(No more than £180) as he doesn’t want to be signed into a 2yr contract but wants a decent handset.

T-Mobile

Whilst browsing the busy store Mo approached me, “Can I help you?” Explaining my quest Mo listened intently and began to flesh out my requirements regarding calls, texts, media and internet usage.

Considering my answers Mo directed me to the Blackberry 8520 and the LG Cookie suggesting these would be ideal handsets based on customer reviews and the particular features I mentioned. “How would internet usage work on a PAYG smartphone?” Mo explained that T-Mobile do a specific deal with all smart phones which allows you to have 6 months free internet. He then went on to mention that they currently have an offer until the end of August, where customers can get free texts for life with any PAYG handset.

“The LG Cookie is great for texting and browsing the internet, you could really get use out of the free offers combined.” In regards to the Blackberry 8520, Mo explained that having the 6 months free internet allows me to have Blackberry email as well as a internet data allowance of 1GB per month. Other stores visited often added this as an extra charge, typically £5 per month.

An impressive combination of PAYG offers and customer service from T-Mobile, free internet for 6 months with free texts for life certainly provides an attractive proposition. Mo was able to focus on what I needed in a short amount of time, confident in what he was selling, direct and knowledgeable. As a customer I felt assured that the recommendation was good and the deal was very competitive.

Product Range ****

Product Knowledge *****

Airtime Knowledge *****

Questioning Ability ****

Sales Ability ****

Shop Appearance ****                    (26)

O2

Asking for some advice regarding a PAYG handset to the salesman behind the desk delivered a disinterested look. We discussed the options available for my price point but it felt like a battle to relocate to the handset wall to have a more involved conversation.

Finally, arriving at the PAYG smart phone section, I asked him again which of these handsets he would recommend hoping for more detail and insight. Little direction came, instead he gave an overview of the section but no specifics. Moving on to deals and internet allowance we made some progress. “Topping up £10 once a month, can give you 300 minutes and internet usage of 500mb. You call up and request internet data and they then take £5 from your £10 top up for the month.”

At this point the salesman began talking about monthly contracts to which I reminded him again of my needs and reasons. “I’ll check on the system for handsets on PAYG.” At this point I had realised he used this as a excuse to go and serve a customer he was already serving whilst serving me.

Returning from the sales desk he said “None of the obvious contract phones are available on PAYG, from the options accessible I would say the LG Optimus (£149.99) is the best one for you.” “Could you tell me about it?” He looked a little puzzled, “This smart phone is good because it has all the features of all the other pay monthly smart phones.”

Thanking him for his time I made my escape, the recommendation was not made in confidence and he didn’t seem to know the product. Researching the LG Optimus GT540 via the Carphone WH website it detailed a Android running handset with a 3” touchscreen, GPS and a 3MP camera. More than suitable for my needs but the in store experience would not have drawn a sale on the day.

Product Range ****

Product Knowledge **

Airtime Knowledge ****

Questioning Ability *

Sales Ability **

Shop Appearance ****                              (19)

Carphone Warehouse

What instantly impressed me about Nav was his service; he was very positive and needed no prompting to begin assessing my needs. Checking my budget, favourite features and desires he even went through some of the more expensive handsets such as the Blackberry Bold 9700 and HTC Desire explaining the features they have which warrant higher prices.

When we got to the handset which is in my budget, Nav advised the Blackberry 8520. He went into detail in a customer friendly language on why accessing email, internet and social networking is more of a bonus using a Blackberry. “So how much does the Blackberry cost when you take into account internet usage?” “The Blackberry 8520 has to have a £20 top-up when you buy and the handset costs £149.99. Then an extra £5 for internet usage and on top of that an extra £5 pounds for Blackberry email which is only exclusive to Blackberry handsets. “ Total cost £180.

In regards to the tariffs and internet data offers Carphone couldn’t compete with some of the direct network stores. This was something Nav was open to admit is a drawback but he did remind me that all the handsets in Carphone Warehouse are unlocked. This he explained is a massive advantage as a lot of customers already have a sim card and just need the handset they desire.

Nav’s overall knowledge and ability to advise a suitable phone was second to none but unfortunately in comparison with other phone shops the deals they were offering were quite expensive and not as competitive.

Product Range             **

Product Knowledge ****

Airtime Knowledge ***

Questioning Ability ****

Sales Ability ****

Shop Appearance ****              (21)

Zam Call

When entering store i noticed there was a section to the left that is a non demo display of Pristine and second hand mobile phones and to the left there was a section of laptops and computers. I was guessing this was a small repair centre to this side. As approached one of the colleagues on the computer side, he spoke to one of the busy colleagues in another language then shortly after his colleague was free, his attention was directed to me.

I explained my needs for a smart phone with a budget of no more than £180 and he instantly suggested the Sony Ericsson C902 (£160) and Nokia E63 (£120). The salesman went onto why he thinks the handsets would suit me. “The software on these handsets works well, along with social networking, internet and emails.” When he was talking about internet services, I took the opportunity to ask about what are the best deals to go for when using data services. He seemed unsure, “We deal with selling unlocked phones and all deals are provided through the network provider.” “Which provider offers the best deal for internet usage on PAYG smart phones” I enquired, he was edged towards T-mobile and Orange as they have good reception but couldn’t offer more specifics.

The general customer service was good and I could tell he had knowledge on handsets,  with regards to internet add-on deals and extra tariff detail the response was a little too limited to capture a sale.

Product Range ***

Product Knowledge ***

Airtime Knowledge *

Questioning Ability ***

Sales Ability ***

Shop Appearance ***                 (16)

Orange

After a lengthy look around, I was approached by a young lady called Leigh who came across as very enthusiastic and positive. When I finished my story she was very quick to show me the Blackberry 8520 (£149.99). “The Blackberry messenger feature is quite attractive to the younger generation as you can use this for free given the right data usage with the right provider.” Leigh went on to show me other handset features including the MP3 player, 2MP camera and integrated social networking.

Leigh went on to the deals available on Orange; “Do you spent a lot of your time talking or texting?” “Talking.” “I would recommend the Canary PAYG package then. “When you buy the handset you would have to top-up £20, use £5 of this top up for data usage then top up £10 a month going forward.” A £10 top up gives 100 minutes a month for calling any network plus I could still use this top-up for my £5 data add-on with an allowance of 500mb.

A reasonable PAYG top up deal backed up with good customer service, the Blackberry handset met my requirements and I felt confident in the choices made.

Product Range ****

Product Knowledge ****

Airtime Knowledge ****

Questioning Ability ****

Sales Ability ***

Shop Appearance *****                  (24)

Three

I was instantly approached by Abby the Store Manager as I crossed the threshold. Once I had informed him of my requirements he seemed a little less enthused but went on to suggest the Nokia E65.

Walking to the PAYG section I asked why he would recommended this handset “This handset does everything you need of a smart phone.” I looked on expectantly awaiting more phone information to follow but Abby had indeed made his point so I quickly went on to ask him about top up deals and internet add-ons. “If you top up £10, you can get 300 text and unlimited three to three network calls. £5 pounds of this top-up gives you 500mb Data allowance and Skype calls.”

After explaining this, he asked if I need navigation as there was a smart phone (Nokia 3520) that offers this for free. Pre-installed. I thanked Abby for his time and made my excuses.

The customer service was laid back and chatty, whether this was Abby’s style or he wasn’t too bothered about selling PAYG was difficult to judge. The PAYG deal was competitive and offered options not mentioned in other stores including Skype and unlimited calls to the same network users.

