This is why T-Mobile reps keep pushing its new credit card, and it's depressingly obvious

If you’ve visited a T-Mobile store recently and felt like the credit card pitch came harder or faster than expected, that might be by design. New reporting suggests the carrier is pushing its branded credit card harder at the employee level than ever, making it far more likely to come up in everyday store visits.

According to The Mobile Report, anonymous T-Mobile employees told the publication that credit card applications are now tied directly to an internal performance metric called ULB, which is short for Un-Carrier Leaderboard. If signups are tracked as part of how store employees are assessed, this will naturally encourage most reps to push the card on customers as much as possible.

The report also claims that customers are grouped into different categories within T-Mobile’s systems, and that these categories influence how the card is presented. Some customers are reportedly flagged as “priority,” which prompts employees to send a T-Mobile Visa application link via SMS during the visit, even if the customer hasn’t asked about it. Others only see that option if they specifically inquire, while a third group isn’t flagged at all and would instead be pointed toward a QR code if they show interest.

While the “priority” group may be those customers who T-Mobile has “pre-approved,” it’s worth noting that being offered the card or receiving a link doesn’t trigger a credit check on its own, and nothing happens unless you actively apply. But for many people, that’s beside the point. Most customers don’t love being pitched financial products when they’re just trying to upgrade a phone or fix a billing issue.

That said, the motivation on the employee side isn’t necessarily solely for their own metrics. The T-Mobile Visa isn’t an amazing card, but it does offer higher rewards on T-Mobile purchases and is now the only way to keep the $5-per-line autopay discount while paying with a credit card. For customers who are already spending money in-store, some reps may genuinely see it as worth flagging, even if the push itself feels aggressive.

So if you’re heading into a T-Mobile store, be prepared. There’s a good chance the card will come up early, whether you’re interested in it or not.