[TgeekB]

Maybe so TGeek, and me and you have disagreed (nicely) in the past, but this is happening again and again and again. And it's not just Canada, I posted in another place today about listening to a rep in the background telling someone I know that 'BlackBerry will be dead in a month' as he was selling him a Samsung.

Now, this 'BlackBerry will be dead in a month' lie has been going on for at least 12 months, as reported by Canuck previously when he bought his Z10.

You're (in my experience) a fair minded individual, no matter what phone or platform you ultimately choose, don't you agree that this is unfair?

I see nothing wrong with a sales person pushing the most popular brands. If they meet resistance though, they should back off.

As for the "blackberry will be dead soon" comments, they are no different than the "blackberry is the best platform if people would just give it a try" lie. Or the " people are blind sheep" comments. Or.....you get my point.

Posted via my Nexus 10.

[canuckvoip]

even if we blindly believe the op (and he clearly has more than one emotional bias at play here - st least one completely legitimate and another equally illegitimate) all of this is based on a second Hand, one-sided story from an elderly man suffering from mental deterioration who is now incompetent to deal with this situation.

As much an inconvenience it is for the op to deal with this and as far as he must drive, He should consider that he knows his father is not capable of dealing with such matters anymore. The clerks had a very elderly man with mental deterioration , on their hands, they don't know him. they are working in the dark with a man who probably cannot explain himself clearly or with Authority. !

How overly dramatic. OP didn't say anything about mental disability. Do you know him? Of course not! And again, it's what the gentleman WANTED AND FELT MOST COMFORTABLE WITH!!!
Why oh why is that so hard to understand?

[ray689]

I see nothing wrong with a sales person pushing the most popular brands. If they meet resistance though, they should back off.

As for the "blackberry will be dead soon" comments, they are no different than the "blackberry is the best platform if people would just give it a try" lie. Or the " people are blind sheep" comments. Or.....you get my point.

Posted via my Nexus 10.

Maybe the title of this thread should be changed to "missing the point". Take popularity and sales out of it then.
A customer came in looking for something in particular and was pushed to something different without any rhyme or reason.
Now if he came in saying I want a Q10 (when it launched) and I love all apps and the sales rep said well you might want to look at the iPhone because you may not have access to instagram that you want so much, then that's a different story.

Posted via CB10

[bhrgvr]

You'd be amazed at how many people ask for things they don't actually need, but think they do. Being a good salesman is about finding what is actually best for them.

So right...
The salesperson should ask and the figure out what the customer wants and not just sell something based on their whims.

Posted via CB10

[potatoguy]

I have heard of similar stories, my wife's aunt had a S3 pushed on her from Future Shop. She ended up selling it a year later cuz she couldn't figure out.
Landed home with an IPad another time when she went for a laptop. She's in her 70's

[anon(3732391)]

I like you lady ^.. got style for your age I'm no pervert lol, still in school
I agree (what I actually wanted to say)

WOW! I feel like I landed in the Romper-Room section.
70 isn't nearly as old as it use to be.

This is funny!
If you stay in school long enough, hopefully you'll come to realize that "age" really isn't a factor at all.
And ya won't win any points "with the "for your age" line.
It's like someone saying to you....you're just a kid. You'll understand these things when you get older!
Besides, JD doesn't look a day older than 30. (OK, 32)

In the 60's we use to say: Don't trust anyone over 30!
I'm 63, going on 25 and trust everyone.
And, the older I get, the less I understand!

[deezy87]

OK. Let me clarify again. It wasn't anything to do with the virtues of an iPhone or any other device. It was more a problem of being pushed away from a blackberry device. Already been there done that with the iPhone. This is a very common occurrence and if you don't believe me come here and give it a try.

Posted via CB10

Dude, I know what you're going through. My buddy wanted to get a BlackBerry Q10 from a wireless wave kiosk at Bramalea City Center. This one employee went on about how he should get a Samsung S4. Then I had to step in and stop the nonsense.

Out comes this magnificent beast Q10SQN100-5/10.2.1.2141 and ask what app he has that I could not possibly download on my BlackBerry.

Long story short, he was unable to argue with his own data. I walked away feeling accomplished and in the process making this guy feel like a complete moron.

Icing on the cake was another employee happened to hear me schooling him. She said 'you're able to load APK files!? Now that changes everything.' looking astonished.

The point I'm making is, that carrier employees, who just talk for the sake of speaking, and don't know the facts, can be top notch @$$holes.

Posted via CB10

[birdman_38]

This thread has gone on for so long in so many different directions, it's hard to remember what it was about. Then I reread the original post but couldn't make past the first sentence:

Buying a Blackberry in Saskatchewan has reached the point of stupidity.

Speaking that way about an entire province is a blanket statement, don't you think?

Reading more of the post, I sense a lot of frustration that you failed as a son to assist your elderly father in making an important acquisition that you hope will improve his life in the next few years. You weren't there for him and now you're mad at the world.