Product Range ****

Product Knowledge ***

Airtime Knowledge ****

Questioning Ability ***

Sales Ability ***

Shop Appearance ****                     (21)

Summary

T-Mobile pipped Orange in this mystery shop with the more rewarding tariff deals, customer service was good in both instances with sales people who listened and offered a considered response. It is clear the Blackberry 8520 is a popular choice for PAYG despite the additional costs associated. With few mentions of Nokia, Samsung, LG or Sony Ericsson products it seems Blackberry has stolen a march on its rivals in this bracket.

With smartphones now becoming the norm and continually dropping in price and increasing in features it will interesting to see who rules in this price bracket in 6 months time.

Winner Profile

Name      Mo

Age           23

Job Title           Assistant Manager

Tenure           2 ½ years

Best Tariff         6 months free internet + free text for life

Best Handset             Blackberry 8520

Sales Ethos           The products and deals speak for themselves/The wording of customer service on deals can be the difference

Hobbies                     Socialising and cinema

Store Round-up

1. T-Mobile: £10/month, 1GB data + Free text for life on any new handset purchased
2. Orange: £10/month, 100 minutes (evening and weekend), Racoon tariff, 500MB Data
3. Three: £10/month, Free skype, 300 text, unlimited three to three calls, 500MB Data
4. O2: £10/month, 300 text, 500MB Data
5. Carphone Warehouse: £10/month, 500MB Data + £5 for Blackberry email

Vodafone

As soon as I entered the store it was clear that the store had been quiet for some time as the two members of staff were sat playing with the new iPhone. Reciting my story one of the two began telling me what he ‘thinks’ the tariffs are with uncertainty in his tone.

There didn’t seem to be a rush for him to confirm that these tariff details were correct, until I asked if he could check. He scrolled through the Vodafone brochure before commenting ‘It should be in here but they haven’t added it yet’ and moved over to his computer. He turned his computer monitor around for me to look at,confirming the available tariffs matched what he had said earlier.

Questioning me about usage, I told him I would be using it mainly on the train commuting to London. Based on this he recommended either the 1GB or 3GB allowance, £10 or £15 a month respectively. “You won’t have issues with signal as Vodafone has an award winning 3G network.” I decided to ask him at this point what he thinks of the iPad; he admitted not trying one yet but said that everyone he has spoken to with one loves it. Finally I asked if there were any alternatives to the iPad, “No, none.”

A disappointing visit, the member of staff had seemed throughout that he wasn’t particularly bothered and that serving me was a hassle. I had to prompt him for all of the information which made the process feel disjointed and it felt that he would have been happy to let me leave once he had told me the initial tariff information.

Product Range ***

Product Knowledge ***

Airtime Knowledge ***

Questioning Ability ***

Sales Ability **

Shop Appearance ***

(17)

O2

Entering this iPhone/O2 store I was greeted by a sign stating they have run out of the new iPhone but will be getting more soon, while the staff were all wearing iPhone 4 T-Shirts.

Noticing that the store sold the Dell Streak I wandered over to have a look. I was quickly approached by a white iPhone 4 T-Shirt asking if I was ok. Standing next to the Streak I asked if it is like an iPad. The salesman said yes and proceeded to turn it on, flicking pointlessly through the home screens “It is a mixture of a tablet and a phone, all be it too big to be used for calls.”

Wondering about how easy it is to use he replied “very, do you have an Android phone?”. “I do, however feel it looks different to what I am used to.” He then showed me how easy it is to type with and informed me that he has one himself, “I use it around the house at home.” I was surprised to hear that he owns one as I had not been shown any ‘wow’ features or apps, something that I would expect an owner of one to have already figured out.

As he brought up the list of apps on the screen I asked him if the apps are the same as on Android phones to which his reply gave the impression that I should know they are, a tone which, looking back, was consistently used when asking questions.

For tariffs he recommended the £30/month data only (3GB + unlimited Wi-Fi) tariff for me as I had mentioned I wouldn’t use the phone side of it due to the size.

While he found the relevant Streak page in the brochure I asked about the memory, 16GB memory card in the box was his reply but he then added that the store are going to start selling one with 32GB for £50 on the same £30/month data tariff, so advised I’ll be better off buying a 32GB memory card from Amazon for £20 (a quick search found Amazon sell them for £84.99)

Despite the salesman recommending the Streak I asked about the iPad tariffs offered. He gave me a leaflet, quickly running through the different options and saying that once the data allowance is reached it stops for the month rather than charging extra.

The visit had all the ingredients for success: A demo ready Dell Streak accompanied by a salesman who apparently owns one and iPad tariffs to fall back on. Despite this the sales process lacked the spark I expected, the information was comprehensive and met the criteria but it seemed like he was just going through the motions.

Product Range ****

Product Knowledge ***

Airtime Knowledge ***

Questioning Ability ***

Sales Ability ***

Shop Appearance ***

(19)

Carphone Warehouse

I informed Joe, the member of staff who had approached me, how I am considering getting an iPad and am curious about the 3G and what tariffs are available, to which he asked me to follow him to the computer.

After a quick search of the system he told me about the Vodafone and Orange offerings, recommending Orange’s £25/month for 10GB as it offers twice the allowance of the same priced Vodafone and Orange’s customer service is the better of the two. Joe then told me that I’ll see other networks with iPad offerings; however they aren’t official through Apple. Asking about O2 he said that they are official but are only selling their tariffs with the iPad, which I found out wasn’t the case when visiting the O2 store.

As I had spotted the Dell Streak on entry to the store I asked Joe about it. He turned it on and gave it to me to hold. I mentioned that the layout is different to my Android phone and Joe said that they have changed it slightly but it is still mostly the same. He said that it can also be used as a phone, joking “If you want the biggest phone in the world!”. To make sure he didn’t end on a negative he commented that the screen is better than the iPad’s and that it is more portable.

While I jotted down the details of the iPad plan on the Dell Streak leaflet I had picked up, Joe did the calculations that the iPad would work out at £1300 compared to £600 for the Streak (Based on the 64GB iPad being £700 (Cheaper models are available) and monthly payments of £25 for 24 months on both). He left it with me but said that as it stands the Streak would be the better value for money.

Joe had been friendly and helpful, however his tariff knowledge was let down when he tried to explain why the store only had Vodafone or Orange despite me not even asking the question. He also didn’t seem to know how to demonstrate the Streak yet as he passed it to me straight away and when he did try to show me things it was again a case of flicking the screens and pressing the menu button.

Product Range           ****

Product Knowledge ***

Airtime Knowledge ***

Questioning Ability **

Sales Ability ***

Shop Appearance ****

(18)

PC World

The member of staff stood near the iPads was Josh and when I started to ask about the tariffs my first impression of his reaction was that he was in uncomfortable territory; I could almost see him running through the options in his head to remind himself. He rattled through the plans quite quickly, however he got the details right. With three networks and their different options, he really could have done with a visual prompt to assist him as by the time he had got onto describing O2 after 3 and Vodafone I was unsure what he had said about 3 and had to ask him to repeat it.

He recommended 3 (£15/month, 10GB) over Vodafone and O2, due to the much higher data allowance. Asking what would happen if this allowance was exceeded Josh told me that you would be charged extra, but did not specify by how much. He also said that activating the micro-SIM is easy and is done at home, either online or over the phone.

About the iPad itself Josh showed me the demo unit, demonstrating the books, photos and games. He also asked what I will be using it for and when I said commuting he said that a lot of people had bought it for that same reason and that it does make browsing the internet and using apps a lot easier than on a phone.

