My Experience In The Verizon Store While Picking Up A Icon

[Starrbuck]

My experience at a VZW store on Icon launch day was great. I got there shortly after they opened at 9am and the manager wase putting the Icon out on the display by the other Windows Phones. The salesman went to the back and got both colors of the Icon for me and several cases. He didn't care what phone I was buying, he just seemed to be glad I was happy with VZW and was buying a new phone! Oh, and I have never used Windows Phone 8 in my life and had it mostly figured out in a few minutes.

 

[Indistinguishable]

My experience at a VZW store on Icon launch day was great. I got there shortly after they opened at 9am and the manager wase putting the Icon out on the display by the other Windows Phones. The salesman went to the back and got both colors of the Icon for me and several cases. He didn't care what phone I was buying, he just seemed to be glad I was happy with VZW and was buying a new phone! Oh, and I have never used Windows Phone 8 in my life and had it mostly figured out in a few minutes.

You found a VZW store that displays MULTIPLE Windows phones? That's an anomaly in and of itself.

 

[willied]

My experience at a VZW store on Icon launch day was great. I got there shortly after they opened at 9am and the manager was putting the Icon out on the display by the other Windows Phones. The salesman went to the back and got both colors of the Icon for me and several cases. He didn't care what phone I was buying, he just seemed to be glad I was happy with VZW and was buying a new phone! Oh, and I have never used Windows Phone 8 in my life and had it mostly figured out in a few minutes.

That's pretty much my experience as well. Let's hope that the people having bad experiences aren't the majority (though clearly the number is higher than it should be).

 

[Starrbuck]

You found a VZW store that displays MULTIPLE Windows phones? That's an anomaly in and of itself.

I know, right?!

They had the 928 on display, and either the Samsung ATIV Odyssey or the HTC Windows Phone 8X, I can't recall which but I remember at least two. They also had the 2520 tablet in the middle back of the store with the other tablets.

 

[jlzimmerman]

I would encourage others to go to a brick and mortar store vs shopping online. Why? It's up to the WP faithful to educate the sales reps. It's the only way they are going to change their attitude and ignorance about WP. Proof is in the pudding. Verizon hasn't done anything to change their minds. Ditto for MS, Nokia, Samsung, HTC.

When I went in the get my Icon, while waiting for my turn, I went over to the 928 and Icon display and changed the start screen and added apps/games to make it more attractive. The display models were obviously just taken out, booted up, and put on display. Nothing was done.

When it was my turn the sales rep asked what I was interested in, I told him, and he called it a "Lumina." He asked me if I had a Windows phone already and I said yes. He proceeded to nod and go back and get one. I bet my paycheck that if I said no to his question that he would have attempted to divert my attention to Android or iPhone. While ringing up the phone and getting the SIM info switched over, I was casually discussing the perks, pleasantries, and advantages of owning a WP with the VZ staff. One of the staff members admitted that he didn't know it or the 928 had built-in Qi charging. FFS.

 

[ssapre]

I went to one of the local VZW store and the first Rep was not aware of name Nokia Lumia Icon. Next he told me that all they were selling was 822 sometime back and now they have nothing in Windows Phone!! He tried to push for S4 and some LG handsets as much as possible, telling stories about how ppl are happy with them since last year or so from when he is in store. He was damn sure that none WP have 'good' hardware specs (am not sure what was a 'good' hw description for him), then he tried to search Icon on his phone, scroogled it and could not say a word after that. Very next minute he figured out that he was standing next to very same phone!!! So he had no words for me and I could not resist talking to his supervisor next...

 

[ssapre]

The display models were obviously just taken out, booted up, and put on display. Nothing was done.

When it was my turn the sales rep asked what I was interested in, I told him, and he called it a "Lumina."

That seems a general story... same happened with me

 

[Kage Maru]

You found a VZW store that displays MULTIPLE Windows phones? That's an anomaly in and of itself.

The VZW store I had my horrible experience at had four phones on display and they were even labelled correctly. Shocking, I know.

 

[05Paris]

Most of the time sales staff just want to sell what they know about. They refuse to take the time to learn about new products and services and/or their employer doesn't provide the proper time for them to learn. I once worked in a Best Buy store during the holiday season in the computer department. No one really wanted to learn about the new things coming in much less the new things they already had in stock. I prided myself in knowing everything there was to know about the product and services. They would always bring their customers to me to give the low-down on something they wanted to know. I left because I talked too much about the product and didn't talk enough about the "services" end of the deal...yes, those big ticket items like service contracts.

