Interesting experience at the local AT&T store while purchasing a new carrying case for my IPhone. “David” was very friendly and solicitous. He even took it upon himself to hand-clean my Iphone, handling it with great care (and communicating such) and then personally putting it into its new case.
He then told me that because I’ve been a loyal customer, AT&T wanted to upgrade me to 24-7 problem-solving. If there was ever a challenge, all I needed to do was contact them for immediate help.
Wow! Cool again. With my technophobia, plus the fact that I’m a “convenience buyer” more than a “price buyer” this would be perfect for me. Now, I figured it was an upsell (which, I’m always fine with if it’s good for everyone involved) and asked him how much extra it was.
“Not a penny” he replied. “It’s just our way of saying thank you.”
“Nice touch” I thought. A courtesy upgrade. Wow!
“All you need to do is sign this” he said, as a two-page “contracty-looking” document spewed out of his computer.
“David, why is there a lengthy contract for something that’s a courtesy upgrade?”
“Oh, it’s nothing really” he replied. “Just a little thing that says…{the following ten seconds sounded to me like something from the old Peanuts/Charlie Brown specials}
“waa wa waa…the relationship… wa wah wah…only two years…wa wah wa” …concluding with, once again, “only two years.”
“I’m not sure I understand, I politely inquired. “Is it a courtesy upgrade or are they committing me to two years of something that I’m not sure I want?”
Now he tried to explain why it was a “good deal.”
Well, it might have been. Or, it might not have been. But, I wasn’t about to find out. My experience with AT&T as a company is that sometimes I feel like they care if I’m a satisfied customer and other times I feel they don’t care at all. And, I’ve discovered, when dealing with them, that I’m always best-served not being under any type of lengthy contract from which I cannot easily escape.
But, of course, that’s not the only challenge I had with this transaction. We’ve been speaking recently about the “know, like and trust” aspect of sales. It certainly wasn’t in play here.
We’ll get into specifics in Part Two but, needless to say, I politely declined his offer. And, he was visibly “ticked” that I did.
What do you think my main challenges were with the way David handled what did indeed turn out to be an upsell?
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Sly! is the word that comes to my mind and the telephone service industry has become the slyest of the sly. We will always need the connect-ability services that that affords us the benefits if of being mobile and in touch; however we may not always decide to chose those companies that give us a hard time or consider us fools or sheep. Now that we have the capability to retain our telephone numbers on changing carriers I would think (if I were in charge of the decision making process) that they would clean up their act because sooner or later people will beginning seeing through those slick up sells and search out providers based on their up front customer care attitudes.
Even the large corporations can suffer great loses when they lose sight of who actual signs their paychecks. Of course there are always alternatives however that takes some work and responsibility on our part to shop diligently.
I can say that the opposite is true as well. I have, on the occasion, run into wonderful honest service or product providers that not only keep to their advertising promises about their product, they also supply REAL customer service that made me feel of importance. Kudos to those company execs that create that company paradigm. As a consultant to Speakers & Trainers in today’s Human Potential marketplace I do my utmost to impress that dollars are important (without the input of those we are all out of business) yet not the end all be all. When your main business platform is slick salesmanship then you will always be selling in that manner. When your busness model is supply great products and amazing service then your clients become your sales force. Something I am assured that Bob would agree with.
Thank you Bob for your mentor-ship.
Thanks Bob for being transparant in that we are not the only ones that encounter these kinds of scenarios.
My only question is……….
“He then told me that because I’ve been a loyal customer, AT&T wanted to upgrade me to 24-7 problem-solving. If there was ever a challenge, all I needed to do was contact them for immediate help.”
If you were such a loyal customer, when does providing 24/7 customer service require a contract?
Does it mean after that time, you are no longer valued? or….does it mean the newest customer hasn’t qualified for it yet?
As always I appreciate your wisdom! (can’t wait to hear you live in a couple of weeks! )
Hmmm, main challenges, so many seem to be jumping off the page. The one that really hits me though is that although this appears intended to be so nice and “courteous” and in your best interest, it is a dishonest approach to “tricking” you into committing to a two year contract.
While you were quick enough to see right through the process and plan, many people would not be. Many people would be so excited about his treatment and the courteous upgrade that they overlook the rest.
