You only really know about a company based on the public image it wants you to see. But what really goes on behind the scenes? Behind the glitzy product launches, what exactly takes place in the planning process? If you’re curious about how a carrier operates, PhoneArena managed to land an exclusive interview with a Verizon representative who spilled the beans on the company’s operations.

Verizon representative tells all

According to the interview with the Verizon representative called “Jim,” it uncovered some of the things that take place behind the scenes. For starters, Verizon is relying pretty heavily on AI. This comes in the form of an AI tool called “Personal Shopper.” This feature automatically builds a cart of so-called recommended items when customers open a new account.

While it might sound useful, Jim suggests that this usually results in a ton of irrelevant products, which makes it annoying for employees to manage. Employees are also pressured to meet strict sales quotas with mandatory upselling. These are not optional goals, and failing to meet a quota could jeopardize their employment.

Unfortunately, this has created a somewhat toxic environment. Due to the immense pressure to perform, some employees resort to deceptive tactics. We’re talking about hidden insurance or fees here. So, the next time you get your bill, you might want to take a deeper look at the charges.

All of this comes from the higher-ups too, where management encourages upselling for items like extra lines, even if a customer doesn’t need it.

But it’s not all bad

Based on the interview, it sounds like Verizon resorts to some pretty shady tactics when it comes to upselling. However, it’s not all bad. It seems that despite the stressful sales environment and pressure to meet quotas, Verizon is apparently a pretty good employer. The carrier offers decent pay, commissions, and benefits.

Still, these pressures can lead to burnout, which results in employees leaving. But it seems that many of them eventually return. This is because the pay and benefits are simply too good to give up on.

Jim acknowledges some of the shady tactics Verizon uses, but he also notes that it’s the same thing at T-Mobile. “It’s just that you wear pink instead of a red shirt, and you hand out goodies on Tuesdays.”

The post Verizon's 'Personal Shopper' AI is Driving Reps Crazy & Hurting Sales appeared first on Android Headlines.

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