Comments on: Apple or AT&T: Please Sell Me A New iPhone.

By: Dave Stein

Dave Stein — Sun, 21 Jun 2009 21:27:27 +0000

Not yet, Jason. Waiting by my front door for a delivery…

By: The Sales 2.0 Network | Losing the customer

The Sales 2.0 Network | Losing the customer — Sun, 21 Jun 2009 15:48:21 +0000

[...] Stein has been blogging and twittering about his frustrated efforts to buy a new phone. His tale of woe in trying to buy [...]

By: Jason

Jason — Sun, 21 Jun 2009 00:47:14 +0000

So, Dave, any tracking #’s yet? I really do hope that the iPhone meets or exceeds UR expectations. I’m about 85% happy with my BB Curve 8320. I just wish the UMA feature worked as promised. It is nearly two years old and I have my eye on the updated model.

By: Dave Stein

Dave Stein — Sat, 20 Jun 2009 21:54:15 +0000

Once or twice I’ve acted completely illogically in the past, Jason. Your advice is sound. I can’t help myself, though.

By: Jason

Jason — Sat, 20 Jun 2009 00:10:37 +0000

Dave,
While the story is entertaining, especially considering the island aspects which I can relate to, I find it to be rather humorous that this device is such a “must have”. All I can say is that the track record of Apple reducing prices of these devices mere weeks following the initial release, IF I were in the market for it, I would DEFINITELY think twice about plunking down full retail so soon. How many times has Apple duped their minions into paying exorbitant prices for the “privilege” to be locked into AT&T, not to mention having a sealed battery to content with. I wish you well, but I also wonder if Apple has a method behind its madness, beyond the almighty dollar.

By: Dave Stein

Dave Stein — Fri, 19 Jun 2009 20:21:28 +0000

I appreciate your comments Keith. The big thing for me was that I wanted to order online, but couldn’t. To go to a store would literally cost me at least $160 and 4+ hours. Of course I wasted more time than that, but was determined not to be discriminated against before I live in a rural area with P.O. boxes instead of mailboxes on my road. All told, the AT&T customer experience manager is committed and really wants me to have an iPhone. Whether I’ll finally get one remains to be seen.

By: Keith Stoneman

Keith Stoneman — Fri, 19 Jun 2009 18:25:12 +0000

It’s stories like this that infuriate consumers and ruin brands. Sounds like several stories I heard from folks about GM vehicles and problems – and look where they are now. I spent a similar amount of time trying to get Roadrunner cable set up for my home from TimeWarner – who is in desparate competition with my local phone company for hi-speed internet customers.

Relating this to selling and sales people: the AT&T experience is similar for any cell phone purchse. Most carriers I know that sell from retail outlets where there is a queue to wait for the next sales rep. If you want the same rep to “own” your experience for the duration of your contract – good luck. It’s nearly impossible. Carriers have driven down the cost of sales comp with this model, but in the end alienate prospects and customers. They can afford to do this now, because the cellular market is still red-hot. At some point, when people are tired of swtiching and the total universe of possible customers is taken, they will have to reconsider. For now they can afford to, but the day of reckoning will arrive.

By: Dave Stein

Dave Stein — Wed, 17 Jun 2009 17:57:41 +0000

Wow! That’s some story, Louis.

By: Louis

Louis — Wed, 17 Jun 2009 16:50:16 +0000

I had a similar crazy experience with AT&T. I had an iphone from my days as apps/sales engineer in the corporate world. I bought the phone, they paid the monthly charges. When I left, they discontinued service (understandable) but then the nightmare began.
Evidently, even though I have been an AT&T/Cingular customer for over 10 years with no less than 4 phones and 3 number changes (before the days of being able to transfer your #) I am told I do not have good enough credit to get my own account and will have to pay an $800 deposit! “But I have an account right now in my name with a different phone!” No matter, iphones require some special account status or something. Oh, and you owe AT&T $28 for some charge from three years ago, that’s why your credit score (with us, your FICA score is fine). What? You have my billing address, my home # and (obviously) my cell # and I’ve never heard a word of this until now!
OK, I’ll pay the $28 and maybe a reasonable deposit of $100 or something, then can we be friends? No.
So, I actually have to have my wife open an account in her name, transfer my phone to her account in order to avoid a crazy $800 dollar deposit.
Suffice to say, there will be volumes of marketing and sales analysis on this AT&T/Apple/iphone deal as an example of how NOT to market/sell a product/service.
For all the noise the iphone is making, Apple owns only 1% of the market and it nearly lost me, a long time AT&T customer. Hmmm, the Palm Pre is starting to look really good right about now (and I can always get a used ipod Touch to get the apps).

By: Joanne Sardini

Joanne Sardini — Wed, 17 Jun 2009 15:12:06 +0000

This makes my 1 hour, 3 email, multi-text, web walk through with AT&T seem like a breeze – as an existing customer I guess am 1 step ahead, although still not easy by any means – who knew a litte phone could be so tough to purchase – I’m told my iPhone will ship within 3 days – but then again, I was told that 3 days ago too – the shipping/billing address issue is messing me up too – keeping everything crossed that a flood of iPhones are winging their way to our Island soon!!