[Venichie]

Maybe RIM should re model the setup/option screen to make it easier for the less technical to use bb at the first place. Will save them a lot of time and money

Apple does display custom designed/programed retail (demo) models, which RIM really should of done with the Playbook. Why you may ask? Well here's a few reasons.

1) The Playbook navigation is completely different then the rest of the tablets, and I'm sure hundreds are just frustrated meeting the Playbook... atleast without the demo or rep to sample it (which is almost always the case).

2) Most floor models are set with the basic apps, and without it being on the latest software. While the IPad is up to date, and has planty of attractive preset apps for people to play with.

3) They also need the Playbook to be flashy enough to attract costumers to atleast try it out (make it stand out). There's really hundreds of tablets, and most have they're minds set on the IPad. Not even %50 of costumers are even going to know what the Playbook is, let alone recognize/acknowledge it over all the others.

I personally believe they need to set there's aside and scream out to a type of crowed, because IPad is winning the, "I'm the best at everything" game. If they want to still be the business leaders, I believe they need to work with the best business developers before everything else... Some ex. apps:
ADOBE TOUCH (For our art friends)
MICROSFT OFFICE (The current ones are a joke to business users)
CRITIX RECIEVER (Finish the dam beta already!)
(Better web plug-ins; Silverlight, etc...) We need the full web access to make use of this tablet!

I can go on with what needs improvement, but look at me rave... I'm sorry for the ramble.

[mpina0070]

I work for a major Wireless Provider. RIM does have a team of local sales advocates that go around store to store to help push products much like all major phone manufacturers. Personally I am a huge blackberry fan and send out weekly emails about Blackberry and the products we will. It has been my experience that a lot of sales people take there job a little relaxed and expect phones to sell only on pure name.

Maybe this is just me talking but it seems as though no one really wants to get to know there product. I have an oldschool type of mentality. I want to know what I sell. if I believe in a product it sells easily. i figure spending all this time and effort to know a product will help me find what the customer needs and not just wants because some random commercial or celebrity has it and says so should you.

There Territory Advocates cover a lot of ground with multiple carries. With RIM recent restructuring it has only made Advocates stretch beyond its means.

The other part. As an Associate on the front lines selling phones I want to motivates. As an associate you become accustomed to OEM Manufactures to pamper with you incentives. What people fail to realize is the Associate who helped a customer out has a lot of say as to what phone he or she will be using. As a free market there hasn't been much of any support or incentive to push there product.

I feel as though alot of people have just stopped trusting in RIM.

This is all speaking from a Part-Time College/ Work and also part time employee.

[Blackberry_boffin]

They should give out a Blackberry T shirt with every Phone they sell. Thats getting the word out.

Basically esp when you launch a new line of devices offer the first 20/30 buyers free tshirts per outlet.
That is effortless advertising whilst acknowledging loyalty.

[rfalter]

Why in God's name would they do that? Their stock is down 70%, users are defecting like crazy, they are WAY behind in total users/units sold, and are at real risk of becoming the Atari of the 21st century. Besides, there are all of those BB stores to go into for info, or the geniuses at Best Buy or AT&T can always offer the best of advice. Silly girl/guy, BB's are for kids!

I work in cosmetics, and reading all these user posts about bad experiences involving unknowledgable and discouraging sales reps towards bb products got me thinking, are there ever any bb reps in-store to help sales? In the cosmetic world we have something like this, we have vendors and artists who are seasoned, and they are scheduled by our brand's account executive to visit different stores to help sell and boost sales. Most of the time when its an artist we build an event around it and customers see this as a special opportunity to learn more about our product from specialists.

When I think about sales rep who push people towards the same products, it makes me think of the store Sephora where there are hundreds of different brands, and a handful of sales people that can point you in any direction they want. Some of our artists have told us some crazy stories about the sales associates who push certain brands just because of incentives they get, didn't matter if the product was right for the person.

So where I'm going with this is if RIM can't have Blackberry stores, wouldn't it be nice if they would send a specialist say for example, into Best Buy three times a week for like, say a 5 hour shift to educate prospective buyers on the models features and benefits? It would also be good because they could keep all the models up to date, and presentable unlike the sad neglected displays we come across in some retailers.

Just don't know the policies with the retailers on something like this, but I know in the big box dept. stores in cosmetics, the vendors are always present in-store, at our counter we even have a resident artist who isn't employed by our store. Come to think of it there are even brand specialists in the clothing dept.

Anyways am I late and this does exist? If not, do you think it would be a good idea?

[msmara]

Why in God's name would they do that? Their stock is down 70%, users are defecting like crazy, they are WAY behind in total users/units sold, and are at real risk of becoming the Atari of the 21st century. Besides, there are all of those BB stores to go into for info, or the geniuses at Best Buy or AT&T can always offer the best of advice. Silly girl/guy, BB's are for kids!

Makes me wanna do a secret shopper experiment, shop for a smartphone and every time they ask me what I'm looking for, describe everything I love about my Blackberry (won't tell them I have one) and see if I even get offered a Blackberry once.