2023 · originally posted on LinkedIn
I switched cell phone providers this weekend, but the reason why tells a pretty interesting story. I think "the customer is always right" is passé, but one should always listen to them, so long as they're respectful. So, my plan provider shift.
The reasons were not: the $15-20 a month that I could save, needing or wanting a better phone, a BFCM promotion, a craving for more data, improved customer support in speed and responsiveness, or stronger service while roaming and outside of cities.
It was the fact that they refused to leave me alone with offers on new cell phones I explicitly stated I never wanted to hear again. On their third attempt this past summer, I was shamed for having an inferior quality camera that would make me the laughing stock of my friend group at social gatherings. At that point, I politely told the agent that I would cancel my plan immediately if they ever tried to sell me a phone again. Further, I requested a note on my account in their CRM that I should never be called again unless there was a critical security or billing issue with my account. The agent audibly confirmed the note had been made.
Fast forward six months to this past weekend. I'm out of town enjoying a much-needed vacation with my "inferior" iPhone XR that presumably makes me the laughing stock of my friends. They called me mid-morning while I was sitting idle in a parking lot just outside of downtown Vancouver. Coincidentally, there was a telecom retail shop within eyeshot just across the street.
The call came in. They offered me a new phone. I politely declined and my objections and reasons as to why were probed. For the next 90 seconds, I calmly told the agent this story start to finish and then hung up. I left zero space for any interjections. It was met with complete silence. I hung up.
You can bet I walked straight into their competitor's storefront and signed up for a plan. The salesperson was cordial. We bonded over shared interests, but more importantly, he never once pushed for anything other than exactly what I wanted, aside from a clutch playlist recommendation.
Remember, you can't always know why a customer picks you over your competitors, but if they explicitly tell you, you best remember it. For all you know, you could be calling them while they're parked across the street from your competitors.