To top it off with the “ticked” attitude really rules out the “know like and trust” for any future sales as well. I do believe both David and AT&T could use some of your sales guidance Bob.
He should have qualified you properly and shown you the benefits of what he had to offer. I think it has been a basic fear o rejection on his part and so when you felt that you have been tricked into something, you naturally backed off. Had he asked a few questions to qualify you and taken his time to present all the benefits, then the outcome may have been diferent.
This is why salespeople are almost universally loathed. Because they lie.
And, not coincedentally, why AT&T is almost universally loathed. Because nearly every time you deal with an AT&T employee, you must be on your guard, lest you inadvertently sell your soul as a “courtesy” to AT&T.
Will they never learn?
Edie, your wisdom was a great blog post in and of itself (which you might want to write) :-). Yes, it appears as though it was a trick from the get-go, doesn’t it? And, that’s exactly how it came off to me. And, not only would many people not see through it, even after doing so, many would not be able to stave off the implied “self-pressure” of already having said what a great idea it is. So, the entire approach actually reeks of “manipulation” as opposed to persuasion. Come to think of it, I really mis-titled the article. And, regarding your third paragraph and ruining any potential “know, like and trust relationship”…absolutely!!
Martin, I absolutely agree with you in terms of the “technical aspect” of the sale. That would have been so much better (not to mention, honest and forthright) than what he did. However, I don’t think it was so much a fear of rejection on his part. Though I don’t know this for sure, I’d imagine that this was something that someone at AT&T came up with and teaches as part of the selling process. I certainly hope I’m wrong about this, but I suspect I’m not. It was too…slick and smooth for this guy to have come up with on his own. These types of things certainly a bad name to the otherwise honorable profession of selling, don’t they?
Kathleen, not all salespeople lie. However, I agree with what you said in that the ones who do give the profession of sales a horrible reputation. What a shame. And, yes, I think your second paragraph is right on the mark. Regarding your third paragraph…I hope they will, but I really don’t know. Great points!
Good morning Bob,
This scene resonates with me. No one likes to be “tricked” into doing business. Perhaps the greatest tragedy is that so much time (and money) was spent on a strategy designed to “fool” customers. What if that creativity had been thrown at developing an honest-to-goodness loyalty campaign? What if the goal was to create so much value that customers choose to stay?
Another 5-Star Blog!
Dondi
Wow…at first, I thought the experience was rather a hoax or a dream. You rarely see this happen. In the case where a company would reward its loyal customers. Wouldn’t it be nice when loyalty actually & truly is rewarded these days. But rather doing so, companies use elusive techniques “to lock you” down, so that you continue to do business with them.
You were right to decline something that is FREE that requires a contract. Not because it wasn’t a good deal, but rather because the person selling it to you sounded like he wasn’t being forth coming. Details that were important were not given to you, so why should you, in your right mind agree to something like that.
Tried searching for this “FREE DEAL” on the http://www.att.com site, and couldn’t find anything to that nature. Look forward to hearing the details Bob. Thanks for sharing.
Hi Bob: Well that just has the “ick factor” written all over it.
The older, bigger companies need to realize that the old ways of doing business anymore just don’t work. Oh sure, they’ll always work – on some people. But they will find more and more that they are losing customers and/or customer satisfaction because they just don’t get it.
Sure everyone “knows” AT&T. And a lot of people “like” them. Yep, I have an iPhone and don’t know what I’d do without it. But “trust”?? Dishonesty does not create trust. What David, and AT&T, did was dishonest. That will always come through, and it will always leave a bad taste in your mouth. Sadly, there are a lot of people out there who would not even realize what was happening and would fall for it.
Bob,
I would ask, did this offer eliminate “pain” you were experiencing, and did this sales associate ever ask you what your needs/desires were, before trying to slam you into a contract. In my experience, the most common mistake a sales person makes, assuming that they build trust, once they think they have your trust, they forget to find out what your needs are. Translation, they are only building trust to make a sale, not because they want a relationship – just something to check off of their process. I really feel sorry for guys like this, who are probably well intentioned good people, given difficult jobs and terrible training, and the only coaching they get, “how many contracts did you get today?” Very sad!
