It really pisses me off only COR and I guess online and National Retail gets the Iphone and not indirect agents. Normally I wouldnt care but when a customer is going to have to go somewhere else, I lose commission on that sale and I think its just rediculous that the business is this way. anyone else feel this way, or relieved that your not having to sell it?
/End rant
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cremz
Apr 10, 2007, 6:17 PM
I agree, but when haven't they done this? Did it with the RAZR/SLVR. It's funny here because in or region we outsell COR stores by like 20% so they are only hurting themselves.
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It's not the Corporate people doing anything. This was Apple's decision.
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"in or region we outsell COR stores by like 20% so they are only hurting themselves."
This is the reason they are making it Cor exclusive. Just like they are making agents remove Cor branding and rebrand with their own company. They are putting more emphasis on cor stores, just like it should be...
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Just like it should be? What does that mean?
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Well my post was a little agressive towards some of the dealers that are out there... After working at a Cor store for 3 years now, I have have seen a lot of customer complaints towards individual agents or chain phone stores. I think one of Cingular's biggest mistakes was allowing Spring, T3 and other vendors to brand their stores to look like corporate stores. Cor stores handle so many more situations out there that deal with dealers mistakes and because of this, they should give some priority to Cor stores. I think an exclusive phone is a great way to drive business back to reps that are actually going to offer the customer a complete experience. The market that I work out of really takes ownership of the customers that we assist and my s...
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WHOA I AGREE...... it makes it hard for Corp Reps to sell when you have 3rd parties lying and doing things wrong just to get a sale
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Indirect agents are shady by nature.
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Yeah, ok. That is why I have numerous customers come in that came from corporate stores and have been outright lied to. Example, I had an eighty year old lady bring in her phone bill wondering what those text plans were for. Here a the rep that sold her the phone at a corporate store added this to the account when she bought her phone there. They are held to such high data take rates that they do stuff like that just to keep their jobs. Pretty sad.
In all actuality though, there are "shady" people in all lines of work. Direct or indirect. I just think it would be so much easier if the prices were set by the carrier regardless of where the customer purchases the phone. All phones also would be obtainable for any channel. That would...
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I couldnt agree with you more. If all prices were set in stone it would all come down to customer service in my opinion. But its not a perfect world...
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That is funny that you say that because in MY area we have to repeadilty fix cor stores problems. We also try and offer a customer a compelte experience.
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just like it should be.. why is that?? I work at an agent location.
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Webb
Apr 16, 2007, 2:59 PM
Apple is notorious for restricting channels by which its equipment is available. Where I am there was a chain that lost its 'Apple Authorized Dealer' rating for a good many years. Under the circumstances it was justified - their people were utterly Mac ignorant, and the 'service' they were giving was probably doing Apple more harm than good.
This isn't to say that Cingular agents will be in that crop, or even that this is why the iPhone won't be available through agents at first... but Apple has been rather zealous about control of its product ever since it started clawing its way back from the brink of extinction. So, it doesn't particularly surprise me.
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It sucks but there are ways around it. Simply buy the phone from a COR store outright and resell it in your store. From what I have seen the price will be the same either way.
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Well if its say $599 on a 2 yr for the 8 gig, its gonna be $150 higher outright. So really your just wasting money because you will have to up your price so your not subsiziding an additional $150 and possibly losing money after paying commissions and what not...
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Not if the price will be the same either way. Same information that has it being only available online and with Cingular COR says it will be set at the same price with or without a 2 year agreement.
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cremz
Apr 15, 2007, 11:28 AM
iphone will not be for sale outright. 2yr contract only.
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Hmm.. so you will be able to sign up for Cingular service at an Apple store? You could be right, but I doubt that Apple will want to clutter thier stores with that nonsense..
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cremz
Apr 15, 2007, 3:41 PM
Texas said this...
"Simply buy the phone from a COR store outright and resell it in your store."
It wont be sold at COR stores outright. As for the iphone, apple was arguing with cingular that they wanted to sell this without a contract. I am assuming that the same would be at the apple stores as the cingular stores, only with a contract, but I am not certain. We will just have to see. But still this phone is overrated and overpriced.
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I do not agree with your post. There is nothing to indicate it will ONLY be available with a 2 year agreement.
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The rumor that it will only by for two year is based on the fact the it will be MAP pricing.
If it is available for outright purchase, new and upgrade it will be the same price. Apple has always taken MAP pricing to another level than the true meaning of MAP. In all channels and with all products Apple sets their price and companies are only allowed to change the cents of the price to correspond with their pricing codes.
This is probably one of the reasons it is not available to agents. Agents contracts with Cingular allow them to sell phones at whatever price they want without interference. Cingular can only recommend a price.
For Apple to even consider allowing an agent to sell this phone they would probably require a separa...
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Agents have MAP sections in their agreement.
The phone will be available at the same price with or without an agreement due to the MAP issues, not only with a 2 year. There are significant enough locking restrictions that will not allow customers to buy it and take it to another carrier. If a customer wants service, they will be required to get Cingular via other means. Perhaps a 2 year agreement will be required to get the iPhone data plan or something along those lines.
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cremz
Apr 18, 2007, 5:52 PM
It's a logical thinking but I don't think cingular will allow that to happen. I think initially (again initially) it will only be sold with a 2yr agreement. You will have to tell the apple store you want to buy one and then drive to cingular to pick it up and sign up for service. (this is what is supposidly happening according to a source at corp)
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Yes it is very frustrating!! What the hell difference does it make to give it to us as well?
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Because I think that Cingular is starting to have the (dare I say it) Verizon mentality. Verizon basically has set the agents up to fail. They give them limited resources so they consumer is essentially forced into the COR stores. I think in doing this Cingular is taking a big step in that direction.
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that would be stupid for Cingular, I work in COR and often cant fix some of the F*** ups that incompetant dealers cause.......... at that point, I dont want them coming me to get it fixed - it takes time away from selling
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True, but on the flip side with less "agents" there would be less of those. Plus even COR stores cause issues too. Maybe they will go all out. Philly has kinda been a test market for this but some of our stores are testing customer service reps in the store... maybe they will make that company wide.
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I just hope it doesnt sell as well as they think, so maybe then they will go to Plan B if it exists and open it up to agents. not all agents F everything up btw
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jackieramossteel said:
True, but on the flip side with less "agents" there would be less of those. Plus even COR stores cause issues too. Maybe they will go all out. Philly has kinda been a test market for this but some of our stores are testing customer service reps in the store... maybe they will make that company wide.
bojmir said:
I just hope it doesnt sell as well as they think, so maybe then they will go to Plan B if it exists and open it up to agents. not all agents F everything up btw
That was my point.... COR stores mess up too.
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YEs, we do mess up, I ahve messed up myself in fact, my point is, I have the ability to fix my own messups, not send them somewhere else....
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Most agents do too... They just chose not to. I know how you feel but I also know how the agents feel too...
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