Disappointed in Plusnet

[#1]

I’ve been a Plusnet customer for about 4 years now and have always found them very helpful whenever i’ve had to deal with them in the past but my experience today was completely different.

My broadband and phone line contract is coming up for renewal soon so I though i’d give Plusnet a call to see if I can stay on the same package and price that i’m on now, it’s not the quickest but it’s fine for what I need:

Phone Line: £16.49 (Line Rental Saver)
10mb Standard Broadband: £3.50
All-inclusive Call Plan: £9.00
Total: £28.99

The guy I spoke to was pretty abrupt and said the best they could offer me was £34.49 which I consider pretty high for the standard broadband.

I said that I wasn’t happy with that price as I can get 59mb Fibre Broadband and a All-inclusive Call Plan for £25 elsewhere, expecting him to say ok let’s see what I can do for you but no, he pretty much said ok, well that’s the best they can do… no discount to try and keep me as a customer, no deal if I upgraded to fibre, nothing, just that’s the price either accept it or don’t.

It’s a shame really as i’ve been happy with Plusnet over the years but if they think i’m going to pay nearly £10 a month more for a much slower broadband package they are very much mistaken… this is one disappointed customer going elsewhere.

[#2]

Hi @lithium76 

Go back to PN and ask for terminations they usually look after you.

[#3]

Unfortunately, they just have a rubbish retention matrix coupled with a load of money centric sales advisors that make sickening bonuses (compared to the rest of the business, 12x my former annual bonus in some instances) for selling the higher cost packages.

Your best bet - cancel and take advantage of a new customer offer.

[#4 · Accepted solution]

Thanks for your post @lithium76 I'm sorry to see that's the experience you've had when you've called us to discuss your renewal. 

If you're open to giving us another try, can you PM me a good contact number to get you on and a time-frame when you'd be free for a call?

I'll be happy to arrange for somebody from our customer options team to discuss this further with you and I'm sure we'd be able to agree on a deal to keep you as a customer.

[#5]

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@TheGhostOfOskar wrote:
Unfortunately, they just have ... a load of money centric sales advisors that make sickening bonuses ... for selling the higher cost packages.

Well that does rather match people's experience - prices are totally negoiciable ... if you connect with someone prepared to negoiciate a reasonable deal ... rather than simply seeking to screw users for their own gain.  I have always recommended that if you do not like the price, you should make that clear in the conversation and ask the agent if they are prepared to lose your custom.  Then wait a couple of days and call back again.

Sales staff should be bonused on straightforward customer retention, not on package value.  In fact EVERY customer contact which ends with a failure to retain the customer should result in a bonus penalty.

All that said, there should simply be a price for the service ... all of this "negociation" and "discounting" is a shabby collection of spherical objects.  [Does that count as avoidance of profanity?]

[#6]

I have just received a call from a very nice guy called Ellis from Plusnet and i'm pleased to say PN has offered me an improved package so I will be staying as a customer.

Not only am I happier with the package but what a difference in attitude to the first person I spoke to, Ellis was a pleasure to deal with.

Thank you Anoush (Gandalf) for setting up that phone call, it is very much appreciated, such a shame that all PN staff aren't as good as yourself and Ellis. Thank you.

😊

[#7]

Cheers for the feedback and kind words,

No problem, I've passed this on to Ellis and he's really happy to see this, he's passed this on to his manager too.  

Apologies again for the experience you've had when you rang us yesterday.

If there's anything else you'd need help with, feel free to let me know.