Good morning Bob! What a great discussion – I love how you threw this post at us for thought sharing.
Here’s what came to mind for me: sometimes when competing objectives are obviously at play (pure customer service vs. volume movement on the 2 yr ‘free problem solving’ plan) – there’s a compensation structure underneath that ultimately drives the sales person/employee’s behaviour.
So many companies speak to the critical importance of superior service – yet employee performance tends to be measured and compensated for factors that actually run in the face of the Superior Service claim. For instance, the Call Center employees who are penalized for each call that lasts longer than 2-3 minutes in spite of the company’s claim that Service is Job One. Both objectives cannot co-exist ~ rather than supporting each other, they tend to cancel each other out.
Being the softie that I am — I’m going to assume that the Sales Rep was actually doing his best to provide you great service (he targetted a need – you professed to being a technophobe in the post, he was gentle with your phone – treating it as is own or better) ~ while at the same time, he needed to meet his expectations with the 2 yr plan offering for job security, etc.
Yes, he could have elaborated on the details and yes, he may have been taking advantage of what he may have hoped to be ignorance … but at the end of the day – he’s doing his job and the issue likely roots in the company’s mixed messages and conflicting objectives.
I have always agreed with “Let the Buyer BEWARE”. There will always be those who are unaware we live in abundance and think tricks and schemes are the way to improve their station in life. As consumers, we must protect ourselves.
What I like most about your story Bob, is you were following along nicely believing he had a very nice offer for you and asking all the appropriate questions as you went along. Please notice I mentioned you “Asked Questions” as he was explaining.
I believe the biggest problem with consumers, and the true reason folks get scammed, taken advantage of, etc is because each individual person does not assert themselves and make certain they are getting what they want.
I have learned that if I am to be effective in helping others, I have to find out what they need, want or does not want. If I can help them and they want me to, I will. What I would love to teach folks out there is to ask “themselves” what they need, want or dont want when a buying occasion happens. Then they need to be responsible to find the answers for themselves and that requires asking questions.
No dishonest sales person can make you his prey so long as you question the presenter and the presentation.
Dondi: Thank you. That was a 5-Star response. You hit it right on the head, my friend!
Cesar: Right on. Regardless of how good a “deal” it was, the salesperson totally lost my trust when I realized he had been less than forthcoming.
Lori: More great points. Thank you. And, I like your term, the “ick factor.”
Steve: No, he did none of that. It was all about the upsell; not about the customer. And, I do believe he actually is a good, well-intentioned guy who was simply following what he’d been trained to do. I don’t know that for sure but it is what I suspect.
SallyG: Yes, compensaion structures do indeed drive employee performance to a certain degree. As the saying goes, “Behavior that gets rewarded, gets repeated.” Still, when it comes down to it, a salesperson can only do what their conscience allows. I totally don’t think that “David” realizes he is doing anything wrong, and probably believes enough in the deal that – to him – it’s worth doing it this way because it probably has been proven to work to a certain degree. I can definitely tell you that had I not had my “scam antennae” up (which happens when something surprises me within a certain process) and had I not been strong enough to go contrary to the Law of Consistency and the subtle high-pressure tactic that was used (will explain in another post), which many would not be strong enough to resist, I’d have purchased the two-year deal and probably felt terrible about doing something I knew I’d been tricked into.
I also agree with your thoughts regarding what companies often claim as their mission yet they operate contrary to that. And, as I mentioned to Steve in the above response, I also agree with you that “David” is basically a good guy and is simply doing what he was trained to do without realizing it’s lack of appropriateness. Thank you for sharing, my friend.
The old bait and switch. Not a good strategy for the “know, like and trust” aspect of building rapport, is it? As for the question about your challenges, I believe you conquered them well with your questions and your courtesy. Taking personal responsibility and not allowing HIS attitude to affect your day or how you handled the situation was stellar. Woo Hoo!
Corry: Very true. And, it is up to the consumers, both individually and as a group through sharing information with one another, to provide a context where we can “vote with our feet and wallets” and help persuade companies large and small to do business in a way that best serves everyone involved. I also agree with your last paragraph, as well. There are all sorts of awesome, value-based companies and salespeople, as well. And they earn our business, repeat business and referrals. Thank you for your great thoughts.
