hijack another thread so I decided to start this one. Let me preface by saying that Miami is an iPhone town, and it's not even close. Everywhere you go, you see the fruit logo. My Hispanic brothers and sisters will confirm that status symbols are a way of life in the Latino culture and the iPhone has that in spades. Now to the meat of this story.

I went to the AT&T store near my abode to sign up for a promotion that gives free Uverse TV for a year for free if you sign up for a Mobile Share plan (no contract, I'm BYOD). When it was time to slip the new SIM card into my phone is when the fun began. The girl who was taking care of me assumed I had a Galaxy SIII and was quite nonchalant. After she inserted the card and fired it up you should have seen the look on her face when the blue Windows splash screen came on. Priceless! Next came the amazement when she saw the transparent tiles on my Ativ S Neo. She called her boss over to see it and the look of bewilderment was too precious for me to stay quiet. I casually asked if there was a problem with provisioning (I knew what was going on) and they started asking one question after the other. As I was explaining the new features of 8.1 the manager was fiddling with my phone and had a stupid grin that couldn't be ignored.

He came up to me and started talking about how WP was an abysmal failure. Nokia's deal with MS was that AT&T salespeople had to use them. This was the L900 we're talking about. He was upset that he had to give up using his, wait for it, iPhone. I explained that WP7 was indeed missing some apps and functionality but that WP8 was an OS to be reckoned with. The 1520 is the biggest seller among WP devices, according to him, and he didn't understand why. After some proper schooling he started fiddling with the display model and started tripping when he saw that all his IE settings, Google searches and documents had shown up on that 1520. I'm guessing he logged in with his account. The girl that was setting me up couldn't stop talking about the home screen. She seemed genuine when she said she was starting to consider getting a WP8 device.

I understand the manager's position in that he's very invested in iOS since he has iPads, Apple TV, etc. But I think it's safe to say that the two of them will not think twice about recommending a WP8 device. The store actually has a large WP display with working models (L1520, 1020, 920 & 620). I also started thinking about how many other locations across the US and the world are in the same shape as this location was. Is it ingrained perception, lack of proper training? Do MS vendors just drop off the inventory and promotional items and drive away? I can't imagine a regional or district manager for Microsoft being so aloof as to not inquire why sales aren't better. The product is there. I saw for myself how the opinion regarding WP8 can be changed almost immediately if someone just takes the time and allows it to "show off".

If these two agents can push these devices for what they are, word will spread. If a mid-level manager sees an increase in sales at a particular locale, he'll ask why. If normal logic runs its course, there's hope for WP.

 

[MDK22]

YES, I remember, the Lumia 900 launch & they all had Lumia 900s & had no clue (other than they sucked, compared to their Android / iOS devices).

Fast forward to now, '... yeah, we got Windows phones, why would you want that ? ...' The launch left a bad taste in many sales reps mouths, they had to give up their current device & use this, this Lumia 900. They've never kept pace w what's going on & since WinPhone 8.1 is Dev Preview, probably never saw it, up close & personal.

You're gonna need another 1000 sales reps with the same experience, to make a push forward, but ...
it could happen. Perhaps, when Win Phone 8.1 becomes officially released, a training session w an experienced Win Phone 8.1 user to answer the questions, demo the new (catchup to iOS / Android) features. This way they can give an informed answer, when someone new notices a Windows Phone (on 8.1) and asks about it. Maybe, even push Windows phones ! :shocked::excited:

 

[Visa Declined]

If a buyer is new to Windows Phone, and the sales rep is pitching it to them, he/she should let the customer know up front that there is no WhatsApp or Candy Crush. Honestly though, there hasn't been a single carrier store I've ever been where sales rep even mention a WP device to customers. 2 weeks ago when I went to my local T-Mobile store, I only heard them pitching the Galaxy S5 to customers.

 

[Pierre Blackwell]

The bottom line is having sales reps that are familiar enough with WP to point out advantages and disadvantages. I find myself making a better sales pitch than those that work at the store. Even with the an app gap, customers are undoubtedly intrigued about WP.

 

[MaxyBley]

I always like hearing these type of stories.

 

[fatclue_98]

If a buyer is new to Windows Phone, and the sales rep is pitching it to them, he/she should let the customer know up front that there is no WhatsApp or Candy Crush. Honestly though, there hasn't been a single carrier store I've ever been where sales rep even mention a WP device to customers. 2 weeks ago when I went to my local T-Mobile store, I only heard them pitching the Galaxy S5 to customers.

So it would be fair to say that these sales reps should mention that Office 365 is only available through subscription but free and built in on WP.

