[cbcj]

This is a post I've been meaning to write for DAYS.

First, let me say that I had a Bold 9000 up until like 3 weeks ago. Everyone pretty much made fun of my old phone - but I loved the keyboard, the email, the notifications, and other things about it. Never cared about the apps.

But it was on its last legs...it didn't ring any more, getting a text while I was on the phone would knock me off the call, the trackball would get stuck, etc. And the Internet was painfully slow.

I knew I had to get a new phone. And at first, I was certain I wanted a BlackBerry. I needed, I wanted, the physical keyboard. But I had heard so many negative things about BlackBerry. How it was on its way out. Plus everyone's comments started to make me think that maybe I was silly for sticking with BlackBerry.

So I went and got an iPhone. Tried it for about a week and returned it. Just knew it wasn't the phone for me.

So I went back to my Bold...and waited and waited and kept waiting. Husband convinced me to get an HTC One.

I liked it better than the iPhone, but it just was not doing it for me. I started researching "ways to make an Android phone act like a BlackBerry" and "LED notification apps" and "see email notification for different accounts."

It was then I finally remembered - I finally realized - that I had GREAT reasons to love my BlackBerry. And it was my husband who suggested that I should just return the HTC and get the Z10 (one thing I did realize out of this whole experience is that I could get used to a virtual keyboard).

So I went to AT&T now fully CONVINCED that what I wanted was the BlackBerry Z10.

I kid you not, the guy at AT&T spent the whole time trying to talk me out of the Z10. He would make exaggerated gestures on the demo phone to show me how it was unresponsive. Told me how it was really hard to get around the phone. How everything on it is really confusing. Up until I walked out with the phone he kept making comments about my choice. Had I not been so positively SURE a BlackBerry was what I wanted, he would have definitely put enough doubt in my mind and sold me a different phone.

I absolutely love my BlackBerry. I don't know if it's the Z10 per se that I love but from the moment I got this phone and set up my email and started playing around with it I knew I was "home." And my husband even admits (he's an Android die hard) there are some pretty cool features on this phone. If he wasn't so proud I bet he might even consider one for his next phone. Let me put it this way - before this experience he was ZERO impressed / interested in a BlackBerry - but now? I'd say he's above a 6 if not higher because he would probably not tell me for a while.

Mind you, it hasn't been perfect, since I've been having issues with the Z10. I returned my first one (that's in a separate thread) because of missing/disappearing SMS / text messages. And tonight I experienced duplication of contacts (although that may be user error, not sure). And tonight I also found out there's no filtering of contacts, which is a huge deal when you use categories to keep your contacts organized.

But I am hoping BlackBerry addresses these issues so I could go back to fully loving my phone.

But regardless, I needed to write this post, because the reasons the AT&T rep gave me for trying to talk me out of the phone had nothing to do with what I'm experiencing.

I think it is really messed up that AT&T reps - at least the 2 that I talked to (when I went to pick up the exchange Z10 the rep that helped me THAT night also made a few wisecracks about the phone) - would bash an item that they sell or make the customer feel like they've made wrong choice. I understand that on the one hand it's an opinion - but it felt like more than that. Like it's the "cool" thing to do to bash BlackBerry. And in a way, it's malicious. I say this because even with the problems I am having with my phone I can STILL confidently say that the way HE made it sound and made it look with the exaggerated swipes on the phone (I even told my husband that I wonder if they do anything to the phones to slow them down) was in no way what my experience has been, even with the issues I'm having (which yes, they're bad - missing texts is not a good thing). But if I were a BlackBerry CEO I'd make sure to have BlackBerry reps or better training or something at the store level because if this happened to me, I am SURE it's happened to other people. How many people are walking away with that opinion as truth and just end up going with a different phone?

I told AT&T about the experience when I called in about a different issue...but I didn't get much of a reaction or acknowledgment.

Has anybody else experienced this or is this an isolated incident? And do you think I'm right or are the reps entitled to say what they think to any extent they want?

[mvpcrossxover]

Has anybody else experienced this or is this an isolated incident? And do you think I'm right or are the reps entitled to say what they think to any extent they want?

If you spend enough time on this board, people complains about reps ALL THE TIME.

It's there job to sell phones and make commission out of it. Selling BlackBerries won't make that much money compare to Apple and Android.

