ALL SPRINT CUSTOMERS READ: 7 Confessions of a Sprint Rep

[treorookie]

More juicy intel from the Treorookie! Enjoy!

Sprint has joined the ranks of cell phone providers whose former (and current) sales reps are beating down the Consumerist's door, eager to tell all. Let us move without delay to the confessions of a former Sprint sales rep:

•Get the Sprint Employee Referral Offer: "Get on the SERO plan! Sprint Employee Referral Offer. It's a nice little plan designed specifically for friends and family of Sprint employees. They require that you have an email address of a Sprint employee, but that's simple to get. Remember that business card the sales rep gave you, or should have given you if they're were good. Take that name and use it, john.x.doe@sprint.com. To see the plans themselves or sign up, go to Sprint Employee Referral Offer ($50/1250 minutes/7pm nights/unlimited vision)"

•Play the Extended Service and Repair Program Game: If you've lost your phone or dropped it in water, you can buy a new "broken" phone on ebay, activate it, and take that one into the store for ESRP benefits, according to our tipster. "Phone doesn't work? Water damage? What are you to do! Buy a phone on ebay, it doesn't have to work so long as it hasn't been flagged as lost or stolen. Get the phone activated and take it into the store. They'll fix or replace it usually on the spot because you have ESRP. Now keep in mind, if you do this excessive times, we'll refuse to service you (the system counts how many times you've had a phone replaced/serviced)." (This might be illegal somehow, we don't really know.)

•Buy your phone at the end of the month when the reps are desperate for commission on activations. " Reps will always discount phones, they don't make commission on the price of the phone, they make it on everything else. They're also desperate for activations (best time to go activate is near the end of the month when they're truly desperate). Add a few accessories or get that 2nd line, just return them later, you still get the awesome deal on the phone.

•Cancel without ETF By "moving" to the middle of the desert: This is an old trick, but the tipster says it works with Sprint. "Want to cancel but are stuck in a contract and don't care about keeping your number? Change your billing to e-billing (to avoid a paper statement), call customer care and have them change your address to an address not covered by the network (go on the website, find a hole, do a google earth search and find an address around there). Then say, "oh my, well if you can't provide service to me there, I'll have to cancel." Sprint is now obligated to cancel your contract without a termination fee because if they can't service you, how can they charge you for service? Usually they want to cancel your number, but you might be able to convince them that Company B has coverage and you would like to port.

•Retention Specialists have power: Cancel everything that's not required in your contract. There's a retention offer waiting for you. Example: "there are retention offers for things such as text messaging (unlimited for $10 I believe), plans, services, etc. Just ask! "

•Get a big discount for working for a big company (or saying that you do): "Get a discount because you work for the man! Are you an employee of a major organization? Tell Sprint you work for them then! You'll get anywhere from 7-28% off of your monthly bill. Tip, Chase bank employees get the highest discount (I believe it was 28%). Even if you don't work there, they don't ask for proof that you do. "

Thanks to the Sprint Guy for these excellent tips! Where are you Alltel? U.S. Cellular? We're listening if you want to confess... tips

[brandon]

dude, where do you get this juicy stuff?!

[alex_mathews]

Well...you could have found it at TreoBits, because I posted news about this today. There were also blog postings at The Consumerist for Verizon and Cingular/AT&T.

[comiken205]

•Cancel without ETF By "moving" to the middle of the desert: This is an old trick, but the tipster says it works with Sprint. "Want to cancel but are stuck in a contract and don't care about keeping your number? Change your billing to e-billing (to avoid a paper statement), call customer care and have them change your address to an address not covered by the network (go on the website, find a hole, do a google earth search and find an address around there). Then say, "oh my, well if you can't provide service to me there, I'll have to cancel." Sprint is now obligated to cancel your contract without a termination fee because if they can't service you, how can they charge you for service? Usually they want to cancel your number, but you might be able to convince them that Company B has coverage and you would like to port.


One thing on the above issue. They are starting to scrutinize this a little more. Have a friend that moved to an Alltell area. He had to call, beg and argue until finally they allowed him to use this option. it work, but he had to provide proof of residence by faxing a bill. So beware.

[Questor]

So is this done online (for SERO) and then what? you call to get the business discount (or use chat?)

I tried chat to get a slightly better deal on some phones, but Sprint wouldn't budge. And it was a fairly significant sale. I ended up walking away as I figured I would try again.

[ALT1MATE]

Holy Crap! The SERO program is crazy! You can get 500 mins for $30 with FREE! Power Vision Unlimited Web, Data and Picture Mail! That's crazy!

If I get an Upstage online with a plan could I return the Upstage to a corporate store in exchange for a 755p?

[ALT1MATE]

Valid emails can be found here: Sprint - Public Sector Accounts Contact Information - South

[ALT1MATE]

I just confirmed with a customer service rep that I can in fact exchange the phone through 800-SPRINT-1 or in the store (although she didn't guarantee that the store would do a swap). I'm getting the Razr V3m for $24.99 instead because it has the plan options already available for free.

[nimbok]

Hello, 1st time poster here just wanted to thank my fellow treonauts for all the useful information I've discovered here. Keep up the good work!

I tried the SERO thing last night after making a quick trip out to my local sprint store and getting a business card from one of their employees. I went to the SERO site and plugged in their email address. I was a bit worried since it wasn't letting me sign up online and asked that I call an 888 number to set up the service.

Well, I called the number and gave the rep my info... now i have a brand new 755 on the way out to me and I will only be paying $30 a month for 500 minutes and unlimited data... pretty much the whole kit-and-kaboodle! I currently have a 650 with Cingular and I'm giddy over getting my new phone.

I used to be a sprint customer before I switched to cingular 2 years ago, so I'm also excited that I won't have to walk outside my house to be able to get clear phone calls. So, thanks for the great info! I would be happy to use the money I'm saving to buy you all a round if you are ever in S. Florida

[forgot]

Hey, if I'm ever there I'll take you up on that

Welcome to Treonauts nimbok! Glad you've joined!