[bbq10l]

Maybe the title of this thread should be changed to "missing the point". Take popularity and sales out of it then.
A customer came in looking for something in particular and was pushed to something different without any rhyme or reason.
Now if he came in saying I want a Q10 (when it launched) and I love all apps and the sales rep said well you might want to look at the iPhone because you may not have access to instagram that you want so much, then that's a different story.

Posted via CB10

How do you know the sales clerk had no rhyme or reason? You weren't there and didn't ask him. Maybe he believes BlackBerry will be gone in a year and didn't want an elderly man to waste his money. Maybe he was concerned an elderly man couldn't get support if needed, and all he has to do is go to an Apple store for iphone support. Maybe he truly thinks BlackBerry is awful and was trying to do him a favor as he saw it. Maybe the salesperson has bought the BlackBerry assertion that BlackBerry is a prosumer phone and not a consumer phone, so why would a man in his 80s need it. Salespeople trying to steer customers in another direction is common in sales. And, we are not "missing the point." Some of us just do not agree with you.

Posted via CB10

[birdman_38]

Sales reps are biased and rarely do what's right for the customer.

That's a matter of opinion, not of fact.

[birdman_38]

I walked away feeling accomplished and in the process making this guy feel like a complete moron.

So... you felt good about making someone else feel bad. I don't know of anyone who is proud to be a bully. Usually they're just cowards.

[bbq10l]

"The facts are there in front of all of our eyes. Sales reps are biased and rarely do what's right for the customer. "


When the iphone 4S came out, I went to at&t and said I wanted to upgrade my iphone 4. The salesman asked me why. After listening to me, he said it's not worth the cost. He said the 4S is a great phone, but there wasn't enough difference for me to spend the difference for the upgrade. I was very appreciative and waited for the 5. I think he did what was right for the customer.

Posted via CB10

Posted via CB10

[bbq10l]

Dude, I know what you're going through. My buddy wanted to get a BlackBerry Q10 from a wireless wave kiosk at Bramalea City Center. This one employee went on about how he should get a Samsung S4. Then I had to step in and stop the nonsense.

Out comes this magnificent beast Q10SQN100-5/10.2.1.2141 and ask what app he has that I could not possibly download on my BlackBerry.

Long story short, he was unable to argue with his own data. I walked away feeling accomplished and in the process making this guy feel like a complete moron.

Icing on the cake was another employee happened to hear me schooling him. She said 'you're able to load APK files!? Now that changes everything.' looking astonished.

The point I'm making is, that carrier employees, who just talk for the sake of speaking, and don't know the facts, can be top notch @$$holes.

Posted via CB10

In the "process of making this guy feel like a complete moron" did you explain to your buddy that all those android apps will come with little to no support? Did you explain many won't fit the Q screen and may not work to full capacity? Did you explain that depending on where you live you may get delayed updates but that's ok, I mean there are always leaks. I'll bet that guy has a wonderful view of BlackBerry now and is sure to want to support and sell BlackBerry after his public humiliation at his job by a BlackBerry fan.

Posted via CB10

[Omnitech]

So... you felt good about making someone else feel bad. I don't know of anyone who is proud to be a bully. Usually they're just cowards.

I hope you apply the same standards to all the mobile store reps who have a well-known penchant for arm-twisting customers into whatever they happen to like, or what is trendy, or whatever they get a spiff for selling that day, regardless what they come in asking-for.

Or is that a different kind of "bully"?

[deezy87]

So... you felt good about making someone else feel bad. I don't know of anyone who is proud to be a bully. Usually they're just cowards.

Proving him wrong while he was adamant about Android OS being the most best/reliable and he also said SECURITY features had nothing on BlackBerry as well. I didn't want to post the whole story, but the blunt of it was him going on about how Android OS, specifically on the Samsung Galaxy S4 and Note 3 was 'untouchable' and BlackBerry 10 was a failed hail Mary pass.

My buddy went into the mall to get a BlackBerry, yet the employee kept bringing Android devices up time after time. He kept taking shots at them going out of business, being put on sale, no one wanted to buy them, so on and so forth.

As this was going on, I found the Peter Misek clip saying that it would take 4 million+ years to crack into BlackBerry, and it is more or less NSA proof.

So, he kinda tried to bully my friend into going Android. He also knows that I know my sh1t when it comes to BlackBerry. I wasn't vulgar, whereas he was. No matter how 'chill' the person on the other end is, you have to be professional 110% while at work. I have a trucking company, and I get hot heads cussing me up and down. I handle it, let him/her know about whatever is getting them heated, and we're okay in under 7 minutes.

Now, if you were there, you'd be retracting the statement you made saying I'm a bully and a coward.

Quick to pass judgment, I see.

Posted via CB10

[rzanger]

This thread has gone on for so long in so many different directions, it's hard to remember what it was about. Then I reread the original post but couldn't make past the first sentence:

Speaking that way about an entire province is a blanket statement, don't you think?

