Sprint.com forums - yikes!

[Rukin1]

Why do they not release real time progress reports on NV for every town and a timetable?  What is the reason for their secrecy, are they afraid we will storm the site being worked on and protest?

Never even thought of that. That's probably a good reason lol

[Dkoellerwx]

Really? I'm going to go look at one of the Wimax towers here and report on that when i can then.

 

That was an example of someone not knowing what they're talking about.... 

[azoclark]

For some reason, I decided to check out the forms on Sprint.com.  Holy cow.  I can't stand the general public who know little to nothing about anything and think it's just as easy as "flipping a switch" to roll out an upgrade to 38,000+ sites.

 

Sprint made Slashdot today with a story titled "Sprint May Have Unlimited Data Plans, But Not Unlimited Customers"

 

I haven't read most of the posts, but several sound like they are sprint.com forum posters as well.  There is one mention of our beloved s4gru.com.

[Rukin1]

That was an example of someone not knowing what they're talking about.... 

lol damn I figured. It's more than that

[centermedic]

Why do they not release real time progress reports on NV for every town and a timetable?  What is the reason for their secrecy, are they afraid we will storm the site being worked on and protest?

If this was even possible to do Sprint or any other wireless provider is not required to do it. Besides, it would probably just caused even more hurt feelings. Though Sprint has done a poor job in communicating Network Vision to its customers it has done much more than expected and much more than any other carrier to date. What did Sprint get in return for this new level of open communication? A whole bunch of complaining. So now you want the timetables to be totally transparent. What happens when there are delays? Most people are just going to say same ole Sprint just like they are doing now.

[koiulpoi]

In some regards, I think it would be fun to work at a Sprint store.  But then I realize how much nonsense and ignorance I'd have to deal with from the ubiquitous general public.

You have no idea. And it's not just your customers, it's your coworkers. See my previous post and despair.

[newboyx]

You have no idea. And it's not just your customers, it's your coworkers. See my previous post and despair.

I feel your pain. Add to that I also sell VZW and AT&T.

 

Sent from my SPH-L710 using Tapatalk 4 Beta

 

 

[Rocket87]

It's everything, It all just makes me shake my head lol. Some people here need to apply. I know there are some stores in the south bend market and the Indy market with openings.

 

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[centermedic]

It's everything, It all just makes me shake my head lol. Some people here need to apply. I know there are some stores in the south bend market and the Indy market with openings.

 

Sent from my HTCONE using Tapatalk 4 Beta

I already did my time in retail. I got early release for good behavior.

[halcyoncmdr]

Just an FYI for those here that don't realize this...

 

Call center reps do not work for Sprint. They work for another company that Sprint contracts with to provide "customer support services". They have very basic training on the systems and how to do the most common things. Uncommon problems are unlikely to be adequately addressed unless you happen to get to someone that has been around for a while and actually wants to help. They are paid minimum or just above minimum wage and get yelled at by ignorant customers all day long for issues many times out of their control. Anything you tell a Care rep about what you want changed with Sprint, likely will go nowhere, they don't really care as they are there for a paycheck and to survive the yelling ordeal they get every day.

 

Retail reps are salesmen. They don't care what you are complaining about, they are not paid to fix your problem, that's what customer care is for.If you are not purchasing something, they want nothing to do with you. They have quotas to meet and every minute they are working with you is time they are not making money. The management likely feels exactly the same way, if you are not in there to buy something, you are a waste of their time that they could otherwise be using to make money. It's the world we live in, America is entirely like the Ferengi from Star Trek, they were modeled on us after all...

 

Service and Repair technicians in store are paid to fix your phone, but if your issue is not with the phone physically, they cannot do much, they can't work magic. 99% of customers do not understand that the issue can't be fixed by replacing their phone, they deserve it after all, right? It doesn't cost them anything to replace that $800 iPhone because data is slow and it has to be the phone even though every rep is telling them otherwise. The issue is however, many of the actually useful S&R tools the techs are not trained on, the company has relied so heavily the last 5 years on just having reps and techs call into National Sales Support and Technical Support when anything out of the ordinary happens that many reps and techs don't know how to do anything themselves, and they probably have no desire to either. The simple fact is the majority of customers that can't grasp concepts are easily fooled into thinking a profile or PRL update will fix their phone every time, and it gets them out of the hair of the rep, and possibly many more for quite a while, it's an easy fix. How do you properly work with someone who either can't or refuses to understand what you're telling them?

