[dbmalloy]

As long as Chen's focus is Enterprise... I would not expect any improvement on the BB front with uS carriers... As most Enterprise sales are done in house there really is no incentive to train sales people in a market ( US ) that BB has all but abandon..... another case of facing facts that the US consumer market is dead to BB and the sooner people realize it the sooner the disappointment in carriers will stop... Sort of like the definition of insanity... doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different result.......it is ironic that that all the bashing and misinformation put forth by the carriers have actually come true in a sense ( that Blackberry is actually dead in the US market ) in Canada at least they are alive and kicking ( Rogers is starting sales training this week ).....

[just_say_no_to_crack]

Some of you are missing my point. This is about Brand building (or re-building). Once they announced that ATT will have an exclusive, the work begins. That is when the marketing materials hit the stores. That is when the training videos go out. That is when ATT starts their own pre-launch campaign. That is when you get these "not for resale" phones into the hands of the reps. So even if the enterprise market is who your "supposed customer" is, you can't leave the retail channel empty AFTER you announce an exclusive carrier. And I say "supposed" customer because they are the only customer left at the moment. Two years ago they said they were re-engaging with the "retail" customer and they fell flat on their face. The biggest reason behind that was because they did not have a retail strategy. APPLE has made Billions upon Billions on the "retail" customer. BBRY could make as much income from a consumer in today's world at retail as they can from an Enterprise customer (if not more). So when they do decide to switch gears and add retail to their mix, it better not happen in drips and drabs. Hopefully they will go after the business instead of just letting previous BBRY owners know where to pick up their next phone. This is about creating mass, not 0.08% market share. If they are going to do it this way, just save us the letdown and just make it available on the BBRY website exclusively and call it a day.

[insandouts]

Here we go again. I went into my local ATT store just to inquire about the Passport and BBRY in general. I got the same uneducated sales rep as I've seen over at Verizon. Immediately, they begin to bash BBRY. Not one positive thing to say. Whatever BBRY's strategy is worldwide, it has to be deeply invested in getting the sales reps on their side and properly educated. There isn't a marketing strategy around that can win the day over a sales rep who's determined to tarnish the brand and create doubt in the customer's mind. In the midst of all their enterprise plans, I hope that BBRY has a better strategy for engagement at the store level. I would include secret shops that show the carriers how their reps are mis-representing the brand.

They gave Blackberry another try and got burned again from the Z10 and Q10 flops...what exactly did you expect them to say about Blackberry?

[insandouts]

How many times does BB have to say that they aren't focusing on the consumer market before it will actually sink in with some of you? They don't care that the carriers aren't pushing their brand to the consumer because that is not who their target audience is right now.

I really think Chen needs to send a letter out to every person that buys a BB that says "Thank you for being a loyal consumer of our product. We aren't really trying to sell to you right now but we really appreciate your loyalty. In the future we may try to focus on you and your fellow consumer but right now its not something that makes sense for us financially."

Maybe then some of you would understand and stop complaining about consumer stores as BB has made it perfectly clear they aren't interested in them right now.

it is not Blackberry that is not interested in consumers but consumers that are not interested in Blackberry.

[insandouts]

Besides your obvious hate for BlackBerry, did you ever step back and notice that BlackBerry devices were meant from day one to be great enterprise devices first. As being one of the few choices back in the day they spilled over into the consumer arena and mainly for BBM as far as the consumer went. The iphone was a pure consumer device that shamed BlackBerry devices as far as the consumer was concerned. However they still can't match BlackBerry in truly the enterprise arena. They don't have a BES equivalent, their security is highly questionable, they don't have great email abilities, definitely don't have a HUB, nor balance, nor Blend. They don't even have a file manager! Now BB10 is becoming increasingly a much better consumer device even though Chen is driving the enterprise side first and foremost.

Posted via CB10

and still most enterprise use Android and IOS and if that was not the case Chen would have never pushed for BES 12, which supports all devices. What is highly questionable? Blackberry devices are not more secure than others OEM. It is the MDM that secured the communications, the end device brands or OS is irrelevant

[Prem WatsApp]

and still most enterprise use Android and IOS and if that was not the case Chen would have never pushed for BES 12, which supports all devices. What is highly questionable? Blackberry devices are not more secure than others OEM. It is the MDM that secured the communications, the end device brands or OS is irrelevant

The OS and its communication habits certainly make a difference.

http://www.bblogs.info/2014/12/divsi...-of-mobile-os/

(Original link: http://bb10qnx.de/2014/11/divsi-stud...t-smartphones/ )

It's a translated site, German institute / body created a study. Worth the read. Can't stop or disable cloud sync on some OSes, some apps are more talkative on other platforms, etc...



? ? ? Zzzzwipetypetapped from The Maskport - Zzzzmoqin'.... ? ? ?

[donnation]

and still most enterprise use Android and IOS and if that was not the case Chen would have never pushed for BES 12, which supports all devices. What is highly questionable? Blackberry devices are not more secure than others OEM. It is the MDM that secured the communications, the end device brands or OS is irrelevant

I have to admit you lost me a little bit here. In all seriousness can you explain this a little more for me if you would?

[bb10adopter111]

I mentioned this in another thread, but it's probably more relevant here. AT&T is using demand for iPhone 6s to increase the monthly access fee to $40 for customers getting subsidized phones on a two year contract. That's almost $1,000 ON TOP OF the monthly voice/data plan.

They will absolutely maximize the number of iPhone 6s they sell to drive that kind of revenue. I would do the same thing. They love iPhones because users will pay that fee for them without analyzing the cost. Why on earth would they release the Passport before that demand begins to taper off? I wouldn't do it!