Laura: Thank you. Yes, very important that we take responsibility for ourselves in terms of awareness. While a trusting nature is good to have, we also need to be aware that not everyone is worthy of our trust (trust-worthy). I think that your reason regarding why people are scammable is correct, and I think another reason is wanting to really believe they can get something for nothing or for very, very little. In fact, any scam artist will tell you that they prey upon the greed of the “mark.” And, as you said at the end, “trust but verify.” Thank you.
It’s funny how still years later, we keep encountering salespeople that belong in “Glengarry Glen Ross.”
They just don’t understand the best sales “techniques” are honesty, providing value, and meeting the needs of the customer first.
-RG
-RG
Kelly: Thank you for your thoughts, and kind words. Much appreciated.
Randy: Amen/Amein!
LOL. Great question!! 🙂 Thank you! Are you going to be at the event in Louisville? Awesome.
Bob,
Unfortunately this type of tactic is becoming more and more popular with everyone from our cell phone carriers to our credit card companies. Now when someone’s asks me if I want something FREE, I simply say NO, because there’s always a catch.
Todd
Hi Bob,
My guess is that you being the generous person you are, you would liked to have helped him by tiring to show him what he is communicating and how to improve on it for is next prospect. This is what I find myself wanting to do in these situations. However most times I can not because I was not invited to help.
Thank you,
Steve
I was on the phone with AT&T yesterday, questioning some roaming charges. I still have a year to go on my sentence, but I found out it would only cost $125 to cancel the contract. Not sure if that cost applies to everybody, but it’s a lot less than I thought it would be ….
You know, Mr. Burg, what disturbs me the most about all of this is not the tactic to get you to sign the contract. It’s the fact that he was “ticked” that you did not. It would seem as a sales person it is perfectly understood that some people will accept your offers and some will not. But, the fact that he was “ticked” that you did not just seems down right eerie. I mean, who does that? Did he feel you were SUPPOSED to sign the contract, just because he was “nice” and he said so?
Of course, the saying is true that there is no free lunch (I mean, someone has to pay for it). 🙂 Though, I do believe there are many fine companies that do in fact add extra value and it is free in terms of there being no charge to the client. The fact that some salespeople and companies try and imply they are doing it when it is really a trick is what really seems to be a shame. Thank you for sharing.
Tomekia (and, please call me Bob), thank you for your thoughts. I agree. Of course, as the salesperson, being ticked (and especially showing it) is very counterproductive. Remember though, he thought he had me persuaded to accept the contract. It probably really took him by surprise that I began politely asking questions and that – even when I said no – I didn’t make excuses or in any way seem uncomfortable with turning down the offer. I think it probably had him a bit flustered and he let it show. People are people, and they (especially me) make mistakes. Unfortunately, he might not learn from it unless he is taught otherwise and is open to it.
Steve and Jim, my apologies. Your quotes posted after my responses to Todd and Tomekia above.
Steve, sure, being a professional salesperson and a teacher (as well as ongoing student) of sales, I’d have like to but the situation wasn’t appropriate for it. Sometimes it is and, when that’s the case, it’s something I enjoy doing.
Jim, thanks for sharing.
Bob,
I like that you highlight this transaction. I’ve had your experience, and to me it just says “I’m a big company, I don’t need to see things from your side any more, because I don’t need you.”
It leaves a bad taste, and when I’m presented with paperwork which is just hung out between us…
The energy in the space is as if the sales rep is just passing something on that ‘the company’ requires, and ‘if you’ll just ok this…’ Almost as if it’s a spill on the floor that really has nothing to do with either of us, Mr Client, and we can go on having a great visit together. I think, as perhaps Steve alludes to, that the reps may wish to treat better, but are constrained by corporate unthinkingness. I’m with you Bob. And you Lori. It’s ‘ick.” If walking’s an option, I walk.
The question is: what am I doing different? I’m small, so it’s easier to care, naturally. And I try to continually remind myself that each transaction is important to the client for their reasons, not mine. Sometimes I even remember all the way through. Little things, details.
Thank you for a great discussion, Bob
Anthony