My sad experience at a Verizon store today

[ImmortalWarrior]

I waltzed into a Verizon store today looking to port my number back to Verizon from AT&T due to coverage issues.

When the rep asked me what phone I wanted to get, I told him I had an iPhone 5 on AT&T and was thinking of getting one of the Windows Phone 8 phones. He simply looked at me and said "Those Windows phones are terrible. I never recommend them to anyone. Get the iPhone 5".

Needless to say, I'm still very shocked.

Here's how you handle this situation. Ask the rep why, and to prove it. Then, when he fails to do so, ask to speak to a rep who deserves commission and refuse to allow him/her the commission on the sale.

 

[HNNNNNGHHH]

T-Mobile is JUST like this. I had a friend go in one of their brick-and-mortar retailers today to buy an HTC 8X and he stated that one of the reps told him to buy an S3, Note 2, or wait for an iPhone 5 or HTC One. I also remember last year when I went to T-Mobile to get my Lumia 920 set up on their network, one of the reps urged me to buy a Galaxy S3 and the other getting the 920 set up surely hesitated to get it working.

Honestly, I'm not surprised with this sort of behavior, but US carriers care more about Android and iOS simply because of revenue and commission. If they were to promote Windows Phone more, it would increase its popularity. Instead, we get extremely biased network operators who only market devices for the sole factor of overall popularity; anything else and they try to hide it from existence.

 

[absonj]

Don't be so quick to write off the 8X and perhaps L822 as well. The 8X is a solid phone.

wow! That's a bull line. I've had android and now windows, and the 8X and the windows OS just rocks. Blew away all phones prior.
In fact, my Verizon store recommended WP over iPhone when I decided.to switch OS's.
Sent from my wicked sexy HTC 8X windows phone using Board Express

 

[Blkacesvf41]

Hopefully this isn't a world wide problem. My experience when I got my 822 was quite the opposite. The rep actually described the WP8 OS as "pretty awesome".

 

[Daniel Ratcliffe]

wow! That's a bull line. I've had android and now windows, and the 8X and the windows OS just rocks. Blew away all phones prior.
In fact, my Verizon store recommended WP over iPhone when I decided.to switch OS's.
Sent from my wicked sexy HTC 8X windows phone using Board Express

Err, I was defending WP...

 

[Honestabebread]

The 822 has been a pretty awful phone for us so he probably assumes all Windows Phones are like that. The Odyssey has actually been the most reliable.

 

[Honestabebread]

T-Mobile is JUST like this. I had a friend go in one of their brick-and-mortar retailers today to buy an HTC 8X and he stated that one of the reps told him to buy an S3, Note 2, or wait for an iPhone 5 or HTC One. I also remember last year when I went to T-Mobile to get my Lumia 920 set up on their network, one of the reps urged me to buy a Galaxy S3 and the other getting the 920 set up surely hesitated to get it working.

Honestly, I'm not surprised with this sort of behavior, but US carriers care more about Android and iOS simply because of revenue and commission. If they were to promote Windows Phone more, it would increase its popularity. Instead, we get extremely biased network operators who only market devices for the sole factor of overall popularity; anything else and they try to hide it from existence.

Carriers actually make more selling Windows Phones and commission is not paid based on phone type (not at corporate Verizon stores anyway)

But I agree that most reps are afraid of WP8 and BB10

 

[TonyDedrick]

wow! That's a bull line. I've had android and now windows, and the 8X and the windows OS just rocks. Blew away all phones prior.
In fact, my Verizon store recommended WP over iPhone when I decided.to switch OS's.
Sent from my wicked sexy HTC 8X windows phone using Board Express

I'm assuming you replied to the wrong post???

 

[rightisray]

The 822 has been a pretty awful phone for us so he probably assumes all Windows Phones are like that. The Odyssey has actually been the most reliable.

How so? I have the 822 and it's a great phone.
In fact, at the two closest Verizon stores to me, a few of the reps had the 822 as well and were liking them as much as I.

