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Verizon Salespeople Just as Slimy as the Rest

redman042

redman042

macrumors 68040
Original poster
Jun 13, 2008
3,063
1,657
I'll give Verizon props for this whole gutsy play and for the Droid itself which is truly a nice smartphone. I'm a happy iPhone owner but as a gadget nerd I just had to drop by a Verizon booth at the mall yesterday and test out the Droid. I was impressed (even though I still like the iPhone better overall).

What I WASN'T impressed with is overhearing the sales rep talk down about the iPhone to a clearly Droid-enamored customer alongside of me. He was really going off. I even heard him say "the Droid has Wifi, the iPhone doesn't". EXCUSE ME? And the not-so-knowledgeable customer was eating it all up like candy to a 10 year old. I almost jumped in.

Okay, I know you're a salesman and you are paid to put a certain "gloss" on the facts to sell phones and keep subscribers. But don't speak complete ********.

While I'm at it, I'll say that the whole "open app environment" of Android is a little overplayed. Maybe one day this will translate into a huge advantage, but right now I'd rather be "trapped" in Apple's closed app environment with 10,000 apps to chose from, which includes many extremely polished, incredible apps. Android's app selection and level of polish is pretty bad right now. At the present time, "open" only makes a big difference to those who REALLY want the few important apps that Apple won't allow, like Google Voice and Latitude.

Hey, I'd go ahead and recommend the Droid to friends who really want to stick with Verizon, but I'd also make sure they know the TRUE pros and cons, not just the sales pitches thrown out by Verizon.
 
Truly, unless you own and use daily an Android device, can you really speak to the "polish" of the applications available?

There may be more apps on the App Store, but quantity != quality. Frankly I find the Android Market easier to sort through because there aren't 50 pages for every search term you could possibly come up with. I use both devices, and I do have a Droid.

Also, I'm glad you didn't intercede, because it is rude to listen to and interfere with the conversations of others. Perhaps if you had hung out you could have pointed out to the salesguy that the iPhone does have wifi and gone on your way. It would have been inappropriate to interfere with a customer.
 
I agree. I have found very few good apps in the app store. Most of them are garbage, lame games or repeats of other apps. The app store is overrated IMHO.
 
I'm sorry, but I don't find it rude at all if a person "interferes" when overhearing a sales person LYING to a customer. Which is what that is- It's not glossing, it's not spinning, it's LYING. I wish you would have spoken up to that customer.
 
I recently switched over to Verizon from the iPhone because of coverage issues and while I was in there I overheard the salesperson talking to a teenage girl completely ripping the iPhone a new one. The best lie I heard from him was that Steve Jobs has the power to press a button to render every single iPhone in the world useless if he so desires. I immediately cancelled my contract and went right back to the iPhone.
 
...so because you heard one moron you declare all Verizon Salespeople slimy.

Every company has morons. I've gone into AT&T stores and asked about the iPhone and had them feed me BS. I'm sure plenty of AT&T salespeople are knowledgable.
 
NJMetsHero said:
Every company has morons. I've gone into AT&T stores and asked about the iPhone and had them feed me BS. I'm sure plenty of AT&T salespeople are knowledgable.
Click to expand...

Agreed. Some sales clerks are idiots, some are dishonest, and some are quite good. I found this to be the case pretty much where ever I shop.
 
Another reason why big purchases and/or commitments (2 YR contracts) should be done with some expert advice and homework.

Whether you're buying a computer, big screen tv, car, house, private jet . . the last thing you'd really want to rely on is . . . a commisioned salesperson. ;)
 
I'm guessing he's just ignorant and not intentionally deceitful... although they are usually working for commission. :rolleyes:

redman042 said:
While I'm at it, I'll say that the whole "open app environment" of Android is a little overplayed. Maybe one day this will translate into a huge advantage, but right now I'd rather be "trapped" in Apple's closed app environment with 10,000 apps to chose from, which includes many extremely polished, incredible apps. Android's app selection and level of polish is pretty bad right now. At the present time, "open" only makes a big difference to those who REALLY want the few important apps that Apple won't allow, like Google Voice and Latitude.
Click to expand...
I happen to be addicted to the Nintendo and Sega emulators that aren't available on the iPhone and would also be nearly unplayable without the Droid's physical keyboard :D
 