Moving onto models and prices Josh advised that it all depends on how much music and videos I intend to put on it. With the 32GB (£599) only £70 more than the 16GB it seemed to be the best value for money and again Josh commented that it is the most popular, adding that they have just had a delivery, yet stock goes quickly, especially with a lot of people using reserve and collect online.

Josh had started off quite closed through perhaps concentrating on getting the tariff information correct; however once we had moved off the tariffs he became more comfortable. The experience in store was good; Josh wasn’t pushy but did give an incentive to buy in store (as stock could be snapped up). Had I have actually been looking for an iPad I would have happily purchased it after Josh’s help.

Product Range ****

Product Knowledge *****

Airtime Knowledge ***

Questioning Ability ****

Sales Ability *****

Shop Appearance ****

(25)

Orange

First impressions of this store are that it is a good selling environment, with selected handsets demo ready, stools for friends or family of customers to sit down out of the way, clear branding and promotional popcorn buckets to promote Orange Wednesdays.

I was then approached by Sam, who took me over to one of the computers to show me the data plans for the iPad. While searching for the relevant section of the system it became clear that Sam was chatty and wasn’t one to allow awkward silences, as she joked about how things seem hidden on the system.

Once she had found the tariffs she ran through them highlighting the key options of either going for Pay As You Use (5p/min) or Daily/Weekly/Monthly data allowances. “I will be using it whilst commuting each day”, “In that case I think rolling monthly options would be best. You could start on the £15/month for 3GB and unlimited Wi-Fi, and then, if you do find yourself using more you can move up to the £25/month for 10GB.”

Asking about the Wi-Fi hotspots Sam explained how it uses BT Openzone, which includes Starbucks and Cafe Nero, referring back to my commute saying “You will be always be near one in London.”

“Would you like to go for one?” “Probably but I’ll wait to get an iPad first.” In all the other stores this was my cue to leave, however before I moved to get up Sam let me know that she could give me a micro-SIM for free which I will then be able to pop straight into the iPad if I do get one rather than having to return to the store. After a mini credit check, despite money not being taken from my account until the SIM card is activated and bundles chosen, I was the owner of a micro-SIM ready to be used in an iPad, with no cost to myself until used.

Sam was extremely helpful, she didn’t put any pressure on me at any point and it was more of a conversation. During the process we went off tangent chatting about iPad availability, the iPhone 4 and somehow the pushy nature of the staff in the local Post Office trying to sell credit cards and insurance. It is when these conversations happen naturally that you feel comfortable and in control, rather than being preached to and just being another sale. The conclusion to the visit was very clever; getting a Orange micro-sim into my hands without the need to have the 3G iPad or re-visit the store for all intents and purposes made a sale without costing me a penny at the time.

Product Range ***

Product Knowledge ****

Airtime Knowledge *****

Questioning Ability ****

Sales Ability *****

Shop Appearance *****

(26)

Summary

In terms of the complete package of iPad + data plan PC World were winners here, however as the other stores didn’t stock the iPad itself it would be unfair to base the result on that alone.

Vodafone were the biggest disappointment of the day as the two members of staff just didn’t seem to care; despite it looking like their store desperately needed the trade that morning. O2 was also lacklustre, however they could be excused as when I walked past earlier it was heaving due to people trying to snap up the morning iPhone deliveries.

Considering the iPad has received a marmite reception from the public, with a lot of the haters moaning about the price, I see the Streak as something of an opportunity for stores to offer a better value option. However both Carphone Warehouse and O2, gave poor demonstrations, despite giving it their backing. They both also provided suspect information about other retailers.

PC World and Orange were clear leaders. The quality of the iPad conversation and demonstration in PC World was something that O2 and CPW should be looking to emulate when talking about the Streak. However it was Sam’s people skills and sales ability in Orange that clinched it, resulting in me happily signing up for a micro SIM card (even though I know I will never use it)

Winner Profile

Name Sam Wenden

Age           22

Job Title           Assistant Manager

Tenure           3 ½ years

Best Tariff         Panther, £30/month, 400 minutes, unlimited texts, unlimited internet and email, 50 photo messages and sat nav

Best Handset             iPhone 4

Sales Ethos           Give people what they want while trying to save them money

Hobbies                     Socialising and going to the gym

Store Round-up

1. Vodafone: £10/month, 1GB data or £15/month, recurring, 3GB data
2. O2: 16GB Dell Streak, Free on £30/month, 24 months, 3GB data + unlimited Wi-Fi
3. Carphone Warehouse: 16GB Dell Streak, Free on £25/month, 24 months, 3GB data, 300 texts
4. PC World: 32GB iPad for £599, 3 £15/month, recurring, 10GB data
5. Orange: £15/month, recurring, 3GB data + unlimited Wi-Fi

Carphone Warehouse

A salesman approached me after a few minutes of browsing the handset displays and asked if he could help; walking across to the PAYG section he proclaimed “Any of these are fine.” He stood silently beside me whilst I viewed the display for a couple of long minutes, “Which one is best?” “I would say the Nokia X3 Black priced at £79.95″, he went on to list the spec including a 3.2 megapixel camera, a memory card slot, MP3 and FM Radio and Quad band functionality. “This means you can make calls worldwide and it comes unlocked.” “If I can have any network, which one would offer me the most for the £20 I have left in my budget?” ” I would just get a new Sim card in each country, it will be cheaper.” A second colleague pitched in and confirmed the initial recommendation, “It’ll be much cheaper than getting one to take everywhere with you.”

I was a little shocked by the honesty of the salespeople, but despite voicing my interest in selecting a network (For the purpose of the article) no further recommendation came. I left the store feeling confused and frustrated as I had received advice that was beneficial but I had no idea how easy it would be to purchase Sim cards in other countries or what it would entail. Was it a good visit, it certainly wasn’t what I expected.

Product Range ****

Product Knowledge **

Airtime Knowledge *

Questioning Ability *

Sales Ability **

Shop Appearance *****

(15)

Orange

I was approached by Linzi, who seemed very enthusiastic and immediately asked how she could help.  I explained my story as we walked towards the PAYG area “I would say the Sony Ericsson W595 is a good choice”, it was priced at £79.00,  ”It has a 3.0 megapixel camera, memory card slot, MP3 Player and it is  Quad band.” The phone was a neat little slider and it seemed to really suit my requirements but Linzi missed the opportunity to demonstrate the handset despite my enthusiasm.

“What about the costs of calling abroad?” I asked to which Linzi replied with a few questions about my probable destinations. “They are not set in stone yet but the regular tourist spots I would say.” “Let me have a look for you” and with that Linzi walked over to the sales desk. After about 5 minutes she produced 2 print outs showing examples of costs in France and Spain. Calling the UK from either of the countries would cost 70p per minute and receiving a call from the UK would cost 19p per minute.  Texting would cost 10p per text and it is free to receive. “Are there were any other bundles l could add on to make the calls cheaper?” “No.” The Orange Sim card was free with the phone but the phone is locked to the network so I could not swap providers whilst away.

It seemed very expensive to use Orange as a network abroad and to receive a call was equally costly when compared to several competitors. The customer service was friendly and informative; I would have liked a demonstration of the handset and maybe the information regarding cost could have been a bit more readily available but otherwise a reasonable visit.

Product Range ****

Product Knowledge ***

Airtime Knowledge **

Questioning Ability ***

Sales Ability **

Shop Appearance *****

(19)

Virgin

I got near the counter and was greeted by Andy, he asked how he could help.  Whilst discussing my requirements we wandered to the PAYG display which offered many handsets within my budget. “I would say the best handset for you would be the Nokia 6303i priced at £69.99 when brought with £10 airtime, simply because it is very easy to use.” Reading the specs sheet I could see the phone has a 3.2 megapixel camera, 2Gb memory card included in box, MP3 player and was Tri-Band. The phone was small and neat with a decent screen, it looked like it would travel well.

