I find it so frustrating that companies like yours are more interested in getting new customers rather than retaining their existing customer base. I made the mistake of downgrading my TV plan from extreme to select after the agent told me the channels I frequently watch would be included in select. It was all done to save money since my bill has seen an increase of almost $40.00 in the last year. A new customer can get the triple play bundle for 90.00/mo. for 24 months. On top of that, get a $200.00 Visa gift card. The exact same package for me is 30.00/mo. more expensive with no gift card. I have been on the phone for the last 2 days trying to convince numerous representatives to keep my monthly price at the same rate or I am leaving to go to Time Warner. They all tell me no customer loyalty incentives are available to me and my monthly bill for the same package will be over 170.00.mo. I wanted to stay with Verizon rather than going through the hassle of switching companies, but obviously I want to stay more than you want to keep me with Verizon. I will be going to Time Warner and will be paying less than $145.00/mo. with a 24 month contract. I also will be getting the $200.00 Visa gift card from TWC.
@kkettler wrote:
I find it so frustrating that companies like yours are more interested in getting new customers rather than retaining their existing customer base ... A new customer can get the triple play bundle for 90.00/mo. for 24 months ... The exact same package for me is 30.00/mo. more expensive with no gift card ... I want to stay more than you want to keep me ...
There's a real reluctance hereabouts to understand what exactly is meant by "promotion." If one reads the service terms carefully, it's obvious that promotions often expire during the term of a particular contract. Some of mine expired last month as my service passed the 12 month mark, but that was no surprise because the terms were described in detail on all invoices.
A promotion is exactly that: a marketing tactic designed to get folks in the door. A "promotion" that lasts for the duration of service and beyond is not a "promotion," but instead a price decrease. In my view VZ prices are perhaps higher than the competition in some cases, but so also is the quality of what's delivered: TV/Internet/Phone. Note that I'm not referring to billing disputes, incorrect invoices, terms-of-service ambiguities, etc., but to the actual product that comes in the door.
Ya get's what ya pays for, and in my home FiOS Fiber delivers..
Yeah, I have a problem where I just signed up (on-line) for 2 years of service about a month ago. The promo which was going to end and 'not be offered again' was for a DVR free for 12 months and a $100 Visa card.
Well, right after I signed up, I got two direct mail from "Deidre Robinson" (Executive Director) and three or more inserts to other adverts for a free DVR for 12 months and $200 Visa card. I called and was told there is no way to give me the $200 card even though both plans appear to be EXACTLY the same!
My plan is to contact Ms. Robinson and ask her to see if the promotion which offered BEFORE I had FiOS installed will be honored. If not, once this 'contract' is over, I suppose I will switch back to the other guys as a 'new' customer at the promo rate and keep bouncing back and forth.
Tom
@Tom_in_NJ wrote:... once this 'contract' is over, I suppose I will switch back to the other guys as a 'new' customer at the promo rate and keep bouncing back and forth ...
I have heard this suggestion once or twice, but personally I find it impractical.
First, with new subscriptions it takes time to get the initial pricing and service set up, no matter which ISP is chosen. It took me a few months with Comcast 11 years ago, and a few months with Verizon a little over a year ago. Maybe it's worth the trouble for some users, but I'm not none of them. If automatic billing is in the mix, there's that additional complication.
Second, discontinuing service and switching ISPs means disconnecting and returning old equipment from one, and later setting up and checking out new equipment from the other. FiOS equipment differs from other ISP equipment in many ways, and it's not a direct "drop in"" situation. If like me, the user has the equipment inside a cabinet or otherwise out of sight, the situation is more complex. I also find that on initial installs there's the all-too-frequent possibility of having to switch out components to get gear that operates correctly.
Third as happens from time to time, equipment returns often get tangled up with billing and crediting, and it can become a bloody mess. That kind of thing is more than I want to bother with.
If a person has had both the time and inclination to go through this sort of thing and has had a good result, I for one would like to hear his or her success story and learn the details.
Start a new topic or ask questions in the open forum.