Also, I wouldn't be surprised to see an increase in the monthly access fee for the Passport when they release it, though probably not to $40.00.

I am on a legacy plan where I pay $15 a month for an off contract phone, and that number won't change if I connect an unlocked Passport. Those thinking it makes sense to wait for AT&T to sell them a subsidized phone should at least consider if that is a rational decision.

The days of carriers selling phones are slowly coming to an end, and we should be thankful.

Posted via CB10

[91300zx]

Dealt with it myself. And still do from time to time. I know what I want and what I want to spend my money on. So when ever I get those fine hating folks I ask to speak to someone else or to a manager.

[bakron1]

My personal experience is that there are VERY FEW educated sales folks in these cell phone stores anymore, period.

To the defense of some folks out there who work in the business, there are a few, but very rare based on my observations.

They sell products based on what they and/or what their friends are using. I am not making this up ether folks.

I had a client who went into a AT&T store back in the beginning of the summer to inquire about updating his employees BlackBerry legacy devices to OS10 ones.

The sales folks proceeded to tell him the brand is dead, they where close to bankruptcy, where being bought by Lenovo and so on!!!!

He then proceeded to get a store manager and inform the person that BlackBerry was still in business and would appreciate if he could get someone who knew about the newer OS10 models.

The manager proceeded to show him what was available and he bought 8 Q10's at a great deal. After the sale was completed, he informed the store manager that he was going to make a serious complaint to the corporate level about the lack of product training and rudeness of the sales staff.

This is the only way it's going to stop, when you have enough folks who stand up and say something. Not just cave in and buy something that they are going to regret later on, it's your money, get what YOU want.

My philosophy is simple, it's my @$&king money and I want to buy what I ask for, period. But, I am an educated consumer and that also seems to be a rarity today!

[Prem WatsApp]

My personal experience is that there are VERY FEW educated sales folks in these cell phone stores anymore, period.

To the defense of some folks out there who work in the business, there are a few, but very rare based on my observations.

They sell products based on what they and/or what their friends are using. I am not making this up ether folks.

I had a client who went into a AT&T store back in the beginning of the summer to inquire about updating his employees BlackBerry legacy devices to OS10 ones.

The sales folks proceeded to tell him the brand is dead, they where close to bankruptcy, where being bought by Lenovo and so on!!!!

He then proceeded to get a store manager and inform the person that BlackBerry was still in business and would appreciate if he could get someone who knew about the newer OS10 models.

The manager proceeded to show him what was available and he bought 8 Q10's at a great deal. After the sale was completed, he informed the store manager that he was going to make a serious complaint to the corporate level about the lack of product training and rudeness of the sales staff.

This is the only way it's going to stop, when you have enough folks who stand up and say something. Not just cave in and buy something that they are going to regret later on, it's your money, get what YOU want.

My philosophy is simple, it's my @$&king money and I want to buy what I ask for, period. But, I am an educated consumer and that also seems to be a rarity today!

Yes, some feedback to the upper echelons is definitely needed. :-)

Why should carriers and stores get away with employing cheap, disinterested "drones" (who'd better be flipping burgers somewhere) and no training ...




? ? ? Zzzzwipetypetapped from The Maskport - Zzzzmoqin'.... ? ? ?

[digitladestined]

The last time I was in a Verizon store, I was educating one of the customers about Blackberry as we were waiting for assistance. It's sad that the masses aren't aware of the awesome capabilities that Blackberry offers.

[jelp2]

Well I have to say, for as much as BlackBerry and T-Mobile are fighting, I went in to switch over to TMO from VZ and brought our VZ phones. I handed her my Z10 and not a word about "oh BlackBerry " or "how about another device", the only 2 things she said was about the start up time which i couldn't argue with and it has gotten quicker and she liked picture password and mentioned she never saw anything like it. Overall very professional and now we have unlimited data (high speed and never throttled) for $100/month!

[thymaster]

I would teach him sales 101. Don't be negative, don't talk negative and don't act negative around your customers if you want to close a deal. Learn to keep your negative comments to yourself if you want a nice commission payday.

[RubberChicken76]

and still most enterprise use Android and IOS

Being anal retentive, haven't seen anything to suggest Android is currently the leading platform in use in enterprises.

Mark

[PonyCrazyKid]

I'm self-employed, a writer. I need a good reliable phone for interviews. I divorced Verizon two years ago - after 17 or 18 years... Went to Sprint because I moved to a house close to a Sprint tower. Bought the 4s - Christmas special, okay on iOS6, terrible on 7 after being replaced last April for dead battery - but still bad call quality even with strong signal. In October I bought on ebay an unlocked, gently used BB9900 which I love! nearest ATT tower is 5 miles away, lots of trees & big hills between here and there. I do lots of phone interviews & texting - I prefer the 9900 which has better call quality than the 4s. The local ATT sales people did their best to answer questions even before I had the 9900 in my hand. They didn't know squat about the Passport, but they do try. Even the help I've gotten over the phone from ATT has been great. Maybe I just get lucky, but so far so good with ATT. You couldn't pay me to go back to VZW. It's different everywhere and sales reps change. The good ones get promoted or move to better jobs - maybe the ones who stay are just happy to have a job. It's like playing wheel of fortune...

I covet a Passport, but have to wait until trees are in full leaf again to find out if the 9900 will pull in enough signal to make clear calls. I can't justify buying the PP if I can't use it as a phone for half the year. If money were no object, heck yes - I would have one right now! But I do love the 9900 - the Bold is better than no Blackberry at all!