“What about the minutes, I’d like to make international calls when I’m away?” he took me over to the counter to get a little booklet detailing all the prices.  Andy explained calling from Europe would cost me 43p per minute (a 20 second minimum call charge applies) and to receive a call it would cost me 19p per minute.  Sending a text message would be 11p per text and there is no charge for receiving one.  ”These charges apply to the European Union only, the rest of Europe costs 95p to make a call and 60p to receive a call.  Sending a text message would be 35p but its still free to receive.” Andy went on to explain l could top-up anywhere that has the Top-Up sign, but did say it might be difficult abroad and suggested someone to top-up for me in the UK once a month as it was instant.  All that person would have to do is make sure they had the swipe card that was linked to my handset.

I was pleased with the visit, the handset looked good and had comparable specs to others I was recommended but the cost for calls still seemed high. Andy had been polite and listened to my requirements and when asked to provide call cost detail the response had been swift.

Product Range ****

Product Knowledge ***

Airtime Knowledge ***

Questioning Ability ****

Sales Ability ***

Shop Appearance *****

(22)

Tesco Mobile

Waiting near the sales counter l could see the one member of staff was busy serving a customer. After waiting for 5 minutes Ashley was available and asked me what l was looking for. He reeled of a list of questions to establish which features I required explaining the reasons for each as he went, I said “Yes” to all and he walked over to the PAYG display. “With your budget the Nokia 2730 priced at £49.37 would be good choice, it has a 2MP camera, expandable memory and is Quad band. The Sim card will be in the box.”

I asked him about the calling from Europe to which he explained that Vodafone had previously taken away cheap calls from Europe but have now re-introduced them. Reviewing some information at the sales desk he commented “If you text PASSPORT to 2345, it will cost 75p per international connection and 20p per minute after that. To receive a call it was 75p one off charge for up to an hour, texts will be 11p each.” Ashley explained l could add a freedom package where l could top up £10 and receive a 100 minutes free to make calls from Europe but l would always have to pay the 75p connection fee. “You could buy a Samsung C350 which is unlocked, its priced at £65.00 and a Sim card is £2.50. Having a unlocked phone would allow you to put a sim card in that might be cheaper in another country to make calls to the UK.”

Overall, Ashley was very good with his customer service, l could not fault him. His explanations were in layman’s terms and he offered a couple of solutions to my quest. The shop in shop display let Tesco down slightly due to seemingly broken handset fixtures.

Product Range ***

Product Knowledge *****

Airtime Knowledge ****

Questioning Ability *****

Sales Ability ****

Shop Appearance **

(23)

Vodafone

The store was far busier than others visited during the day, I waited for 5 minutes until Atif became free and offered me his service. l explained to him what l was looking for and he acknowledged that he understood before moving on. “Lets start with a handset.” He asked me a few questions to best select a phone before pointing to the Samsung C3050 priced at £40.  ”The phone has a slider design with lots of features that should be useful on your trip. It has a MP3 Player, offers a panoramic photo option, it has a high memory card capacity and the camera is VGA quality.” “The Sim card is in the box although you need to put £5 credit on it when you buy this phone.”

The handset ticked all the boxes so we moved on to minutes, “Please take a seat and we’ll see what we can offer you.” He recommended texting PASSPORT to 5555, it would cost 75p per call connection and 20p per minute thereafter and to receive a call it was 75p one off charge (only for 1hr).  Texting would be 11p per text. Alternatively, lf l topped up £10 l would receive 100 free minutes and 300 texts, £15 would provide 200 free minutes and 600 texts or for £20 would allow 300 free minutes and 3000 texts to use to phone home from Europe. “If someone could top up for you from the UK you would instantly be credited in Europe. You would have to use the top-up within 30 days or you will lose the minutes.”  (A 75p connection fee still applies.)

Before I left Atif marked the handset in a brochure and gave me a travel sized guide to using your phone abroad. This was the icing on the cake, the visit had provided a decent handset offering me a multitude of features at a great price combining it with a strong network proposition.

Product Range ****

Product Knowledge ****

Airtime Knowledge *****

Questioning Ability ***

Sales Ability ****

Shop Appearance ****

(24)

Summary

Nokia proved a popular choice for PAYG handsets within the budget listed with 3 out of the 5 stores recommending the manufacturer’s products. The phone features available within the budget were very comprehensive and satisfied the requirements for travel with the ability to snap the odd photo in a decent resolution and listen to music.

The standard of customer service was generally good, the Tesco visit offered a similar level of service to the eventual Vodafone winner but the store layout lowered the score. Overall Vodafone managed to offer the best customer experience and network for travelling around Europe with regards to PAYG costs.

Winner Profile

Name Atif Abro

Age 31

Job Title Business Advisor

Tenure 7 Years

Best Tariff £25 per month – 300 minutes, 3000 text and Internet

Best Handset             HTC Legend

Sales Ethos To be enthusiastic, help customers with their needs and wants.  Always give the best possible service l can.

Hobbies                     Rock climbing, Gym, Reading, Walking & Travelling

Store Round-up

• Vodafone: Samsung C3050 £40 – Opt into PASSPORT & Freedom Package, £10-100 minutes & 300 text, £15-200 minutes & 600 texts or £20-300 minutes & 3000 text

• Tesco Mobile: Nokia 2730 £49.37 or Samsung C350 £65.00  – PASSPORT & Freedom Package, £10-100 minutes & 300 text, £15-200 minutes & 600 texts or £20-300 minutes & 3000 text

• Carphone Warehouse: Nokia X3 Black £79.95 – Talk Mobile Sim (no information given)

• Orange: Sony Ericsson W595 £79.00 – Example:  Calling from Spain or France 70p to make a call from Europe & 10p to text and 18p to receive a call per minute.

• Virgin – Nokia 6303i £69.99 – 43p per minute to make call & 11p to text and 19p to receive a call per minute

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CURRYS DIGITAL, Leeds

Easter sales and finance offers adorned the windows as I entered the well lit store, “Good morning is there anything I can help you with?” asked Chris the Manager.  Proceeding to the laptop section Chris introduced me to Ade who would continue to assist me with my query.
“What do you use your laptop for?” ”I use it for work, word processing, internet browsing, emailing and at home I watch videos and store photos”. Ade continued to assess my needs, “Do you play games on your laptop?” “Rarely, if I do they are usually racing or first person shooters.” “If you play a lot of games or watch a lot of films then you will need better graphic cards and processor”.
Ade pointed out the Sony VAIO VPC-F11JOE/H at £1099.99 (Intel Core i5- 520M 2.4 GHz, Genuine Windows Vista Home Premium 64-bit, 6144 MB, 320 GB HD, DVD-RW DL rewriter and Blu-ray player, 16.4 Widescreen) and then showed me the Toshiba L505-144 at £699.99 (Intel Core i5- 430M 2.26 GHz, Genuine Windows 7 Home Premium, 4096 Mb, 320 GB HD, DVD-RW rewriter, Black shell, 15.6 Widescreen).
“Can you tell me why there is a huge price difference between these 2 laptops?” “The Sony VAIO uses a NVIDIA GeForce GT 330M GPU which is well renowned to be the best brand in graphic cards whereas the Toshiba has ATI Mobility Radeon HD 4570 – 512MB. The Sony also has more memory than the Toshiba which it needs for the Blu-ray drive. Both use the new Intel processors, on this occasion it is Intel i5. This is the equivalent rating of 4 stars out of 5, the more stars it gets more powerful the processor can be.”
The recommendation was confident and based on product knowledge rather than personal opinion which was reassuring although the £400 difference in price for a similar specification laptop seemed a little excessive. Ade’s consideration regarding the Blu-ray drive and graphics card is just and relevant to my answers; it depends on how much value you put on these features.

