Job Responsibilities
The key to wireless sales is gaining referral business. My day
would be spent as follows: I arrive at 9:30 am to open the POS
system and count opening funds. This had to be completed by
10:00 am for opening. Starting at 10:00 am I would open the store
and begin working on the "5-Star" referral program. The "5-Star"
system kept the contact information of all customers who
activated service on the Verizon Network. It was specific to the
location and sales representative that assisted them. The "5-
Star" system would create a timeline in which the customer would
be contacted at given internals to ensure the quality of service
and to gain additional business. While working on "5-Star", I
would also assist customers. It was always important to greet or
acknowledge customers in 30 seconds or less. (The company had a
secret shop program in which 90% was the threshold score.) Also
the company emphasized use of the so-called Worry Free
Guarantee. There are five planks to the Worry Free Guarantee. (1-
Verizon has the widest wirless network. 2-Customers have the
option to change their rate plans at any time. 3-One call
resolution for customer service issues. 4-Customer can receive a
$100 credit toward a new phone every two years. 5-There is a 15
day return policy. All of this is complimentary to the
customers.) Also the company stressed getting customers to
purchase data services. (Text messaging, ringtones, mobile
internet, mobile videogames etc.)
Generally the shifts were 8-9 hours in length. At the end of the
day, I had to reconcile the money in my till. If I was the
closing rep, I had to count all of the inventory to ensure that
the "box count" was correct.
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Job Requirements
The job requires a high school diploma and at least 1 year of
retail experience. However, it is hard to get on with Verizon
unless you already have some wireless experience.
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Uppers
The best part of the job is the customer contact. Generally the people are very
nice. If you are in sales, you have to be people centered.
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Downers
The worst part of the job is the quota system. If you failed to
reach your quota, you are disciplined. If you fail to reach your
quota 4 times, you are terminated.
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Lifestyle
The job can be stressful due to the quota system. It can get very emotional if
the month is near its end and you are still a handful of numbers away from your
quota. It hangs above you like Damocles sword.
You must dress in business attire. Verizon is a very corporate environment.
The work hours are fairly reasonable as long as the location is properly staffed.
There may be regular occasions where you are asked to fill in at other
locations.
Hopefully, your manager will be competent enough to be able to do your job.
Verizon does not promote from within very often. They hire people in management
positions that have never worked in wireless at all. My boss never learned how
to assist a customer, ring up a sale, or activate a phone.
The managers generally are delegators. Even in the official company job
description, there is a line which states that a sales rep must be able to work
with minimal supervision. It is very important that you are really competent
with your POS and billing systems because your manager may not know how to use
them.
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Compensation
The pay is better than most wireless companies. But the quotas
are far too high for most people to reach. Verizon tries to cut
commission dollars by making the quotas so high that even if you
do reach the number, you cannot get to the "accelerator" level.
If you can get 110% of your quota, you can increase your
commission take. It is very difficult to do this though.
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Advice to Jobseekers
I would expect to have a decent first year. But then I would
start looking for another position (non-sales in Verizon or
elsewhere in the industry). Verizon is a rather ruthless and
impersonal company. Understand that you will just be a number
not a person. Always look out for your own interest and the
interests of your immediate co-workers. Over the long term,
Verizon tends to work against you.
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