My visit to Rogers Store, Guelph Stone Road

After an exciting visit to the Metro store for some grocery shopping, and before going to pick up Grandpa for the day to give the caregiver some much needed time off, my wife and I stopped at the Rogers store to take my first look and feel of the passport.

The store had a receiving line as we walked in; no doubt anxious to sell us another iPhone! We told them we were looking for the Passport.

"No problem. We don't have any to sell; just a display model." I wasn't going to buy today, anyway so that was fine.

(my first reaction: even when tethered to the desk with a ball and chain, I couldn't believe how light it was and the lovely keypad!)

While playing around with it (not easy frankly with a tethered model) the young salesman who was standing next to us said he just wanted to make sure we understood that "you won't be able to type with one hand."

We won't be able to type with one hand?!

I thought, "do my wife and I look like people who type with one hand"?

I said, "why is that the only criticism I hear of this phone and who types with one hand anyway?"

"I do", he said.

I was not going to start, but my wife decided to take him on.

"Do you send anything more than the odd text to your girlfriend? We both work with our phones and send long emails."
"Sure", he said. "I type long work related emails with one hand."

Sure he does.

He said he has an iPhone 6+ and also wanted to let us know that BlackBerry software was not good and that most of the returns they get are BlackBerries. White screens and the like.

My wife told him we have 5 BlackBerries in our house and have never had problems. We then got into the issue of trying to support the local team (waterloo is just 30 minutes away) and how important a prosperous community is to us all.

Now I can understand that Canadians don't care about supporting local companies because many of us would prefer to sell oil, potash and wheat and hope the rest of the world will buy stuff we won't buy ourselves and that we can all live good lives with good benefits and good jobs. I really can understand it.

It's just not me. My son and I love our Q10s. My other son, his Z10 and my wife her Bold which we'll soon replace, but not with an iPhone.

So folks, run on down to your local Rogers store and let the sales kids talk you out of something you want to buy. It's no longer the lack of Apps (though I'm sure that was coming) but rather...."you can't type with one hand."

Good sales training Rogers! Talk the customer out of it!

Idiots.

Posted via CB10

Such idiots! I'm so glad your wife gave him a run for his money. Where do they get these people? I have shoes older than this guy and he's trying to say what I might want or not want?

This is what I don't get, they are supposed to be professionals. I'm a big fan of BB10 and love my device, but when my relative asked me which device to get I told her GS4 because it best for what she needed (she needed some apps that were not available for BB and won't work from snap).

I don't get why they always have to push people to what they like most.

...can't type using one hand...tell them that's a built in safety feature.....so people can't text while driving....thank you BlackBerry

Posted using Z30 on CB

This is the same welcome I received at a Telus store when purchasing my Passport.

The sales kid didn't say Hi, or How can I help you? He simply opened up saying "That phone is bad for one handed typing"...

Just, wow!

Posted via CB10

I had an opportunity to check in to a local Telus store and was pleased to see the beautiful Passport, front and center and elegantly displayed.

Picked it up and began playing with it. I was instantly hooked, and had a smile from ear to ear.

30 seconds later, the sales kid comes over with a condescending smirk and asks if I need any help. I was thinking to myself that I could care less what some kid who lives in his mom's basement thinks about tech, but I just politely said I was just looking.

He returned to the other sales kids in the store and I heard him say to his colleagues that I was just looking at the new BlackBerry. They all immediately put on their idiotic, debbie-downer smirks and resumed staring at the walls.

Two things....

1. The passport was displayed prominently, with a full charge and in perfect working order.

2. The sales kid was a condescending snot-nosed brat, but at least he didn't slam the Blackberry product.

Some progress is better than none.

As I walked away and passed the store, I was pleased to see at least 5-7 others checking the Passport out with smiles from ear to ear.

