How well carrier reps "know" the Windows Phone OS

[baileystein]

Hi, I'm new here, so please tell me if I made an error. Anyways, today I chatted online with AT&T, Verizon, Sprint, and T-Mobile about Windows Phones. I asked them various questions and rated the customer service. I directly copied the transcript from the chat window, but to save everybody time, I put it in this oraganizer...I guess.
Question 1:
Hi, I'm just looking, but what is the difference between Android, iPhone, and what is Windows Phone?

Answers 1:
AT&T: I can certainly help you out with that today, those are the operating systems of the smartphones.
Verizon: If you do a quick comparison between the Android Phones and the iPhones that will show you the differences. A Windows phone has the Windows Operating System.
Sprint: A smartphone is a device with an operating system that provides advanced computing capabilities. Smartphones include Windows Mobile, Blackberry, Android, Palm WebOS, and Instinct family phones.
T-Mobile: That would be the operating system of the device.

NOTES: AT&T : No comments Verizon: Wait, the Windows Phone will run the same as my computer; Windows OS? Sprint: No, it is Windows Phone, not Windows Mobile T-Mobile : No comments

Question 2:
Could you tell me the pros/cons of each of the operating systems?

Answers 2:
AT&T: It is really a personal preference, each would also have access to different types of apps.
Verizon: I am not overly knowledgeable on all the operating systems. I do know that an Android phone as the ability to create your own apps. I am not well versed on the iPhones.
Sprint: Unfortunately, we are not able to check that for you. We are online Sales Chat Representative and provide you only online deals and offers. In this case, I would recommend you to please call our Technical Care at 1-888-211-4727 and choose option 4. They will be happy to help you this regards.
T-Mobile: Sorry, I do not have a list of that. Please contact our Sales Department for further assistance with ordering service as they would be able to answer these questions

NOTES: AT&T : Response was expected. Verizon: Not very knowledgeable???? YOU'RE A SALES REP FOR CRYING OUT LOUD! Sprint: Useless response T-Mobile : Useless response

Question 3:
I've heard Android can be annoying and slow at times. Is this true?

Answers 3:
AT&T: No not at all.
Verizon: Personally, I like the Android phones. I haven't had any issues with my personal phone.
Sprint: No, we do have Android phones available online which support good speed.
T-Mobile: (DID NOT ASK)

NOTES: AT&T : Did not support two sides. Verizon: Okay, what about other devices? Sprint: Missed the question, thought I was talking about 4G. T-Mobile : (DID NOT ASK)

Question 4:
The iPhone looks pretty cool, but could you tell me about the Windows Phone?

Answers 4:
AT&T: The Windows phones feature Windows apps and features like other devices operating Windows like a computer, iPhones are made by Apple and therefor run Mac features and systems.
Verizon: I cannot speak for all of them though. I haven't played around with them personally.
Sprint: (Just copied and paste the website descriptions)
T-Mobile: (DID NOT ASK)

NOTES: AT&T : Not completly true. Verizon: Not a very smart rep. Sprint: Useless Response. T-Mobile : (DID NOT ASK)

Question 5:
Why are the icons so big on the Windows Phones?

Answers 5:
AT&T: I don't know.
Verizon: That, I do not know.
Sprint: I apologize. As we are from Online Sales and Navigation Support Department so the access we have is not enough to make changes to your account or to check that details for you.
T-Mobile: (DID NOT ASK)

NOTES: AT&T : You don't know? Verizon: You don't know? Sprint: Useless Response. T-Mobile : (DID NOT ASK)

Question 6:
What is Xbox Live?

Answers 6:
AT&T: You can play XBox on Windows phones, not iPhones.
Verizon: XBox is made by Microsoft so, yes you could play it on a Windows phone. I do not know if the iPhones have that option.
Sprint: (DID NOT ASK)
T-Mobile: (DID NOT ASK)

NOTES: AT&T : Well said. Verizon: Again, not completly sure of my question. Sprint: (DID NOT ASK) T-Mobile : (DID NOT ASK)

Question 7:
Cool. I still can't decide though. If you could pick between a Windows Phone and an iphone, what would you pick?

