Want to hear something kind of funny? I helped someone in a sprint store make a decision on either a Blackberry or a Hero. (He got the Blackberry, simply because it's a little bit easier to use and it's more inclined for business use rather than personal, which was what he needed)
He was still kind of looking between like 8 phones with a sort of confused look on his face after he talked to a sales rep almost as if to say, "Well sh#t... that was no help." I walked over and just kind of started up normal conversation with him. I know a little bit of what the blackberry can do, and a little bit of what our phones can do. By knowing bits of each phone instead of trying to make a sales quota, I felt I knew more than the employees.
Turns out though, he did need something with a little more inclination on business use rather than personal. Sadly, as much as I wanted to convert him, I had to tell him the black berry would have been better for him. That and the fact that this dude was 47. My dad's 43 and he's considered dropping his Moment for his old Nextel i850. (Yes, that is the equivalent of a flip-brick)
I wish that the EMPLOYEES were smarter than *most* of the customers that they sell to. I feel that it's good to help others out when in need, but those who's job it is to do this should be able to do it better than some random person, I.E. me.
The dude (I think his name was Jeff or something...) was just PUSHING this dude towards the palm pre. He kind of took what ever input the man had and twisted it around to make it seem like he wanted it. That's not right.
When I helped him, the first thing I asked him was "What phone do like the best so far?" followed up with "Well, what do you need your phone to do?". Those, I believe, should be sales etiquette standard questions that are asked immediately.
<rant><mood="annoyed">
The way most sales monkeys in any cell phone store address customers is:
--"Hey there! Looking for a new phone today?"
--"*Insert un-certain customer input here*"
--"Alright, well I want you to take a look at *insert newest phone name here*"
--"I don't really know about this one... I kind of like this other one."
~~~walk over to customer's desired phone~~~
~~~At this point, the monkey will begin to make a mini-rant on all the things that this model can't do and will begin to slowly meander down to the highlight phone~~~
"Now this one here, the *insert newest phone name here*, CAN do *insert mentioned shortcomings*."
That's more or less the way that a sale monkey tried to pressured me into buying the Palm Pre. It felt kind of cheap to me, the phone was un-impressive on a whole, and the keyboard straight sucked. I wanted my Moment, and I had to assert myself to the dude trying to sell me on the Pre that this was what I wanted. I shouldn't have to do that. They're getting a sale and a customer. The only thing it did for me was show me what kind of a grease ball the dude really was. </rant>
. My ATT friends still get spotty service, and I get perfect reception....