Reading more of the post, I sense a lot of frustration that you failed as a son to assist your elderly father in making an important acquisition that you hope will improve his life in the next few years. You weren't there for him and now you're mad at the world.

Afraid not. Try again. I may be frustrated that I have to go just so he can look at getting a Q10. If the thread is going off in so many directions take a look in the mirror.

[deezy87]

In the "process of making this guy feel like a complete moron" did you explain to your buddy that all those android apps will come with little to no support? Did you explain many won't fit the Q screen and may not work to full capacity? Did you explain that depending on where you live you may get delayed updates but that's ok, I mean there are always leaks. I'll bet that guy has a wonderful view of BlackBerry now and is sure to want to support and sell BlackBerry after his public humiliation at his job by a BlackBerry fan.

Posted via CB10

*sighs*

He isn't into gimmicks of having a bazillion apps, very few Android apps he did get work seamlessly.

Anything else?

Posted via CB10

[deezy87]

Afraid not. Try again. I may be frustrated that I have to go just so he can look at getting a Q10. If the thread is going off in so many directions take a look in the mirror.

Don't feed this 1d10t.

Posted via CB10

[birdman_38]

I hope you apply the same standards to all the mobile store reps who have a well-known penchant for arm-twisting customers into whatever they happen to like, or what is trendy, or whatever they get a spiff for selling that day, regardless what they come in asking-for.

Or is that a different kind of "bully"?

No, that's actually manufacturers doing what they're supposed to. They recognize the importance of salespeople and connect with them. That's a concept totally foreign to BlackBerry.

[leehardballer12]

I see nothing wrong with a sales person pushing the most popular brands. If they meet resistance though, they should back off.

As for the "blackberry will be dead soon" comments, they are no different than the "blackberry is the best platform if people would just give it a try" lie. Or the " people are blind sheep" comments. Or.....you get my point.

Posted via my Nexus 10.

Actually, telling someone that BB will be dead soon is presenting information as a fact when it clearly is not a fact, but an opinion. One that turned out to be wrong anyway, making it a borderline lie. Saying BB is the best platform, OS, user experience, ect., or, that people are sheep, is clearly an opinion and not intended nor implied to be in any way factual. I don't necessarily disagree with what I think you were implying, but those examples do not equate.

[rzanger]

How do you know the sales clerk had no rhyme or reason? You weren't there and didn't ask him. Maybe he believes BlackBerry will be gone in a year and didn't want an elderly man to waste his money. Maybe he was concerned an elderly man couldn't get support if needed, and all he has to do is go to an Apple store for iphone support. Maybe he truly thinks BlackBerry is awful and was trying to do him a favor as he saw it. Maybe the salesperson has bought the BlackBerry assertion that BlackBerry is a prosumer phone and not a consumer phone, so why would a man in his 80s need it. Salespeople trying to steer customers in another direction is common in sales. And, we are not "missing the point." Some of us just do not agree with you.

Posted via CB10

Well I am not an elderly man and have had similar experiences. Go to an Apple store? Really. That's rich. And if you don't agree with me that's fine but what you post just proves my point.

[bbq10l]

*sighs*

He isn't into gimmicks of having a bazillion apps, very few Android apps he did get work seamlessly.

Anything else?

Posted via CB10

I apologize. I forgot BlackBerry fans consider apps on smartphones to be gimmicks. So I guess there was no point in the gazillion threads about BlackBerry "running android better than android." Weren't you singing those praises in the store? I thought apps was one of the reasons the phones don't sell...Ummm- yea, I think I'm right.

Posted via CB10

[Raestloz]

iPhones are actually well known for being useable by folks with various disabilities, and have a large amount of assistance style apps. Not to mention Siri, which can be very helpful for doing certain tasks.

Now maybe this wasn't the best phone for your person, but realistically, if recommending a phone for someone who will likely have low motor control and not the best vision, big icons and speech commands are probably advantageous over small keys and tiny screen.

Now the return objections etc, thats a whole different matter.

Do Parkinson affect speech skills?

I mean, speech recognition can't do jack s*** if you can't speak, and iPhone has the infamous "auto-mistype"

Z10 STL100-1/10.2.1.1925

[birdman_38]

Try again. I may be frustrated that I have to go just so he can look at getting a Q10.

So, you would sacrifice your time to correct a problem for a loved one, but not prevent it.

It's kinda like if you recommend he buy Ford F-150 but they sell him a Toyota Yaris instead. With the reason being they feel it would suit his needs better. What is there to be angry about? Other than your pride being hurt.

[birdman_38]

My buddy went into the mall to get a BlackBerry, yet the employee kept bringing Android devices up time after time. He kept taking shots at them going out of business, being put on sale, no one wanted to buy them, so on and so forth.

He was only echoing what he's read and heard. But there's a simple solution if you guys felt uncomfortable in any way...go to a different store.