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It’s all about the Metrics

Inside a New York City T-Mobile store. | Image credit-T-Mobile

The T-Mobile customer who asked to buy the iPhone 17 Pro walked out of the store in what we assume was a state of disgust. He left without making a purchase, as did the two other potential customers who were sitting next to him.

This might have been something dreamed up by the rep. T-Mobile, like most other large U.S. carriers, requires that its reps meet monthly goals that can determine monthly pay and even lead a rep to lose his/her job. Some of these metrics can be so hard for T-Mobile reps to meet, and the pressure so high to meet them, that reps will take actions that are illegal, including adding accessories to customers’ orders without their consent.

What can consumers do?

If you don’t mind waiting to receive your new iPhone 17 Pro, it shouldn’t be too hard to find an alternate way to purchase the dievice just the way you want it. A big box retailer like Best Buy would be a good option, or you could go to an Apple Store near you. If you can’t find a nearby physical Best Buy or Apple Store to buy your new phone at, you can always order online from their websites. 

It is tempting to give in and add an accessory that you don’t want or really need when you find a store that has the new iPhone in stock just the way you want it. The store can call it a “bundle,” hinting that you are saving some money by taking the salesman up on the offer. The truth is, you are really only helping the rep stay employed and unless these accessories are things you want or need, you’re not helping yourself at all.

We have previously discussed a possible solution. T-Mobile ought to announce that it is making an Un-carrier announcement to cure a customer pain point like it used to in the good old days when John Legere was CEO. During that event, T-Mobile should announce that it is ending the use of metrics to gauge a rep’s performance. It would be an industry-leading announcement and allow T-Mobile customers to be more relaxed when visiting the store to make a purchase. That is, until they have to whip out the buggy T-Life app to make the purchase. But that’s another issue for another day.

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Rediscover some of the most unique and memorable phones of the last two decades! “Iconic Phones” is a beautifully illustrated book that we’ve been working on for over a year – and it’s coming out in just a couple short month!