Posted via CB10

I don't understand who types with one hand!? Not to say that they don't exist, but other than for just typing a word or two, one handed use doesn't make any sense to me. When I had an iPhone, I never typed with one hand, it's way too dang slow! I don't understand how so many people use this as a serious criticism of the Passport.

Posted via CB10

I for one, type with one hand, sorry to refute your arguments but we do exist!

I played with the Passport at TELUS the other day and you can definitely NOT type on this phone with one hand. Sounds like the sale guy was just being honest with you. Maybe its just the way you worded this thread , but it sounds like you went in there with a preconceived notion of what to expect from the sales people and tried to call them out on a truthful comment. Was your visit just to see the Passort, or to make a statement to the Rogers staff?

I'm a long BB fan and can tell you that for the most part it is true, the last few years have seen a lot of BB10 phone returned to the carriers.

Originally Posted by Blackberry_Boy

After an exciting visit to the Metro store for some grocery shopping, and before going to pick up Grandpa for the day to give the caregiver some much needed time off, my wife and I stopped at the Rogers store to take my first look and feel of the passport.

The store had a receiving line as we walked in; no doubt anxious to sell us another iPhone! We told them we were looking for the Passport.

"No problem. We don't have any to sell; just a display model." I wasn't going to buy today, anyway so that was fine.

(my first reaction: even when tethered to the desk with a ball and chain, I couldn't believe how light it was and the lovely keypad!)

While playing around with it (not easy frankly with a tethered model) the young salesman who was standing next to us said he just wanted to make sure we understood that "you won't be able to type with one hand."

We won't be able to type with one hand?!

I thought, "do my wife and I look like people who type with one hand"?

I said, "why is that the only criticism I hear of this phone and who types with one hand anyway?"

"I do", he said.

I was not going to start, but my wife decided to take him on.

"Do you send anything more than the odd text to your girlfriend? We both work with our phones and send long emails."
"Sure", he said. "I type long work related emails with one hand."

Sure he does.

He said he has an iPhone 6+ and also wanted to let us know that BlackBerry software was not good and that most of the returns they get are BlackBerries. White screens and the like.

My wife told him we have 5 BlackBerries in our house and have never had problems. We then got into the issue of trying to support the local team (waterloo is just 30 minutes away) and how important a prosperous community is to us all.

Now I can understand that Canadians don't care about supporting local companies because many of us would prefer to sell oil, potash and wheat and hope the rest of the world will buy stuff we won't buy ourselves and that we can all live good lives with good benefits and good jobs. I really can understand it.

It's just not me. My son and I love our Q10s. My other son, his Z10 and my wife her Bold which we'll soon replace, but not with an iPhone.

So folks, run on down to your local Rogers store and let the sales kids talk you out of something you want to buy. It's no longer the lack of Apps (though I'm sure that was coming) but rather...."you can't type with one hand."

Good sales training Rogers! Talk the customer out of it!

Idiots.

Posted via CB10

That's so strange, this is the location that I picked mine up from and the guy was great, helped me pick accessories and everything.

Posted via CB10

Originally Posted by A_Aviator_A

I for one, type with one hand, sorry to refute your arguments but we do exist!

I played with the Passport at TELUS the other day and you can definitely NOT type on this phone with one hand. Sounds like the sale guy was just being honest with you. Maybe its just the way you worded this thread , but it sounds like you went in there with a preconceived notion of what to expect from the sales people and tried to call them out on a truthful comment. Was your visit just to see the Passort, or to make a statement to the Rogers staff?

I'm a long BB fan and can tell you that for the most part it is true, the last few years have seen a lot of BB10 phone returned to the carriers.

I think a lot of people understand there are one-handed texters out there. I think what the OP-er is getting at is that as a professional trying to sell phones, your first remark shouldn't be "that's hard to type with one hand". I think as a phone salesperson you'd want to say anything to entice the customer into buying a phone and list the positive features of the phone that person obviously came in interested in. It's not professional and its not very logical either since that's how they make their living.

Posted via CB10

I always wonder what are these guys doing with the other hand?