 

[christenmartin]

And friend of mine goes in and kind of let's the rep point him in "the right" direction. It has been android the last two phones. I say two, he has had them replaced 3 times. The latest version is the Motorola hd RAZR maxx. Pretty stout phone. Being guys we have to compare our toys and what he was demonstrating was how he could mark people as favorites and with a swipe down you could check what they have posted or send them a message. Then I showed him how I can make groups, as many as I want, pin it, the pin then notifies me if there is activity, or I can send out a message to the group with a tap. He said "huh, she never showed me that phone". That being said he has a good phone and familiar with other android. The rep I don't think did him wrong, but he needs to look around. Side note I used the RAZR it was definitely a slower ui and jittery. He also said the battery wasn't that good which surprised me since the RAZR battery is supposed to kickazz.

 

[Michael Klepacki]

The store in my area is actually pretty supportive of Windows Phone as well. I went in saying that I wanted to buy an 8X, and they were pretty enthusiastic about it. One of the reps even had an 822, and said she was jealous and joked that she'd trade me. She said she loved Windows Phone. I don't know that they'd steer lots of customers to WP, but it was great that they were supportive at all.

 

[WesternLights]

At my work I offer the Lumia 920 to employees by default but if they really really don't want a WP for some reason and I think they're smart enough to not install a bunch of crapware they get the Galaxy S3. A few people just can't stand Windows Phone. But what strikes me, is that they're never able to tell me why. "Because it sucks !" "What does suck?" "The... the... It sucks! We're like the only company to provide Windows Phones to employees!".

I think simply people don't want Windows Phones because they don't like it because their friends don't have Windows Phones. Sales rep are people too, unless MS makes some kind of effort to make them like it (give them one free?) or give them a commission. It's like they're not even trying to sell it.

 

[TonyDedrick]

I had good experiences when buying my Focus and 820. The guy who sold me the Focus was a but hesitant. But only because WP was still relatively young. But he was a sport about it and he even seemed to know alot about WP

The guy who sold me the 820 seemed to had studied alot about the Lumia line. In fact, he kept trying to sell me the 920 even though I told him the lack of expandable memory was a deal breaker

 

[scottcraft]

The 822 has been a pretty awful phone for us so he probably assumes all Windows Phones are like that. The Odyssey has actually been the most reliable.

Awful as far as sales or awful because of problems? I had an 822 plus a replacement that had enough problems Verizon let me switch to an 8X.

 

[Bobert_123]

I had to fight with a guy at best buy just to look at a Z10, so I know where your coming from. Sometimes you just need to put them in their place and let them know whose boss.

 

[Letros]

Sad that carrier employees are fanboys themselves

 

[leonkehoe]

He's a lazy salesman. He should tell his customer what their options are, the advantages and disadvantages of each, and let them choose for themselves based on his impartial advice. Then they'll leave the store with the phone they want rather than the phone he wants!

 

[icyrock1]

Its not because WP is complicated or anything.

If they sell android devices , they get commission.

I thought if they sold iPhones they get commissions (because apple makes carrier's buy a certain number of them).

He's a lazy salesman. He should tell his customer what their options are, the advantages and disadvantages of each, and let them choose for themselves based on his impartial advice. Then they'll leave the store with the phone they want rather than the phone he wants!

Why? He's just trying to increase his pay check (due to commissions). He could hardly care if you end up with a phone you hate or not. Tbh, if I was offered more money to try and convince people to take a certain phone, i'd do it. They don't make to much money working there from what I hear.

 

[tmccaghren]

Well in all honesty the Windows Phones on Verizon ARE terrible. Their attitude might change if they get a good flagship like the Lumia 928.

I don't really agree with that. The Lumia 822 is actually pretty nice; never saw issues with it that couldn't quickly be resolved.

The only one that truly disappointed me was the Odyssey, and I think that was only because I expected an ATIV S variant...

 

[DavidinCT]

Don't be so quick to write off the 8X and perhaps L822 as well. The 8X is a solid phone.

Agreed. The HTC 8x is a great phone, the only problem I have with it, is the limit of 16gb of memory, if you can live with that, it's a awesome phone and if you got LTE coverage (like I do at home and work), it's epic...I can honestly say, I have not seen a HD video studded at all... and that is impressive.