Survey Shows Mobile Carriers Do Poor Job Selling Smartphones

Mobile phone customers who could benefit from smartphones usually aren't getting the information -- or the hard sell -- from retail sales associates that could prompt them to acquire a smartphone, according to a survey of users that was released Monday.

MarketStar surveyed 300 mobile phone and smartphone users and discovered that just one-third said a salesperson mentioned combination devices when they were in a carrier-owned retail store.

"Mobile phone users generally need to be educated about the added functionality that combination devices offer," said Stan Basset, a VP at MarketStar Retail, in a statement. "In-store sales associates are positioned to be a critical component in this process if they are properly trained and coached themselves."

The market research firm found that just 15% of mobile phone users were conversant with combination device platforms or mobile phone operating systems. Said Bassett: "To convince a typical mobile phone user to upgrade to a combination device requires a coordinated effort between the manufacturers and retailers, from the design to the sales pitch."