Time to leave

[#1]

My contract is in it's last month so I thought I'd contact PN to see what they would offer. At the moment I'm on the unlimited fiber package with weekend and evening calls, and I am using the PN router and BT modem.

I've just had an online chat with a PN rep and I am disgusted with the offer...

"gtowen: my contract is coming to an end so I'm wondering what kind of deal can you offer if I upgrade to fibre extra and ask for a new router, as I'm using a BT modem with plusnet router at the moment

security questions

PN rep: Fiber extra will cost you £16.99 a month for 2 years
gtowen: what would be the total cost, with line rental ?
PN rep: £43.98 a month
gtowen: hmmm, you're offering the same thing to new customers for £29.99, I've been with Plusnet for a few years now, is that the best offer
PN rep: I understand that but there are also paying £25.00 activation fee
PN rep: I can upgrade you within 24 hrs
gtowen: not at that price you won't, thank you but I'll look elsewhere
PN rep: Bare me a moment
PN rep: I will reduce it down to £40.49 a month including your calls
gtowen: no thank you
PN rep: Final price will be £39.00
gtowen: no thanks, I'll try somewhere else when the contract is finished, good-bye"

1) New customers are been offered the very same thing for £29.99

2) If I follow the upgrade route from my account the final price is £38.98 which supposedly will be reduced further if I keep my phone service with Plusnet.

So how can PN justify such a ridiculous offer to retain a loyal customer. 

All I can say is no wonder customers are leaving by the droves, as I will be once the contract comes to the end.

gtown

[#2]

I wouldn't have thought PlusNet would incur a £25 fee from BT Wholesale (sorry I should say "their suppliers").

[#3]

"PN rep: Bare me a moment"

Did they actually write that exactly?

[#4]

@newagetraveller yes, apart from where I've put security questions, that is a transcript of the convo ..... excellent english I think NOT lol

[#5]

the sense of entitlement is strong with you it seems.

you mentioned loyalty, well loyalty is a two way thing, yet it seems that the majority these days think it is only one way - ie to the benefit of only them.

[#6]

@chenks76  Thank you for your unwarranted attack. I agree loyalty is a two way thing and I have been with Plusnet over 4 years now, renegotiating new contracts when necessary, and despite raising line rental every year by a £1, I am still here.

This time it didn't work and to clarify, consider this...

In the transcript above the initial offer was £16.99 per month for 2 years. With line rental at £18.99 per month this gives a total of £35.98 ...... so where was the loyalty from PN in their calculation of total cost been £43.98 per month. £8 above their own recommended prices.

The PN rep then tried to claim new customers pay an activation fee of £25 but this is to my knowledge is a one-off payment, Is the extra I was been asked to pay supposedly to cover an activation fee.

Even at the final offer of £39 the difference is still £3.02 which would amount to £72.48 over the 24 month contract, almost 3 times the £25 activation fee for a line that is already activated and in use.

When I upgraded from adsl to fibre I wasn't asked to pay an activation fee so where is the extra cost coming from.

I'm loyal when treated fairly, the online chat offer was not fair in any way.

gtowen

[#7]

it's fair if you get quoted the price for existing customers.
it's more than fair if you get quoted a price that is less than then advertised price for existing customers.

it is NOT fair for you to expect some sort of preferrential treatment.

basically what you want is the price that a new customer would be charged. well that is NOT fair to expect that are you are not a new customer.

[#8]

@chenks76  Obviously you're just here to troll...... while I did mention the price new customers pay at no time have I asked for or suggested I wanted to pay the same.

gtowen

[#9]

but you don't want to the pay the advertised price though, that is clear.

[#10]

@chenks76  Try reading (and absorbing) the article on page 38 of this month's PC Pro deprecating this process being practiced by many ISP's.

[#11]

i neither subscribe or buy such publication.
however, i comment regarding "loyalty' remain.

[#12]

But why should anyone be asked to pay more than the advertised price? I can't understand those figures. Then be offered incremental reductions. It's a bit like car insurance where you have to haggle to get the price down to something like you paid the previous year. Also you do seem to be posting in an aggressive troll like manner.

[#13]

Worth considering in all this, that new customers do not get evening and weekend calls (there's almost an equivalent call package but it incurs an incremental cost).

[#14]

Why is my loyalty been brought into question ?

I was quoted initially £16.99 per month for 2 years, add to that line rental at £18.99 and you have a grand total of £35.98 per month....

When asked what the total amount would be I was quoted £43.98 ...... something wrong there.

I quoted the price for new customers, I could have quoted the prices on offer from other isps, I do believe this is standard practice when negotiating a new contract. At no time did I ask for or expect to get the same deal as a new customer, as bobpullen stated their deal does not include evening and weekend calls and as such is not the upgrade I wanted.

I'd be grateful if any PN rep reading this could look at my account and let me know when exactly my contract ends so I can make plans for the future.

Thank you

gtowen

[#15]

I was suggesting that the price anomaly was because your retention offer did include evening and weekend calls, whereas the price for new customers doesn't. That's just an assumption though, and I'm not in a position to check your account at the moment unfortunately.