Windows Phone Haters

[Charles Rice]

Well we all know haters will be haters.... I work at a Best Buy Mobile store where we carry no WP except the 635 521 and 530, we have no live demos and no way to show WP to those that are interested. I own a L920 L1020 and L1520, so I of course show my phone off to those that ask about WP or seem like WP would be a good fit for.

But the haters... Man... They're bad. Everyone I work with is adamant android fans, they give me so much grief about my choice of OS and i give then none as I also use android on my nexus 7. I've done my best to explain what I love about the OS, but every time I make a point they shoot it down. I've seen them scrutinize customers with windows phones... "well its messing up cause its a windows phone" when I see more android phones with problems than anything else. Your android phone died? I'm sorry you lost everything on it, there's no way to recover it. Your contacts are backed up to your Gmail though! WP backs up everything, texts, call logs, start screen, installed apps, and photos to OneDrive.

So today my Samsung rep comes in to set up our Note 4 display and I ask if Samsung has anything in the works as far as WP. He says "god I hope not, they're garbage" I ask why and he goes on to speak about the app gap, which I feel has become minimal. I then ask him if he has ever used one or if he knows anyone that uses one, he answers no.

How can I help with the perception of windows phone, I feel like its completely doomed with the lack of knowledge from cell phone reps and the way its portrayed in the media. (Verge I'm looking at you!)

 

[fatclue_98]

First you have to separate the haters from the ignorant. That Samsung rep is just dumber than a box of rocks for not doing his job properly. You could have been a real customer in which case you would have schooled him and he would have lost sales because of his blatant disregard for knowing the industry that butters his bread. As for the general buying public, those who know nothing about WP can blame your employer and others who don't lift a finger to show what the OS is capable of. I have a feeling this thread will get heated soon but I wanted to throw my $.02 in before it turns into another WP vs. whatever.

 

[Makm]

I seriously don't understand why does everyone burst out saying "windows phone sucks" whenever they see or hear about any wp! Ppl who never saw any wp also says stuff like "i don't wanna buy a wp bcos its bad", wtf!!! How did it even start!? And whom to blame?! They don't even wanna accept the fact that wp evolved in a good way, its a good os which is not at all difficult to use (as sm ppl claims) and we have most of the mainstream apps!! Its like they are bound to a evil spell by using android or sth!

 

[Penny_1]

I don't think this should be a WP vs. whatever thread. I think this is rather more a question of the human condition and how to deal with it. Specifically, we are speaking to the human condition called "free will."

To the OP, there is nothing you can do to educate those who are willfully ignorant. They have the right to do so. The only people you will be able to coherently communicate your points to are those that are open-minded in the first place. You will attempt to showcase your points to both types of people; my recommendation is to waste less time trying to persuade people of something they will not agree to.

Keeping this in mind, your goal as a mobile sales rep is to give the customer what they want, whether or not you agree with their decision. Make your point as to why you think they should get one platform or the other, but ultimately, understand that they will go wherever they feel safe, and this SHOULD be the case. The more ambivalent a customer is when making their decision, the greater the chances that they will doubt the decision later on. You'll see those customers coming back in for returns and exchanges, or sticking with it but blaming you for the decision. If they ultimately decide themselves, they will be willing to accept the consequences of their decision and will try harder to make that OS work for them, whether or not they feel it's the perfect fit.

Don't try to change other people. If someone is laughing at you for having a different opinion, the problem is theirs and not yours. They may eventually learn to be more humble and open-minded, but take solace in the fact that your wisdom will help you out in life.

 

[KhawarNadeem]

I've never actually heard anyone specifically say that "WP Sucks" to me... I want to meet these people. Their ignorance and intolerance about something as trivial as a mobile phone (which are to make our life easier, not to obsess over) is sort of fascinating to me.

That said - hardly any of my friends or colleagues use Windows Phone. One friend said "it seems a bit boring" but he's not the kind to go for a minimal design anyway. People I'm around, they all seem to like the design of the OS especially, and they all especially acknowledge the camera capabilities once they try it for themselves. I had a friend showing me his new Galaxy S5 today and even he admitted he used the WP Launcher on his old Android phone because he loves the tile-based design. I guess I just know more broad-minded-techie people or something?

 

[D M C]

Their is nothing you can do about it.
Haters are everywhere.
Here in WPCentral 90% users are Android and Google hater.

Same applied there.

Ignoring is the best weapon against haters.
Use it whenever you get involved with them.

 

[KarmaEcrivain94]

Honestly, I have never seen any of these specimens either. In my class there is even a group of 4 WP users (out of about 16 Androids, 8 iPhones, and 1 or 2 BlackBerrys). All of them enjoy WP. Nobody seems to hate WP. Even the Android/iPhone users will say "Hum, classy phone" when I whip my Lumia 820 out.

(For info, I'm in France, so the perception of WP might be different from in the US)

 

[lkcbharath]

Honestly, I have never seen any of these specimens either. In my class there is even a group of 4 WP users (out of about 16 Androids, 8 iPhones, and 1 or 2 BlackBerrys). All of them enjoy WP. Nobody seems to hate WP. Even the Android/iPhone users will say "Hum, classy phone" when I whip my Lumia 820 out.

(For info, I'm in France, so the perception of WP might be different from in the US)

Although in India sales are better and so is market share, people still despise wp (I'm the only one in class with a WP). It's just a poor mindset and perception

 

[viru k]

Samsung phones starting from low range to high range all look the same.. But with Lumia u have a different look & a classy feel. There are many WP users in my area. My classmate bought an android fone just 4months back.. Internet is just crying. Hangs n no. of times &before shifting to my Lumia 1520 I used Lumia 710 for two years & it is still the same fast n smooth even today. That is windows phone. That is the beauty n class of WP. WP rocks.....

