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Customers don't know what they want....

infinitehorizon

Sep 22, 2005, 7:03 PM
This Wireless Consumer Protection Act thing is crazy. (I realize it's not a real document) It's crazy because customers have no clue what they want. 😕

Take the Assurance of Voluntary Compliance (AVC), that was supposedly a great thing for the customer because it disclosed everything you as a consumer said we were not disclosing. Well, let me say that everytime we tried discussing that, 75 out of 100 (not an exact figure) customers said "I'm not interested in hearing this, just send me my bill". So the AVC was scaled back slightly to save time and then customers complained again because they weren't getting enough info.

The wireless industry is almost a LOSE LOSE industry. If we were to sell the phones at full retail price, pe...
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gunny

Sep 22, 2005, 7:39 PM
infinitehorizon said:
This Wireless Consumer Protection Act thing is crazy. (I realize it's not a real document) It's crazy because customers have no clue what they want. 😕

Take the Assurance of Voluntary Compliance (AVC), that was supposedly a great thing for the customer because it disclosed everything you as a consumer said we were not disclosing. Well, let me say that everytime we tried discussing that, 75 out of 100 (not an exact figure) customers said "I'm not interested in hearing this, just send me my bill". So the AVC was scaled back slightly to save time and then customers complained again because they weren't getting enough info.

The wireless industry is almost a LOSE LOSE industry. If we were t
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gunny

Sep 22, 2005, 8:29 PM
Now I want peanut butter and jelly sandwhich 🙂
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Vox Dei

Sep 22, 2005, 9:08 PM
Damn you!!!! now I want one and i have no jelly
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Georgia1

Sep 23, 2005, 2:11 AM
you know, I understand the concept of a contract for getting a phone cheaper, I understand why a carrier does it to assure a customer sticks around long enough to make up the money they lost selling the phone below cost.

My question is simple, then why does a customer have to sign a contract when they provide their own phone. The carrier is not subsidizing the phone. Even if a customer wants to buy the phone at full retail, they can not get service without a contract..WHY?

The customer is paying the activation charges, so, that covers the expense of paying someone to turn the phone on. There is no good reason why a carrier can not give someone service without a contract if they provide their own phone, except for forcing them to s...
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sangyup81

Sep 23, 2005, 11:15 AM
because of promos such as Unlimited Nights and Weekends and Mobile to Mobile

Cingular used to do 0 contracts but didnt provide those promos
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Georgia1

Sep 23, 2005, 2:20 AM
The wireless industry is almost a LOSE LOSE industry. If we were to sell the phones at full retail price, people would complain that we are price gouging the phones and lawsuits would happen. If we sell the phones at a discount rate, people complain because they have to have a contract and actually keep it.


I will add to that last post I sent, above is a copied from the OP. Have the carrier give the option to pay full retail price without a contract, or get a subsidized phone with a contract, and see what happens. This way, people have a choice, and then they can decide what they want at that time. Right now, it is one way only, and it involves a contract. If a customer pays full retail for their phone, or provides one themselves, ...
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VZDubGov

Sep 23, 2005, 11:07 AM
Godd point, Georgia, however there is a way to get service without a contract. If you bring your own equipment and don't take advantage of any promotions (N&W, IN mins), then no contract is required. You may have to push the issue a little bit because not everyone realizes this, but it is possible.

The choice is there, but a sales rep isn't going to outright tell you this. They get paid comission on contracts, not just service. Not to mention, the number of people that would potentially complain about it... "I'm paying $39.99/ mo for only 450 mins, but my friend pays the same for 450 mins AND gets N&W/ IN. I want that.."

Basically, it can be done, however, it's not necessarily advertised.
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Georgia1

Sep 23, 2005, 11:50 AM
If a person brings in their own equipment and turns on service without a contract, can they pay extra for the n/w and in minutes? We all know that is what people want.

I just tell people to just do a year contract and get a subsidized phone since you have to do a year contract either way, and after that it is month to month, you will never have to do another contract again if you dont want to. Just provide your own phones and do not change your plan. I am at that stage, but, there are a couple of things that would get me to change plans and resign a contract, and that is either 7pm start nights, or unlimited calling to my house phone, then they will get me in contract again, other wise, there is no need for me to change anymore. I gue...
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VZDubGov

Sep 23, 2005, 11:54 AM
Yes, the N&W are $15/ month to add and the In calling is $10/month. Realistically, the contract would save you $25/ month. You can choose either/or or both if you want. This is how it was when I was in customer service in the midwest... different regions may have different policies, but I did this for customers on several occasions.
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Georgia1

Sep 23, 2005, 12:11 PM
Well, I guess at least the choice is there. If a person wanted the n/w and IN minutes, they would be better off to do at least a year contract when they first sign up. After that, they would not have to do another contract if they choose not to, and they get the promo minutes free untill they change their plan. So, it would be wise to do a year contract when you first sign up...
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Voice_Of_Logic

Sep 23, 2005, 8:15 AM
I have to disagree 100%! Customers do know what they want. Everything for nothing, and no personal reasonability of their own!


You know how many minutes your plan includes, you know that you can and how to keep track of them throughout the cycle, but you don't and yet it is the carriers fault you go over!??! You lose your phone, run it over, drop it in the pool, or are a genius that leaves it on the dashboard of your car on a 90* day, but yet its the carriers fault your LCD is boiled and we should just give you a new one!? You live in Jo-Bobs Creek, population of 201, your closest neighbor is 14 fields away from you on the other side of the valley and wonder why you have very little or no service on the farm!?!? Are the first to say no...
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Rathrok

Sep 23, 2005, 11:17 AM
It's the american way nowadays.

Hold scalding coffee in between your legs when you are driving and spill it. You see and you get paid...

Jump off of a bridge that is clearly marked "Danger: No diving", you get yourself paralyzed. You sue and get paid...because the sign did not say what would happen if you jumped. (true story)

There is no accountability anymore...sadly that is just the way it is now.
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johnnyslick

Sep 27, 2005, 5:46 AM
1. You need to look up that case. McDonald's had something like 42 cases like that over the previous 2 years and had settled with everyone. They didn't settle with the woman and... wait for it... MICKEY D'S LOST THE CASE. Damages were later reduced, but like it or not McDonald's really was negligible. The coffee at the time was being preheated to 190 degrees and hotter because the company didn't want to pay for better-insulated cups. 190 degrees is beyond "scalding." 190 degrees is near boiling, hot enough that if it comes into contact with your skin it will burn it like you were pouring acid on your body. They knew this and continued to try to cut corners anyway. Bringing this particular case up as an example of stupid rulings is, well, stu...
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