Positive experiences at two carrier stores

[jdevenberg]

So I went into a T-Mobile corporate store today to check out the Lumia 710. They had lots of signs up for it, and all but one sign in the store featured the 710 on it. They also had the display set up, but had the 710 demo units behind the counter as the security devices hadn't arrived yet. But when I asked to see it, the guy showed it to me, and asked if I had used Windows before. I said yes and explained I had switched from a MyTocuh 4G to a HD7. He asked lots of questions and was genuinely interested in WP and didn't once try to sell me on Android. He said his only concern was with the number of apps and asked if I had had any problems. I told him most major apps are there, and the ones that weren't usually had very good (or even better) substitutes. He seemed genuinely interested in giving the Lumia a try and was complaining how the demo unit Radar and 710 they had couldn't install apps. Over all, they guy seemed very interested and positive about WP7 even though he hadn't used it. He also said people that used Windows Phone tended to stick with it from what he saw, while Android users bounced around more. This is a big shift from a year ago when a rep would immediately try and sell you an Android the second you mentioned it.

Second I went to a ATT certified store (non-corporate). As soon as I said I was interested in an iPhone 4S or a Windows Phone the sales lady started gushing praise about Windows Phone and about how much she loved her Focus since the update last fall that introduced multi-tasking. She said how she had loved the platform before but the lack of multi-tasking bugged her really bad, but now she had no complaints and that Windows Phone was super easy to use and "idiot-proof", using her self and her difficulties with technology as an example. She also stated (as did the T-Mo sales rep) how she noticed WP users stuck with the platform (as did iOS users) while Android users would often switch to either iOS or WP when they came in to upgrade.

Overall, I think the T-Mobile experience shows how the Nokia/MS marketing and education push has started to open reps eyes to WP and the ATT rep shows how getting these phones in reps hand can really help drive sales of devices.

A third experience at a Best Buy Mobile location a few weekends ago was with a sales rep their. He saw my Titan and asked about it. Said he used to have Windows Phone but the lack of Multi-Tasking and several other things had bugged him so he switched back. I told him about Mango and how it had addressed every one of his concerns plus some, to which he replied "Thats awesome, because I really did like it better than Android other than those few complaints, I am going to have to give it another try."

 

[toshdellapenna]

That's awesome! Wish my experiences at stores were even remotely positive.

Sent from my Htc Titan using Board Express

 

[jdevenberg]

I have had many, many bad experiences in the past. It has just been the past few weeks that I have started having positive experiences. I think it may be a sign that these times, they are a changin'

 

[roffleswaffles]

Before getting my Titan, I went into my local Best Buy to upgrade to a Mango phone and the lead of the mobile department was very knowledgeable about it and even mentioned that he liked it better than the iOS. I've yet to come across anyone slamming the WP in real life, but then again I haven't really cared to ask anyone else about their opinion.

 

[jmerrey]

I had a very nice experience at best buy a few weeks ago. I was buying an ipad as a christmas present for myself and while I was checking out (not at the checkout line, but in the back) the guy noticed my focus s. He started asking all kinds of questions about it, and called another employee over. They evidently had been talking the previous day about how fresh and clean the metro interface was (their phrase, not mine). Anyways, pretty cool. They both agreed with me that windows 8 + tablet form factor can't get here soon enough.

 

[jdevenberg]

I had a very nice experience at best buy a few weeks ago. I was buying an ipad as a christmas present for myself and while I was checking out (not at the checkout line, but in the back) the guy noticed my focus s. He started asking all kinds of questions about it, and called another employee over. They evidently had been talking the previous day about how fresh and clean the metro interface was (their phrase, not mine). Anyways, pretty cool. They both agreed with me that windows 8 + tablet form factor can't get here soon enough.

Couldn't agree more. Can't wait to get me some quad-core Windows 8 tablet love. I'm hoping for something HP or Nokia. Something aluminium preferably.

 

[lumic]

She said how she had loved the platform before but the lack of multi-tasking bugged her really bad

That's a great rep, being realistic about the situation. I wouldn't have used nor recommended Windows Phone prior to the Mango update.