Score: 8

PC WORLD, Leeds

A £100 off Packard Bell Laptop offer caught my eye as I wandered into the spacious store; clearly visible signs directed me straight to the laptops which were displayed in order of price. 15 minutes of looking interested in purchasing finally attracted attention and Tamara asked if she could help.
After considering my quest she started quoting points from the various laptop price tickets and mentioned the new range of Intel processors. ”Intel has a new range of processors, i3, i5 and i7 and these processors are faster than the older ones. The i3 is slightly faster than the Core 2 processors as an example.” Prompting the conversation along I enquired “Which are the best for performance and value?”
She suggested the Sony VAIO VPCCW2S1E/R (Intel Core i3-330M 2.13 GHz, Genuine Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit, 4096 MB, 320GB HD, DVD-RW DL rewriter, Red shell, 14” Widescreen) at £699.99. ”Sony sells well because of the brand reputation, I would also recommend the HP DV6-2110 15.6” because the specs are similar if not higher and it is much better value for the money.” (Intel Core i7-720QM 1.6 GHz, Genuine Windows 7 Home Premium, 4096 MB, 500 GB HD, DVD-RW DL Rewriter, Black shell, 15.6” Widescreen, priced at £849.99)  She then commented the Toshiba machines are also a good brand to buy because of reliability.
With little in the way of detail the recommendations didn’t seem carry a great deal of weight, picking points from tickets I had already read doesn’t make a customer feel more confident in the assistance offered. Both products seemed appropriate but I left feeling like I needed to go away and do more research to further define the choices.

Score: 5

COMPUTER CORNER, Leeds

Offering a wide range of products and services including new and re-conditioned PC/Laptops, internet terminals and PC repairs the store had a lot of information displayed on the walls.
Saj greeted me as I walked in “Hello, how are you? Are you looking for a laptop?” I recited my story and he directed my gaze down through the glass counter he sat behind. 3 laptops were displayed although it was difficult to see if they were brand new product, “I would say the ASUS priced at £349 would be fine for doing the work you have told me about.” The laptop was the ASUS X5DIJ with an Intel Pentium dual core T4200 processor 2.0GHz, 4GB RAM, 15.6”, 250GB HD, 1.3MP webcam. Saj went on, “The Intel Core Duo is the best processor available” and gave me a comparison with an Intel Pentium which was on the HP laptop displayed.
Investigating the ASUS laptop a little further showed the price was below that quoted in the Argos catalogue (£399.99) which probably points to a re-conditioned product. The customer service was friendly and the ASUS was the most expensive laptop available in store boasting the highest spec but I would of needed more persuading to prevent me from visiting other stores before purchasing.

Score: 4

COMET,  Leeds

Blank laptop screens greeted me as I found the section in the quiet store, I browsed the display hoping for some staff interaction but as with the laptops there was little to see. Over 15 minutes passed before Taj noticed me and made himself available.
After initial small talk I explained my requirements although I wasn’t sure if Taj was listening as he pointed towards a piece of Intel point of sale and told me the new processors are slightly faster which means you can have more programs open. “Many of our laptops have the new processors in them so they would be a good start.” “The HP (WA052EAABU) has an i7 processor which is the highest of the new releases (15.6″ High Definition LED Display, 4GB RAM, 500GB of Storage, £849.99) or the SONY Vaio (VPCEB1Z0E) has an i5 chip which is the next one down.” (Intel Core i5 Processor, 15.5″ Display, 4GB Memory, 500GB Storage, £799.99) The information had been gleaned from the sales tickets which didn’t boost my confidence so rather than test Taj’s eye sight further I thanked him and made my excuses.
The visit was a great disappointment as the variety of laptops could have allowed multiple comparisons, demonstrations of performance and value for money but none of this was realised. Unless I knew exactly what I wanted or a specific price was favourable there was nothing to encourage a purchase.

Score: 3

CURRYS/PC WORLD, Leeds

I felt optimistic entering the recently merged Currys/PC World combination, would they offer specialist staff in each department? Was this really the best of both worlds? A good range of laptops priced from £400 up to £1300 were neatly laid out in the PC World area of the store all powered up and flashing up features and offers on the tailored screen savers. Akash approached me after a few minutes browsing, “Hi there and do you need any advice?” he said with a friendly smile.
“What do you do on your current laptop at the moment?” “Transferring music, photos, a bit of word processing and emailing, typical things” He then asked me to follow him towards what he felt would suit my needs. The first laptop he recommended was the Toshiba L505-144 15.6” (Intel® Core™ i5- 430M 2.26 GHz, Genuine Windows® 7 Home Premium, 4096 MB, Hard drive: 320 GB, DVD-RW rewriter, Black shell, 15.6 Widescreen) at £699.99, He pointed out the main features, “This model will suit my needs now but I think you could have a better model for a little more money which will remain up to date into next year and the next”. He pointed out the Sony VAIO VPC-EB1ZOE/B at £799.99 (Intel Core i5-430M Processor,  2.26 GHz, Genuine Windows® 7 Home Premium 64-bit, 4GB  RAM, ATI Mobility Radeon HD 5470 Graphics , 15.5″, 500GB HD, Blu-ray ROM/Dual layer DVD Rewriter) ”The new Intel processors in both laptops operate on i5 standard. In layman’s terms it means 4 stars out of a possible 5. The reason why there is a price difference is that the Sony Viao has a Blu-ray player and a larger hard drive.” “The extra cost is worth it for the better features, being able to watch High Definition movies are great especially if you are away with work and more space to store your photos and music is always useful.”
I asked him if I can have any information about the 2 laptops he had recommended, Akash quickly obliged printing out specification sheets before thanking me. ”Let me know if you need anymore help OK?”
I felt very content with the recommendation made by Akash and was more than happy to accept the up-sell to a more expensive model as the key features that he perceived to be attributable to the extra cost added relative value to me.

Score: 8

TESCO, Leeds

The section appeared a little disorganised on entry as there were a few missing POS cards that state the specifications of laptops, however all models were priced and turned on. 2 laptops out on display had missing keys from the keyboards; presumably these had been pulled off by shoppers whilst others were suffering from screen setup issues.
I was approached in store within 10 minutes by Hardeep; “What are you planning to use the laptop for? He enquired. I explained that it would be typical home/work use and needed it to handle internet browsing, word processing, watching videos etc. “Do you have  particular brand in mind?, “Not really.”
Hardeep took me to a Acer AS5532 TF20 (15.6″ , 1.6GHz AMD Athlon™ 64 TF20 processor, 3GB RAM, 250GB hard drive, ATI Radeon™ HD 3200 shared graphics and Windows 7 Home Premium) as his recommendation, this model also had a £100 off. He then went on to describe the specification of the machine, this was well done as the ticketing POS was absent so he brought up the spec on the laptop screen and tried to explain what the numbers meant. Hardeep attempted to demonstrate the speed of the processor by opening a few menus rather than programs on the desktop at the same time before inviting me to have a go on the laptop myself. I did raise the issue of the processor not appearing to be the fastest at 1.6GHZ and was met by the response that they only go up to 2GHZ although it would be a little quicker.
Hardeep tackled some questions fairly well during the visit (he was asked about reliability, battery life, etc) and did manage to change the display settings on the laptop once I pointed out the black bars. He appeared confident in his answers although I was surprised he didn’t offer me a choice of a few laptops or show me a comparison of his recommendation against another model. The Acer AS5532 was certainly value but I wouldn’t describe it as a performance laptop since the processor isn’t the fastest.
Requesting a take-away leaflet Hardeep provided a printout of a different model (Acer 5532 T3000) to the one I was shown in store (Acer AS 5532 TF20). “The Acer 5532 T3000 is the model being sold online and that’s where I get the printouts from.” “Has the Acer AS5532 TF20 gone end of line?”, “Yes, the Acer 5532 T3000 is replacing it.” Further research later revealed that both the Acer models are being sold on the Tesco website
Whilst not recommending the performance specification I would have expected I was impressed with Hardeep’s product knowledge and confidence. He answered my questions without needing further assistance and attempted a demonstration which was lacking from most other visits.