 

[TrueMetalGeek]

One day I was in Verizon for some reason and I was showing one of the salesmen my Nokia Icon and he said "Hmm, maybe I'll have to start selling those".

The fan boy club is insane and it's insane how the retailers have jumped upon android and iPhone so much.

My first windows mobile device was a Palm Treo 700wx.
It was easily modified with apps and a registry edit to run wireless Bluetooth headset and stream YouTube before iPhone could do it and before Android was even a wet dream.

When android came out something shady happened with Skyfire browser.
After windows phone users beta tested Skyfire for over a year, me being one of them, the official Skyfire app came out only to android and iPhone and the server for windows phone was shut down.

That right there caused a lot of people to jump ship.

 

[colinkiama]

In order for this to stop, Microsoft need to change the perception of windows phones. That would take a lot of advertising(an area that Microsoft are really bad at)

 

[aximtreo]

My question here is this; to sell your products you have to know the upside and downside so you can overcome objections when necessary. To be a really good sales person, you need to have a reasonably good understanding of your competition so you can be prepared to explain how your product differs and how it is better. Opening a sales presentation by saying WP is junk, it doesn't work and there are no apps is the worst way to sell your product. BUT, I guess you get what you pay for. There is a major difference in a good sales person and a talking head.

 

[windows94]

Whenever someone sees my on my phone there are only two things they say. "oh windows phone. How do you like it?" Or "ew windows phone. What's wrong with you?!" To which I reply. "have you ever used a windows phone?" And they always say no. People always have an opinion and absolutely no experience to back it up. I have owned IOS, more androids that I can count, from gingerbread to jelly bean (but I haven't owned a kitkat device yet) and 5 WP devices. I prefer WP. I love android too though. And IOS isn't bad either. I just like WP.

 

[luxnws]

Salesmen and saleswomen try to move the products that make them the most money in the quickest way possible. Pretty simple.

@op, you should certainly try to accommodate customers who ask about Window Phones but your job really isn't to evangelize. Your job is to sell the most stuff during your workday to make the most money for your company and yourself. The customer is always right, even when they want to buy something that may not be the best deal.

 

[blehblehbleh]

OP I like how you tend to your job seriously and even handedly. Penny_1 has a good points. I would add that since you use post, make sure to highlight the strengths of WP and maybe highlight the weaknesses of android. Of course do so where there isn't a high feel of bias. Definitely be aware of who you're addressing. More importantly though is that since you're on the floor, you're the face for BB and in your own personal case WP. Present yourself so that you're that trustworthy and knowledgeable source; it's a natural tendency of everyone to gravitate towards people like that.

 

[etphoto]

I came from WebOS. Although it was a great OS you rarely, and I mean rarely, saw any phones in the wild. However, I see WP often (when I'm paying attention). I'm in the US and question the 3% market share because I do come across so many WP. I don't come across so many haters as the OP claims. When I picked up my M8 a couple months ago the Verizon dude asked why I was going with WP because of the app . . . I stopped him in mid sentence and told him to just get my phone please. I wouldn't put him in the hater category. Just in the dumb section.

Sent from my DX4860 using Tapatalk

 

[psoham777]

Some people just consider iOS/Android better than WP. They just think that WP is bad just because their iPhone or Android is good. Now how's that fair?
Also many people are ignorant to buy WP just because their friend /colleague has Android or iPhone. People don't have awareness about WP & they keep blaming, atleast before blaming they should do a little discovery on the OS, as to why its a failure (according to them), but again if they did that, they might turn to WP. I might add, no one can change another person's mind. No OS is perfect in this world, its just a personal choice. Haters would be everywhere, for every OS, but I might add, as not many people are aware about WP, still those haters are less compared to other OSes.
Sent from whichever device I happen to be using today.

 

[Great deal]

There is nothing you can do. Its up to Microsoft to incentivise the networks and stores so the staff make money from pushing WP. Its that simple, and the staff would if they get a bonus 50 dollars per WP sold. Its worked in the past, present and in future, problem is MS don't do enough in that regard.

As for hating well Ive used iOS, WP and Android a lot as ive owned all three. iOS is living on borrowed time tbh as the innovation and ring fencing has sealed them in while Android bleeds users from them slowly. We all know WP is lagging behind Android in pretty much every area and Windows 10 will be the next big step in our OS. Honestly if someone says WP is better than Android then they really havnt used KitKat and Lollipop looks like it will SMASH iOS and WP (they way it is today) in terms of features. The hardware also smashes what we have on WP. I will wait though as the pendulum will swing the other way next year and im in no rush to replace my 1020 as it does (sort of) what i need it to do. If i didn't hate Google id definitely have an Android whilst waiting for W10 phones.

 

[DennisvdG]

Honestly, I have never seen any of these specimens either. In my class there is even a group of 4 WP users (out of about 16 Androids, 8 iPhones, and 1 or 2 BlackBerrys). All of them enjoy WP. Nobody seems to hate WP. Even the Android/iPhone users will say "Hum, classy phone" when I whip my Lumia 820 out.

(For info, I'm in France, so the perception of WP might be different from in the US)

Wow you have some nice classmates. :-o

If I whip out my 930 in class I hear stuff like: "haha look it's a brick Nokia from the 1900's!"

It doesn't bother me at all but it still sucks to see so much ignorant hate. I'm from the Netherlands btw.

 

[KarmaEcrivain94]

Wow you have some nice classmates. :-o

If I whip out my 930 in class I hear stuff like: "haha look it's a brick Nokia from the 1900's!"

It doesn't bother me at all but it still sucks to see so much ignorant hate. I'm from the Netherlands btw.

Wow, that's sad...