05.28.09
Me, the Pre’ and Sprint- A love triangle.
Earlier this year, Sprint introduced its ‘Premiere’ designation for its most loyal customers. Now, I fall into that category. I have been with Sprint now for over 3 years with multiple lines, but what I am not feeling is anymore special by Sprint on the eve of the launch of the Pre’. I have called and written to Sprint many times before about the lack of true appreciation for customers who have been around for a while. One of perks of being a premiere customer was to be notified first of the release of the Pre. I got the email the same time as anyone else.
What is the advantage of being a Premiere customer? What is the advantage of staying with a company when people left by the truck loads to AT&T to get an iPhone? I have put up with a lot of things with Sprint. I stayed because I liked the network. The customer service agents, for the most part, were friendly enough and helped me when they could. It’s the overall structure and culture of how you really treat long standing customers is the problem I have.
In the words of your rival Apple, “Think Different.” As a friend of mine has so put it, Apple could release the iSack next week and the Apple fanboys would hype it to the ends of the earth, and if Steve Jobs shows up at the conference, you won’t hear much about the Pre for a while.
Do something that has never been done before. Truly make customer loyalty the hallmark of your business model especially for those who stayed with you when they had every reason in the world to leave with everyone else. I guess I can’t condemn people who stay in bad relationships anymore. I have done it for over 3 years now. The only reason I have stayed is because I don’t care for AT&T that much either.
What’s most disturbing to me is the fact that I have called twice to see what special incentives will be extended to the ‘Premiere’ Customers and so far, none. I will have to get in line like everybody else and hope to get a phone, that now, even the CEO says will be in short supply. I am not understanding the logic of companies that seem to have much to lose, but act like they don’t. When I did some grad work years ago, I had to take a general business course. One of the things we studied in marketing was the fact that you don’t build a business primarily on trying to get new customers. You invest in customer loyalty, but I guess that’s what they do with their 2 year agreements and $200 penalties for leaving early.
You would think that if businesses really cared about customers they would not try to burn the bridge that brought the customer over. I was told that at some point cell companies would start prorating the disconnect fee. The longer you stay in the contract the less the fee will be if you leave before the contract ends. This would open the door for people to want to come back if they leave, not some new phone they may or may not do what it promises.
Everybody keeps trying to make an iPhone killer, but this is the wrong approach. Just make a good phone and take care of your customer and reward their loyalty. I work with technology everyday. I like Apple and really prefer their technology, but I won’t even consider an iPhone because of who they are connected with. I had a terrible customer service fallout with AT&T and for that reason, I won’t even consider getting another phone with them right now.
I don’t care if the phone had a built-in transporter function and replicator.
I am concerned about the logic behind this whole issue. They raised the expectation and hype for months, finally announce the release date two days before their strongest competitor and reveal that they won’t have enough phones. I went into my local Best Buy and Radio Shack stores and asked about availability on June 6th. In one of these two stores, I won’t name which one, the employee asked me what was a Pre. The other store would not tell me if they will have the phone or not. They said they have not been notified. Sprint hits you with the rebate, but the other stores eat the cost. What gives?
Here is what I want. I want to be able to go to the store of my choice the day before and buy the phone for $199 without the rebate and get the Touchstone at a decent discount as a “Premiere Customer”. Is that too much to ask? If somebody at the top doesn’t get their mind right, this could be a Pre’-lude to a disaster.