Answers 7:
AT&T: I would select and iPhone as they do have more available apps.
Verizon: Probably the Trophy. I am not big into Apple products, but that is MY personal preference. It is all up to what you like and dislike.
Sprint: I would prefer to go with the iPhones.
T-Mobile: If not using the Blackberry I would choose an Android phone, the app market has over 40,000 apps to choose from and growing.

NOTES: AT&T : I hear that a lot. Verizon: WHOAH! Did not expect that from a verizon rep, but okay! Sprint: Of course. T-Mobile : Again, because of "more apps".

Question 8:
Could you tell me about siri? Does the Windows Phone have an app for that?
Oh okay. And I looked this up and I found this "ask ziggy" app that is just like siri for windows phones. Do you have any details on that?

Answers 8:
AT&T: No that is Apple only. Siri (pronounced /'s?ri/) is an intelligent software assistant and knowledge navigator functioning as a personal assistant application for iOS. I recommend checking out the Windows Phone 7.5 website for further details.
Verizon: Siri is a personal assistant. I do not believe the Windows phones have that. The Android phones have an app for Iris, which is also a personal assistant. Pretty much all smartphones have some sort of voice features. I know absolutely nothing about ziggy. That is something I will have to look into. That is the first I heard of it.
Sprint: (DID NOT ASK)
T-Mobile: (DID NOT ASK)

NOTES: AT&T : No information about Ziggy? Verizon: Unsure agent, however at least I got them to look into Ziggy.

I was suprised that VERIZON told me to look into the HTC Trophy, while AT&T, Sprint, and T-Mobile wanted me to look into the iPhone or Android.

AT&T Customer Service: 8/10
Reason: I felt rushed, and the agent did not explain key features of the Windows Phone.

Verizon Customer Service: 6/10
Reason: Although Verizon does not try to remove me from the Windows Phone boat, the agent did not have much prior knowledge.

Sprint Customer Service: 3/10
Reason: Terrible service, answered about 10% of my questions and did not even talk about Windows Phones.

T-Mobile: 7/10
Reason: The agent rushed me and told me that the android phones are way better than the Nokia Lumia 710.

 

[Premium1]

All they do is help with your order, they have very little info since they aren't the ones trained about every phone...

 

[based_graham]

Yeah half of those guys arent trained its going to take a while.

I hope MS paying 15-20$ per Windows Phone will work but the thing is isn't Apple and Google doing the same thing?

If they are MS should register a Microsoft Points program for all sales associates. The more sales = the more money plus the more points and you can use those points to get MS products like Xbox Live/Zune Pass subscriptions or save up points to get a free Windows Phone, Xbox or laptop

That would be pretty neat

 

[lumic]

Slightly unfair on the Ziggy question, since I wouldn't know anything about it either if I wasn't an enthusiast for the platform (ie I wouldn't expect a regular Windows Phone user to know about it). Quite frankly, it's also terribly designed and nowhere near iris / siri. Enjoyed the rest of the questions.

Probably the Trophy. I am not big into Apple products, but that is MY personal preference. It is all up to what you like and dislike.

Very interesting. Perhaps the fact that you asked a lot about Windows Phones led the rep to recommend it - it's not often that a consumer will push to ask heaps of questions about Windows Phone, especially since reps usually dismiss it on first mention.

I do know that an Android phone as the ability to create your own apps

Laughed out loud. What a great advantage for the average consumer: "I need to finish up my next blockbuster game for Android while I'm on vacation without my laptop, how relieved I am that I'll be able to code it all on my phone!"

 

[KingCrimson]

Maybe the sad truth is there is only room for 2 platforms in smartphones. 3 is too much for carriers to deal with.

 

[willied]

Maybe the sad truth is there is only room for 2 platforms in smartphones. 3 is too much for carriers to deal with.

That's definitely not even near true.

