Verizon

Rumors say Verizon laying off sales reps

posted by John V. / Feb 10, 2009, 11:12 AM

Rumors say Verizon laying off sales reps

Engadgetmobile is reporting from various sources that Verizon is laying off several sales representatives across the nation. More specifically, the recent mammoth bankruptcy of Circuit City is forcing them to lay off 90 percent of the sales reps within those stores. It’s important to note that Verizon does not employ Circuit City workers; instead they are a complete direct dealer that have Verizon sales reps. The report also speculates that major layoffs are occurring in the Gulf Coast region that targets mostly higher-paid senior reps. The downfall of Circuit City withdraws Verizon’s presence in a major retail arena which can directly affect profitably for Big Red.

Source: Engadgetmobile

FEATURED VIDEO

Options

59 Comments

1. Big Red

Posts: 101; Member since: Dec 12, 2008

"major layoffs are occurring the Gulf Coast region" Read before you publish phonearena....

posted on Oct 20, 2010, 1:42 AM 0

15. Big Red

Posts: 101; Member since: Dec 12, 2008

Haha they fixed it

posted on Feb 10, 2009, 3:00 PM 0

2. The Spartan

Posts: 98; Member since: Jan 27, 2009

Well...that was a surprise. I'm shocked and not in a good way...

posted on Feb 10, 2009, 11:52 AM 0

4. HOVA

Posts: 564; Member since: Dec 11, 2008

I'll be nice this time but you know what's up..

posted on Feb 10, 2009, 12:49 PM 0

6. Legion

Posts: 397; Member since: Dec 12, 2008

What, that you are starved for attention?

posted on Feb 10, 2009, 1:21 PM 0

7. DonLouie

Posts: 594; Member since: Dec 22, 2008

Verizon isn't immune, that's what up

posted on Feb 10, 2009, 1:29 PM 0

8. HOVA

Posts: 564; Member since: Dec 11, 2008

Yea, remove the VZW wang fanboys. It's funny you have no problem arguing with me, but the second I argue with you I'm starved for attention, how convenient.

posted on Feb 10, 2009, 1:33 PM 0

16. Legion

Posts: 397; Member since: Dec 12, 2008

No, I am saying you are starved for attention becuase the Spartan made a perfectly legitimate comment and you immediatly start flaming him simply becuase you dont like him from a previous thread, which makes you starved for attention.

posted on Feb 10, 2009, 3:08 PM 0

17. vzw fanman

Posts: 1977; Member since: Dec 11, 2008

circuit city has to screw up everything for verizon!!

posted on Feb 10, 2009, 4:41 PM 0

29. The Spartan

Posts: 98; Member since: Jan 27, 2009

Touche, Hova, Touche. Def not going to fight you on this one, and thank you for being nice. Honestly, he's not really trying to argue here, he just stated a point. (Did I just back Hova? Whoa...)

posted on Feb 10, 2009, 9:39 PM 0

34. LessthanZach

Posts: 106; Member since: Apr 29, 2008

And I thought that I made a bad choice moving my employment to AT&T (with the recent strike threats the union has been throwing around), I guess the entire industry is starting to shake in this economy. I suppose no regrets is the moral of this story. I really hope this economy gets better. My wife and I have been hanging by a thread for a long time now and it would be nice to have some security.

posted on Feb 11, 2009, 1:46 AM 0

42. HOVA

Posts: 564; Member since: Dec 11, 2008

It's all good. I never really mean to start anything, sometimes things just get outa hand quick here! lol, but I can't help but try and back myself up. I hope Verizon keeps rockin otherwise who would I have to argue with here??...

posted on Feb 11, 2009, 11:08 AM 0

3. dphins82

Posts: 16; Member since: Feb 10, 2009

Well folks this is not a rumor. I along with a few other people I know have been laid off. It is pretty sneaky how they do it though. I won't go into detail but how they are doing it is totally ridiculous. It's such a tough time. I haven't had to look for a job in over 3 years and now I don't know how to even start. Again I have just confirmed the rumor.

posted on Feb 10, 2009, 12:45 PM 0

11. SellPhones82

Posts: 569; Member since: Dec 11, 2008

@dphins82...did you work at a CC or in the Gulf Coast area? I'm not suprised that layoffs occured do to all the VZW people at CC since it would be difficult to tran all of them to new stores and over staff them. With CC and adding Alltel you have to know there are going to be too many people and not enough openings to fill them with regardless of the economy.

posted on Feb 10, 2009, 2:20 PM 0

18. dphins82

Posts: 16; Member since: Feb 10, 2009

I was in a store then a CC and then BJ's. When I went to our corporate offices where these layoffs were taking place I was there with people who worked in a store as reps and an assistant manager.

posted on Feb 10, 2009, 5:30 PM 0

39. MetroPCSGorilla

Posts: 8; Member since: Feb 11, 2009

I'm not sure about the Gulf Coast but that's not the case in the Midwest. Those who VZW employees are being added to standalone stores and not left without a job

posted on Feb 11, 2009, 9:17 AM 0

5. phoneguy

Posts: 213; Member since: Jan 08, 2009

at lease sprint is keeping their sales proffessionals >>>>>

posted on Feb 10, 2009, 1:08 PM 0

25. The Godfather unregistered

since when did sprint have ANY professionals?

