The strangest telephone sales call ever
By Koalemos
@Asylum (47893)
Manchester, England
November 8, 2015 5:53am CST
After using the old 56 kps dial up internet access for some time, I decided to register for broadband service. This was way back in 2002, when broadband was not as established as it is nowadays, so I spent several hours online comparing various ISPs. I finally chose Plus Net as my provider and signed up with them.
A couple of weeks ago the company telephoned me to offer a cheaper deal. My immediate response was “No Thank you” because I have had this service for almost 14 years. However, the caller assured me that nothing in my package would change. After asking several questions about hosted domains and web space, I agreed to the change.
I am now paying £10 per month less for the same service from the same provider. I cannot understand why they were so eager to offer me the same service for less money, especially since I was already happy with the company.
5 people like this
6 responses
@Asylum (47893)
• Manchester, England
8 Nov 15
@RasmaSandra I have often been offered internet, telephone and television packages at reduced rates, but they do not appeal to me at all.
1 person likes this
@RasmaSandra (80635)
• Daytona Beach, Florida
8 Nov 15
@Asylum We have an interesting system here. We pay for DSL and have Internet all the time. Then my hubby retired and he was offered a chance to pay less but had to accept the Interactive TV package. Well we pay less for our Internet now but we don't really watch the TV but we must have it.
@Rollo1 (16679)
• Boston, Massachusetts
8 Nov 15
It may be that other providers are offering drastically reduced packages for new customers and they fear losing customers. So there may be a generated list of all customers who are not in a contract that all sales people are calling to get them under contract with a reduced rate. Most companies do it that way, you get a reduced rate for a specific time and you are under contract. Check it though, the reduced rates often expired before the contract does.
@Asylum (47893)
• Manchester, England
8 Nov 15
No, this is a common practice to offer a limited period reduced rate and not one that I would ever fall for.
As for other companies and lower prices, I have constantly been approached in the streets by sales people offering unlimited broadband for vastly lower prices, but they have always been wasting their time. After almost 14 years without any issues whatsoever I have no intention of leaving Plus Net for any other supplier.
I agree that companies feel more secure if you resign a contract, but mine expired about 12 years ago, so w2hy should they be concerned now?
2 people like this
@boiboing (13153)
• Northampton, England
8 Nov 15
I renegotiate my broadband accounts every year or two when the deals run out. It saves a fortune. They will have realised they were charging you too much and wanted to get you back on a more standard tariff.
@Asylum (47893)
• Manchester, England
8 Nov 15
I would never have changed to another supplier, so there was no need for them to offer such a reduction. The only difference now is that I am under a contract for the next 2 years, but considering that my previous contract expired over 10 years ago it makes no real difference.
@ElizabethWallace (12074)
• United States
8 Nov 15
They know that it is less expensive to keep a customer than to find a new one. They are afraid of their competition.
@ElizabethWallace (12074)
• United States
8 Nov 15
@Asylum You know that and we know that, but they don't. Enjoy the discount.
@T964045 (48)
• Canlubang, Philippines
8 Nov 15
i've worked in a call center and sometimes companies do this upselling (though you got a cheaper price) as they are putting together something that would cost them dearly in the long run to maintain customers in old plans.