BlackBerry needs to open their own retail stores in Canada! I'd love to work for my home team!

Zoom Zoom Z30

Originally Posted by nathfren

I think a lot of people understand there are one-handed texters out there. I think what the OP-er is getting at is that as a professional trying to sell phones, your first remark shouldn't be "that's hard to type with one hand". I think as a phone salesperson you'd want to say anything to entice the customer into buying a phone and list the positive features of the phone that person obviously came in interested in. It's not professional and its not very logical either since that's how they make their living.

Posted via CB10

Its not professional for a sales person to give you a truthful statement? Sorry I disagree. I would have thanked the guy and then tried to see if he was right. If he said the iphone+ is a big phone, would that upset a Apple fanboy?

When I read statements like "no doubt anxious to sell us another iphone" to me that sounds like someone who's looking specifically for confrontation. Either that or he's embellishing his experience. Again, as I said could be just the way he worded it so Ill give the OP the benefit of the doubt.

I've said this before on CB, sales people for phone companies are there to make a living, not to validate your personal choices in technology. The guy probably sold 50 iphones that day, he knows where his bread is buttered. I don't know why this continues to annoy some of us BB fanboys, if you want your phone and you did your research, the salespeople will not be capable of convincing you otherwise.

Originally Posted by A_Aviator_A

I've said this before on CB, sales people for phone companies are there to make a living, not to validate your personal choices in technology. The guy probably sold 50 iphones that day, he knows where his bread is buttered. I don't know why this continues to annoy some of us BB fanboys, if you want your phone and you did your research, the salespeople will not be capable of convincing you otherwise.

I agree with this. Having said that however, if someone is looking at a BlackBerry, how does it make sense for sales people to have a negative attitude towards it? Being truthful (i.e. can't one hand the thing) is fine, but going on about the negatives of the device doesn't seem to be the way to make the sale.

I've experienced the BlackBerry detractor sales person as well. It's bizarre to say the least. If someone's looking to drop on a $600 or $700 device, I'd encourage them, whether iPhone, Android, WP or BB. I might highlight the advantages of each device, but certainly wouldn't give the attitude that a lot of these sales people do give.

On the flip side, I was at a FS, asked about the Passport and the sales guy went on about how he loved the device when he got to play around with it and that he hasn't been this excited about a BB phone in years. At the Telus store I went to, where they had an actual demo, the sales people were polite and let me play with the device and when I asked questions were professional. They said they were selling a number of Passports, so all in all it was a good experience.

Typical guelph

The best way to combat that kind of ignorance is to walk away. Or ask to speak to a manager.

At least u guys can walk into ur service provider and touch and feel and play with a BlackBerry passport. Fido's got nothing on!!!! BS!!! They don't even know if there gonna carry it or not!

Posted via CB10

You can use it one handed.... I mastered it..... it is just as practical as on the iPhone 6+

I believe that it depends on the both parties.... usually I get to hear their story and later on make them aware why I decide to buy or use BlackBerry

PassportSQW100-1/10.3.1.632 and a Z30

Great post OP. My sentiments exactly. Especially the raw materials part. Free trade deal with South Korea will not help this trend despite our Prime Minister's enthusiasm. Our oil isn't going anywhere if not sold today....but I digress....

Germane to the story, Yep, I remember one store where there was some young punk trying to convince an elderly couple living on a remote lake that the Samsung S4 he sold them recently was the cat's *** and was the best thing out there.They said their son had that same phone and the reception was poor to non-existant, as was theirs. His reply was to upsell them on a $300 antennae that they could attach to the house to boost their reception.

Having heard enough, I intervened and pointed out a BB Z30 and explained to all that it has a Paratek antennae and they could probably get better reception with it, save $300 on the antennae and the Z30 was $100 cheaper than the S$4 to begin with.