 

It all comes down to call center and store management not holding reps accountable for their knowledge and expertise for years and years now. They may not be hiring people that truly fit the bill for the type of position they are filling, I know my entire region fits this perfectly, I can't imagine it's much different elsewhere. It's all bureaucracy above the store manager level as well, even if the front line rep wants to pass something up, it goes through so many chains until it just disappears because one person decides it isn't worth it, or forgets about it.

 

This is the same for 99% of reps in 99% of locations everywhere, no matter which company they represent. I have friends that work in call centers and retail stores assisting Apple, Verizon, Comcast, Walgreens, American Express, etc. customers on a daily basis. It's pretty much the same song and dance day in and day out for all of them.

 

The people that truly do care, look at the call center and retail system and say, "Uh, uh, oh hell no!", because the average American can't seem to tie their own shoe without help nowadays, and they feel that help should be free regardless. Maybe I'm a bit biased working in front line retail and tech support roles the last 6 years, I have no hope for our country to accomplish anything anymore. 

[koiulpoi]

 

Retail reps are salesmen. They don't care what you are complaining about, they are not paid to fix your problem, that's what customer care is for.If you are not purchasing something, they want nothing to do with you. They have quotas to meet and every minute they are working with you is time they are not making money. The management likely feels exactly the same way, if you are not in there to buy something, you are a waste of their time that they could otherwise be using to make money. It's the world we live in, America is entirely like the Ferengi from Star Trek, they were modeled on us after all...

A couple comments... management often does feel the same way, but the real "good" ones will find a way to get a sale out of someone who has a problem. It works surprisingly well. "Did you know Sprint sells iPads? Well, come over here and take a look at this display..." and 20 minutes later the person who came in for service problems is leaving with a $400 item.

 

For the rest of your points, I've been trying to beat it in to the heads of those around me. There's really only one way to get those around you to understand, and that's though repetition and being a good example. You can even appeal to their own sense of greed - after all, if Sprint is going to have an amazing network soon for x y z reasons, isn't that a great sales tool? If you can make a customer happy, you can more quickly transition in to selling them other things, right?

[halcyoncmdr]

A couple comments... management often does feel the same way, but the real "good" ones will find a way to get a sale out of someone who has a problem. It works surprisingly well. "Did you know Sprint sells iPads? Well, come over here and take a look at this display..." and 20 minutes later the person who came in for service problems is leaving with a $400 item.

 

For the rest of your points, I've been trying to beat it in to the heads of those around me. There's really only one way to get those around you to understand, and that's though repetition and being a good example. You can even appeal to their own sense of greed - after all, if Sprint is going to have an amazing network soon for x y z reasons, isn't that a great sales tool? If you can make a customer happy, you can more quickly transition in to selling them other things, right?

 

That assumes they are willing to adjust their sales strategies, if they even pay attention to it at all. I agree with you 100%, but the type of reps I am talking about aren't like that, they are the 99% that don't care to adjust or change it up. They are used to what they do now, and won't change unless forced to, and if store management won't make them, then it won't happen.

[AJC1973]

I actually remebmer prior to S4GRU robert on the sprint.com forums trying to educate the masses... about wimax... im glad to see that the level of intelligence of the majority of the users hasnt gone up much since lol 

[Paynefanbro]

Sort of on topic...

 

You know what's the best? When there are no comments on a video where Sprint gets great internet speeds but on a video where Sprint has slow internet speeds, everyone is so vocal about it.

[WiWavelength]

Sort of on topic...

 

You know what's the best? When there are no comments on a video where Sprint gets great internet speeds but on a video where Sprint has slow internet speeds, everyone is so vocal about it.

 

Which attracts more flies?  Fresh shit or honey?

 

AJ

[koiulpoi]

Which attracts more flies?  Fresh shit or honey?

 

AJ

"Eat shit! Billions of flies can't all be wrong!"