UK Broadband Users Overlook Savings from Negotiation with their ISP

LONDON - April 24, 2017 - PRLog -- Sometimes the easiest way to save money on your broadband and phone service isn't by switching to a different ISP. Many of the United Kingdom's largest broadband and mobile providers run a dedicated retentions department and if you know what you're doing then often a simple phone call is all it takes to save money.

Despite this a new online survey of 1,134 ISPreview.co.uk readers (*), which is a consumer information site for broadband and telecoms issues, has revealed that 43% of respondents have never saved money by negotiating a lower price with their broadband ISP and the figure rises to 47% for Mobile operators.

The study also asked respondents to identify which aspect(s) of trying to negotiate a better deal were most discouraging to them, with 17% pointing to how the exercise can be very "time consuming" and 16% saying they simply disliked speaking to call centres. A full set of responses can be seen below.

What discourages you most from trying to negotiate a better deal?
Nothing! - 33%
Time consuming - 17%
Dislike ISP call centres - 16%
Negotiating feels awkward - 16%
Easier to switch ISP - 14%
Fear of failure - 3%
Other fear - 1%

"So many of today's headline deals and discount only focus on attracting new customers, while existing subscribers can easily be left to feel neglected and forced to face a frustrating future of annual price rises, which will often move further and further away from what new users seem to be paying," said ISPreview.co.uk's Founder, Mark Jackson.

"However if you're with one of the bigger ISPs and remain happy with their service, albeit perhaps not the ever rising price, then you've certainly nothing to lose by calling the provider and trying for a discount. One call could save you a fair bit of money and a lot of hassle, as opposed to switching ISP every other year." added Jackson.

In keeping with the above ISPreview.co.uk has written a useful guide, which offers various suggestions and tips for negotiating with retention departments (**). However to save time we've also reduced this down to a very basic list:

1. Always be polite.

2. Target your call to coincide with a recent price hike or the end of a contract.

3. Highlight your loyalty if you've been with the provider for a few years.

4. Make sure to express some examples of very similar, albeit cheaper, deals from rival ISPs (if you can find them).

5. Highlight any problems you've had with the service in the past.

6. Propose an annual payment option if it will help to save money or try to get extras thrown-in.

7. Don't get caught out by the "silence trap," where the sales / retentions agent may go quiet in the hope that you'll fill the void by agreeing to something. Let it linger and wait for the other side to speak

8. Get everything in writing afterwards, just in case you have to dispute something at a later date.

-END-

* Online poll conducted between 24th February and 20th April 2017 with 1,134 UK Internet connected readers of the ISPreview.co.uk website.

** http://www.ispreview.co.uk/index.php/2017/04/retentions-t...