This week, I managed to save myself $250 per year for the next two years simply by sitting on hold for roughly 15-20 minutes. I think the resultant $500 that will stay in my wallet is a good reward for navigating the phone tree, talking to three different people, and asking for what I want. It’s what I like to call “Dialing for Dollars” and it works like a charm.
You see, my Internet provider had decided to increase my monthly bill by $5 starting in April. I have no idea why since they didn’t give any indication of offering more service, more data, or a higher connection speed. I have to assume that they simply wanted more of my money to line their own pockets.
Most of the time, I get a bit a lazy and simply pay the increased costs. I assume that it’s part of involuntary lifestyle inflation. Costs go up every year, right? I mean, that’s where inflation comes from, doesn’t it?
However, something about this hike made me mad! I’d been a loyal customer for years. I’d paid every bill on time. I never asked for anything. Yet here they were jacking my bill again. The last hike was a little over 18 months ago. No, not this time – I was having none of it!
So I went to their website to look at what was on offer. There was a lovely little package of services, including a doubling of speed from 150mbps to 300mbps for the same price. There was even a contract price, which would be lower than what I was already paying. Hurray! I’d found what I wanted at a price I was willing to pay.
So I dialed… The first person I spoke to couldn’t help me so I was transferred. The next person on the line was definitely in the business of signing up new contracts. Great! I happily told him which package of services I wanted. He proceeded to tell me that the deal which had enthralled me so much was only available to new customers.
I’m still proud of myself! Instead of getting upset, I remained calm and politely asked him how long I would have to use his competitor’s services before I would be considered a new customer again. To his credit, that nice young man immediately understood what I was really saying and he promptly transferred me to the Loyalty Department.
So here’s where the rubber hits the road. There’s no online listing for the Loyalty Department so one must have the patience of a statue while waiting on the line for someone to pick up the phone. Thankfully, I had my hand-computer with me so I happily entertained myself by playing numerous games of Juice Jam. (Yes – I’m old enough to have both a landline and a mobile phone. Deal with it!)
I sat on the phone for 15 minutes, waiting for someone to pick up. Eventually, my persistence was rewarded! The first thing I asked the fellow from the Loyalty Department was: What kind of deals are you offering to retain your current customers?
Much like his predecessor, this fellow knew exactly what I was really asking. Within minutes, he had offered me a package that included faster internet and more phone features. Best of all, my new package would be $21 cheaper per month than my old one. In other words, more for less. Who wouldn’t love that?
I know that $21 per month isn’t going to change my life or allow me to add caviar to my daily menu. However, it will assist me to pad my cash-cushion just a little bit more and a little bit faster. It’s also tangible evidence that my service provider is sufficiently interested in keeping my business and is willing to lower its prices.
Odds are good that you might have a subscription or two in your life that you’ve had for a significant period of time. Think cable, newspaper, magazine, phone apps, memberships, internet, phone plan, insurance, gym, etc… The list is almost endless! When was the last time that you reviewed how much you’re paying? If you were to switch to another service provider, what would it cost you? Most importantly, what is your current service provider willing to do for you in order to keep your from switching?