Things you hate about working in the mobile phone industry.

120_Minutes

drunkmonkey wrote: »

I know what i'd like to be shooting...:pac:

what have you got against o2....?

Our man in Havana

120_Minutes wrote: »

what have you got against o2....?

Where does one start?

Random

Bond-007 wrote: »

Where does one start?

One doesn't start anywhere. If you have a problem with a particular operator start a new thread here or in the Consumer Issues forum - whichever is more relevant. This thread is not for network bashing.

drunkmonkey

where's the monopoly thread?

Our man in Havana

Random wrote: »

One doesn't start anywhere. If you have a problem with a particular operator start a new thread here or in the Consumer Issues forum - whichever is more relevant. This thread is not for network bashing.

It was tongue in cheek.

drunkmonkey wrote: »

where's the monopoly thread?

Indeed.

sml68

Most of the people workin in phone shops know f*** all about what they're sellin nevermind the customers!!

Davy

sml68 wrote: »

Most of the people workin in phone shops know f*** all about what they're sellin nevermind the customers!!

Thats a generalisation if i ever saw one

120_Minutes

sml68 wrote: »

Most of the people workin in phone shops know f*** all about what they're sellin nevermind the customers!!

i'll counter with most customers in phone shops dont know what the **** they want.


"no i'll only use nokio :rolleyes: as they're easy to use*"





*i'm too lazy/scared/retarded to learn how to use a different phone

Sam Vimes

120_Minutes wrote: »

"no i'll only use nokio :rolleyes: as they're easy to use*"

D'ya have one o' them blueberries?

sml68

think l touched a nerve between the fone staffers!

Our man in Havana

In fairness, I have come across some very poorly trained people working in phone shops also you do find very knowledgeable people.

sml68

true bond-007

have had great help in some shops

Tom Dunne

sml68 wrote: »

Most of the people workin in phone shops know f*** all about what they're sellin nevermind the customers!!

I think that is a very sweeping generalisation and can be said about pretty much any person working in any shop.

krudler

Sam Vimes wrote: »

D'ya have one o' them blueberries?

"can you describe your phone?"

"its a nokia, you know the silver one? with a camera? that one...yeah"

dmn

so funny when customers think that their phone manufacturer is their network provider.

Gillo

Bond-007 wrote: »

In fairness, I have come across some very poorly trained people working in phone shops also you do find very knowledgeable people.

I think the worst thing I heard someone say in a store was "Well, thats a 3G phone, 2G was out last year so we should have 4G for you by next summer", couldn't believe what she was saying. Luckily she's left the company now, there's other people I work with who I have to say are brilliant both knowledge and service wise.

In fairness I've experienced great service and crap service in many different stores selling many different things over the years.

RVN10

OR when so called customers arrive in store " Can i get one them 3g broadbands" Ok which network you looking for it on? " One them 3g ones" ?

So i presume they looking for anyone of them to which i reply to so you want three and they say " No no 3G "

That wrecks my head.

chrislad

Husband and Wife call into shop.

Wife: Hey, I switched over last week. I can't send picture messages and I really want to. It keeps on failing.

Me: Did you get a new phone or did you keep your old phone?

Husband: That doesn't matter. She can't send picture messages. There's nothing wrong with her phone.

Me (to wife): Can I have your phone please?

*checks phone*

Me: This is an O2 phone. The settings are for O2. You need to get settings for your new network.

Husband: But don't they come on straight away?

Me: No. Sometimes they are sent but they are not installed on this phone.

Husband: But we were in the shop last week and they said it was all set up.

Me: It's not. There are no settings on this phone. That's your problem.

*gets settings and sends last MMS from her Outbox, which happens to be for her husband, and his phones goes off when he receives it*

Husband (with phone in hand): See? There's nothing wrong. I just got one of her messages.

Me: That's because I just fixed it.....

Husband: Oh. What was wrong?

Me:.......Settings......Not.......THERE!

Both then walk out without saying Thanks.

It was 9am too!

caspa307

ok ok i love the whole

"do you have a blacktooth for my blueberry question i was asked the other day"

"do you have the the turnip phone??"

me:ummm what does it look like?

"the turnip one! its pink and turns" (7373)


so im standing in the toilets at the urinal the other day and guy turns to me and goes sorry mate my phones not working will you have a look at it for me when your done!!!!!!

XY

Gillo wrote: »

I think the worst thing I heard someone say in a store was "Well, thats a 3G phone, 2G was out last year so we should have 4G for you by next summer", couldn't believe what she was saying. Luckily she's left the company now, there's other people I work with who I have to say are brilliant both knowledge and service wise.

In fairness I've experienced great service and crap service in many different stores selling many different things over the years.

