T-Mobile director of direct sales Gordon Ballantyne has taken on Simon Ainslie’s duties as director of indirect sales. Ballantyne will assume the role of sales director, in charge of both direct and indirect sales channels at T-Mobile. Ainslie is going to Nokia to replace UK managing director Mats Wolontis.
Ballantyne joined T-Mobile in October 2003 to head up the network’s direct sales channels, encompassing its high street stores, telesales and online activities. The reshuffle comes as UK managing director Jim Hyde looks to wrestle control away from the large high street multiples.
Last month, T-Mobile issued The Carphone Warehouse, Phones 4U and The Link with a stringent missive, requesting all parties to sign up to new terms and conditions by the start of July or else cease trading.
T-Mobile has emerged from the dark days of last year’s pan-European ‘Save for Growth’ cost-cutting programme to take massive market share on contract over the past four months with its revamped consumer and business packages.
But in the last four weeks, it has tightened the screws in the independent channel by cutting around 40% from its commissions packages on its business tariffs, clamping down on box-breaking and outlawing indirect telesales.
Most recently, it has reigned in its consumer offer by withdrawing its 25% discount on its 18 and 24-month business contracts.Now it has the market share, T-Mobile appears to be squeezing the financials and the independent channel, and is looking to boss the big retailers on the high street.
But in the last four weeks, it has tightened the screws in the independent channel by cutting around 40% from its commissions packages on its business tariffs, clamping down on box-breaking and outlawing indirect telesales.
Most recently, it has reigned in its consumer offer by withdrawing its 25% discount on its 18 and 24-month business contracts.Now it has the market share, T-Mobile appears to be squeezing the financials and the independent channel, and is looking to boss the big retailers on the high street.
Coming and going. Simon Ainslie (above) hears what his Nokia salary will be; Gordon Ballantyne (below) practises his enigmatic half-smile as he decides where he’ll be sourcing his handsets