My sad experience at a Verizon store today

[Daniel Ratcliffe]

That's what I'm saying! Unfortunately even though I technically work for Human Resources I don't get to do any recruiting. :'(

Maybe when I'm old and fickle I can switch to recruiting and hire douchebags.

Also, return rate got taken away specifically because reps were selling "safe phones" to protect their commission check. That's all well and good except Verizon wants Windows Phone to blow up so they removed any demotivators.

As for reps carrying Windows Phones, that's because there's a program called the SME that falls under the concession accounts umbrella. Basically every rep gets a free smartphone that's unlimited talk, text and 5GB of data. However they can't use the phone for personal things and they don't get to pick the phone. This is a blessing because most reps would never, ever buy something out of their comfort zone but Verizon gives them a SME BEST device Windows Phone to learn how to use it. Its actually pretty cool. All that said, most reps have a personal line as well (like how I have two phones). I have two because they pretty much always stick trainers with a Razr Maxx, so I have to get my Windows fix on a personal line. Since I have a concession phone (not a BEST device) I can use mine for personal reasons. But screw having an Android phone. Blegh.

And now you know more crap about Verizon than you ever wanted to.

You know, I never actually knew this. Hopefully when I get into work I don't get given a work device (my mum got a Samsung Galaxy Ace from work, but her personal line is an iPhone 5). I'm a big Windows fan, but unless I'm selling phones, I don't see the point of getting a specific phone for work. Of course, that does however mean that I will sound like a hypocrite given I have a HTC TITAN and Nokia Lumia 920. And getting a BB Curve 9360 (perhaps, either that or an NS4G to load Ubuntu), so yeah.

Except... WHEN...WILL...THE..928...BE...AVAILABLE!!! LOL!!!
TAKE MY MONEY!!!!

Champion response!

 

[ohgood]

...Also, return rate got taken away specifically because reps were selling "safe phones" to protect their commission check. That's all well and good except Verizon wants Windows Phone to blow up...

oh, wow I understand now. they'll resent whatever phone eats their paycheck even more now. misinformation will likely backfire on the sales floor.

 

[Honestabebread]

Maybe you don't get it. There is no more return rate decelerator. That's a very, very good thing for BB10 and WP8.

 

[Daniel Ratcliffe]

Maybe you don't get it. There is no more return rate decelerator. That's a very, very good thing for BB10 and WP8.

return rate decelerator? Meaning what?

 

[ohgood]

return rate decelerator? Meaning what?

ditto, put it in terms that non-in-the-company-loop-folks will understand please.

I thought we were talking about loosing commission on returned devices ?

 

[stmav]

It's right there in the part that you left out of your quote of honestabe

Also, return rate got taken away specifically because reps were selling "safe phones" to protect their commission check. That's all well and good except Verizon wants Windows Phone to blow up so they removed any demotivators.

 

[Oxymoron428]

I told a Verizon rep that I wanted my windows phone because of its office integration, and he tried to tell me that the IPHONE of all phones was a better option for that.

I ended up debating with him point for point, and ended up telling him I'd never buy an Iphone and most likely not an android phone either. He then said the phone was out of stock, so I left the store empty-handed. I bought my windows phone from somewhere else.

It's bias like that that makes me not like coming to Verizon stores...

 

[ohgood]

It's right there in the part that you left out of your quote of honestabe

ya, I tried to trim off the lengthy bit, and the part about db's... should have just left it.

yes, at the time I thought that was referring to the data (number of phone sales cancelled through returns) that employees could access. the "safe phones" had me thinking there was a pool of info they could pull from to know what phone sold or returned (killing commission) the most.


ok, got it now, I think:

no data to prejudge safe/unsafe sales
no reason to care, since commission isn't effected




that is a big plus for the sales folk. I wonder how its funded, since its a sale lost at worst, or possible downgrade in contract or phone value ?

interesting stuff happening.

 

[falconrap]

I'll say this, if VZW really wants WP to succeed, and by the account of them being over $100 cheaper per phone to support I could see why, then they WILL make it succeed. Android wasn't going anywhere until they made the Moto Droid their flagship phone. At the time I was very p____d about that, since the Pre+ was supposed to be their answer to the iPhone. webOS would likely be a completely different animal right now if the original Droid didn't come to VZW back then. For WP8 to succeed, you NEED the carrier to want it to succeed. I suspect the 928 launch on VZW is going to be huge. If they can push marketshare up another 3 or 4 points by middle of summer, we will see a very quick take-up curve for the OS, and put it in a very solid 3rd place. Once that happens, the ecosystem will quickly mature and be "safe" for a while.

 

[Honestabebread]

ditto, put it in terms that non-in-the-company-loop-folks will understand please.

I thought we were talking about loosing commission on returned devices ?

Return rate decelerator means how much your commission gets multiplied by based on how many phones you have returned.

Normally it when like this
0 phones returned = 1.1 x your check
1 phone returned = 1.05 x your check
2 phones returned = no change
3 phones returned = .95 x your check
4 phones returned = .9 x your check

You can see how that would leave a rep selling just iPhones or high end Android. When the Droid Razr Maxx came out, the company sold a stupid amount because it was popular and a decent Android phone. The problem here is Verizon wants Apple or Google out of the picture (they don't care which). Now that return rate is gone, they want reps recommending Windows Phones and taking the risk it will get returned for no Instagram or whatever dumb reason.

Math is like this.
Verizon buys 10 8Xs for $3,000
Verizon buys 10 Spetrum 2s for $4,000.

None of the Spectrums come back. Company spent $4,000.

Three 8Xs get retuned. Verizon loses $150 per return. Company spent $3,450. Still less than Android.

