Study: many don't know the model of their phone
We can understand your phone's model name slipping your mind. Heck, we've even confused the occasional Nokia 6680 with a 6682. In a study commissioned by consulting group LogicaCMG, British research firm Ipsos MORI has found that 49% of surveyed users feel the pain, unable to recall their phone's model on command. More frightening, though, is that full 9% of folks don't know the model or make of their piece. As LogicaCMG's COO points out, "many operators could well be trying to sell advanced data services based on the incorrect assumption that the users they are communicating with have basic knowledge of their own handsets." We shudder to think that the under-informed masses could slow down 3G rollouts that are already poking along at a turtle's pace in some parts of the world, but we can see how being unable to distinguish a Samsung from a Sony Ericsson could limit your ability to make use of, oh, pretty much any feature beyond voice calling.[Via textually.org]
Filed under: Studies
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Rusty @ Jul 18th 2006 9:48PM
I've been in service work for almost 30 years. Heck, getting the customer to even tell you WHAT they have, let alone the brand or model number is difficult sometimes.
If it wasn't for customers who don't read owner manuals, FOLLOW my instructions on what to do and not do, I'd be sitting twiddling my thumbs. Thank god for clueless people.
It's amazing sometimes to watch normally intelligent people just turn "deer in the headlights" when lights start blinking on a piece of equipment.
When I take a call, 90% of the time, the first thing I ask them is "did you consult the owners manual". It's a 50-50 shot they will say "what owners manual", or....I don't have time for the owners manual....No problem, here's the bill.........
Brian @ Jul 18th 2006 9:56PM
99.99999999% of the people I talk to each day have no idea what model phone they have and you do have the people that don't even know the make. No joke!
Brad @ Jul 18th 2006 10:11PM
Many phones don't have the model number printed anywhere on them other than behind the battery. My Motorola V557 is that way, as was my last phone, a Sony-Ericsson t610
Donald @ Jul 18th 2006 11:26PM
Anyone who's ever worked for a carrier has had this conversation at some point in their careers (hell, once a week):
Rep: "What phone do you have?"
Cus: "A (carrier) phone..."
ATTN phone manufacturers: Hurry up and invent the device that lets me stab people over the phone already.
apt @ Jul 18th 2006 11:36PM
I don't think I need to mention how many times I've heard that "Yea I have a Nextel phone and it sucks"
Erik Persson @ Jul 19th 2006 2:53AM
I don't even bother asking people anymore. Usually my conversations go like...
Me: What phone is that?
Person: Its a (service provider) phone.
Me: Ah so you use (provider) but who built the phone?
Person: (provider)
Me: You keep using that word but I don't think you know what it means...
I will agree though that the provider badging is getting ridiculous over here.
xbit @ Jul 19th 2006 4:45AM
The operators haven't really helped this situation, since they try and play down the brand and model of the device as much as possible.
They want you to buy a Vodafone phone, not a Nokia phone. That really doesn't help when you need support on the phone.
Another problem is the terrible naming conventions manufacturers use. K800i, N80, P300, blah, blah, blah really isn't memorable in any way. I think Motorola did the right thing when they gave their slim flip phone a name as well as a model number. Even without vowels (or because of it?), the RAZR is easy to remember.
sugar_babe @ Jul 19th 2006 7:21AM
One of this people is my brother. :)
Schale_WDI @ Jul 19th 2006 10:36AM
They wasted their money doing a study, All they needed to do was come to work with me for one day.
"What phone do you have?"
"I have a verizon"
"Ok, which Verizon do you have?"
"It's the camera phone."
"sigh..."
Repeat 10-20 times per day.
Omagus @ Jul 19th 2006 3:02PM
Of course, carriers love it when people say, "I have a [carrier name] phone." Just as obviously, manufacturers hate it. Both Nokia and Motorola have taken steps to put their names back into the collective conscience of people. There isn't a person out there who has heard of the RAZR who doesn't know that Motorola makes it (and while many people argue that the A900 is a better product, how many of them could immediately tell you that Samsung makes it?).
To keep it's name public, Nokia has gone as far as creating the Experience Centers in various malls around the US. The object there is to keep the focus of phones on Nokia and not on the carrier. Both companies have also opened up flagship stores on the Magnificent Mile in Chicago to furtherkeep their name out there (althugh apparently, Motorola's is only temporary).
Scott Johnson @ Jul 19th 2006 3:34PM
I don't find this the least bit surprising. I work in IT, so most of the geeks around here love their phones and know what they are. But anyone I know who isn't an IT person doesn't know what phone they have, unless it's an obvious model, such as a Treo or a RAZR.
Patrick @ Jul 19th 2006 3:47PM
There should be no-name brand phones for idiots like this that just have some model number printed on them which would help the CS complaints above. Either that or start naming them better and branding better--like cars.
The rest of us technophiles probably do our own tech support so who cares.
rtms @ Jul 19th 2006 4:40PM
I can see where this can also lead to fakes and such. My phone certainly doesn't display anywhere on or inside the actual make and model of it. You have to look under the battery or go through the set up options to find it. The only displayed name on my phone it my service provider.
Nate @ Jul 20th 2006 2:46AM
Try working at a place that sells wireless phones/accessories
Cust: "I need a car charger for my cell phone"
Me: "Okay, what kind of phone do you have"
Cust: "A Cingular phone"
Me: "Do you happen to know the manufacturer, like Motorola, or Samsung?"
Cust: "It's the silver Cingular phone. Don't you guys have a charger for it? I thought you guys carried Cingular phones."
Me: "I'm sure we carry it, but there's a few different kinds of chargers. Did you happen to bring the phone with you?"
Cust: "No"
Me: "It's not in the car?"
Cust: "No, I left it at home. I was just wondering if you had it"
What I WANT to say: "Oh, well I'll just use my psychic powers to magically know the make and model of your phone that's not here. Just give me a second here.... yup.... I got nothing. Bring in your phone, or a picture, or something next time."
dafab @ Jul 20th 2006 8:41AM
I have to admit that i m half surprised with this statistic.... there are to many mobile phones launch on the market now that it may confused a lot of client plus more and more they look like each other so it doesn t help either...
Paco @ Jul 20th 2006 2:32PM
People are just stupid, when I sold phones and accessories I spoke to the customer like they were stupid, and I recieved many Cust. Service awards Because of it. I also referred to the phone by saying what is your make and model. Kinda like cars, but more often than not you get someone saying I want the camera phone that takes pictures and has that really cool commercial.... sigh
-_- @ Jul 22nd 2006 4:48PM
people don't walk around talking about "star-schmucks" (foamy reference) coffee as a general reference to a frappucino, and they certainly don't walk around talking about "ipukes" (again, foamy reference) as a general reference to all daps--- wait a minute, they do! *gasps in horror* they really do!
so why are we all suprised that people call phones "cingular" phones or "verizon" phones? it's been that way FOREVER folks. DEAL with it! ;)
Bill K @ Jun 23rd 2008 2:52PM
It would be really helfpul for manufacturers to stamp the model id on the phone. I have a model number under my Motorola phone battery that in no way resembles the model name. This seems like a pretty obvious solution. That way, the customer can just open their phone and get the information themselves.