Boy Wonder responds, that the Z30 has a bad keyboard, many returns. I ask Boy Wonder where the keyboard is on this Z30, He sheepishly (pun intended) admits that there is no keyboard on the Z30, but he likes Samsung because that is the phone he has. I muttered 'Unbelievable' and left the store, not knowing how it all turned out.

That is just another reason why I buy phones over the internet. Not having to deal with moron sales people. Most are great, but some just want to sell whatever is easiest for them or whatever they currently own.

For the record, I type with two hands.

Originally Posted by z10Jobe

Great post OP. My sentiments exactly. Especially the raw materials part. Free trade deal with South Korea will not help this trend despite our Prime Minister's enthusiasm. Our oil isn't going anywhere if not sold today....but I digress....

Germane to the story, Yep, I remember one store where there was some young punk trying to convince an elderly couple living on a remote lake that the Samsung S4 he sold them recently was the cat's *** and was the best thing out there.They said their son had that same phone and the reception was poor to non-existant, as was theirs. His reply was to upsell them on a $300 antennae that they could attach to the house to boost their reception.

Having heard enough, I intervened and pointed out a BB Z30 and explained to all that it has a Paratek antennae and they could probably get better reception with it, save $300 on the antennae and the Z30 was $100 cheaper than the S$4 to begin with.

Boy Wonder responds, that the Z30 has a bad keyboard, many returns. I ask Boy Wonder where the keyboard is on this Z30, He sheepishly (pun intended) admits that there is no keyboard on the Z30, but he likes Samsung because that is the phone he has. I muttered 'Unbelievable' and left the store, not knowing how it all turned out.

That is just another reason why I buy phones over the internet. Not having to deal with moron sales people. Most are great, but some just want to sell whatever is easiest for them or whatever they currently own.

For the record, I type with two hands.

Let's hope the elderly couple got the idea.
Paratek antenna always sounds awesome...

? BlackBerry? I premdict the future's gonna be chenomenal! ?

Where do they get these people?

University dropouts. A guy I know quit his studies and has been working at a T-Mobile store for years. Crappy pay, but after he told me he talked a girl out of buying a Q10 coz "BlackBerry is different than other phones", I kind of think he deserves it.

And that's where store reps come from.


Posted via CB10

I picked up a Z10 in waterloo tonight for my mother-in-law. It was nice shopping in the Motherland for my third iphone to BlackBerry conversion in two weeks!!

Nevertheless, sorry about your experience, I've had some pretty positive vybes about my Passport, including Rogers reps.

"Official International Accountant of the Peevishlicious Crew " via my Canadian Passport!!

Originally Posted by Carjackd

I picked up a Z10 in waterloo tonight for my mother-in-law. It was nice shopping in the Motherland for my third iphone to BlackBerry conversion in two weeks!!

Nevertheless, sorry about your experience, I've had some pretty positive vybes about my Passport, including Rogers reps.

"Official International Accountant of the Peevishlicious Crew " via my Canadian Passport!!

Help with the assimilation efforts... !

Goodonya... :-)

? BlackBerry? I premdict the future's gonna be chenomenal! ?

I've bought a couple phones from this Rogers store. Usually they have been great with Blackberries and were quite excited about carrying the Bold 9900 when it came out. I also got my Z10 from this store.

One thing I learned is that store is a licensed Rogers dealer and not an actual Rogers corporate store. Any warranties you buy there apply only to that store so you need to go through them for any warranty work. This is really inconvenient when you're away in another city for extended periods of time.

Other than that these guys have always been pretty BlackBerry positive to me, many of them had BlackBerrys themselves. I haven't been to the store in almost a year though so it's possible that has changed.

Posted via CB10

Z10jobe and all the others. Great comments. For the record I was not looking for a confrontation, did not want any assistance and furthermore know that the Passport is likely not something I would use to type with one hand.

I merely wanted to see the darn thing and touch it. Don't try to sell me out of something I'm going to buy! First rule of salesmanship.

Posted via CB10