VZW tops carrier retail survey: Industry as a whole falling short

J.D. Power and Associates’ latest survey found that in-your-face employees at mobile operator retail stores may not be as helpful as they used to be. Although Verizon Wireless came out on top of the firm’s “Volume 2 Wireless Retail Sales Satisfaction” study, overall, the findings show that retail store employees have been slacking. According to the study, the percentage of sales people who ask questions or otherwise assist customers in making their informed purchase decisions has steadily decreased since the first study in 2006. The new study retrieved its results from evaluations by 6,131 customers after retail experiences within the past six months and bases findings on four factors: sales staff, store display, store facility and price/promotion.
There were also 13 key activities performed by salespeople measured in this study. Some examples include greeting the customer or thoroughly explaining additional charges. Of the 13, salespeople performed a majority of them much less frequently in the latest survey, which, according to the study has a lot to do with customers leaving the stores less satisfied.
“Continuous change in the wireless industry, including ever-improving products and services, has made it easy for salespeople to overlook the fundamental needs of their customers,” said Kirk Parsons, senior director of wireless services at J.D. Power and Associates.
Alltel Communications L.L.C., which is in the process of being acquired by Verizon Wireless, came in second in the Volume 2 study of Wireless Retail Sales Satisfaction.
Verizon Wireless received high marks in other recent J.D. Power and Associates studies including call quality and customer care.