[felipebelalc]

Same here on tigo, claro and movistar Colombia, the reps are so so so away from reality of what can be found and done with a Z10 that just look like a fool. Even I find myself explained to some other clients how this works.

When someone asks me why i'm stick to BlackBerry just one word comes to my mind "productivity", I stop to try convence people to use a BlackBerry but when productivity is needed, nobody can beat my z10. It's that moment when you just think JAKE MATE

Posted via CB10

[cbcj]

If you spend enough time on this board, people complains about reps ALL THE TIME.

Really...wow...that's disconcerting. As a business owner, it bothers me to the core to see this kind of bashing going on of someone's product, especially knowing that the company had its issues/problems.

On the other hand, if it's a "known thing" then I'm sure BlackBerry is aware of it...and doesn't think it's problematic enough to do something about it...

Shame. That seems like a lack of vision to me. These people are directly hurting your sales and reputation.

[cbcj]

Same here on tigo, claro and movistar Colombia, the reps are so so so away from reality of what can be found and done with a Z10 that just look like a fool. Even I find myself explained to some other clients how this works.

When someone asks me why i'm stick to BlackBerry just one word comes to my mind "productivity", I stop to try convence people to use a BlackBerry but when productivity is needed, nobody can beat my z10. It's that moment when you just think JAKE MATE

Posted via CB10

I'm with you Felipe. I feel the same way. But I have to say it's been so joyous to watch my husband do a double take.

[mvpcrossxover]

Really...wow...that's disconcerting. As a business owner, it bothers me to the core to see this kind of bashing going on of someone's product, especially knowing that the company had its issues/problems.
On the other hand, if it's a "known thing" then I'm sure BlackBerry is aware of it...and doesn't think it's problematic enough to do something about it...
Shame. That seems like a lack of vision to me. These people are directly hurting your sales and reputation.

I'm sure BlackBerry know about this. That's why they pulled out of T-Mobile. BlackBerry don't have the resources and money right now to deal with this problem.

They're focusing on the business side of things more compare to their regular consumers. Us die hard fans just have to understand their direction with things right now. I'm not saying BlackBerry will forget about their customers, but they won't focus as hard as before.

[cbcj]

It's there job so sell phones and make commission out of it. Selling BlackBerries won't make that much money compare to Apple and Android.

Are you positively sure about this mvp, that it boils down to a difference in commission? Do you by any chance know what the difference in commission is? (and man wouldn't that be somewhat of an easy fix for BB? ASIDE from having someone involved at the store level with training or the like)

[cbcj]

I'm sure BlackBerry know about this. That's why they pulled out of T-Mobile. BlackBerry don't have the resources and money right now to deal with this problem.

They're focusing on the business side of things more compare to their regular consumers. Us die hard fans just have to understand their direction with things right now. I'm not saying BlackBerry will forget about their customers, but they won't focus as hard as before.

Ah - I see (we're posting at the same time and just missing each other).

I did not know that's why they had pulled out of T-Mobile (was it in the newspapers and stuff? I'd love to read more about it).

I hope they don't forget us And I wish I could help! I thought I was doing that by posting here. But if they know about it and have decided not to address it - because they can't or whatever - that's a whole different thing.

[mvpcrossxover]

Are you positively sure about this mvp, that it boils down to a difference in commission? Do you by any chance know what the difference in commission is? (and man wouldn't that be somewhat of an easy fix for BB? ASIDE from having someone involved at the store level with training or the like)

This is all I have. I didn't research more into it as I should be, but I never run into rep problems. I try to buy phones unlocked every chance I get.
http://forums.crackberry.com/t-mobil.../#post10191816

[mvpcrossxover]

Ah - I see (we're posting at the same time and just missing each other).

I did not know that's why they had pulled out of T-Mobile (was it in the newspapers and stuff? I'd love to read more about it).

I hope they don't forget us And I wish I could help! I thought I was doing that by posting here. But if they know about it and have decided not to address it - because they can't or whatever - that's a whole different thing.

It's here if you want to read more about it.
BlackBerry and T-Mobile U.S. to end licensing agreement | CrackBerry.com

[cbcj]

It's here if you want to read more about it.
BlackBerry and T-Mobile U.S. to end licensing agreement | CrackBerry.com

OK thanks I'll check it out.