 

[IlkkaV]

Fast forward to now, '... yeah, we got Windows phones, why would you want that ? ...' The launch left a bad taste in many sales reps mouths, they had to give up their current device & use this, this Lumia 900. They've never kept pace w what's going on & since WinPhone 8.1 is Dev Preview, probably never saw it, up close & personal.

Well the reps aren't fully to blame. Even if some of the reps wanted to stay current on what's going on with Windows Phone, it wasn't happening without a hardware upgrade. The Lumia 900 became more or less obsolete in record time. I'm glad to see that WP8 phones have already had much better lifespan regarding upgrades, but I can't help wondering how things would be if MS hadn't screwed early adopters (pretty much anyone with a WP7 device) over with the WP8 non-upgrade.

 

[tgp]

So it would be fair to say that these sales reps should mention that Office 365 is only available through subscription but free and built in on WP.

But who cares about Office? Or other WP features such as offline maps? Yes, these are important features to a few users, but not enough to make a significant difference. That's how I look at most of WP's cool features. They're just not popular enough to matter.

Here's my experience with Office: I work for a Microsoft partner, and we live & breathe Office. We use Excel, Word, and Publisher a lot. About half of my colleagues have WPs. However, none of us use Office on our phones. I actually do once in a blue moon to look up something on an Excel file I have saved in the cloud, but I use Android.

 

[fatclue_98]

But who cares about Office? Or other WP features such as offline maps? Yes, these are important features to a few users, but not enough to make a significant difference. That's how I look at most of WP's cool features. They're just not popular enough to matter.

Here's my experience with Office: I work for a Microsoft partner, and we live & breathe Office. We use Excel, Word, and Publisher a lot. About half of my colleagues have WPs. However, none of us use Office on our phones. I actually do once in a blue moon to look up something on an Excel file I have saved in the cloud, but I use Android.

Help me to understand. You live & breathe Office, use Excel, Word and Publisher a lot but don't feel it's important. Microsoft goes out of its way to harp on Office 2013 on the Surface line but you don't feel it's important enough. Millions of users worldwide depend on the Office Suite but who cares? You check saved Excel files from time to time but still don't feel it's a big deal. Did I miss something?

 

[tgp]

Help me to understand. You live & breathe Office, use Excel, Word and Publisher a lot but don't feel it's important. Microsoft goes out of its way to harp on Office 2013 on the Surface line but you don't feel it's important enough. Millions of users worldwide depend on the Office Suite but who cares? You check saved Excel files from time to time but still don't feel it's a big deal. Did I miss something?

Of course Office is important. We'd be crippled without it. I meant that Office is not important on a phone (for most users). We are Office power users, and yet we don't use it on our phones. So in that respect WP has no advantage over the others for us. Take the average customer walking into a store to buy a phone. A sales pitch that includes the benefits of Office on WP is not going to make a bit of a difference for probably 99% of them. It's a cool bullet point, but in the end, who cares?

Yes, I do open an Excel file occasionally, and I use Microsoft's Office app. However, I could certainly use Quickoffice (official Google app) or any of the myriad of 3rd party apps available. Whatever advantages WP's Office has means nothing to me. And it means nothing to almost all smartphone users.

The real power users probably won't be satisfied with Office on WP anyway. iOS & Android both have 3rd party apps that provide a much better experience than Office on WP.

 

[fatclue_98]

Of course Office is important. We'd be crippled without it. I meant that Office is not important on a phone (for most users). We are Office power users, and yet we don't use it on our phones. So in that respect WP has no advantage over the others for us. Take the average customer walking into a store to buy a phone. A sales pitch that includes the benefits of Office on WP is not going to make a bit of a difference for probably 99% of them. It's a cool bullet point, but in the end, who cares?

Yes, I do open an Excel file occasionally, and I use Microsoft's Office app. However, I could certainly use Quickoffice (official Google app) or any of the myriad of 3rd party apps available. Whatever advantages WP's Office has means nothing to me. And it means nothing to almost all smartphone users.

The real power users probably won't be satisfied with Office on WP anyway. iOS & Android both have 3rd party apps that provide a much better experience than Office on WP.

I've used Polaris, Smart Office and my personal favorite - Documents To Go. If you want to delude yourself into thinking any of those, or any other 3rd party app, can do a better job and include more features, knock yourself out. Not everybody carries a tablet or laptop at all times and certainly not everybody just views documents on the fly. Creating and/or editing is a necessary evil for some of us and Office is the champ whether you want to believe it or not.

It may not be an important feature for you and "most people" in your realm are certainly not "most people" in mine. Office documents and PDF reign supreme in my industry and while there are very few who use WP devices, Adobe and Office are primo.

