Cingular Agent Managers/Principles
Hey everybody, I need some help/advice/suggestions. My agent is in the SE market, and we are having some real problems with deactivations/charge backs within the first 6 months. I'd like to hear what some of you are doing to retain customers. We are diligently using our CSS, we are doing customer call backs at 2 weeks after date of contract, we are sending thank you cards with coupons attached for free accessories after 3 months and 6 months of service. We are also using the MTI map tool for all customers so that we avoid the coverage issue. All this, and we're still running over 15% churn on our accounts. Our deact reports from Cingular dont tell us the disconnect reason, so we are having difficulty isolating the source of our problem...
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wow, you certainly are going above and beyond the calls of the job to make sure you're retaining customers. good job on that! i commend you, honestly.
i've heard some stores will offer special promotions to customers that hit their 1 year anniversary, i.e. movie tickets, dinner coupons, prizes, contests, things like that. it's not a whole lot, and since a lot of places have some sort of fund that is able to pay for special promotions, you might as well use it.
good luck!
xoxo
i've heard some stores will offer special promotions to customers that hit their 1 year anniversary, i.e. movie tickets, dinner coupons, prizes, contests, things like that. it's not a whole lot, and since a lot of places have some sort of fund that is able to pay for special promotions, you might as well use it.
good luck!
xoxo
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Do you have them sign a supplemental 6 month aggreement? Other than that it sounds like you are right on the nose. Where exactly are you?
Will
Will
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We do what will suggested. We have a six month ETF on top of the Cingular one. We fully educate on the CSS and just what our 6-month agreement is and our churn rate is lower than corporate.
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By supplemental agreement, you mean something obligating them to us as an agent, that if they disconnect, they owe us, in addition to the early termination fee? We've discussed this, but aren't currently doing it, it might be something we have to go to as a last resort, however.
We are in Columbia, SC, and coverage seems to be our #1 issue as far as complaints in the store. I'm sure that bill payment is the reason behind most of our disconnects, but I bet that coverage is a close second.
Thanks for the input, Will.
We are in Columbia, SC, and coverage seems to be our #1 issue as far as complaints in the store. I'm sure that bill payment is the reason behind most of our disconnects, but I bet that coverage is a close second.
Thanks for the input, Will.
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6 month agreements are a godsend. It will reduce churn and it does not have a negative effect on sales. Meaning people are not going to not want to activate the phone with you because they sign and additional aggreement. They cancel before 180 days, you charge their card, run their check for "X" amount. Still can't collect, Since you have a DL and SS# you can now put it as a collection on their credit report.
Now when they want to buy a house, they are going to have to pay it eventually. Some people don't give a ****, but that is the nature of the industry.
Will
Now when they want to buy a house, they are going to have to pay it eventually. Some people don't give a ****, but that is the nature of the industry.
Will
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Ok here's a question, do you have a script that you use for presenting it to the customer without losing the sale? Also, what do you do with those customers who don't have credit cards? Send them a bill? I'd like for us to implement this, but I need to anticipate all potential problems, so any suggestions you might have would be greatly appreciated.
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No there is no script. We simply tell our customers "this supplemental aggreement states that you promise to keep the Cingular service at least 180 days, if you do not my agent principal looses reimbursement from Cingular since we sold you the phone below our cost". "faliure to do so, requires the phones returned or we can charge your CC for "X" dollars". "If your CC is declined we can turn you over to collections, etc. etc".
As for the CC issue, you can take an imprint or in our point of sale system we enter in the card into the database that is kept in our server in the main office. After 6 months that info is destroyed. After that it is not your responsibility, its is Cingular's, if they cancel.
Ok 90 of your customers have a check...
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As for the CC issue, you can take an imprint or in our point of sale system we enter in the card into the database that is kept in our server in the main office. After 6 months that info is destroyed. After that it is not your responsibility, its is Cingular's, if they cancel.
Ok 90 of your customers have a check...
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