PCMag confirms carriers steer customers away from buying Windows Phone

[BajiRav]

Part of the job of the sale person is to give recommendations for their product. These guys have a financial incentive to sell phones that don't get returned because they will lose their commissions. Thus, it makes perfect sense to promote phones you think will meet the needs of the consumer and lead to both a sale and no return.

It's all about where your incentives are.

I just came back from an at&t store (went for some other stuff) and I noticed that all WP7 devices were kept under a big ass Android banner and mixed with a bunch of Android phones. This is not only about commission but lack of efforts on at&t's part.

(or may be they are deceiving people into buying WP7 as Android phones :p )

[Doli]

Part of the job of the sale person is to give recommendations for their product. These guys have a financial incentive to sell phones that don't get returned because they will lose their commissions. Thus, it makes perfect sense to promote phones you think will meet the needs of the consumer and lead to both a sale and no return.

It's all about where your incentives are.

That is true if you have a customer who is undecided but to do this to people who want a WP7 is not good.

[~Johnny]

Part of the job of the sale person is to give recommendations for their product. These guys have a financial incentive to sell phones that don't get returned because they will lose their commissions. Thus, it makes perfect sense to promote phones you think will meet the needs of the consumer and lead to both a sale and no return.

It's all about where your incentives are.

The problem is very few of them have any idea what Windows Phone 7 is. Most sales reps don't get proper training for it and are under the impression it's just the next iteration of Windows Mobile - and they don't try it themselves so they don't recommend it. It's their ignorance that hurts the sales, and it should be their job to know what they're selling.

[jakem1]

What's laughable about it? WP7 isn't supported in the Netherlands yet. It also doesn't support Alpha Centauri or Esparanto.

.Neo knows this as it's been pointed out to him every time he's complained about the lack of Dutch support over the last six months.

[Thread cleaned]

That's enough with the trolling...

And yet there are still posts from Flawed in the thread :laugh:

[DukeEsquire]

That is true if you have a customer who is undecided but to do this to people who want a WP7 is not good.

The problem is very few of them have any idea what Windows Phone 7 is. Most sales reps don't get proper training for it and are under the impression it's just hte next iteration of Windows Mobile - and they don't try it themselves so they don't recommend it. It's their ignorance that hurts the sales, and it should be their job to know what they're selling.

In an ideal world, maybe. But it's not an ideal world. Most of these sales people are, let's face it, geeks and they will have their preferences.

Perhaps they believe that WM7 phones will have a lower satisfaction rate than an Android or iPhone which is why they are pushing Android phones. Also, maybe Android phones are more expensive so they get a higher commission.

[BajiRav]

In an ideal world, maybe. But it's not an ideal world. Most of these sales people are, let's face it, geeks and they will have their preferences.

Perhaps they believe that WM7 phones will have a lower satisfaction rate than an Android or iPhone which is why they are pushing Android phones. Also, maybe Android phones are more expensive so they get a higher commission.

I hope you are not one of those... :laugh: (emphasis mine)

[Dashel]

I ream them everytime I'm at the ATT store, they are complete idiots that just want to push what they are using. Take you crappy iphone wanna be and F off.

I found it telling to that not even the managers knew what 'NODO' was when asked or when the rated memory would be in stores. Though on the same token they couldn't come up with anything approaching an intelligent answer to the new bandwidth caps. I think ATT store employees are just minimum wage monkeys so we really shouldn't expect much.

Still, makes me nauseous with all the drooling over crap like the Xoom though in store.

[Joshie]

I ream them everytime I'm at the ATT store, they are complete idiots that just want to push what they are using. Take you crappy iphone wanna be and F off.

I found it telling to that not even the managers knew what 'NODO' was when asked or when the rated memory would be in stores. Though on the same token they couldn't come up with anything approaching an intelligent answer to the new bandwidth caps. I think ATT store employees are just minimum wage monkeys so we really shouldn't expect much.

Still, makes me nauseous with all the drooling over crap like the Xoom though in store.

FWIW, as an Android user, your average Sprint store employee never had any idea what I was talking about when I'd go in asking about Froyo, or back in the old days Eclair. Back when I carried a Samsung Moment and a major software update was coming out that had to be done at the store, and only at the store, people at the store didn't have a clue what I was talking about.

I think I spent a day bouncing from Sprint to Sprint looking to find anyone who even knew what I was talking about.

Conclusion: mobile salesfolk are ign'ant.

[DukeEsquire]

I ream them everytime I'm at the ATT store, they are complete idiots that just want to push what they are using. Take you crappy iphone wanna be and F off.

I found it telling to that not even the managers knew what 'NODO' was when asked or when the rated memory would be in stores. Though on the same token they couldn't come up with anything approaching an intelligent answer to the new bandwidth caps. I think ATT store employees are just minimum wage monkeys so we really shouldn't expect much.

Still, makes me nauseous with all the drooling over crap like the Xoom though in store.

They probably make a huge commission on the Xoom...

[mArcade]

I found it telling to that not even the managers knew what 'NODO' was when asked or when the rated memory would be in stores. Though on the same token they couldn't come up with anything approaching an intelligent answer to the new bandwidth caps. I think ATT store employees are just minimum wage monkeys so we really shouldn't expect much.

Truth be told - most of these guys that work in these locations don't keep up on a forum about smart-phones like we do. I know a lot about all mobile platforms, because it is something that interests me, but I'm willing to bet for most of these guys, it's just another job. And when you do come across one that knows what he's talking about, it's probably because he's more like us, and actually is into this sort of stuff.

[Mountain Dew]

Truth be told - most of these guys that work in these locations don't keep up on a forum about smart-phones like we do. I know a lot about all mobile platforms, because it is something that interests me, but I'm willing to bet for most of these guys, it's just another job. And when you do come across one that knows what he's talking about, it's probably because he's more like us, and actually is into this sort of stuff.

Exactly the point. It's a job...

So it's their job to know about this because all their job entails is mobile devices...if you don't know about mobile devices then you shouldn't be working that job.

[rajputwarrior]

Exactly the point. It's a job...

So it's their job to know about this because all their job entails is mobile devices...if you don't know about mobile devices then you shouldn't be working that job.

clearly you have never worked at a big box retailer before. they don't care if you know all the devices, they care that you know the devices they want you to sell...

[Mountain Dew]

clearly you have never worked at a big box retailer before. they don't care if you know all the devices, they care that you know the devices they want you to sell...

No evidently not. I've only worked at a majority of the big box retail companies you've probably ever heard of in management, owned my own business, and currently work at Microsoft.

You're right. I have no idea how business actually works...

Care to make any more assumptions that will make you look foolish?

[George P Global Moderator]

New site aims to name and shame bad Windows Phone 7 retailers

http://www.winrumors.com/new-site-aims-to-name-and-shame-bad-windows-phone-7-retailers/

[primexx]

New site aims to name and shame bad Windows Phone 7 retailers

http://www.winrumors.com/new-site-aims-to-name-and-shame-bad-windows-phone-7-retailers/

i don't really see the point since the kinds of people who would go to that site already care enough about their choice of platform that they won't be easily dissuaded by ignorant sales reps.

[Mountain Dew]

i don't really see the point since the kinds of people who would go to that site already care enough about their choice of platform that they won't be easily dissuaded by ignorant sales reps.

The point is to establish a pattern that can be documented clearly & presented to the carriers & Microsoft to show that the devices are being shafted in stores by sales people, which should lead to proper training & perhaps marketing dollars being spent on incentives to get the sales people to actually offer it properly as an option.