total lack of interest in customer retention

[#1]

Quote from: joncooper

I was really just expressing my surprise that they seem happy to let this long term customer walk away over £5.99

If I was running a business I'd do the same, if a customer starts objecting to the agreed reasonable terms.  It's not the amount, it's the principle.  If you start giving in to random demands it makes the business look desperate.
Joncooper why don't you tell her you understand Plusnet's position, rather than sympathising with hers?  It might make her feel less hard done by.  As well as save her making the mistake of walking away from an ISP she's been perfectly happy with until her elderly modem inevitably died and needed replacing.

[#2]

why should I do anything at all? I am trying to help out of the goodness of my heart, she is not a referral of mine, I get no benefit whatsoever from this.
from her POV, it is the principle too - the service doesn't work without this equipment so she is paying for nothing - since Jan incidentally
as I have said several times, I will try to resolve the situation (with a 10yo router that still works perfectly well)
but I know already that she won't pay a single penny over her monthly subscription
I am NOT 'sympathising' with her position, I am simply explaining it

[#3]

Sorry I assumed you were her friend, and just thought that explaining why plusnet's position is reasonable might make her feel better.  I hate it when I feel as if some company is treating me unfairly and usually feel better and able to move on if upon checking the contract it turns out it's something I agreed to.  No of course you don't have to help in this way, or any way at all.

[#4]

Quote from: joncooper

from her POV, it is the principle too - the service doesn't work without this equipment so she is paying for nothing

And this, of course, is where her principle is flawed.  If that were correct:

• My telephone provider should be responsible for the supply and upkeep of my telephone instrument*


• The BBC should be responsible for the supply and upkeep of my TV


• My gas supplier should be responsible for the supply and upkeep of my cooker and boiler


• Etc etc

*Of course, your friend may be of the belief that the GPO did this - In fact the instrument was rented.

[#5]

No criticism of OP for trying to help the old lady ( in fact praise), ( she's not much older than me), but people's attitude to modern business practice depends very much on life experience. Those from eighty upwards lived through tight times, things had to last or could be easily mended. Now that is not the way.
The trouble is that not all of that lady's generation have had much lifetime's contact with how it's done now; business and tech matters were for the man of the house.
.IMO she needs to be brought up to date. To do anything other would be a disservice, Who does that is the question, hopefully she has family who can.

[#6]

There doesn't seem to be a great deal of support for joncooper's view on this thread so I thought I'd chip in. I agree with him, it does seem strange to accept the loss of a customer over only £5. It must  cost PlusNet more than this to recruit a new customer so why not make some of that budget available to retain an existing one?
Have you thought about contacting the Customer Options Team, they seem to have more flexibility when it comes to negotiating retention deals?
Bob

[#7]

It appears that this feisty old lady has managed without a reliable internet connection for more than two months, whilst continuing to pay.
To what extent does she really need to be online?  And why does she continue to pay for a service which she cannot use?

[#8]

I still think she'd have been better off all round to simply be told "buy a new modem, end of".  She'd have been up and running again by now.

[#9]

She should ring Plusnet and threaten to leave unless she gets at least £30 off to sign a new contract.
She can then pay £5 for a new router with a limited lifetime.

[#10]

I'm not sure that I understand why the OP has not already installed his spare router so that the lady can get back online.
I can understand the idea that the router could be regarded as part of the ISP's supply line, rather than part of the customer's choice of computing device, but I'm not sure whether the OP's priority is to get his friend back online, or whether it is to extract a free router from PlusNet.
There are introductory deals available from other ISPs, and the quality of service will be as random as PlusNet's.  Loyalty went out of fashion long ago, and was replaced by inertia.

[#11]

I accept the OP has done as much as he  thinks he wants to help the elderly widow. So I will not critisise him more. It's definitley  the lady who needs to be apprised of how things are done. Why she has never met modern ways before I do not understand.

[#12]

why did I not use my router? I didn't have it with me at the time and it's quite old with no wireless, I figured it was a downgrade
why does she pay for a service she doesn't use all the time? uh, cos she can? she also has a mobile she doesn't use, is that ok?
I don't think you guys quite understand someone standing on principle - she can easily afford any of the suggested options, she just doesn't see why she should
and you mention she should just accept "the way things work" - well that's why things work the way they do, because everyone just accepts it
this forum is a prime example, page after page of OpenReach muck-ups and everyone's advice is "that's just how it is"
as before, I will do my best to keep her with Plus.net as I believe it's better than another option - but who knows ...
(oh, coming here to discuss this doesn't mean I am not trying to persuade her the other way too)