 

[selfcreation]

im a front line sell rep.... im trained......

im not trained on ALL OS.... BUT!... ITS YOUR JOB to know thes things lol .... your paid to sell a phone to a client ... so do some freaking research on your dead time .

( half the reps in the world dont even know this site exist ( android cental. Wp central . WEBOS central...crackbery ect.... )

how can you sell a phone to a client if u dont have product knowledge?


Useless reps.

half does reps would probably get fired if i was their boss.... and im being nice cause id probably fire all of them.

not knowing what your selling is an insult to your product , your company and your clients and frankly that's unacceptable!!

 

[Premium1]

im a front line sell rep.... im trained......

im not trained on ALL OS.... BUT!... ITS YOUR JOB to know thes things lol .... your paid to sell a phone to a client ... so do some freaking research on your dead time .

( half the reps in the world dont even know this site exist ( android cental. Wp central . WEBOS central...crackbery ect.... )

how can you sell a phone to a client if u dont have product knowledge?


Useless reps.

half does reps would probably get fired if i was their boss.... and im being nice cause id probably fire all of them.

not knowing what your selling is an insult to your product , your company and your clients and frankly that's unacceptable!!

They are trained on what the carriers see fit to train them on. Blame the carrier not the reps making $10 an hr.

 

[based_graham]

I think I should start selling phones as a part time job I help sell a Lumia the other day Lumia 710 FTW

 

[jd914]

before you get a mobile device you need to do your homework and know exactly what you're buying and what you want. You should never rely on a rep for this type of information. Reps are not the most knowlegeble people in the mobile industry and more than likely not know what they are talking about or give you misinformation.

 

[selfcreation]

They are trained on what the carriers see fit to train them on. Blame the carrier not the reps making $10 an hr.

no its not the carriers job ( it is a little ) to train people..... i make 16$/h + commission ..

my commission can get me an extra 4$ an hour.... if i dont do my own research i could easily lose ALLOT of sells and lose 2$+ an hour..... 2$ hour on 150hours is 300$ i lost cause i dint want to learn mroe about the products i sell.

does ** reps write their own pay checks** ( tats the saying in sells any ways )

if u dont know a product and you have tot ell the client to go call an other department or something .. that's a sell you dint close....

how is that acceptable,.. ( it would be for 10$ an hour , but not at 16$+commission)


being a SELL rep is not a push over job .. most of us do over 50k a year!! and your telling me that a little research on Monday morning is to much to ask?




lazy people , lazy world ,.....

 

[based_graham]

^ I applaud you for doing your research thats very key. A little bit of research = more money in your pockets

 

[Premium1]

no its not the carriers job ( it is a little ) to train people..... i make 16$/h + commission ..

my commission can get me an extra 4$ an hour.... if i dont do my own research i could easily lose ALLOT of sells and lose 2$+ an hour..... 2$ hour on 150hours is 300$ i lost cause i dint want to learn mroe about the products i sell.

does ** reps write their own pay checks** ( tats the saying in sells any ways )

if u dont know a product and you have tot ell the client to go call an other department or something .. that's a sell you dint close....

how is that acceptable,.. ( it would be for 10$ an hour , but not at 16$+commission)


being a SELL rep is not a push over job .. most of us do over 50k a year!! and your telling me that a little research on Monday morning is to much to ask?

Because most are just happy with a paycheck. Believe me I know more than all the reps in the stores I go to which is why I never ask them for anything. It is like anything else, you can't expect others to know or care as much as you do.

 

[Reflexx]

Wow. Makes me ponder being a sales rep! haha.

My buddy told me he used to make almost $65k a yr selling phones for AT&T. Though I think he got burned out.

I have a super long drive to work every day, but there aren't many studios that need animators where I live.

A small pay cut (if I sold a lot), but save 3-4 hrs a day in driving? hmmm... lol

 

[aubreyq]

Maybe the sad truth is there is only room for 2 platforms in smartphones. 3 is too much for carriers to deal with.

That's definitely not even near true.

