The Beginning of a Unique Journey

My journey with Amazon DSP owners started when an old customer and friend, whom I’d known for over 15 years, reached out for wireless services for his new business. This friend had been my client since his days as a correctional officer at Miami-Dade, through his tenure at the Fire Department, until he became an Amazon DSP. I had provided him with wireless solutions back during the BellSouth Mobility and Cingular times.

He initially sought Verizon services for his DSP within the Amazon program. I contacted Verizon, but the offer detailed by their representative was incorrect. I couldn’t deliver as promised, so I advised him to go with the best available deal. Months later, the same representative called with what he claimed was a new offer, which was the same one misrepresented earlier.

Early Challenges and Lessons Learned

Years later, when my friend decided to switch to AT&T, he sought my help again. This time, I ensured I was well-versed in all carrier offers for Amazon DSPs. When I presented the deal, my friend believed he had a better offer until I clarified, “You’re falling for a sales pitch since the offer is exactly the same.” After breaking it down, I activated all his phones on AT&T, leading to referrals from other DSP owners.

Experiences at Industry Gatherings

He then invited me to Las Vegas for the Unite gathering. I informed my AT&T channel manager and WBC that I was going to Las Vegas. When I arrived in Las Vegas, I was told I would not be invited to the AT&T suite. I was informed that I would be competition for WBC employees. I wished WBC would have told me before spending the money for my wife and me to travel to Las Vegas. We did make the best of it and did some sightseeing. I do not gamble or drink, so Las Vegas would not have been my first choice. I was upset but AT&T has only two master agents that Amazon DSP approved: WBC and Long Boat in California. WBC is a 45-minute drive from me in Brandon, FL. I live in Tampa, Florida.

Now I needed to get more Amazon DSP owners to use me and heard about an Amazon retreat in New Orleans. I made sure to call WBC and Verizon to make sure I was not stepping on anybody’s toes. WBC said they were not attending and wished me luck. The Verizon representatives said it was a great idea, and they would contact the higher-ups to inform them I was attending the Amazon retreat. New Orleans was like Las Vegas. We stayed on Bourbon Street in the heart, and what you see in movies about the crowds and partying all night is no exaggeration. The night of the orientation, I was pulled aside and told Verizon was a sponsor and I could not talk to anybody about wireless services. I was shocked; I had just paid again for my wife and me to travel to New Orleans to be blocked. I still made the best of it; I paid for the retreat, and I would take advantage of all they had to offer to learn more about the Amazon DSP business. I did learn a lot, and my biggest takeaway was that the employees/drivers are your team and family, but you will only retain 30% and the rest will come and go. You would need to always have new hires so you will always have drivers available. Not being able to do or complete a route was not a good thing, and it would affect your bonuses.

Standing by My Promises

When I opened a new wireless business account for Amazon DSPs, I would make a promise to always be their personal wireless consultant, and they should always come to me first. I had a DSP who lost his DSP business early in the game and wanted to cancel his service with AT&T. I advised him what to do, then he contacted me to tell me AT&T was charging thousands of dollars for canceling his service. I had told him this would not happen because in the contract, he would be able to cancel without a termination fee. He went back and forth with AT&T, telling them his consultant assured him otherwise. This escalated to AT&T management, and he was frustrated. I sent an email to AT&T, and a day later, they contacted this DSP and told him there would be no cancellation fee. I cannot get into details about what I said to change the circumstances, but if I make a promise, I am responsible. This same former DSP went to my Google business profile and gave me a 5-Star review. That caused a ripple between AT&T and me, and they contacted WBC to complain. WBC told me not to make that promise again to DSPs, and I agreed to go by the new rules.

My reflection

Reflecting on these experiences, my commitment to Amazon DSP owners has only grown stronger. These challenges have underscored the importance of transparency, advocacy, and personalized service in building trust. While I currently manage a few DSP accounts, this narrative motivates me to reconnect with the community, offering my services as a free, vigilant consultant, where carriers compensate for my advocacy. It’s clear that having someone like me, who looks out for their interests, is invaluable for DSPs.

In this photo, Jason, the Verizon representative, is seen discussing with his colleague during the Amazon DSP retreat in New Orleans. Right before our conversation about not discussing wireless services, his colleague, looking up information on his phone, unknowingly asked, ‘Who is the Mobile Wiseguy?’ It was a surreal moment of recognition, as I was right there, ready to introduce myself. Capturing this moment underscored the unexpected and small-world nature of these industry gatherings

Continuing to build trust with Amazon DSP owners.

I will continue being the Mobile Wiseguy looking out for the best deals for Amazon DSP owners with Verizon and the best deals for Amazon DSP owners with AT&T.