Sales folks... don't try so hard.

[sam_gordon]

About a week ago the camera on my phone died. I stopped by a Verizon store the other night to see what could be done.

The clerk's answer... "you're out of warranty, but you can upgrade!"
Me: "No, there are two other phones on the account that need updated first"
Clerk: "Oh, those are due for upgrades at the end of the month, but you can get one tonight."
Me: "No, I'm just trying to find out how to get my phone functioning.
Clerk: "Oh, your wife would love the Droid Turbo!" (the only thing she knows about my wife is what kind of phone she has)
Me: "What is the cost for a repair/replacement?"
Clerk: "I don't know, you would have to call to find out." (but doesn't offer the number I would need to call)

Yesterday, I called Motorola tech support, and after some troubleshooting, they sent out a new phone at no charge (provided I send the bad one back), and I received it today.

No, the clerk didn't do anything "wrong". She just seemed more concerned about making a sale instead of helping a customer. Do you think I'm going back to that store when it IS time to upgrade the other two phones? Nope.

If she was more willing to help out and seemed concerned about my problem (even if it's an act), I'm more liable to return there.

 

[HM]

Yeah, that was pretty much a turn off. Glad you got a new phone, that's pretty awesome.

 

[JanaDee]

About a week ago the camera on my phone died. I stopped by a Verizon store the other night to see what could be done.

The clerk's answer... "you're out of warranty, but you can upgrade!"
Me: "No, there are two other phones on the account that need updated first"
Clerk: "Oh, those are due for upgrades at the end of the month, but you can get one tonight."
Me: "No, I'm just trying to find out how to get my phone functioning.
Clerk: "Oh, your wife would love the Droid Turbo!" (the only thing she knows about my wife is what kind of phone she has)
Me: "What is the cost for a repair/replacement?"
Clerk: "I don't know, you would have to call to find out." (but doesn't offer the number I would need to call)

Yesterday, I called Motorola tech support, and after some troubleshooting, they sent out a new phone at no charge (provided I send the bad one back), and I received it today.

No, the clerk didn't do anything "wrong". She just seemed more concerned about making a sale instead of helping a customer. Do you think I'm going back to that store when it IS time to upgrade the other two phones? Nope.

If she was more willing to help out and seemed concerned about my problem (even if it's an act), I'm more liable to return there.

If I have any questions about any of our phones, I don't even bother going into a Verizon store. I go into Best Buy or call Verizon. Their phone support is awesome. Their in-store personnel suck (once you actually get someone to help you ).

I'm glad you got it resolved!

 

[LisaR]

Our local AT&T store is TERRIBLE! It's so frustrating because the people who work there are quite nice, but they aren't capable of listening to what someone wants and offering an appropriate solution. They are constantly working on selling something else. I commented one time about them working on commission and the guy said they are all hourly, no commission, no bonus. Even the couple next to us said they didn't believe it! lol

 

[dashofsunshine]

Just FYI, it is the company that forces her to be that way. At least, a lot of the time it is. I've worked retail for half my life, and companies are becoming more and more obsessed with making money over really helping the customer with what they need. The last job I had, I was there 3 years, and I am not a pushy person - they didn't like that. I wasn't "meeting my numbers" because I wasn't forcing customers to buy stuff they didn't need, and they threatened to fire me. That's kind of how it works these days. I left before they could fire me. I'm sure the sales girl just wants to keep her job. It's sad that companies are going in this direction, but try to remember that corporate is on her every single day to sell more, more, more.

 

[greentea]

Verizon makes their salespeople be really pushy, and it's so frustrating as a customer. I submitted a complaint to a manager last year and told her I get that they're in sales, I do, but there's a line. For example, when my husband and I went in to upgrade my phone and the sales guy repeatedly tried to get me to buy extra stuff I didn't want or to upgrade my plan, and he only backed down when my husband declined things. Even though I was the one buying the phone and making the decisions, and my husband was barely even listening to what was going on. At one point, after I had declined cases repeatedly because I'd already ordered one online, he went in the back to get even more cases to show me. I thought I would never get out of there.

The second time was better. They had a record of my complaint, which they went over with me again to check up on. The sales person that time went through the usual questions they require (do you have fios, do you want a tablet, etc) but moved on quickly when I said no. He also actually listened to what I needed and helped me adjust my plan. We did buy accessories that time because we needed some -- but if he'd behaved like the first guy, I would have made it a point to buy them somewhere else.

 

[JaneBanks]

My cousin, who is just a college kid, was fired from Target because he didn't make his numbers in signing people up with a Target card. It's not like he could force the people in to signing up. Ridiculous.