That's why VZW wants Windows Phone to succeed.

And that's just on subsidies. Take into account warranty replacements and tech support and Verizon can definitely afford to return a few 8Xs

 

[scottcraft]

Is Verizon going to put it's weight more behind Windows Phone or Blackberry 10? I think either can be a viable number three platform.

 

[ohgood]

Return rate decelerator means how much your commission gets multiplied by based on how many phones you have returned.

Normally it when like this
0 phones returned = 1.1 x your check
1 phone returned = 1.05 x your check
2 phones returned = no change
3 phones returned = .95 x your check
4 phones returned = .9 x your check

You can see how that would leave a rep selling just iPhones or high end Android. When the Droid Razr Maxx came out, the company sold a stupid amount because it was popular and a decent Android phone. The problem here is Verizon wants Apple or Google out of the picture (they don't care which). Now that return rate is gone, they want reps recommending Windows Phones and taking the risk it will get returned for no Instagram or whatever dumb reason.

Math is like this.
Verizon buys 10 8Xs for $3,000
Verizon buys 10 Spetrum 2s for $4,000.

None of the Spectrums come back. Company spent $4,000.

Three 8Xs get retuned. Verizon loses $150 per return. Company spent $3,450. Still less than Android.

That's why VZW wants Windows Phone to succeed.

And that's just on subsidies. Take into account warranty replacements and tech support and Verizon can definitely afford to return a few 8Xs

thanks for that explanation !

 

[Daniel Ratcliffe]

Return rate decelerator means how much your commission gets multiplied by based on how many phones you have returned.

Normally it when like this
0 phones returned = 1.1 x your check
1 phone returned = 1.05 x your check
2 phones returned = no change
3 phones returned = .95 x your check
4 phones returned = .9 x your check

You can see how that would leave a rep selling just iPhones or high end Android. When the Droid Razr Maxx came out, the company sold a stupid amount because it was popular and a decent Android phone. The problem here is Verizon wants Apple or Google out of the picture (they don't care which). Now that return rate is gone, they want reps recommending Windows Phones and taking the risk it will get returned for no Instagram or whatever dumb reason.

Math is like this.
Verizon buys 10 8Xs for $3,000
Verizon buys 10 Spetrum 2s for $4,000.

None of the Spectrums come back. Company spent $4,000.

Three 8Xs get retuned. Verizon loses $150 per return. Company spent $3,450. Still less than Android.

That's why VZW wants Windows Phone to succeed.

And that's just on subsidies. Take into account warranty replacements and tech support and Verizon can definitely afford to return a few 8Xs

I wonder if offering commission for every WP device sold would help as well. Then there's an incentive to push WP for their employees as extra pay awaits.

 

[Honestabebread]

If you make Windows Phones more commissionable than any other, it will be the #2 platform by 2014. VZW employees do whatever it takes to make money.

 

[ohgood]

If you make Windows Phones more commissionable than any other, it will be the #2 platform by 2014. VZW employees do whatever it takes to make money.

more than 30% of customers would have to come in undecided for that to happen, and in less than 8 months ?

are there even 30% of customers thinking about a new phone right now, or up for renewal ?

optimism is good.

 

[Honestabebread]

I would say 50% of customers who go to a brick and mortar store are undecided about platform . And if someone does come in decided, the rep would try to convince them to get a Windows Phone. But Verizon will never pay out based on phone OS. You would think that they would because it saves them so much money but that's not how Verizon thinks. Just like how they allow employees to get iPhones even though iPhones are terrible for the company.

 

[ohgood]

I would say 50% of customers who go to a brick and mortar store are undecided about platform . And if someone does come in decided, the rep would try to convince them to get a Windows Phone. But Verizon will never pay out based on phone OS. You would think that they would because it saves them so much money but that's not how Verizon thinks. Just like how they allow employees to get iPhones even though iPhones are terrible for the company.

well, you do have experience. ill give you that. quite surprised there are that many sheeple waiting to be told what to buy from what you see.

it should be quite an easy thing for m$ to pay reps commision for a year and have the mobile market to themselves.

I'm not being sarcastic.

 

[Honestabebread]

well, you do have experience. ill give you that. quite surprised there are that many sheeple waiting to be told what to buy from what you see.

it should be quite an easy thing for m$ to pay reps commision for a year and have the mobile market to themselves.

I'm not being sarcastic.

A lot of people want smartphones but are afraid of picking the wrong one, that's why they listen to reps. Specs also mean nothing to the people who go into a carrier store. You can tell them that the DNA has a 1080p screen and they give zero ****s. Tell them that it has a sharper screen for reading Kindle books, and they're all about it.

Also, MS could afford to pay out Spiffs to reps, but Verizon would never allow it. Believe it or not. They're all about matching the right device to the right customer. I understand this is obscured due to rep bias, but it would also be obscured by commission advancements.

 

[rustymcbain]

I thought the lack of software updates meant that the 8x was just left in the wind. But this phone is pretty solid, no issues. Never had a force close or false reboot. Nothing. Every app I try works. Camera delivers great photos. I think now that I've had the phone a few months in glad I don't have to deal with the constant updating and I have a phone that just works.

 

[Oxymoron428]

I thought the lack of software updates meant that the 8x was just left in the wind. But this phone is pretty solid, no issues. Never had a force close or false reboot. Nothing. Every app I try works. Camera delivers great photos. I think now that I've had the phone a few months in glad I don't have to deal with the constant updating and I have a phone that just works.

I was thinking the same thing. Not to say that the Lumia is a bad phone. But the 8x is pretty solid. If there was ever a problem with any app I've downloaded, the fault lied with the app. My phone was NEVER the problem.