Mystery Shopper: Blackburn

5: T-Mobile

Product range – 2/5
Product knowledge – 2/5
Airtime knowledge – 3/5
Questioning ability – 2/5
Sales ability – 3/5
Shop appearance – 5/5
Total – 16/30

4: Carphone Warehouse

Product range – 3/5
Product knowledge – 3/5
Airtime knowledge – 2/5
Questioning ability – 3/5
Sales ability – 2/5
Shop appearance – 5/5
Total – 18/30

3: Vodafone

Product range – 4/5
Product knowledge – 3/5
Airtime knowledge – 4/A
Questioning ability – 2/5
Sales ability – 2/5
Shop appearance – 4/5
Total – 19/30

2: O2

Product range – 4/5
Product knowledge – 4/5
Airtime knowledge – 4/5
Questioning ability – 3/5
Sales ability – 1/5
Shop appearance – 4/5
Total – 20/30

1: 3

Product range – 3/5
Product knowledge – 4/5
Airtime knowledge – 3/5
Questioning ability – 4/5
Sales ability – 4/5
Shop appearance – 5/5
Total – 23/30

Summary

How can 3 beat Vodafone and O2 for a business sale, when both of these offer much fuller business support?

Well, because its consumer offers afforded great value and its salesman was considerably better. O2’s was the fullest offer and explanation, but it came via email, late. By that time, I might have signed elsewhere. And the store experience at O2 was pretty limited. 3 might not have offered the fullest business solution, and I still left reluctant to actually part with my money. But the service was decent. Carphone’s was a consumer offer, and unsuitable. T-Mobile’s Emma was pleasant, but the overall show was sketchy.

Full review in Mobile News issue 458 (March 1, 2010).

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