Mystery Caller: BlackBerry alternatives

Mystery Caller needs a phone where he can check work emails regularly when out of the office. He’s not a fan of BlackBerrys. Could the networks think beyond the power of RIM?

6: Virgin Mobile

Dean recommended the HTC Wildfire, which was a different phone to what his colleague had chosen for me just a minute earlier

Manner – 3/5
Understanding – 2/5
Knowledge – 2/5
Helpfulness – 2/5
Clarity – 2/5
Overall – 2/5
Total – 13/30

5: O2

I asked for something cheaper, but this CSA was still stuck in her iPhone ways. “I recommend the iPhone – it’s a very good phone”

Manner – 3/5
Understanding – 2/5
Knowledge – 2/5
Helpfulness – 2/5
Clarity – 3/5
Overall – 2/5
Total – 14/30

=3: Orange

She said: “You want a BlackBerry phone?” What part of “I’m looking for something other than a BlackBerry” didn’t they understand?

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

=3: Vodafone

David miraculously blamed his hesitancy on the Vodafone website. “The website takes 10 years to open”

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

=2: Three

“It runs on Android – the Google operating system – and you’ll have access to thousands of apps through the Android Market.” It was a good explanation for those unfamiliar with Android

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

1: T-Mobile

What Fiona had offered me was pretty much what I had outlined earlier in my budget and handset requirements

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

Summary

It was a close contest but T-Mobile’s Fiona put in an almost faultless performance, asking the right questions to determine what exactly my needs were and explaining everything in a clear manner.

Kevin at Three was just pipped to top spot because he didn’t take the chance to sell me an alternative earlier. Vodafone’s David was hesitant on pricing while John at Orange put in a solid performance following two disastrous attempts from colleagues.

The female CSA at O2 seemed intent on selling me an iPhone, even though it was way above what I was willing to spend and there was a severe lack of understanding between the CSAs at Virgin, which seemed to confuse everyone, including myself.

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