Sales Rep Falsely Says: "BlackBerry is bankrupt, BB10 discontinued"
- I remember when I was in a T-Mobile store in mid-March last year asking for any latest updates on the Z10 launch one of the reps I spoke with said that his manager had just attended a BlackBerry expo regarding the new devices and was very excited about them. Unfortunately, though, it sounds like that didn't translate into sales.
Honestly, it doesn't suprise me that BB10 devices are hard to come by at this time. When they first launched there were brightly colored kiosks and displays housing the devices. I saw these in both T-Mobile and Best Buy. They were front and center in the stores. But unfortunately people just weren't interested, and that lead to poor sales, and that lead to the carriers putting them aside in favor of devices that would make them more money. That's just business. Besides some misguided sales reps (which like I mentioned earlier in the thread are in every industry), the carriers did their part.bbhuh likes this.01-22-14 03:50 PMLike 1 -
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In my experience, this is sometimes a double edge sword. You can't always get in to train the reps, get their attention etc. It really depends on the store/chain too.
Retail is a nasty business. Even if you offer to throw money at the problem, the retail buyers often have complete control over what training they'll allow, what spiffs they'll allow, flyer ads they'll support, point of purchase they'll display etc.
You saw a lot more in-store stuff in Canada than the US I think partly because BlackBerry simply sells better in Canada and the stores/carriers were willing to let that stuff in their stores.
If you're AT&T and you have finite space, what do you give the POP and retail advertising venues to? Yes, the company that pays for it, but also the devices that will do more business for you in the stores.01-22-14 05:13 PMLike 0 - This is very interesting how feedback and piece of advice given by sales reps varies with geographic region.
Before upgrading to a Q10 I was visiting closest located to me Media Markt (big electronics store) in Berlin, Germany and also had a chance to ask a number of questions to a sales guy.
Funnily, on my concerns regarding eventual bankruptcy and lack of support of the BB10 OS in the future I was told that I should not worry, since the company will not be able to simply perish and abandon customer support, because of obligations they have to fullfil. Hence, none ever tried selling me an iDroid instead.
No doubt, it was only a single occasion and it is hard to draw conclusions about the German market in general. But I really hope it is as unbiased as my chat with this guy was.
Posted via CB10 on my Q1001-22-14 05:53 PMLike 0 - Nothing like what is described in the OP has ever happened to me, but if it did, depending on the demeanor of the salesperson I would respond in a couple of different ways.
If they seemed sincere in their claim I would use a deprogramming tactic where you seek to implant cognitive dissonance in the hope that this will drive them to Google for resolutions to their new anxiety. This is done by asking questions. But not with a chip on your shoulder. You must come across as genuine in your inquiries. You must let the targeted person think that they are the expert and you are just a naive customer searching for answers. The idea is to plant seeds of cognitive dissonance that may eventually blossom into a real search for the facts. Here are a couple of questions:
"Funny you say that, I just read that BlackBerry stock is up almost 100% in the last month. Are you sure that the source of your information is accurate?"
"Did you here about the Smartphone Thunderdome at CES by Wired magazine? I heard that the BlackBerry cleaned the clocks of the iPhone, Android and Windows Phone over six days of heavy use."
You've planted the seed, now water it: You then casually suggest that they might wish to do a Google search at bedtime tonight.
This is using the power of suggestion. They go away thinking that they are still the expert. But at bedtime it will pop into their head like clockwork and they will learn something that they can think of as their own. Next day they will want to show off their new unique information by telling their coworkers, "I checked out BlackBerry stock last night - seems they're making a big turnaround."
However, if they come across as an a-hole about it, you can just go for the jugular with another tactic: "So BlackBerry is bankrupt, huh? Care to put a hundred bucks on it right now? Then we'll Google the stock price."
You have just slam-dunked them. They'll waffle and look for a caveat for their claim, or maybe they'll make the bet and you get a hundred bucks out the deal - sweet!
Either way, you have planted and watered the seed. These deprogramming tactics work on basic human nature, so their likelihood of success is quite high.01-22-14 09:41 PMLike 0 - Yeah, even here in the GTA reps (geeks) can't believe I wanted a BB10. They totally got when I said the Q10 for the keyboard as I don't watch movies on a phone. Then he said yeah.. the Q10 is the best option for you hands down.01-22-14 10:36 PMLike 0
- Meanwhile, my carrier sold mea BNIB Z30 off contract for 400USD. I'm liking this out of business thing so far.
BlackBerry 10 Help Channel01-23-14 11:16 PMLike 0 -
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Magnificently composed using CB10 on my BB Z10!01-24-14 09:53 AMLike 0 - There seems to be a stigma about blackberry in general. It's sad to see people who so called represent the mobile technology misrepresent and alienate a valid technology. For shame
Posted via CB1001-24-14 10:15 AMLike 0 - The weird thing about that is there is BB10 banners everywhere in T.O. It's basically Blackberry's Hub unlike here in Waterloo sadly. But all T.O national teams are sponsored by Blackberry.
