vB Easy Archive - Stupid IVR's

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Stupid IVR's
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Posted by: elushon

Okay so every activation I've done has required I do an IVR, no problem, but still adds about 3 or 4 minutes to the whole process...i'm an Indirect, running POS I, and is anyone finding a work around for this, or is it just my market for some od reason?

Posted by: -X-

I believe almost everyone uses IVR's im a Premier Agent, using POSII.. Only way I've gotten around an IVR is when I have to call in activations.. They'll ask if I do the IVR and I say no because im writing out the contract.

Posted by: DruB

go here:

https://www.cingular.com/activations/activate_phone

Posted by: elushon

DruB - Cool, thanks for the link...And I realized when reading what I had posted, I was a bit unclear...We had been doing flat OTA activations, and suddenly starting this past Thursday all of them required the IVR's.

Although I'll probably just go with DruB's link to get them from now on.

Posted by: Telegraph

YOU do the customer's IVR? hmm.....

I always thought that the IVR was a GOOD thing. I think it gives the customers a piece of mind knowing that you activated everything correctly. Better to spend 3-4 minutes than have the customer come back and hassle you for 3-4 hours for not doing the job properly.

Posted by: DruB

while the link is useful, i highly recomend doing the IVR for as many customer's as you can. . .I solely use it when the customer is in a hurry. Making customer's listen to this saves your a$$ more times than none because they are aware of 1) activation fees! 2) contract length 3) promotional features (ie roadside and voice connect). Therefore when you make them listen to it and once they accept, they can't really dispute anything down the road. . .no more "well no one told me about any activation fees so im not paying" or "I never signed up for roadside assistance!" Make as many people listen to this as you can, its worth the 2-3 minutes it takes. If this helps at all, while they're listening to the message, i will normally gather their paperwork together, pack all their stuff up, make a copy of the receipt for their rebate and even to be mr nice guy, ill fill out their phone number, IMEI, and date of purchase on their rebate form. . .

Posted by: -X-

I have the customer sign the contract in addition to doing the IVR, cover all bases.

Posted by: elushon

Yeah I do the IVR, TELL the customer I'm doing the IVR for them, and have them sign the contract. As far as the various promos, activations fees, et cetera, we ALWAYS highlight and have the customer initial the promos, activation fees, and contract lengths, as well as the additional services they requested, and sign the back, even though it says "Terms accepted via IVR" so there cannot be any question or conflict saying they didn't know something. They've initialed it and signed the terms.

I just miss the OTA activations that I had been spoiled with up until Thursday.

Posted by: ieregional

OK, for those of you who are Indirect Agents/Premier Dealers; something you should know about the IVR. Initiated Voice Response (ivr) creates an agreenment between Cingular and the customer. The customer should be directed to dial *862 while you are finishing up the sale. This allows you to get all of your paperwork completed and it keeps the customer busy. The customer must be the one to listen and agree to the statements on the IVR.

Calling in activations and not processing them through Pos.Com will result in non payment to the agent and a chargeback to the sales rep. Only manual contracts submitted with trouble tickets will be paid by Cingular Finance. So make sure you know exactly how your company gets paid before you start to take shortcuts.

Choose the difficult right over the easy wrong!!!!

Posted by: vuittongirl

alot of my customers want me to do the IVR though. so i dont want to say no. should i?

Posted by: cellgeek101

I wouldn't do the IVR for the customer if i were you. Reason being.....CYA. The IVR is just another way for you and Cingular to cover your @$$. Me personally. I think its just one more long step in the process of trying to activate a customer.

Posted by: anubis9278

doesn't really matter who does it. the IVR was designed to cover cingular's arse. Not the dealer. Granted we all want the customer to do the IVR themselves, however some people are deaf, some can't read, some are lazy, and some are just plain stupid.

"I don't know the last four of my SSN." Sound familiar to anyone?

And dealers get paid for all of their activations. Activations that are called, if they exceed 90% of that dealer activations for that month, are subject to a 10% charge back from Cingular.

main point is to just insure that a customers phone is working before they leave the store. by any means necessary!!

Posted by: Telegraph

Quote:

Originally Posted by anubis9278

"I don't know the last four of my SSN." Sound familiar to anyone?

Wait, why would you even begin the activation process if the customer does not know his/her last four of the social? That sounds like fraud to me.

Posted by: vuittongirl

Quote:

Originally Posted by Telegraph

Wait, why would you even begin the activation process if the customer does not know his/her last four of the social? That sounds like fraud to me.

whoa they should know it. they had to give that info on the credit check.

Posted by: anubis9278

authorized user with full access, power of attorney, just plain old, etc.

not fraud. granted fraud happens but I have been in a store where a customer has pulled out a driver's license, social security card, utility bill, and another form of id and still don't know the last four of their SSN.

Did you read where I typed they had it in their hand.

Posted by: vuittongirl

Quote:

Originally Posted by anubis9278

authorized user with full access, power of attorney, just plain old, etc.

not fraud. granted fraud happens but I have been in a store where a customer has pulled out a driver's license, social security card, utility bill, and another form of id and still don't know the last four of their SSN.

Did you read where I typed they had it in their hand.

wow that is sad.

Posted by: cingulargirl

If we activate through POS and have the customer sign a manual contract what is the harm of using the provided link from DruB?

Posted by: anubis9278

Quote:

Originally Posted by cingulargirl

If we activate through POS and have the customer sign a manual contract what is the harm of using the provided link from DruB?

none, it doesn't erase the commission code.

Posted by: So Cal Blue Rep

just call credit and activations i get that call all the time