I was enquiring about the N97 in the CPW and was told that the N97 was such a great phone that I'd be able to install windows on to it?! I'm well aware of emulators available for S60 5th but come on where do these guys get their info?

metalmessiah88

customer: i bought this phone off you a week ago and it doesnt work

me : no u didnt that phones only on o2

Customer ; are u calling me stupid

Me; thinking to self yes i am

after about fifteen minutes of this customer responds with oh i think you right.......

LolaDub

The worst thing i've come across is when a customer hands you their phone because its not working and then casually mention is it not working because i dropped it down the toilet???? Seriously why are people so disgusting!

I also get asked for nokia phone credit ALL THE TIME

People who get aggressive and threatening or start cursing! You're probably the twentieth aggressive customer i've spoken to this week, being aggressive will not get you what you want, i'm very used to it by now you are not standing out. What does make a customer stand out is someone who listens to me after they've come to ask me something and actually says thank you-its called manners people! I see about 15 rude customers to one polite one. Craziness!

Also customers who come in looking for info on someone elses account, ie a family member or friend/partner and go ballistic when i explain the LAW to them and inform them they can't receive the info they're looking for.

But my little jimmy is only 8 he wouldn't be able to call customer care himself! Do you think if little jimmy is too young to call customer care thaat maybe he's too young to have a phone???

I love this thread!

drunkmonkey

What is it about Wendsdays..

First customer this morning..

customer: I let my phone fall last night and it won't turn on..

me: Sure, no problem i'll have a look at it, fumbles around finds a charger, no phone still not turning on, I open the back to see is everything ok, no battery in the phone.

me: you've no battery in your phone

customer: oh right, is that what this is, as she pulls said battery from her pocket.

me: yes that's it, let's pop it in and see does it turn on, hey presto phone lights up and starts working.

customer: thanks very much, what do I owe you.

me: your fine, glad to help:rolleyes:


Next customer:

customer: have you iphones I can't find one anywhere

me: nope, o2 won't let us sell them.

customer: that's a bit ****.

me: tell me about it, bit I do have, LG Arena, Nokia 5800, LG Viewty Smart, LG Viewty, Tocco Ultra, Tocco Lite, Samung Cara, would any of them intrest you?

customer: no, has to be an iphone, I can't use any other type of phone, couldn't got back to using a keypad.

me: no worries, nearest o2 store is 50miles away in that direction..>>>

I'm sure there'll be a few more crackers before the day is out.....

thirtythirty

drunkmonkey wrote: »

customer: have you iphones I can't find one anywhere

me: nope, o2 won't let us sell them.

customer: that's a bit ****.

me: tell me about it, bit I do have, LG Arena, Nokia 5800, LG Viewty Smart, LG Viewty, Tocco Ultra, Tocco Lite, Samung Cara, would any of them intrest you?

customer: no, has to be an iphone, I can't use any other type of phone, couldn't got back to using a keypad.

You can complain about idiot customers all you want, but we're allowed to be idiots - there is NOTHING worse than when you walk in and realise within 5seconds that you've chosen the employee that knows less than you and limps through the day by comparing the small spec sheets beside the dummy phones and "checking the computer"!

Now to be fair, most shops have the one guy who knows everything about platforms, firmware, and all the "small" details on the network services like outside-bundle costs or roaming partners. But i really think there should be a screening of personal knowledge before employing someone!

Also on the above customer you had, they said "I can't use any other type of phone, couldn't got back to using a keypad", does that not scream out to you that it's the qwerty that seems to have attracted them to the icrap? Listing phones they've prob never heard of isnt going to mean anything to them (and tocco's!) - i bet you could have sold them a 5800.

On reading this over, it comes across as me giving out...i'm not lol! I'm just sayin that you guys are meant to be the experts, we're meant to be the retards - help us!

drunkmonkey

Oi here buster, anyone who'd ever worked in phone retail will understand what I meant when someone says I can only use a (inset make here). What's worrying me is a new breed to phone users, ones who can only use an iphone, as you said yourself, I was 10 seconds of calling him a retard. Like who can't use a Nokia, ffs!!:)

120_Minutes

there are people out there who can only use a particular brand of phone.

we call those people "lazy"

I had one today, needed a durable phone, i recommended the samsung b2100. "ahh is it as easy to use as the nokia? i can only use them" sure i said, an evening with the manual and a cuppa and you'll be set "ahh manuals and me dont mix" **** off then, just **** off.

iphone users are a different leauge however, in fairness the front end is very nice to use and i'd understand if that person doesnt want anything different.

what i think is brilliant are the people who dont own an iphone yet. but they WANT one, they NEED one, they HAVE to have it. so they like the wifi and app store? errr no, they didnt know it did that. the new 3.2 mp camera now with video and mms? *blank stare* google maps? nah i'll never use it.

they dont know what the hell the iphone does, they just gotta have it. regardless...gimmme it. now.


apple's marketing boys are rolling in a large pile of money with many beautiful ladies. fair play to 'em.

kippy

Garth wrote: »

i often wondered how these people managed to get themselves dressed and into the shops all by themselves.