Score: 7

SUMMARY

Sony Viao laptops are obviously very popular with all stores ranging the products recommending them as an option to fulfil my needs as a laptop with performance and value. The perceived balance of laptop power versus value lies around the £700 mark providing products with newer technologies and features. Detailed knowledge of the new Intel Processors varied across retailers although staff awareness of the performance improvement was noted in all stores stocking the products.
It was disappointing to see staff reading points parrot fashion from a price ticket, although useful as a reminder, it should not make up the entire conversation. As a customer I want to know how this will make my experience better, otherwise without prior knowledge, is a higher number always better? Many of the laptops mentioned have similar specifications and the simplification of the Intel Processors has allowed easier comparisons for the customer. With less numbers to consider it seems the additional value from Blu-ray playback and larger HD space will become more important to secure a sale.

Curry’s

The visit began with a long game of pass the customer due to an admitted lack of staff knowledge about computer components. After initially explaining my quest to the customer service desk a salesman who proclaimed he knew nothing about computers because he worked on the washing machine section was first to offer help. “If you know what you want I can get it for you?” “I would some advice please.” I replied, “I’ll find someone else for you.” Next in line was a sales lady who, after listening to my story, explained she didn’t know enough about graphics cards to help “I’ll find someone who can.” Finally, after another 5 minutes a young sales man met me and understood my request.

“Does your boyfriend play the likes of Call of Duty or World of Warcraft? As you would need a graphics card of at least 7000, but we don’t sell them here, your best bet would be to try the likes of Aria and Micro Direct online?” “You also need to know if the operating system is AMD or Intel. AMD works better on an ATI Radeon graphics card while Intel works better with a NVIDIA graphics card; it gives you a better clarity if you choose the right one.”

“My boyfriend has just got the game Avatar, does that help?” “You could always see what the minimum specs are on the back of the game before you buy just to check, unfortunately we don’t have the PC version in store for you to check here, I’m sorry I couldn’t have been more help for you.”

It was unfortunate that it took so long to be given the right sales person as he obviously knew about the subject and had advice to give. Recommending rival websites when Currys online stock graphic cards was an interesting comment from a sales man who was friendly and helpful but couldn’t provide me with anything other than words.

4/10

Comet

Customers were out in force on this day, all the salesmen were busy interacting with people so I had a quick look around the computer section with approach before heading straight to the customer service desk.

“I’d like some advice about upgrading my PC for gaming please, my boyfriend has just got a new game called Avatar.” The man behind the desk didn’t need long to consider my request, “I know that you will need a high spec graphics card in order to play the likes of Avatar but we don’t sell anything like that here, I’m afraid. Try this place.” He said writing down ‘Aria.co.uk’ on a Comet leaflet “They will be able to help you with your requirements, they are really good technically.” I thanked him for his time took the leaflet and left the store.

This was the 2^nd recommendation for Aria.co.uk so I had a look at this salesman’s choice of website; there are a multitude of components and deals to be had if you know the sort of items you are looking for. My eye was immediately drawn to a front page deal of a specific Nvidia Avatar 3D package and a list of components I would need to play the game, very useful.

The complete lack of in store PC components meant this mystery shop was not going to be a raging success. The personal recommendation of the Aria website was appreciated and the customer service was as expected but not the place to go for PC component upgrades.

4/10

PC World

I was greeted by a woman on my arrival and asked what she could do for me today, I explained what I needed and she walked me over to the desktop PC’s, “I didn’t want a new PC but the means to upgrade the PC I already have so I can play the newer games.” “I’m sorry, I will take you to the Tech Guys as they specialise in things like that.

“I’m a PC gamer myself” said the Tech Guy; ”Unfortunately the best graphics cards are the most expensive ones so I’d say that the BFG NVIDIA graphics card, (1GB DDR3, 260 PCI-E) which costs £159.99 will suit your needs the best. There is a 10 year warranty on this one as well but you will also require an external power supply of 500 watts, these games are just so power thirsty.” He then pointed out the Jean Tech power supply unit, which was 500 watts and costs £59.99, “The PNY NVIDIA graphics card (250 PCI-E) is a bit of a cheaper option costing £129.99 but I would recommend the BFG as it will last longer overall.” “The way games are being released you will always need to update graphics cards on a regular basis to keep up to date with the latest releases.” “That is just how the gaming market tends to be like, the games and software themselves tend to have a higher spec, then we have to wait for the hardware to catch up half of the time, when it really should be the other way around.”

“Another thing you could do is to expand your memory, as this also tends to help with the quality of gaming.” He then walked me over and pointed to the Corsair DDR2 1GB (CGM2X1GS800 PC2-6400 DDR2-800 SODIMM Ram Memory Module) memory costing £34.99 and the same type but for 2GB costing £64.99, “It depends on what kind of RAM you already have, I would suggest that it would be best if you brought in your PC so we can have a look at it, see which operating system you use and then we could upgrade your PC with all of the necessary requirements at the same time.”

Finally a store that could help me with all of my requirements and also offer a service that could do all of the upgrades as well, it did seem a bit expensive and I wasn’t told how much it would be to install everything but the option was there for me if I wanted it. I was happy with the overall recommendation for my needs and was given advice from a person I trusted as I could tell that he knew what he was talking about without confusing me with too much jargon.

9/10

Computer Warehouse Ltd

A confusing location and a store half filled with clothes meant the expectations of this store were mixed before a conversation had even begun.

A jolly man was behind the counter; he smiled and asked how he could be of assistance. I told him about my requirements “We have loads of graphics cards that will enable you to enhance your gaming experience they do start from £20 and go up to £300. For your purposes I’d recommend the BFG NVIDIA GeForce 8800 (GTS OC 512MB PCIE 2.0) gaming graphics card, it’s on sale from £166.37 to £195. You could also get more memory as higher spec games tend to use a lot and that will slow down your PC and gaming experience as well, we have a Corsair 2GB DDR2 on a promotional sale price as well for £32.99. We can also install everything for you here in store, if you bring your PC with you next time.” “If we make those upgrades I think you will be very satisfied with the results.”

From being sceptical on entry I was very pleased with the advice and customer experience I had in store. The recommendations were clear and given with confidence from a wide variety of products available backed up with the option to have the upgrades completed in store by someone who knows what they are doing.

9/10

Currys Digital

I entered the busy store and headed for 2 free staff members talking, once they had finished they turned and acknowledged me “Could someone help me with a PC query please?” “I’m afraid there aren’t any staffs available” said the male staff member tapping away on a computer. I turned to the other sales person and she asked about my query and went to get some help.