 

[tgp]

I've used Polaris, Smart Office and my personal favorite - Documents To Go. If you want to delude yourself into thinking any of those, or any other 3rd party app, can do a better job and include more features, knock yourself out. Not everybody carries a tablet or laptop at all times and certainly not everybody just views documents on the fly. Creating and/or editing is a necessary evil for some of us and Office is the champ whether you want to believe it or not.

It may not be an important feature for you and "most people" in your realm are certainly not "most people" in mine. Office documents and PDF reign supreme in my industry and while there are very few who use WP devices, Adobe and Office are primo.

I don't disagree with you here. What I don't believe, like I said in every post, is that WP's Office advantage matters to enough users to be a selling point that makes a significant difference. Again, who cares about Office on a phone? Answer: almost nobody.

 

[JamesPTao]

I don't disagree with you here. What I don't believe, like I said in every post, is that WP's Office advantage matters to enough users to be a selling point that makes a significant difference. Again, who cares about Office on a phone? Answer: almost nobody.

Couldn't disagree more. True I don't use it as much as news apps, but when I was a student it came in quite handy and made things much easier. WP is about true handy and helpful features not just sexy ones. True office on WP wont excite people but will make the majority of people (no power users of office) happy and will be quite useful. And don't forget OneNote. Yes people are just now becoming familiar with this app. But once used and learned about it is by far a great feature and more useful than its competitors in my opinion. Yes office wont sell many comverts but it will help retain and keep converts once they get used to having it on their pho.

 

[tgp]

Couldn't disagree more. True I don't use it as much as news apps, but when I was a student it came in quite handy and made things much easier. WP is about true handy and helpful features not just sexy ones. True office on WP wont excite people but will make the majority of people (no power users of office) happy and will be quite useful. And don't forget OneNote. Yes people are just now becoming familiar with this app. But once used and learned about it is by far a great feature and more useful than its competitors in my opinion. Yes office wont sell many comverts but it will help retain and keep converts once they get used to having it on their pho.

It would be to your advantage to not bring up OneNote. There's a separate official app for iOS & Android, and it's more functional than WP's.

As for Office, I guess we'll have to agree to disagree.

 

[Pierre Blackwell]

How integrated can you be with Office on your iphone and Android when it comes to other MS devices. To remote access your laptop with full widows with seem less integration. The presentation isn't as nice as iOS or Android, but the functionality is unique because nothing needs to be done to transition from one device to another.

 

[fatclue_98]

It would be to your advantage to not bring up OneNote. There's a separate official app for iOS & Android, and it's more functional than WP's.

As for Office, I guess we'll have to agree to disagree.

Does OneNote for Android or iOS auto-save to OneDrive? I honestly don't know. If it doesn't, I would consider that a big minus. I know iOS can auto-save photos to OneDrive.

 

[tgp]

Does OneNote for Android or iOS auto-save to OneDrive? I honestly don't know. If it doesn't, I would consider that a big minus. I know iOS can auto-save photos to OneDrive.

It does if you have Office 365. I have it, so I can't tell you if it works without it.

 

[rex.reyesiii]

Miami? Hope Microsoft get Lebron or DWade to use Windows Phone lets see what happens.

3PEAT!

 

[jojoe42]

Does OneNote for Android or iOS auto-save to OneDrive? I honestly don't know. If it doesn't, I would consider that a big minus. I know iOS can auto-save photos to OneDrive.

If you have a notebook synced to OneDrive (i.e. you created a notebook in the cloud like I have) then changes will instantaneously sync across all devices - I would see no reason for this to not apply to the Android version

 

[gerzhwin]

I understand the manager's position in that he's very invested in iOS since he has iPads, Apple TV, etc. But I think it's safe to say that the two of them will not think twice about recommending a WP8 device. The store actually has a large WP display with working models (L1520, 1020, 920 & 620). I also started thinking about how many other locations across the US and the world are in the same shape as this location was. Is it ingrained perception, lack of proper training? Do MS vendors just drop off the inventory and promotional items and drive away? I can't imagine a regional or district manager for Microsoft being so aloof as to not inquire why sales aren't better. The product is there. I saw for myself how the opinion regarding WP8 can be changed almost immediately if someone just takes the time and allows it to "show off".

I was doing Nokia WP promotion in Berlin O2 Shops lately, and the thing is this: You not only have to convice customers of bying/using WPs, but you have to literally talk them into considering one. Popular media might be to blame, but people mostly don't care about tiles, UI/UX, offline maps, integrated navigation, OCR, song recognition, and different approaches to doing something.