- Jun 23, 2001
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http://money.cnn.com//2012/05/03/te...aign=Feed:+rss/money_topstories+(Top+Stories)
Okay, did the sales rep force you to buy a Razr? You do have a choice.
Uh oh. Verizon's going to take flak for this, despite being quite correct that their LTE phones boast 10x+ faster network speeds. Its a pretty easy sell to put an iPhone and LTE phone next to each other and run the speed test.
Went in to buy an iPhone 4s... but walked out with a Razr," is the headline of one typical post.
"Do sales reps hate the iphone?!" another asks.
I decided to find out for myself. I had 10 conversations with Verizon (VZ, Fortune 500) sales representatives in New York stores, on the phone, and in online chat sessions, asking about my options for a new smartphone.
Okay, did the sales rep force you to buy a Razr? You do have a choice.
When I said up front that I wanted an iPhone, none tried to talk me out of it. But when I followed up by asking if it was the best smartphone, they all said no.
I initially told half the representatives that I wanted "a new smartphone," and half that I was interested in an iPhone.
When I said up front that I wanted an iPhone, none tried to talk me out of it. But when I followed up by asking if it was the best smartphone, they all said no.
"If that's what you want, absolutely we'll order it," one rep said over the phone. "But my recommendation is 4G. I'd want the fastest, best technology that's not going to be outdated when I buy it."
"The Droid Razr Maxx is the faster of the two," another rep said in an online chat after I asked whether he thought the iPhone was my best bet.
Is Verizon asking its sales force to focus on iPhone alternatives? A company spokesman declined to give a direct answer.
"Our sales force's mission is to ensure customers are familiar with our product line and to match the customer with the right device to best meet their needs," Verizon Wireless spokesman Tom Pica said in a written statement. "At the end of the day, our goal is that every customer is delighted with the device that they have chosen."
Uh oh. Verizon's going to take flak for this, despite being quite correct that their LTE phones boast 10x+ faster network speeds. Its a pretty easy sell to put an iPhone and LTE phone next to each other and run the speed test.