She appeared a few minutes later with another lad and I told him what I needed; he looked at me a bit blankly and then asked the Store Manager for help.“I’m sorry but we don’t sell anything like that here, PC World would probably be your best bet.” “I know for certain that they do upgrade PC’s as well as having the likes of graphics cards but it is not going to be cheap though.” I thanked him for his advice and left the store.

A lack of PC components meant the mystery shop was limited and the advice was expected to a point although the detail about high cost was unexpected from a fellow DSGi colleague.

1/10

John Lewis

The consumer electronics section was found with ease and it was quite busy with customers but the only staff member in the PC section was actually being trained up by a manufacturer representative. After looking interested and trying to catch eye contact for 5 minutes I went to find some help.

After requesting some assistance from the ‘After Sales Care’ desk a salesman approached me in smart business attire and asked what I needed, after reciting my story he told me that unfortunately they didn’t sell anything like that here. “In fact we don’t even have high end PC’s or desktops for gaming either, try PC World or somewhere online.” “Can I help you with anything else?” I thanked him for his time and made my exit.

The customer service was fine, once found, but the Mystery shop was cut short again due to the seemingly specialist nature of my requirements. Another appropriate store was recommended but I was surprised at the lack of high end spec machines on display as the John Lewis website does list some expensive desktops and a range of monitors which could have been classed as an upgrade for gaming.

4/10

Summary

The list of stores where PC upgrades are available are limited and too specialist for the normal electrical outlets typically catering for a much broader audience. Customer service was fine in the majority of stores when the correct member of staff was located but the nature of request meant knowledge was more personal than required by the retailer.

PC World and Computer Warehouse Ltd both did the computer specialists proud offering applicable advice and a full service. Recommendations for websites were welcomed from Comet and Currys staff but without prior knowledge purchasing the correct equipment would have been difficult.

Due to the recommendation of online retail sites the list below compares prices of Corsair Memory and GeForce Graphics Cards selected as potential upgrades from PC World and Computer Warehouse Ltd against web stores.

Computer WH Ltd £32.99 Corsair 2GB DDR2

PC World £64.99 CGM2X2GS800 PC2-6400 DDR2-800 SODIMM Ram Memory Module

Ebuyer £46.01 Corsair 2GB (2x1GB) DDR2 800MHz/PC2-6400 XMS2 Memory Non-EC Unbuffered CL4 Lifetime Warranty

Aria PC £37.59 Corsair Value Select 2GB (2x1GB) DDR2 PC2-4200C4 533MHz Dual Channel Kit

Micro Direct £47.82 Corsair memory 2GB TwinX XMS2 6400 DDR2 Memory Kit

Computer WH £165 BFG NVIDIA GeForce 8800 (GTS OC 512MB PCIE 2.0)

PC World £159.99 BFG NVIDIA GeForce GTX 260 OC MAXCORE 55 896MB PCIE 2.0 (D)

Ebuyer £164.68 BFG NVIDIA GeForce GTX260 OC MAXCORE 55 896MB Dual DVI

Aria PC £176.24 Gigabyte GeForce GTX 260 OC 896MB GDDR3 PCI-Express

Micro Direct £160.96 Gigabyte GeForce GTX 260 Super OC 896MB GDDR3 PCI-E 2.0 Dual DVI-I D-sub HDMI

Top Selling

• Desktop – Compaq Presario CQ5305
• Laptop – Compaq WE086EA
• Graphics Card – BFG nVidia Geforce GT220 PCI-E
• Mice – Logitech M205
• Keyboards – Microsoft Wireless Desktop 3000
• Anti Virus Software – Norton 360 v3.0 Premier Ed

Survey Question

Will online subscription gaming work in the UK?

Yes 43% No 25% Don’t Know 31%

“I’ve heard about these Android phones that are supposed to be better than the iPhone. What is an Android? What do they do that is so special? What do they cost and which handset is best?

Vodafone

After browsing all of the walls in this small store I approached the 2 members of staff, who despite there being no other customers seemed happier to continue speaking to each other than to ask if I needed any help.

Once speaking to the sales assistant he pointed out the row of Android phones, consisting of the HTC Tattoo, Legend, Desire and Sony Ericsson X10. Talking about Android he said that they are very good devices. “The iPhone is the best for internet music and video, but the Android is better for emails and connecting to your PC”. He then added “Some people prefer the layout compared with the iPhone.” “Which of the 4 would you recommend?” he pointed to the HTC Desire as it comes free on £30/month with 300 minutes, unlimited texts and unlimited internet.

He then went to look if they had one to demonstrate to me, however “due to their popularity” they had sold all of their HTC Android phones and said that demonstrating the X10 wouldn’t be the same as the Desire as Sony Ericsson have put their own spin on the Android software. I was advised to come back at the beginning of the week when they should receive some in their delivery. Before leaving I was given a brochure with the relevant information highlighted.

The sales assistant had seemed quite wooden, with little personal engagement and a feeling of it being rushed despite there being no other customers during my time in store. The tariff seemed reasonable for a new phone with unlimited text, internet and 300 mins especially when pitched as an iPhone rival.

Product Range ****

Product Knowledge ***

Airtime Knowledge ***

Questioning Ability **

Sales Ability **

Shop Appearance ***

(17)

Mobile Master

Asking about which Android phones they stocked the first member of staff gave me a slightly blank look before quickly passing me over to his colleague. He showed me the HTC G2 (£210) and the Sony Ericsson X10 (£380) explaining that they only sell the handsets in the store not tariffs. Asking more about Android as a whole he explained how it was the operating system, comparing it to how you have Windows and Mac on computers.

The salesman advised that the G2 would be a good entry-level Android phone; however the X10 is a lot better equipped, focusing on the 8.1MP camera. Mentioning the iPhone to him, he pointed out that the iPhone has more users so has more apps, but the X10 is a more heavily featured phone, again using the camera MP rating to compare the two in the X10′s favour.

During the visit I was given the phones to look at and hold, however neither were turned on so I was unable to understand what exactly Android did. Hoping to find out I asked if he would recommend using Android, to which he positively replied yes without giving any reasons as to why.

The member of staff spoke confidently and seemed knowledgeable however worked on a question-answer policy rather than taking control and guiding me through Android and the 2 phones. With no tariff option to subsidise the handset cost or spread the payments the immediate outright cost did not encourage me to purchase.

Product Range **

Product Knowledge ***

Airtime Knowledge

Questioning Ability **

Sales Ability ***

Shop Appearance ****

(14)

Carphone Warehouse

Hardly having a chance to browse the walls I was approached by a sales assistant. Mentioning Android she pointed out the HTC Desire, “its better than the iPhone due to it being faster and having a better internet experience; the only phone better for the internet is the Nokia N900” whilst showing me it’s slide out keyboard. Returning to Android she also pointed out the X10, letting me know that it was out of stock, before saying that the Desire is the better phone and is available for free on a cheaper tariff.

Despite her enthusiasm and clear belief there wasn’t solid reasoning on why the Desire was better/faster than the X10 or iPhone.

Moving onto the tariffs available I was taken to a till point to look on the system. After an initial search I realised that some of the tariffs she was considering didn’t include internet, surely a necessity on a phone whose software was heavily integrated with the internet. I reminded her that internet access was a must for me she highlighted the same 24 month tariff shown by Vodafone – £30/month for 300 minutes and unlimited texts/internet, failing to mention Orange’s better 24 month offer of £30/month which gave an extra 100 minutes compared to Vodafone.