 

[dashofsunshine]

My cousin, who is just a college kid, was fired from Target because he didn't make his numbers in signing people up with a Target card. It's not like he could force the people in to signing up. Ridiculous.

Yep. Happens all the time now. They don't care. If you don't meet the numbers, you get fired. All they care about is money. It doesn't matter to them if the pushiness puts a bad taste in the customers mouth. I wish people would realize that it isn't the salesperson's fault for being "pushy" - they have to make a living just like you, and all they are trying to do is keep their job.

 

[apirateslifeforme]

DH and his parents have Verizon. 2 years ago, they needed to buy new phones. They all wanted basic phones - DH simply because he has no interest in a smartphone; his parents blame their ages (they're in their 70s and say they don't know how to use them and don't want to know). It took us 2 months and at least 6 different stores before they found what they wanted. All stores had the desired phone on display, but then they either had none in stock or not enough.

The worst one was the kiosk in BJ's. There were 2 young guys working it, but once they found out only those basic phones were wanted, suddenly only one of the registers worked and it was conveniently in use. They asked us to go shop and come back when we were done. We did that and proceeded to stand there while the one guy waited on another customer, a pretty girl about his own age who hadn't been there when we'd first stopped. We could hear them flirting with each other and most of what they were doing had nothing to do with a phone transaction. They kept glancing over at us, then they'd whisper something to each other and laugh. The other guy was wandering around the kiosk, also glancing at us but never saying a word. I am not kidding when I say we stood there for about an hour without being acknowledged. My MIL is the most patient, easy-going person I have ever met; I have NEVER seen her get mad or raise her voice, but this time she finally lost it. The response was a shrug and "oh well."

 

[elgerber]

I must have a really good Verizon store. I love the sales guys in there, and they have never been pushy with me. I'm very happy that they are, after reading these stories!!
Funny, I went in there a couple of years ago, and one of the new salesman I hadn't dealt with before came over to help me, and he was my Ford salesman that I had bought my previous new car from LOL. He is still at Verizon so now we talk phones and cars.

 

[lsyorke]

Oh... timely thread. Went to get two new phones and change my plan. Knew what I wanted, new what phones I wanted. The salesperson tells me the s6 doesn't have gorilla glass and I would have to buy a screen protector and a case or it would break immediately(it does have gorilla glass 4) and since she is saving me money on the new plan(it's the same price as the old one) I should spend it on accessories. Then proceeds to try and sell me a portable battery thing since "your battery won't last all day"(it lasts a day and a half)Uh, No. Then she proceeds to tell me that my first bill will be 3-4 times the normal bill due to "pro-rating"...uh, I know what pro rating is and that doesn't increase the bill by 3-4 times. I asked if she meant that I would be billed for the new plan and the old plan, and then the old plan would be credited. "no you have to pay the old plan for two months and the new plan for two months and you don't get any credits". At this point I explained that she should maybe review her training and I would be leaving.
Went to another Verizon store started the conversation with "I want this plan, these phones and if you bring out a cover or screen protector I'm walking out" Sales guy laughed..did exactly what I wanted and I was out of there in 15 minutes.

 

[disney world dreamer]

ugh i feel the same way.

i went to best buy about a month ago to look at a few tablets and as soon as i walked over to them a salesperson walked up and asked if i needed help.
i said i was just looking and i'd let him know if i had a question.
he walked away and within 30 seconds another person walked up and asked if i needed help. i politely said i was just looking.
no more than a mintue later ANOTHER person walked up and asked if i needed help. i said "no but if i do you'd be the 3rd person in line for me to ask a question to".
then one more person walked up and asked if i needed help.
i said "seriously i can see you all standing around 20 feet away from me and you don't think that i'm aware that as soon as one of you walks away the next person from the group standing over there comes up to me? is this some kind of game? are you really that bored? now i'm not buying a tablet from here so none of you get a sale." and i walked right out and went elsewhere.

 

[sam_gordon]

Yep. Happens all the time now. They don't care. If you don't meet the numbers, you get fired. All they care about is money. It doesn't matter to them if the pushiness puts a bad taste in the customers mouth. I wish people would realize that it isn't the salesperson's fault for being "pushy" - they have to make a living just like you, and all they are trying to do is keep their job.

But here's the issue... if the sales person at least ACTED like they were concerned about our wants/needs, it would increase the odds of a customer coming back to them when they ARE ready to buy.