 

[g808]

Maybe they should watch their own videos:
Nokia Lumia Icon | Demo | Verizon Wireless - YouTube

 

[DaT Franchise]

Most of the time sales staff just want to sell what they know about. They refuse to take the time to learn about new products and services and/or their employer doesn't provide the proper time for them to learn. I once worked in a Best Buy store during the holiday season in the computer department. No one really wanted to learn about the new things coming in much less the new things they already had in stock. I prided myself in knowing everything there was to know about the product and services. They would always bring their customers to me to give the low-down on something they wanted to know. I left because I talked too much about the product and didn't talk enough about the "services" end of the deal...yes, those big ticket items like service contracts.

Most have no clue about any of the products there selling. Not one knew the 1520 takes a nano sim or that there is a 32 gig version available. When I got my 2520 I said I want the keyboard as well and I get "they make one?" hell I had a fool try to take the battery out of my G2 hahahaha

 

[aximtreo]

I would venture a guess that less than 10% of the Verizon store sales and managers have seen this video. Is there a way I can downloaded to my 928 to show my friends a cohorts?

 

[worldspy99]

I would venture a guess that less than 10% of the Verizon store sales and managers have seen this video. Is there a way I can downloaded to my 928 to show my friends a cohorts?

https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/download-youtube/
YOUTUBE TO MP3 CONVERTER - CONVERT YOUTUBE VIDEOS TO MP3

There are other methods as well.

 

[Mmazeo]

Verizon offered to upgrade my fathers flip phone to a smart phone early, and they gave 3 choices for free. Galaxy mini, Droid ultra, and Lumia 928. Now he's an old school guy, no interest in computers but figured he would go for the "new thing" and the big screen. I advised him to go Lumia thinking it would be much easier for him to figure out than Android. Well after an hour with a couple of VZW reps, he left with the Droid ultra. Multiple sales guys basically drilled into his head that WP is too new, poor quality, poor battery, etc...

 

[Chregu]

My worst experience here in Switzerland. I went to a Orange store to send in my HTC 8X, and the sales person said: "Well, you can send it in. Unfortunately we only have Windows Phone devices as a temporary replacement until you get it back, at the moment."

I found it kind of ironic ;-)

 

[Kieta]

I bought mines online. But the Verizon rep I was chatting with while making the purchase did praise the Icon saying you are going to love this phone and how it was an excellent choice I made.

 

[Janda45]

Retail sales associates can be motivated by their experiences or even more powerful are the spif's.

 

[AngrySprintUser]

I dropped Verizon like a bad habit because of their awful WP support. They are way to deep in googles pocket with droid...at&t has been so much friendlier with their support of wp and much more knowledgeable.

Yeah try being with Sprint and seeing their WP support.

 

[AngrySprintUser]

When I got my Ativ S Neo with Sprint when it launched I kind of lucked out and had a sales rep, very pretty by the way, that was as excited as I was that I was getting a WP phones. The amount of knowledge she had was pretty amazing, I'd have to assume she did her own homework on that one, but made me happy about my purchase.

That store has since shut down, and now the past two times I've had my phone worked on for any issues, I have to go to the Redmond, WA flagship store, and both times numerous reps make the effort to come to me and just bash the phone, literally asking me why did I get a WP. It's actually kind of annoying, because I'm sure when a person goes to the dealership to get their car serviced, that they don't want to keep hearing that the car they bought from them is a piece of crap.

Yesterday I was getting my phone looked at because it wouldn't let me switch the roaming on, and I had to finally tell one of the reps, " Could you please do me a favor and shut up, this is the second time I've come in here and you've made it a point to bash my phone. When someone pays nearly $500 for something I don't need to be constantly told that it's bad. I'm very happy with the phone, but your opinion is not why I came in here". He did apologize sort of, saying that he had the phone and didn't like it, but to me I don't need to hear it.

I mentioned in an earlier thread, I never understood the bashing of people's OS decision. I can list off all the things I disliked about IOS, and especially Android since that was the phone OS I've had the most issues with, but each OS fits different people's personality. I've actually never tried to convince anyone I know to get WP. If they ask why I went with WP I'll tell them, but some people I know wont like it.

 

[Joel S79]

That store has since shut down, and now the past two times I've had my phone worked on for any issues, I have to go to the Redmond, WA flagship store, and both times numerous reps make the effort to come to me and just bash the phone, literally asking me why did I get a WP. It's actually kind of annoying, because I'm sure when a person goes to the dealership to get their car serviced, that they don't want to keep hearing that the car they bought from them is a piece of crap.

Wow, Redmond is Microsoft's back yard. It's possible people are harsher there because of Microsoft's presence, but that's pretty wild.

My experience was horrible, but not because of employee knowledge. He was helpful, and admitted to knowing nothing about the phone, so he focused on making sure I was happy with the purchase and getting everything squared away properly. The manager on staff knew about it, and wouldn't stop talking about how great the camera was. I had to call VZW as a result of the issues I had in the store, and one of the reps I spoke to was very helpful, and genuinely excited about the Icon.