Mystery caller: Child’s first smartphone

Mystery Caller’s son is ready for his first phone. Flashy features such as cameras and 4G aren’t so important because basic text and call functions take priority. Will it be a feature phone or smartphone that’s both simple to use and affordable?

5: Virgin

Manner – 3/5
Understanding – 3/5
Knowledge – 2/5
Helpfulness – 2/5
Clarity – 3/5
Overall – 3/5
Total – 16/30

4: Vodafone

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

3: O2

Manner – 4/5
Understanding – 3/5
Knowledge – 4/5
Helpfulness – 3/5
Clarity – 4/5
Overall – 4/5
Total – 22/30

2: EE

Manner – 4/5
Understanding – 4/5
Knowledge – 3/5
Helpfulness – 4/5
Clarity – 4/5
Overall – 4/5
Total – 23/30

1: Three

James did a top job of selling the Three brand in an attractive way. His honesty, politeness and enthusiasm to sell the Three brand shone through.

Manner – 4/5
Understanding – 5/5
Knowledge – 5/5
Helpfulness – 4/5
Clarity – 5/5
Overall – 5/5
Total – 28/30

Summary

Smartphones are packed with cameras, high-speed internet and processors that would put computers made a decade ago to shame. However, there are times when a more basic phone is needed.

Gary and Rose from Vodafone and Virgin both lacked the enthusiasm to make their suggestions sound exciting. One sounded very automated, while the other sounded like they couldn’t be bothered.

O2’s Keith was much different and managed to add quite a bit of humour to our call. It was nice to speak to someone who actually sounded like they had a person- ality.

Elisabeth from EE was very similar and managed to provide plenty of detail about the Samsung Galaxy J5, a phone that sounded like it would suit my son’s needs.

Three comes out on top because David clearly listened to my query, making the Huawei Y3 sound like the most obvious choice.

Full article in Mobile News issue 616 (June 13, 2016).