“We had to figure out how to grow this business, and decided to create a brand that would be the advocate for the consumer. We realized that at the end of the day people are looking for simplicity,“ he says. “Think about it. The one bill you open up with trepidation every month is your wireless bill. You think you’re paying $49, but that turns into $65. So that was the opportunity: Let’s simplify it. So, we created a flat fee system of $50.”
That decision alone generated a metaphorical stampede of customers to Boost Mobile who love an exciting product but exhibit equal appetite for consistency and continuity in their billing. The number one thing cell phone customers complain about is the notorious unreliability of the monthly billing process. With one stroke, Carter attracted a legion of urban consumers almost overnight.
Making strong decisions has been a hallmark of Carter’s career and life. “Typically when you’re coming in, you’re a change agent, but it didn’t take me long to help them understand that they needed to evolve. I had to put my foot down — a skill I learned from being the oldest child in a large, loving family. I let them know that the path we were on would lead to extinction,” he says.
“I was the oldest of five, so it was instilled in me early on that I had to set the example for everyone. That made me realize the importance of discipline and sacrifice. When you’re the oldest, you’re constantly looking out for folks and I carry that with me today; I look out for my team,” adds Carter.
Of course, it didn’t hurt that Carter acquired his undergraduate and graduate degrees from two of America’s elite institutions of higher learning, Northwestern and Harvard, respectively. He also boasts more than 20 years of experience working with companies like Bristol Meyers and Coca-Cola.
Carter was recruited by Sprint three years ago to run their customer management group, and when the new CEO came aboard, he tapped Carter to run Boost Mobile.
“I’ve been at Boost for 18 months, really focusing on revolutionizing the wireless industry. It brought together all of my experience in leadership, marketing, sales and technology. In addition, at that point in my career I was ready to lead a major division of a company,” he says. –terry shropshire