The things they say they can't do!

1. manage an IVR
2. top up
3. see the number on the top up
4. send a text
5. add a number to the phone book
6. change the ring tone
7. read the instructions
8. go without a phone for a day even
9. afford a deposit for a loan phone
10. remember their phone number
11. register online
12. register over the phone (back to those damned newfangled IVRs)
13. back information up to their computer
14. get their husband to come in to sign for the phone that's in his name
15. get to the shop at all, despite the shop being open 12 hours a day, because "I work"

sigh sigh sigh

Sorry,
just quoting this one as it's the most obvious.
A lot of people on this thread wouldnt have jobs if it wasnt for "Stupid" people who couldnt do such simple tasks with their phone.
I deal with a lot of technologicly "inept" people as well, however it is because of them I have a job.
If people knew everything about mobile phones, copied contacts etc and were smart enough to make the decisions themselves they'd probably buy online instead of dealing with the salespeople in phone shops, some (not all) who make you feel like a right idiot at times, and who often times appear so uninterested in your queries that you would think they had something far better to be doing elsewhere in the shop.
Some of the worst customer service I have seen in the past few years has been in mobile phone shops. Its no wonder to be honest. I hope all here are as helpful as possible when dealing with their customers.

Ashlinggnilsia

ok this is hilarious! i think most people who have jobs to do with technology get alot of this sorta stuff of customers...but i was just reading one of them about water damage and all that, but my phone kept freezing on me and all that so i brought it back to the shop... before this i took out the simcard because i wanted to use it in a different phone so when i took off the cover i noticed this sticky residue on the battery and under the battery but not around the edges (therefore i would imagine that nothing got into it simply because it was not around the edges but in the center and under the battery) now nothing spilled on it because first off i would have noticed it being on the outside of the phone and if something had spilled on it it would have also spilled in my handbag which nothing did...so i must go and collect it tomorrow but im fairly certain they will have done nothing to it and say its fixed simply because i would imagine its not easy to fix phone software which seems to be the problem. but the girl in the shop kept insisting i must have spilled something on it now all i can say is i have absolutly no recollection of it ever happening because if it did i wuda taken out the battery and cleaned it out!! but still it was annoying!!! but i just let her off because at the end of the day im not too fussed cos i know i wouldnt even win so meh no point really

Rsaeire

120_Minutes wrote: »

what i think is brilliant are the people who dont own an iphone yet. but they WANT one, they NEED one, they HAVE to have it. so they like the wifi and app store? errr no, they didnt know it did that. the new 3.2 mp camera now with video and mms? *blank stare* google maps? nah i'll never use it.

they dont know what the hell the iphone does, they just gotta have it. regardless...gimmme it. now.


apple's marketing boys are rolling in a large pile of money with many beautiful ladies. fair play to 'em.

This, above all other Apple iPhone related points, is my biggest gripe regarding that device. It happened with the iPod, it happened with the iPhone and it will, no doubt, happen when the next Apple device is released; whenever Apple deems us worthy, of course. :rolleyes:

Followers of fashion, sheep, whatever you want to call the droves of people who seem incapable of quantifying exactly why they want an iPhone. They all simply have the same answer, "I want one, just .... because".

nuttlys

don't think I've posted here before - alas after 2 years of part time college work I am exiting the world of mobile phone seller/miracle worker for the foreseeable future this weekend! :pac:

I've read this thread with amusement. So many times have I had 'that' customer. Here's my two cents:

Customer comes in three months after buying broadband product. Claims that she cannot get signal since last week. She says she rang tech support and they informed her that there was never coverage in her area. Tricky situation I know.

Me: Sorry but our store policy only allows us refunds within the money back guarantee period, blah blah blah... (I know I can't do much in this scenario, the poor women is in between a rock and a hard place, particularly as escalating it the powers that be would be a waste of effort/time/email usage).

She: What can I do?

Me: Write a letter to the company explaining your situation, possibly ask for a refund?

She: you can't return it?

Me: No. You'll need to write a letter.

(The above two lines repeats for 10 mins)

Me: I'll write the address for you. There you go.

She: I can not write a letter.

Me:

She: will you write the letter for me?

Me: (Are you serious?) No!

(exits stage left)