Mystery Caller: Apple iPhone 5s and iPhone 5c

Apple’s latest offerings have caught Mystery Caller’s eye, and the operators’ growing 4G networks haven’t escaped her attention either. Can the networks help nudge her towards either an iPhone 5s or iPhone 5c?

6: Vodafone

Colleen didn’t go into much detail and didn’t seem all that keen on selling me the phone

Manner – 3/5
Understanding – 4/5
Knowledge – 2/5
Helpfulness – 3/5
Clarity – 3/5
Overall – 3/5
Total – 18/30

5: T-Mobile

Suzanne said: ‘Only EE can supply the iPhone 5s on 4G plans.’ This isn’t true, and it’s worrying that customers could be misled in this way

Manner – 3/5
Understanding – 3/5
Knowledge – 2/5
Helpfulness – 4/5
Clarity – 4/5
Overall – 3/5
Total – 19/30

4: Virgin

The CSA, Suzy, had to keep apologising for Virgin’s lack of products and services

Manner – 4/5
Understanding – 5/5
Knowledge – 2/5
Helpfulness – 4/5
Clarity – 3/5
Overall – 3/5
Total – 20/30

3: Three

Louis slammed the competition, saying that EE’s allowances were too low, whereas Three would offer unlimited 4G data

Manner – 4/5
Understanding – 4/5
Knowledge – 4/5
Helpfulness – 4/5
Clarity – 4/5
Overall – 4/5
Total – 24/30

2: Orange

Strangely, Orange’s prices are different to those given by sister company T-Mobile – I assumed they would be identical

Manner – 4/5
Understanding – 5/5
Knowledge – 4/5
Helpfulness – 4/5
Clarity – 4/5
Overall – 4/5
Total – 25/30

1: O2

The CSA asked if I had checked 4G coverage in my area – the only one to ask this, despite it being very important

Manner – 5/5
Understanding – 5/5
Knowledge – 5/5
Helpfulness – 4/5
Clarity – 4/5
Overall – 4/5
Total – 27/30

Summary

All the CSAs knew what they were doing when it came to selling the new iPhones, which is refreshing for a Mystery Caller.

However, they differed in how well they presented tariff information, with Colleen at Vodafone failing to provide enough detail. Although T-Mobile’s CSA had excellent tariff knowledge, I was put off by her claim that only EE could offer me the iPhone 5s on 4G.

Virgin’s CSA did very well considering the lack of product offering, while Three’s CSA was equally competent but stumbled when it came to explaining what would happen when the network turned on 4G.

Orange and O2 were the most thorough and enthusiastic.

Full article in Mobile News issue 550 (October 21, 2013).

To subscribe to Mobile News click here

For information on downloading the digital copy of Mobile News for free on your mobile or tablet click here