I think I get three calls a week from someone wanting to sell me a cell phone contract. Why do they think I need, or am able, to purchase a new phone and contract? As far as I can tell, every single so called deal is more or less the same as every other deal on offer.
If you want a network contract, you’re in for 24 months. Nothing more, nothing less.
There’s no cool deals, no loyalty programs to speak of, nothing really to differentiate one network from another. And if I’m completely wrong and there’s a world of difference in the various packages and networks, why is no-one using these differences to convince me to use their brand? Every single salesperson I’ve dealt with, either on the phone or in person, has used the phone I’m going to get as part of the contract as the shiny carrot tempting me to sign on the dotted line.
Even after specifying that first and foremost I want to hear about call rates, and data transfer rates and all of that stuff, they blindly follow the script, blasting through my requests for details with info about the number of megapixels in the camera’s photo, the scratch resistant metal casing and how popular the phone is.
When they finally realise that the specs they’re throwing at me aren’t going to seal the deal, the majority of them are at a loss. No idea regarding the core thing that they’re selling, which is essentially a means of communication.
Networks should be selling that: networking. The platform for communication isn’t the new 3G phone you were just given for “free”, it’s your access to the cellular network connecting you with everyone else.
The company that focuses on reducing the cost of using their network instead of getting caught up in the cosmetic benefits of the free phone is going to get my business. Air is a lot harder to sell than a gadget, but come on people. You’ve got huge budgets and a lot of brainy employees. Figure it out. Give me something I want to buy into rather than settle for.