If this clerk last night would have been helpful ("you're out of warranty, I'm not sure what the cost would be, but here's the number you can call." and "Have you tried contacting Motorola? Here's their number."), I'd be more inclined to go back when it was time to renew two phones. Remember, she KNEW 2/3 phones were due for renewal at the end of this month.

I understand they're pressured to make quotas. But they're not helping themselves.

 

[LBIJim]

My cousin, who is just a college kid, was fired from Target because he didn't make his numbers in signing people up with a Target card. It's not like he could force the people in to signing up. Ridiculous.

It's the same in plenty of places. DD works in a bank, and has a quota for opening new or additional investment accounts. And her boyfriend just became an insurance agent. He's on a 90 day probationary period and if he doesn't meet or exceed the goal they set for him he'll be terminated.

 

[SallySkelington]

It's the same in plenty of places. DD works in a bank, and has a quota for opening new or additional investment accounts. And her boyfriend just became an insurance agent. He's on a 90 day probationary period and if he doesn't meet or exceed the goal they set for him he'll be terminated.

Sadly this is true. I had a friend who worked at Barnes and Nobles, and they had numbers that they had to meet with getting people to sign up with a Barnes and Noble card. The problem is that it costs money, and many people either a) already have them or b) don't want one.

You can't get someone to buy what they don't want.

In general, I try not to give them a hard time when it comes to their job, because I've been in that position and I can understand. But if it's persistent and gets in the way of customer service, I would write a complaint.

 

[Shutterbug]

I hate when they always ask me if I want cheese on my burger. Ummmm if I had wanted i, I would have said so. Though like others have said, they are required to upsell.

 

[POOHsie]

I hate when they always ask me if I want cheese on my burger. Ummmm if I had wanted i, I would have said so. Though like others have said, they are required to upsell.

O/T But talking about cheese on the burger -- Wendy's used to always charge extra for tomato. We had one close by my work, and I went there a lot. I always ordered a Single, No Cheese, No Tomato. Half the time they put tomato on anyway and charged me ($.15). I'm sure they were told to "upsell." It wasn't gonna break the bank but to me, it was the principle. Time permitting, I'd argue with them at the window and insist on getting the burger MY way. Tied up the drive-thru line, which probably cost them more the $.15. LOL

 

[sam_gordon]

O/T But talking about cheese on the burger -- Wendy's used to always charge extra for tomato. We had one close by my work, and I went there a lot. I always ordered a Single, No Cheese, No Tomato. Half the time they put tomato on anyway and charged me ($.15). I'm sure they were told to "upsell." It wasn't gonna break the bank but to me, it was the principle. Time permitting, I'd argue with them at the window and insist on getting the burger MY way. Tied up the drive-thru line, which probably cost them more the $.15. LOL

That would be one that grinds my gears also. Here's another one... at more than one McDonald's (I think it's happened at 2-3 of them now), we'll go through DT and order combo meals. On the screen will appear the combo meal and a "drink up charge" (for a medium drink, not a shake in place of a soda). I've told them I want the drink that's included in the price and they tell me they don't have that size any more. Then I shouldn't be charged!

 

[Squirlz]

I had just the opposite experience at a Verizon store. They needed to try harder. We went in prepared to buy a new phone and tablet. Lady met us at the door, we told her our intentions, she took our name and said someone will be right with you. We waited, looked around for about 10 minutes, then I went back to her and said 'Could somebody help us with our purchase? Maybe you?' She was just standing by the door with a clipboard. She says 'You are number three on the list'.

So we're saying Take Our Money but we're forced to wait behind the tire kickers, looky-loos and the family of slobs with their McDonalds spread out on the counter. I guess that's what they consider fair, but we walked out and went to Best Buy where we got the best service ever.

 

[Octoberbride03]

That would be one that grinds my gears also. Here's another one... at more than one McDonald's (I think it's happened at 2-3 of them now), we'll go through DT and order combo meals. On the screen will appear the combo meal and a "drink up charge" (for a medium drink, not a shake in place of a soda). I've told them I want the drink that's included in the price and they tell me they don't have that size any more. Then I shouldn't be charged!

I worked at McDonald's ages ago. I don't know if its a franchise choice or not but I can tell you my store NEVER had a drink included with the combos. So when you picked your size drink you got charged, small, medium or whatever. I don't think most customers ever noticed that the cost extra unless they "super sized" the order which a lot of people did. But the guy who owned my store was terrible to work for. 1 person breaks the rules, nobody in the store got raises that cycle. Fry station catches on fire, put it out yourself and keep the store open(true story, store manager got reamed out for calling the fire dept and closing the store so they could actually do their job). We used to call our owner the worst franchiser in they system. Might have been true