Verizon obsessing over iPhone for departing customers
updated 02:55 pm EST, Wed March 4, 2009
Verizon iPhone questions
Verizon Wireless is apparently attempting to gauge the effect of the iPhone on its departing customers. The carrier has created a new survey that is presented upon cancellation of a wireless account, in an attempt to determine why the subscriber jumped ship, according to the Boy Genius Report. The iPhone is specifically included as an answer for a number of multiple-choice questions, while no other devices are pointed out by name.
The survey asks "What could Verizon Wireless have offered to keep you as a customer?" In between "apology" and "different wireless data service," customers can pick "the iPhone."
Verizon acknowledged in July that the iPhone 3G has had an impact on its subscriber base, but argued that the device had a "minimally short-term impact." Despite the banter, a few months later the carrier distributed a sheet labeled "3G iPhone Myths" to its sales agents. The document proposed a number of challenges to key iPhone selling points.
While the company has publicly downplayed the impact of Apple's device, the new survey suggests the iPhone is certainly being closely watched and could be driving more customers to defect than Verizon has admitted.
Fresh-Faced Recruit
Joined: Sep 2000
Makes sense
The iPhone was precisely why I switched from Verizon to AT&T. Their network, at least in the Atlanta area, is pretty good, maybe better than AT&T. Their customer service, of course, sucks, but I'm pretty sure there's a mandate that all utilities (cable, home phone, cellphone, etc.) must suck; Sarbanes-Oxley requirement or something.