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By *ee VianteWoman
over a year ago
Somewhere in North Norfolk |
I always shop around now but if I've been happy with the service from a company I'll usually try using someone else's lower price to negotiate with before I switch. If they can't beat it, or at least match it, however, I'm gone.
I upgraded my mobile very recently. My existing service provider, direct, wanted £160 for the 'phone I wanted. That was back in November last year. I've kept an eye on the main sites that do 'phones since, watching for a deal I'm happy with. A few days ago I found a deal for an extra £2 per month (24 month contract), with more minutes and data, with the 'phone free from one of the major stores. On checking I found I could get £25 cashback with Quidco for using that store. It was a no brainer.
I always haggle on insurance when the renewal date is coming up. I usually do online comparison searches for car insurance (and contents insurance) and then call my existing provider to see if they'll match it. They always have so far.
Last time my car insurance was due, however, I could not be arsed. What I did instead was deduct around 15% from the quoted renewal premium, pick a slightly obscure and newish company that I was fairly sure my company wouldn't be sharing data with, and call my company to say I'd had a much lower quote from the other company. My company matched it on the spot without a murmur, even beating it slightly.
I'll always play companies against each other where possible.
However, I'd been with Plusnet for a very long time for broadband and 'phone. When I moved last April they wanted to charge me £75 which the waived when I agreed to sign a new 12 month contract. However they also used it as an excuse to prematurely end some discounts I was getting.
When I had to move again in November, they tried the £75 or new contract trick again. I wasn't happy and told them I'd lost out quite enough on my last move, since they'd cancelled my discounts and this time I expected them to waive the fee. I didn't want to sign a new contract because I was moving in to a cable area and wanted to get cable broadband asap.
Plusnet would not budge and, when looking around at options, I found by taking broadband with Virgin, I'd get nearly enough cashback to cover the cost of paying off my Plusnet account, I called Virgin and asked them to cover the difference if I signed up for bb and 'phone immediately. They agreed so that was a done deal. Plusnet then sent me several letters saying how sorry they were to lose me and asking if there was anything they could have done to keep me!
I expect the same, if not better, deals as new customers from the companies I use. If I don't get them, I have no problem voting with my direct debit.
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Although I've done ok in saying to companies I've been with you a while, what can you do for me. 
same good deal can anyone beat it x