posted on Feb 10, 2009, 8:22 PM 0

35. LessthanZach

Posts: 106; Member since: Apr 29, 2008

HAHAHA, that is the funniest shit I have ever read in a reply! I think Bill Engvall said "The funniest jokes aren't made up, they're real stories". As a consumer and an experienced sales rep in the wireless industry, I would NEVER choose sprint as an employer or a phone carrier. Their reception is piss-poor, almost as bad as their customer service and they underpay their reps. Plus, you shouldn't make a mockery of the people who are losing their jobs in this economy.

posted on Feb 11, 2009, 2:09 AM 0

37. phoneguy

Posts: 213; Member since: Jan 08, 2009

First, before you make any snide comments I have to say that VZW has a horse shit culture. I was a top performing rep for them and the fact that I didn't kiss ass kept me from making even a lateral move to a Higher producing store. I worked in a top ten volume kiosk in the country and was advanced data certified for 4 consecutive quarters. I know the ball game. All I was saying is that of all people to be cut, it is horses hit that they are cutting their sales professionals. I want to meet you face to face and see how well you really sell..... or should I say take people to the cleaner. If you new anything you would know that although Sprint has had a rocky past they are climbing out of a whole that past management left them with, similar to the hole the enitre country is in due to the last guy...... Get informed oh and btw spend the next six years pining away for that next promotion that you will never get no matter how good you are godfather, because unless you kiss some big red a** you aren't going anywhere. I have never in my life seen people in management that have no business in management, like I have seen at Big Red.

posted on Feb 11, 2009, 8:40 AM 0

44. The Spartan

Posts: 98; Member since: Jan 27, 2009

No offense, but reading your reaction was like reading a first grade assignment. Spell check is your friend man!

posted on Feb 11, 2009, 11:40 AM 0

47. t-won50

Posts: 25; Member since: Jan 18, 2009

at least sprint is not planning a strike any time soon sucks to be u lessthanzack soon to be lessthanzackonstrike

posted on Feb 11, 2009, 12:18 PM 0

49. HOVA

Posts: 564; Member since: Dec 11, 2008

Yea who needs strikes when Sprint is just laying people off. Not sure where you work but if you're a Sprint employee you should know that.

posted on Feb 11, 2009, 2:56 PM 0

50. t-won50

Posts: 25; Member since: Jan 18, 2009

i do work for sprint and i know that they are laying off people not in the retail side of things though so i have nothing to worry about working in a high volume store its the coustomer care people that have to worry but they worthless anyways we always have to fix there problems in the store

posted on Feb 11, 2009, 4:27 PM 0

55. LessthanZach

Posts: 106; Member since: Apr 29, 2008

t-won, you are an idiot. First of all, it just isn't classy to celebrate lay-offs and strikes. Second, I am not sure where the need for personal strikes comes in to play. All I said was that the reply was funny and that Sprint has garbage cust care and reception. I am not a fanboy, just a Sprint anti-fanboy. I went to training with a former sprint rep who was worse than most of the car salesmen that have helped me. He had no real product knowledge, was pushy, and seemed really shady. After visiting a couple of your stores, I have to say that I get that same feeling from a large amount of sprint reps. And FINALLY, you have no idea if we are going to strike or not. I don't even think you know what a union is, but I am just judging that off of the fact that you never use punctuation or capital letters. Just in case you do, though, the CWA has stopped the clock with AT&T for 30 days past the date of contract expiration. So hopefully we won't even strike.

posted on Feb 11, 2009, 10:08 PM 0

9. chupum

Posts: 115; Member since: Feb 10, 2009

I'm sad to hear that even the #1 provider is having to lay off its employees. I guess somewhere I had hope that those employees might have been safer off than the rest due to its high standing... I hope that those who are laid off transition to a better future. GOOD LUCK TO YOU ALL.

posted on Feb 10, 2009, 1:37 PM 0

10. The Doc

Posts: 122; Member since: Dec 11, 2008

This is exactly why I was empathetic with At&t employees. It can happen to anyone. I hope I don't lose my job here at VZW but sometimes it's out of your control. Make the most of your oppurtunity cause just like Joni Mitchell says, "You don't know what you've 'til it's gone"!

posted on Feb 10, 2009, 2:07 PM 0

12. Fan_of_Fanboys

Posts: 101; Member since: Nov 13, 2008

I read, I think BGR, that the people they are laying off (at least initially) are the ones who are low performing or who receive consistant disciplinary action. If that is true, and you factor in the Alltel employess they will be merging into the VZW systems, it makes sense for VZW to trim its employees that contribute the least to make room for Alltel employees that contribute more. Add in the economy and thats three respectable reasons. Again only if it is true who they are firing. And I am nto for anyone losing their job who doesnt deserve it. Fanboyism aside that alwasy sucks. Just a theory.

posted on Feb 10, 2009, 2:20 PM 0

13. bildo4ildo

Posts: 3; Member since: Feb 10, 2009

It was a chance for VZW to weed out the Emps that they did not want. Luckliy i was kept alot of my co-workers were not, if you perform if you meet your numbers you should not be worried. We were all stressed for about 3 weeks just finding out this week all i can say is that i am glad that i still have a position, others were not so lucky.

posted on Feb 10, 2009, 2:50 PM 0

19. dphins82

Posts: 16; Member since: Feb 10, 2009

Like you said if you hit your numbers but then why was I let go. I was hitting and exceeding my numbers every month and was on no disciplinary action at all. Try to figure that one out.