AT&T Reps Instructed to Sell Anything But iPhone

It’s easy to say iPhone sales have significantly slowed on AT&T, growing only 3% in the last quarter. The common rumor was just that everybody is holding out for the next generation. AT&T may have other motives, though. According to BGR, regional retail sales managers have been ordering that store managers push for sales of Android or Windows Phone, rather than the iPhone. Even if a customer comes in with every intention to buy an iPhone, customers should be informed of the other options as well for an “informed decision.” One manager reported that he had seen almost a 30% drop in iPhone sales after instructed to sell other products.

It’s good to see that people are getting the full spectrum of options out there from AT&T. But how do you guys feel about it? Let us know!

BGR

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john wayne 5 pts

yea but the i-phone is such a easier sale with more options on accsesories and sell applecare less likely the customer will come back saying why does my phone crash and why does the battery suck less problems easier sale for me i make more money  ill pitch other phones but i love selling  i-phones easy sell

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SkyPira 35 pts

this is good...it clears up the image the iphone has with the average consumer as the "best" phone. doing this with help consumers see that there are BETTER and OTHER alternatives.

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bweezydp 5 pts

Look in the sky its a bird no It's a plane no It's apple's legal team coming to save the day watch out they might sue for lost money on a 2 year old design and five year old software I think the magic number is 2.5 billion on that.

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The phone carriers cut of the profits are directly related to the phone they sell. They do not make as much money from a closed hardware/software phone as they do with an opens source non restricted phone.

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kanoneyez 72 pts

Seems the love affair between the carriers and Apple is over. Apple has strong-armed everyone too much. The day the Samsung Galaxy S3 was to be released, I went to a company-owned store. The sales person I spoke to said that Apple was applying pressure on ATT to not sell it. About a week later, it was in the store. If the salesperson's claim is true (I don't doubt it), then this may be carrier's response to "unnecessary roughness" and giving Apple a penalty "time out." LOL

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kanoneyez 72 pts

BTW, when ATT was the only carrier of the iPhoney, I had been told that the contract between them & Crapple was that the iPhoney be the only smartphone in their lineup. That explains why it took so long for Android to get to ATT and why, for a while, ATT only offered low- to mid-range Android phones.

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I have AT&T and although I am exceptionally satisfied with my servince I dont think they should push us to buy a certain phone? If i want an iPhone ..... then they should support my decision? either way they're getting paid, and they make their customers happy? 

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The problem with that is that so many people (not all, but a large portion) blindly walk in asking for an iPhone when they're clueless about the alternatives.

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kanoneyez 72 pts

I agree the sales force shouldn't "push" but i also think the public is for the most part uneducated as to their options. When they think "pretty icons," they, for the most part, think iPhoney. Android can be as simple or as challenging as each individual user wants. When my wife 1st saw the iPhoney, she wanted one and expressed it in no uncertain terms. I told her I am not spending that sort of money and showed her the Android phone. She loves it to this day.

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DanDaniel 15 pts

back in the day before the interwebz  we actually HAD to SELL phones. It was common practice to qualify the customer and make sure they are getting exactly what they NEED. Now I have notices most reps to have the ability to properly qualify a customer or go through the steps of a sale.  Its is a lost art at most corporate stores. The agents do a better job of it because they are paid on Gross profit and not just an opportunity.

If the carriers really want to make some money go back to paying a low base with a higher commission for more profitable device and a higher commission on accessories. The bottomline will go up employees will stay longer because they are making more money and everyone will be happier.

 

Adout time ATT something to become more profitable

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RaphaelMastromonaco 10 pts

 DanDaniel I know what you mean, i worked for tmobile. You just said one of the smartest things about the industry ive ever heard. Its so true, but will it ever happen? I hope so bc i left the company for the exact reason of making not enough money. Commission structures change too much and the compaines, it seems, try to make it as complicated as possible to hide the fact that they want more of our commission. They want us to make money for them not for ourselves.

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TerryRMyers 6 pts

About time iPhone has been shoved down peoples throat like Obamacare..Is over rated and over priced in comparison to an Android or Windows phone.. Remember the world is a tuxedo and iphone is a pair of brown shoes

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sprodigy 5 pts

 TerryRMyers So are you for or against the iPhone? Your post is unclear.

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 sprodigy His post it clear, he's against it."iPhone has been shoved down peoples through......is over rated and over priced." Obviously a dis?

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Justn16 5 pts

Verizon did the same thing when I went to get my iPhone they pushed for android and never said anything about the iPhone and when I asked they like I don't recommend it unless you ever used it befor which I had 1 year sprint iPhone user and they like well it's not lte and it's kinda out dated lte and droid better

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 Justn16 Really? Everytime I visit my Verizon store, I see them pushing customers to the iPhone. /and I visit there quite a few times.

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passinthru 5 pts

I know that Verizon has been doing this for quite some time.   The fact is that the carriers have very little profit margin and upsell over the iPhone so for them, the Android is a very good deal.

 

This does not surprise me at all.   Wouldn't make me happy if I were an iPhone enthusiast though.   Sucks to be them.

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RaphaelMastromonaco 10 pts

I used to sell phones, I do like my iphone, but i have to say using a windows phone wasnt all that bad with the way it is now. People complain about "apps" not all being there and some people dont care about an apps store like others do...Some people go way overboard on apps

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jaydonsteele 6 pts

Good! People need to know the iPhone isn't the only freakin' phone out there!

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JeanMarc1 6 pts

I think it is a good move by AT&T customers need to know what else is out there.

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MdXMaxX 21 pts

People definitely need to see that the iPhone isn't the end-all-be-all ultimate mobile device.

 

Nothing wrong with AT&T trying to push other phones IMO.  I don't feel it's unfair to Apple; I mean everyone's heard of the iPhone, but not everyone's heard of the Galaxy S or the One.

 

People who actually know they want an iPhone will just ignore the sales rep and get an iPhone anyway.

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yamigenshuku 16 pts

 MdXMaxX I 100% agree. If anything I think the iPhone is the most pushed device by retailers. And it I think its a great thing that AT&T is flexing their inventory; they aren't the Apple store and customers(especially first time smartphone owners) need to their options on Android and WP7.Being a previous iPhone3GS user, I'd say there are a lot of features on Android that surpass iOS in every way, and at this stage in the game you have 4G-LTE devices that are faster and more functional the the iPhone. And even Windows Phone is pretty intriguing, the fluidity is great, not a lot of customization, but it makes things so simple to use without insulting your intelligence while getting the job done.

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