T-Mobile is reportedly looking to use the T-Life app for all transactions
If a customer comes into a T-Mobile store and is an authorized user of an account, but doesn’t have permission to use the T-Life app, the rep is forced to call Customer Care. During the call, the T-Mobile employee has to request that the customer receive approval to use the T-Life app, regardless of how much extra time this adds to the length of the transaction. This rep also told us a little secret about how T-Mobile tries to get you to buy more expensive accessories through the T-Life app.
It seems that when using T-Life to buy accessories, the highest-priced items are placed at the front of the selection screens. Cheaper accessories available in stores are placed in the back or are not displayed in the app at all. And god forbid a T-Mobile rep process an order without using the T-Life app. In that situation, a rep must report to the proper managers why the T-Life app could not be employed for the specific transaction.
The plan is to end the commission-paying system at T-Mobile
Any other reason for not using the T-Life app is unacceptable in the eyes of management. Speaking of management, this rep says that the suits at T-Mobile Headquarters understand full well that forcing reps to use the T-Life app to complete transactions will lead to salesmen departing the company. But this seems to be exactly what T-Mobile President and CEO Mike Sievert wants.
Openings created by reps who are leaving or are canned for not using T-Life will not be backfilled according to the rep who sent us the letter. He says that the carrier will downsize its workforce and turn its stores into locations where customers can only get support for their devices but cannot purchase new phones. The bottom line is that this will be the end of jobs that pay commission at T-Mobile.
The rep who sent us the letter is concerned about his job and the jobs of his co-workers and made that clear at the end of his letter when he wrote, “I’m scared for my job. I’m scared for my coworkers job.”
We have asked T-Mobile for a comment on this story and if one is received, we will update it