T-Mobile Ties Employee Pay To New Credit Card Signups

T-Mobile launched its branded credit card in November. Since then, the card has become the only way for credit card users to keep their $5-per-line Autopay discount. It also offers 5% rewards on T-Mobile gear and 2% on other purchases.

Internal sources say the company is now desperate to see a return on this investment. To get there, they have started leaning on retail staff to drive signups.

The New Leaderboard Pressure

The credit card is now part of the “Un-Carrier Leaderboard Ranker” (ULB). This move means card applications are a core part of an employee’s performance score. When a worker's ranking—and their paycheck—depends on these numbers, they are incentivized to pitch the card to every person they see.

Every customer walking into a store will likely be asked to apply. Some accounts are even flagged as a high priority for an application.

Three Tiers of Solicitation

According to employees who spoke with The Mobile Report, the internal system shows three different prompts when an account is opened:

• Priority: A button appears saying “Present T-Mobile Visa via SMS link.” Workers are told they must click this to send a link to the customer’s phone. This usually means the customer is pre-approved.
• On Request: The system says to send the link only if the customer asks. Even so, some managers tell staff to send it regardless of what the screen says.
• No Button: The employee is told to point the customer toward a QR code if they show interest.

No Hidden Credit Pulls

The good news is that T-Mobile cannot run your credit without your help. You have to receive the link on your phone and complete the application yourself.

The risk comes from high-pressure sales tactics. Some staff might claim that applying for the card is required to buy a new phone or sign up for a plan. That is a lie, but under the stress of meeting quotas, some might use deception to hit their targets.

Protecting Yourself

T-Mobile officially forbids these "shady" tactics. Employees caught lying about requirements would likely be fired. But when pay is tied to these metrics, bad behavior often follows.

If you visit a store, stay alert. Know that you never have to apply for this card to get service or a device. You might also want to keep your credit frozen at the major bureaus as a standard precaution.

Credit: The Mobile Report