Mystery Shopper: Gloucester

Mystery Shopper tramped the streets of Gloucester for the best free hardware and airtime allowance on a £15 monthly contract

Product range – 3/5
Product knowledge – 2/5
Airtime knowledge – 325
Questioning ability – 3/5
Sales ability – 2/5
Shop appearance – 3/5
Total – 15/30

=3: Virgin Media

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

=3: Carphone Warehouse

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

2: T-Mobile

Product range – 5/5
Product knowledge – 4/5
Airtime knowledge – 3/5
Questioning ability – 3/5
Sales ability – 3/5
Shop appearance – 3/5
Total – 21/30

1: Phones 4U

Product range – 3/5
Product knowledge – 4/5
Airtime knowledge – 4/5
Questioning ability – 4/5
Sales ability – 4/5
Shop appearance – 3/5
Total – 22/30

Summary

The £15 a month tariff has many options across all networks, with a variety of free allowances and different handsets. The winner could have come from any store visited.

T-Mobile had the strongest commercial offer – a £20 tariff for £15 which, with the additional booster allowing unlimited internet access. Unfortunately the sales process let it down with no attempt to close. Phones 4U snatched it with a fuller, more structured and better-reasoned performance.

Full review in Mobile News issue 477 (November 22, 2010).

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