No offense to anyone in the biz . . . but let's be real here, selling mobile phones is not that far removed from working at a place where the biggest profit item is a supersized meal. How many Verizon or AT&T sales staff are still there when you go in to renew a contract and pickup a new handset?:D
 
Applepi said:
I recently switched over to Verizon from the iPhone because of coverage issues and while I was in there I overheard the salesperson talking to a teenage girl completely ripping the iPhone a new one. The best lie I heard from him was that Steve Jobs has the power to press a button to render every single iPhone in the world useless if he so desires. I immediately cancelled my contract and went right back to the iPhone.
Click to expand...

That's the dumbest made-up story I've ever read.
 
that is the nature of the beast. try n get as much money out of someone as possible before they realize how much they're getting screwed.
 
I spent a very detailed hour with the DROID and will not be switching.

a) Full 3G was identical rates 900kbps/190kbps to my iPhone
b) Tactic feedback was unnatural and strange
c) Method to organize and delete Apps was archaic and allows duplicates
d) Keyboard was worthless. Autocorrection was inferior.
e) I like the Android Market but it doesn't have critical Apps (Evernote, 1Password, OmniFocus)

The salespeople gave me space and were not slimy.
 
MTI said:
No offense to anyone in the biz . . . but let's be real here, selling mobile phones is not that far removed from working at a place where the biggest profit item is a supersized meal. How many Verizon or AT&T sales staff are still there when you go in to renew a contract and pickup a new handset?:D
Click to expand...

I know a lot of lifers. Good money to be made.

And generally, if it was a kiosk, it was an authorized agent, which can't be a reflection on the company itself.
 
Dont trust any of those cellphone salespeople no matter what company they work for.
They remind me of used-car salesman.
Do you own research before you commit yourself to a 2 year contract to a device that might not suit your needs.
Test it out in person, go thru the many features and settings and read comparisons etc...
 
I stopped by the local Verizon store and a rep told me if the Droid didn't outsell the iPhone in six months they had to power to remove all pumpkins from the earth next year and there would be no pumpkin pie :(
 
I was with Verizon forever but I bought a ipod touch then a iphone 3G and then a iphone 3GS. If the Droid would have been out last year I would have bought it instead of the iphone. Don't get me wrong, I love my iphone and it is by far the best tool/toy I've owned but I do have more dead spots with AT&T than I did with Verizon. I travel a lot on motorcycles and breakdowns are always in the back of your mind and not having cell coverage can be a real problem. So far it hasn't been a big deal and I hope AT&T will get better and the next generation iphone will have a better camera and built in flash like the Droid. I find that the apps are overrated, I only use a few of them all the time and the Droid looks like they have that covered for what I use.

I'm sticking with the iphone for now but when my contract is up I'll be looking at the Droid if AT&T hasn't expanded their coverage by then.
 
Applejuiced said:
Dont trust any of those cellphone salespeople no matter what company they work for.
They remind me of used-car salesman.
Do you own research before you commit yourself to a 2 year contract to a device that might not suit your needs.
Test it out in person, go thru the many features and settings and read comparisons etc...
Click to expand...

That's harsh.
 
Not meant to be harsh, just reality is harsh sometimes.
If you rely entirelly on a salesperson to make the best choice for you then there might a problem with conflict of interests.
I just said that people gotta do their own homework and not depend on an asssociates advice cause as we see over an over they might be giving out wrong information or straight up lieing.
Just my opinion.


Mike2128 said:
That's harsh.
Click to expand...
 
Retail salespeople have to lie, they can't help it. It's like breathing.

Always assume they're lying.
 
fishstacks said:
Retail salespeople have to lie, they can't help it. It's like breathing.

Always assume they're lying.
Click to expand...


Says the guy with the scam link in his signature. Who gave you permission to use the MacRumors logo there?
 
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