While discussing if the tariff would fit my needs she advised to go for the £30/month option as if I then needed more I could move up to the £35/month tariff which gave 600 minutes.

I had started to absorb some of her enthusiasm for Android during the visit, however I didn’t really know why as I had not been given any solid reasoning. The sales assistant had given me the feeling I wanted to buy, however hadn’t backed it up enough with reasons/detail to complete the purchase.

Product Range           ***

Product Knowledge **

Airtime Knowledge ***

Questioning Ability ***

Sales Ability ***

Shop Appearance ****

(18)

Orange

After a quick browse I was greeted by a sales assistant. Mentioning Android phones and that I had heard they were better than the iPhone, the sales assistant agreed with the statement. He then spoke for a couple of minutes about the iPhone and how it is a great internet and media device, but falls down on the phone side, with calls being dropped, lacking features and a poor battery life.

Our attention then shifted to the Android phones ranged; HTC Tattoo, Hero and Desire, Sony Ericsson X10 and Motorola Dext. Speaking about the benefits of Android phones I was informed that 70% of the apps on the Android Marketplace are free, whereas a lot of the apps on the iTunes App Store come at a charge. The other benefit given for the apps was that there are no restrictions on Android apps, making it easier for developers and giving more possibilities. Talking about the Desire he also highlighted that Android phones are often faster than the iPhone, “which is especially the case with the Desire as it has a 1GHz processor”.

After speaking very enthusiastically about the Desire I was shown the Sony Ericsson X10 demo handset, which, like the other phones in store, was still attached to the fixtures, however it was turned on. It seemed like it had just been taken out of the box and turned on without any thoughts of setting it up to give worthwhile demonstrations as there were only 3 home menus, each lacking in apps or widgets. For this reason I lost interest in the phone and averted attention back to the Desire and tariffs.

I was recommended the 24 month Panther 35 tariff, 600 minutes, unlimited texts, unlimited mobile internet and 50 photo messages. Adding to this he asked if I had family and friends on Orange to lead into telling me about Magic Numbers as well as Orange Wednesdays and their more recent Pizza Express offer.

My visit had been enjoyable, the sales assistant was easy to talk to and it didn’t feel like a one way conversation. He was confident and constantly asked questions to find out more about what I needed and to let me know about what Orange could offer to benefit me. The disappointment came in the demonstration as there was no demo handset for the HTC Desire and the Sony Ericsson X10 demo handset was extremely limited due to not being set up well.

Product Range ****

Product Knowledge ****

Airtime Knowledge ****

Questioning Ability ****

Sales Ability ****

Shop Appearance ****

(24)

3

Entering the store I was greeted with a smile by the sales assistant, James. Asking about Android he led me to the 4 handsets ranged: HTC Hero and Desire, Samsung Galaxy Portal and Sony Ericsson X10. Here there was another member of staff, Danny, who was comparing his own HTC Desire with the Sony Ericsson X10.

Danny showed me his HTC Desire, showcasing the contact integration with Facebook and Flickr, available widgets and apps, as well as how you can have toggles to easily turn off settings to save battery. Meanwhile James had returned from fetching the store’s demo HTC Desire which was set up for a full demonstration of Android and the Desire’s capabilities.

James then showed me how easy it was to use, whilst still being more functional than the iPhone, I was engaged and being wowed by the handset and software.

Asking about tariffs James recommended the 24 month £35 which gives 750 minutes, 4000 texts and internet. In regards to the Fair Usage Policy of 1GB, both James and Danny assured me that it would be hard to reach and that they haven’t had any customer complaints.

I then noticed that a lot of the tickets, including the Desire’s, included a Spotify logo. James explained how 3 include a 24 month Spotify membership in the contract, which would normally cost £10/month. He was honest in adding that they are still unsure of how the voucher process works but promised that they would ensure I got it if I did buy.

James’s help was extremely useful, his enthusiasm and honesty were clear and the brilliant demonstrations from both James and Danny added the excitement that Android can easily create.

Product Range *****

Product Knowledge *****

Airtime Knowledge ****

Questioning Ability *****

Sales Ability *****

Shop Appearance *****

(29)

Summary

The key factor in this mystery shop was demonstrations, only Orange and 3 gave one, with the difference being the quality. 3’s handset was set up to give the best demo experience in comparison to the just switched on unit at the Orange store. The other difference between the stores was their sales style, Vodafone and Mobile Master gave the feeling that I was being spoken to and that I was expected to be asking questions to find out more, whereas Carphone Warehouse, Orange and 3 felt more like conversations, with questions being asked by both sides to find the best solution.

3 were clear winners; the experience was so memorable and the tariff offered more internet usage than the others that a few days later I made the switch from an iPhone to a HTC Desire myself.

Winner Profile

Name           James Hadley

Age           22

Job Title           Sales Associate

Tenure           6 Months

Best Tariff         £18 internet texter: 18 month contract, 200 minutes, unlimited texts, unlimited calls to other 3 users

Best Handset             HTC Desire

Sales Ethos           Be honest and enthusiastic

Hobbies                     Rock climbing

Store Round-up

• Vodafone: HTC Desire – £30/month, 24 month contract, 300 minutes, unlimited texts and Internet (500GB FUP)
• Mobile Master: Sony Ericsson X10 for £380 (handset only)
• Carphone Warehouse: HTC Desire – Vodafone £30/month, 24 month contract, 300 minutes, unlimited texts and Internet (500GB FUP)
• Orange: HTC Desire -  £35/month, 24 month contract, 600 minutes, unlimited texts, Internet (500GB FUP) and 50 photo messages
• 3: HTC Desire – £35/month, 24 month contract, 750 minutes, 4000 texts and Internet (1GB FUP)

Whether it is full-time or part-time work you are after, we are really pleased to announce that we have fixed term contract opportunities available to support one of the world’s best known and market-leading brands.

What we are looking for are fun, outgoing, engaging and committed people to be the face of our Client in store; so robots need not apply!

If recruited, you will be using your personal experience, the knowledge you have gained through our training and your personality to introduce customers to our Client’s latest product range; helping them make the right choices based on their specific needs and wants.
 
The products themselves are cutting edge lifestyle choices, but, its not all about the technology; its about how you can create that spark of interest, quickly build a rapport and get your customers excited about them. If you can demonstrate that you have the desire to learn, succeed in the roles on offer and can build relationships quickly, then we will provide you with the training, ongoing support and management you will need to be successful in-store.

The roles available are across the country and have:
• An annual  salary upto £20K (pro-rata on part-time roles)
• 20 days holiday (pro-rata entitlement for part-time roles)
• A monthly 10% KPI-based bonus

So… could you be the Brand Activator we are searching for? Send your CV to jobs@infinitefm.co.uk and find out.

If the answer is yes and you are looking for a fixed contract taking you up to the 31^st Dec, then contact us.

We are looking for organised, focused and committed Regional Team Leaders, who can help motivate team members taking part in an exciting new sales engagement initiative for one of our Clients.

Working 3 days per week (Saturday, Sunday & Monday), you will be responsible for ensuring your regional team are fully supported with the latest information about objectives, products and making sure that operational standards / performance are maintained to the highest levels at all times.    

Your guidance, enthusiasm and ability to get the best of your team will ensure success through this initiative.

The roles we have available are across the country and have:

• An annual  salary upto £25K (pro-rata for part-time roles)
• 20 days holiday (pro-rata entitlement for part-time roles)
• A monthly 10% KPI-based bonus

So…could you be the Regional Team Leader we are searching for? Email your CV to jobs@infinitefm.co.uk  and find out