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I thought I would share the joys of years of working in the wireless industry with you folks.
After five or so years of working in this industry, I have learned that the SCs in this industry demonstrate a very different type of insanity than the normal retail SCs.
This will be a list of types of customers rather than specific event-- after all, you do this long enough and you can even begin to predict, nearly to the letter, what direction the conversation will take.
Im posting this as though I were speaking to the customer because I cant actually say these things IRL and it is fun to pretend.
So where to begin? I think pet-peeves will probably do. Anyone who has worked in the wireless industry will immediately be able to relate to how annoying and baffling this first type of customer is.
1.) People who come to the store to pay their bill.
This type of customer has at least three sub-categories. Now, on its face, this is extremely irritating due to the fact that we are commisioned employees. Whats more is that the customers tend to know we are commisioned employees. What that means is that, especially when the store is busy, you are literally a waste of time and also costing us money we could be earning on a lucrative customer. This annoyance however, is typically veiled because from a pragmatic and company standpoint, we cant really justify the deep, boiling rage inside. Technically, you arent doing anything wrong. We also try not remind ourselves of how there are a bazillion alternative ways you could pay without wasting everyone's, including your own, time. If you have ever been told "you know you could pay this online without having to come to the store? Im sure you would love to save yourself the drive!" This is the reason. Enough rambling, on to the subcategories.
A) Customers paying their mobile bill with cash.
Well, I cant really be angry with you here, this is literally your only option. This one tends to quell my annoyance quite a bit when I notice this is the case. Get a prepaid card dude.
B)Customers paying their mobile bill with cash, but avoiding the payment kiosk.
Now this is just absurd. Did you really just wait in line for 45 minutes, huffing and puffing, flapping your arms like a seal all while making muffled "this is ridiculous" noises when there is a clearly labeled bill payment kiosk right next to you? Extra points if you managed to get a rep's attention and say "I just need to pay my bill," from way in the back of the line because we are actually beaming with joy on the inside, feeling incredibly relieved that, no, you will wait your turn. We also manipulate the length of time we take with our sales in order that you will get sick of it and, heres an idea, use the payment kiosk, or some other unlucky rep will have to process the payment. Usually the inexperienced reps get stuck with this, as they havent yet learned this tactic.
C.) Bill pay customers who pay with a card and avoid the bill pay kiosk
Why would you do this? I find it difficult to believe that otherwise rational and sane people would wake up in the morning thinking "gosh, I really want to waste some time and I need to pay my phone bill...how can I do this? I have my computer and my smartphone which could process the payment in less than 30 seconds, but would that be the BEST way to waste some time?" "No, Ill take my 10 or so minutes to get ready, drive the 10-15 minutes to the nearest store, wait in line 5-45 minutes and then ill drive back, oh and ill avoid the kiosk, because who really needs to use machines specifically and exclusively designed for what I need to do, the rep is a better option". To this customer, I actually do hate you so much. It is very difficult not to reach over the counter and strangle you for your complete disregard for my time AND YOURS.
I want to clarify that this is limited to people exclusively coming to the store to pay their bills. If you needed to get something from me and needed to pay your bill, im totally ok with that- or if you needed to ask questions about your bill, although that is a task better suited for customer service.
I also realize that the carriers are partly to blame for this sort of behavior. This is just unintelligible in most other industries. You wouldnt dream of paying your monthly car payment to the rep that sold you your car. So yes, the customer is not totally responsible.
Special bonus customer
D) Bill pay customer who actually uses the kiosk.
I love you so much, you make me smile everytime I see it happen. You are the best.
Thats long enough for the first post. The next will be on the total inversion of the customer and sales rep relationship that one is accustomed to in other contexts.
After five or so years of working in this industry, I have learned that the SCs in this industry demonstrate a very different type of insanity than the normal retail SCs.
This will be a list of types of customers rather than specific event-- after all, you do this long enough and you can even begin to predict, nearly to the letter, what direction the conversation will take.
Im posting this as though I were speaking to the customer because I cant actually say these things IRL and it is fun to pretend.
So where to begin? I think pet-peeves will probably do. Anyone who has worked in the wireless industry will immediately be able to relate to how annoying and baffling this first type of customer is.
1.) People who come to the store to pay their bill.
This type of customer has at least three sub-categories. Now, on its face, this is extremely irritating due to the fact that we are commisioned employees. Whats more is that the customers tend to know we are commisioned employees. What that means is that, especially when the store is busy, you are literally a waste of time and also costing us money we could be earning on a lucrative customer. This annoyance however, is typically veiled because from a pragmatic and company standpoint, we cant really justify the deep, boiling rage inside. Technically, you arent doing anything wrong. We also try not remind ourselves of how there are a bazillion alternative ways you could pay without wasting everyone's, including your own, time. If you have ever been told "you know you could pay this online without having to come to the store? Im sure you would love to save yourself the drive!" This is the reason. Enough rambling, on to the subcategories.
A) Customers paying their mobile bill with cash.
Well, I cant really be angry with you here, this is literally your only option. This one tends to quell my annoyance quite a bit when I notice this is the case. Get a prepaid card dude.
B)Customers paying their mobile bill with cash, but avoiding the payment kiosk.
Now this is just absurd. Did you really just wait in line for 45 minutes, huffing and puffing, flapping your arms like a seal all while making muffled "this is ridiculous" noises when there is a clearly labeled bill payment kiosk right next to you? Extra points if you managed to get a rep's attention and say "I just need to pay my bill," from way in the back of the line because we are actually beaming with joy on the inside, feeling incredibly relieved that, no, you will wait your turn. We also manipulate the length of time we take with our sales in order that you will get sick of it and, heres an idea, use the payment kiosk, or some other unlucky rep will have to process the payment. Usually the inexperienced reps get stuck with this, as they havent yet learned this tactic.
C.) Bill pay customers who pay with a card and avoid the bill pay kiosk
Why would you do this? I find it difficult to believe that otherwise rational and sane people would wake up in the morning thinking "gosh, I really want to waste some time and I need to pay my phone bill...how can I do this? I have my computer and my smartphone which could process the payment in less than 30 seconds, but would that be the BEST way to waste some time?" "No, Ill take my 10 or so minutes to get ready, drive the 10-15 minutes to the nearest store, wait in line 5-45 minutes and then ill drive back, oh and ill avoid the kiosk, because who really needs to use machines specifically and exclusively designed for what I need to do, the rep is a better option". To this customer, I actually do hate you so much. It is very difficult not to reach over the counter and strangle you for your complete disregard for my time AND YOURS.
I want to clarify that this is limited to people exclusively coming to the store to pay their bills. If you needed to get something from me and needed to pay your bill, im totally ok with that- or if you needed to ask questions about your bill, although that is a task better suited for customer service.
I also realize that the carriers are partly to blame for this sort of behavior. This is just unintelligible in most other industries. You wouldnt dream of paying your monthly car payment to the rep that sold you your car. So yes, the customer is not totally responsible.
Special bonus customer
D) Bill pay customer who actually uses the kiosk.
I love you so much, you make me smile everytime I see it happen. You are the best.
Thats long enough for the first post. The next will be on the total inversion of the customer and sales rep relationship that one is accustomed to in other contexts.
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