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AT&T Employee Hands Out Anti-iPhone Propeganda

Submitted by Edward Kirk on July 16, 2008 - 7:31pm.
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When we waited in line for the first iPhone outside our local AT&T store and the few times we talked to them beforehand, the staff there seemed very excited about it, and had nothing but good things to say to us about the device and the event. Well, apparently not all AT&T employees feel the same way (perhaps they haven't all been synced to AT&T's server yet). One customer inquiring about the iPhone 3G was instead handed a few pages of scathing anti-iPhone propaganda.

We're not sure if they were paid off by RIM to do so, but when the mother of Gizmodo reader Dennis visited the AT&T stand in the Moorestown Mall in New Jersey to ask about iPhone insurance, she was met with laughter, and handed several articles of propaganda arguing that the BlackBerry was better than the iPhone, printed off from websites like Crackberry.com and Pocket PC Magazine. At the bottom of each page was the name and phone number of the regional manager.

Gizmodo decided to give this person a call. He explained that he had emailed the pages to employees for them to use as talking points to help convince customers looking for iPhones to opt for a BlackBerry at locations where iPhones weren't available, and that they were never supposed to be printed out and handed to customers.

I suppose it's understandable that AT&T would try to maximize smartphone sales when iPhone's aren't around, but handing out a pile of propaganda and laughing at them is pretty ridiculous.

[via Gizmodo]

iphone is better than blackberry dude.

Submitted by iswenson on July 16, 2008 - 8:05pm.
oh thats nice. thats real nice. i hope that employee gets fired. lol

Submitted by WatersWest on July 16, 2008 - 8:28pm.
I'm sure that s/he probably WILL get fired. Unbelievable!

Blackberry versus iPhone 3G

Submitted by imagine engine on July 16, 2008 - 8:55pm.
I've been a long time Smartphone user going from Treo to Blackberry devices and in the last year to the iPhone. The iPhone and what Apple has to offer far surpasses what RIM, Palm and HTC have been attempting to offer their customers. I think the issue here is RIM is aware Apple is eating into their market both on the consumer front and now in the corporate world. As well AT&T is attempting to make up for lost sales on RIM's Blackberry line. Though neither action should force reps to provide misinformation on one competitor product just to sell a different competitor product. While I don't see the iPhone being for everyone it does offer a lot for those that are tech savy, into highend gadgets and want the best all in one Smartphone whether for personal or business use.

Submitted by Unregistered (not verified) on July 16, 2008 - 9:13pm.
I spoke to an AT&T employee and they hate iPhone... must be a policy to try and get you to buy other phones, or perhaps there is no kickback to employees from iPhone sales. Something like that because they can't all hate the iPhone.

Submitted by frannyc28 on July 16, 2008 - 9:39pm.
Wouldn't be nice that thanks to this propaganda Anti-Iphone Apple take some action and AT&T loose the exclusivity of the device? I actually hope this becomes something really huge with lots of other people letting Apple know and effing AT&T get canned

Hard to say who's worse

Submitted by James Blond on July 17, 2008 - 7:15am.
After waiting in line for four hours and finally getting the iphone, I can honestly say that it's hard to be too angry with ATT store employees. The local one around the corner from me was answering the phone "We have no iphones." Apple has given this huge push -- sending scads of crazed customers to the ATT stores -- but not given them any phones.

I would be at the end of my rope as well. These people are just people, after all, and subject to the same stresses and reactions that the rest of us are. With that much grief and annoyance -- and no sales -- I'd be promoting ham radios if I had them to sell. I don't love AT&T's service, but it's a lot better than TMobile, and Apple isn't exactly aiming for the Nobel Peace Prize with the way they rolled out this thing.

Shocker

Submitted by bluecrabby on July 17, 2008 - 9:03am.
A mall stand vendor behaving unethically? Shocking! Seriously, if you spend two minutes listening to one of those salespeople speak your going to get three minutes of bs. The kiosks don't sell the iPhone for a reason, and this is it, obviously they're going to do stupid things to sell other phones rather than send you somewhere else.

You're fired!

Submitted by Dttah214 (not verified) on July 17, 2008 - 9:13am.
sadly enough for all the employees involved, including their regional manager, they all face disciplinary action, and that may include termination. whenever you are hired, you sign a disclosure agreement that also states that you can't talk negative about ANY of the products. hell, it's in the training courses: you can recommend a device over the other depending on the customer's specific needs. also, handing out non-approved AT&T pamphlets is another huge mistake. As an employee I would hope they lose their jobs. we make very good commission off of the iPhone and I don't want that to be taken away.