Posted via CB1001-26-14 11:17 PMLike 0 - Doesn't this kind of thing happen all the time? Sales people push certain brands of all kinds of products. TVS at Best Buy, car seats at baby store, etc.
Posted via CB1001-26-14 11:31 PMLike 0 - That was one ridiculous behavior.
Here in India, I believe the sales rep are doing the job properly.
I went to few stores before buying z30 when I was looking to buy a z10.
The reps were totally into showing me stuffs the bb10 can do like, sir it has the swype, it has hub integration, lock, gesture blah blah although I had already done my research on bb10 and it's features.
Probably their motive was to do a good sales and so they were not discouraging the customers.
Via The Monster Z30Tatwi likes this.01-27-14 12:13 AMLike 1 - That was one ridiculous behavior.
Here in India, I believe the sales rep are doing the job properly.
I went to few stores before buying z30 when I was looking to buy a z10.
The reps were totally into showing me stuffs the bb10 can do like, sir it has the swype, it has hub integration, lock, gesture blah blah although I had already done my research on bb10 and it's features.
Probably their motive was to do a good sales and so they were not discouraging the customers.
Via The Monster Z30
Posted via CB1001-27-14 12:50 PMLike 0 -
Posted via CB1001-27-14 01:13 PMLike 0 - I think one major issue here is people are afraid of change. When none BBRY users properly try out the Z10/30 for example, they actually like it a lot. And going back to say there iPhone and/or Android sort of feels weird to them. The reason is both iOS and Android lack the smooth flowing feeling of BB10. This feeling is an addiction IMO, it shows the elegance of the OS, in how it flows smoothly.
This is where Mr. Chen needs proper strategic marketing, and perhaps some give-away contests. Promote the heck out of BB10, especially the Z30.
Also walking into a BELL store, I've noticed if you have an older BBOS, they push BB10 on you, but if you have an older iPhone, they try and sell you a newer iPhone. The same goes with Android/WP8.
Wouldn't this constitute as anti-competition? By manipulating the carrier/store with $ incentives to push there products over the competition? Anyhow, I know for a fact Apple does this, seeing how overpriced there hardware is.02-04-14 05:34 AMLike 0 - Prem WatsAppCrackBerry Jester of JestersThat was one ridiculous behavior.
Here in India, I believe the sales rep are doing the job properly.
I went to few stores before buying z30 when I was looking to buy a z10.
The reps were totally into showing me stuffs the bb10 can do like, sir it has the swype, it has hub integration, lock, gesture blah blah although I had already done my research on bb10 and it's features.
Probably their motive was to do a good sales and so they were not discouraging the customers.
Via The Monster Z30
iPhone for me? Scr... ahem Q that! (posted from the latter)02-04-14 05:44 AMLike 0 - By the sounds of people's experience in stores, I think BlackBerry would be more inclined to say, "We're mad that your employees are trash talking our brand and not actually answering customer inquiries about our products properly".
Magnificently composed using CB10 on my BB Z10!
"sorry if you feel that way, maybe we should terminate our agreement, and you can took back the unsell BB10"
in the end BB have less 1 carrier or store to distibute and support BB10 phone , if you apple / samsung you could complaint to carrier and store, but if you only have less than 1% marketshare the store will care less.02-08-14 02:39 AMLike 0 - I think one major issue here is people are afraid of change. When none BBRY users properly try out the Z10/30 for example, they actually like it a lot. And going back to say there iPhone and/or Android sort of feels weird to them. The reason is both iOS and Android lack the smooth flowing feeling of BB10. This feeling is an addiction IMO, it shows the elegance of the OS, in how it flows smoothly.
This is where Mr. Chen needs proper strategic marketing, and perhaps some give-away contests. Promote the heck out of BB10, especially the Z30.
Also walking into a BELL store, I've noticed if you have an older BBOS, they push BB10 on you, but if you have an older iPhone, they try and sell you a newer iPhone. The same goes with Android/WP8.
Wouldn't this constitute as anti-competition? By manipulating the carrier/store with $ incentives to push there products over the competition? Anyhow, I know for a fact Apple does this, seeing how overpriced there hardware is.
yes maybe BB10 much more smooth than iPhone or android, but with BB10 you have to do more work to install apps (sideload, apk install etc) and you must sacrifice feature from other platform google maps, imessage, siri, google now, icloud, etc02-08-14 02:43 AMLike 0
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Sales Rep Falsely Says: "BlackBerry is bankrupt, BB10 discontinued"
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