If I can take a shot at it, I think King Crimson was referring to the reps being more comfortable thinking in A or B, as humans tend to do. Do you like THIS or THAT? Easy for a rep to steer a person one way or the other. However, add a third choice and it gets sales reps out of the comfort zone because that means they'll have to learn how to differentiate the three to answer a customer's question.

So although I partially agree with what King Crimson is saying, sales rep have to step up, not be lazy, and learn some basic things about the stuff they sell. All they need to do is invest 3-4 hours on each platform they are not familiar with in order to make an informed answer to the customer.

Sales pitch for iPhone: Over 500k apps (there's an app for that), Apple brand

Sales pitch for Android: Variety of handsets and manufacturers, (some) cheaper phones, lots of apps, works like an iPhone (LOL)

Sales pitch for Windows Phone: Social networks built into the phone, reduce amount of apps that need to be launched as tiles provide information at a glance, variety of OEMs and prices, app quantity on the rise, Zune, Zune pass

Feel free to send my sales pitches to the carriers so they can implement them in their training program. Feedback requested and appreciated, LOL!

 

[Reflexx]

I was a sales/marketing person in a past life. Not retail though. But I've always found it useful to give a customer 3 options based on the information they told you is important to them.

Mr. Client. You told me that the important things to you are Blah1, Blah2, and Blah3.

Most people in your situation would get Product A at $x.

There are the fortunate few that will pay a little more for a premium device, so they'd get Product B for $y.

Then there are those who are on a fixed or limited budget, who want to have their core tasks handled, but can't afford the extra frills that come with a higher end device. They normally would get something like Product C for $z.

Mr. Client, which category do you feel you fit into?

Most people pick Product A. 2nd most pick Product B.

 

[baileystein]

@based_graham

Like your idea! That would get them selling.

Yeah half of those guys arent trained its going to take a while.

I hope MS paying 15-20$ per Windows Phone will work but the thing is isn't Apple and Google doing the same thing?

If they are MS should register a Microsoft Points program for all sales associates. The more sales = the more money plus the more points and you can use those points to get MS products like Xbox Live/Zune Pass subscriptions or save up points to get a free Windows Phone, Xbox or laptop

That would be pretty neat

 

[baileystein]

@lumic

Yeah, I never expected any reps to know about ziggy. That was just to educate them.

And yeah, (I pretended to be stupid), like an average consumer needs to create a bunch of apps.

Slightly unfair on the Ziggy question, since I wouldn't know anything about it either if I wasn't an enthusiast for the platform (ie I wouldn't expect a regular Windows Phone user to know about it). Quite frankly, it's also terribly designed and nowhere near iris / siri. Enjoyed the rest of the questions.


Very interesting. Perhaps the fact that you asked a lot about Windows Phones led the rep to recommend it - it's not often that a consumer will push to ask heaps of questions about Windows Phone, especially since reps usually dismiss it on first mention.


Laughed out loud. What a great advantage for the average consumer: "I need to finish up my next blockbuster game for Android while I'm on vacation without my laptop, how relieved I am that I'll be able to code it all on my phone!"

 

[baileystein]

@based_graham

I think I should start selling phones as a part time job I help sell a Lumia the other day Lumia 710 FTW

YES, would love to do that. I actually refurbish Windows Phones and 999 out of 1000 customers LOVE the os.

 

[lumic]

Limiting the market to two platforms is not good in any case, especially with Apple as one player. It means that Apple does its thing and another platform fills all the gaps around, above and below it. If you don't like the alternative platform? Tough luck? That seems like a bummer for reps, or do they need to pretend that Android will fill all the gaps and it doesn't have a steeper learning curve than the competition?

There should always be a third player, and yes, I wished there was one in the PC market. Might have made Microsoft move faster at developing a platform that actually looks and works good for its target audience.

Yeah, I never expected any reps to know about ziggy. That was just to educate them.

Fair enough, though I personally wouldn't even talk about ziggy if someone is discussing siri/iris. It's quite a few notches below by any measure.

Blame the carrier not the reps making $10 an hr.

I don't see why people who choose to sell smartphones without knowing anything about them shouldn't get heat.