Haggle your internet bill for the best deal.
Most people are uncomfortable or do not realize the power you have negotiating your cable, telephone and internet bill or those package services. Save money and make the effort. You have nothing to lose and secondly, it costs the provider much more money signing a new customer than keeping a current one.
Here are some Shop RTO tips on the best way to negotiate a cheaper bill and/or better package service.
1. Find out when your contract is expiring and prepare your homework prior to calling them. Call three months prior to contract expiration to maximize savings and/or benefits and negotiating power.
2. Call customer service and ask them about your current package and if it matches current services offered. Telephone/cable/internet companies are always upgrading their basic services but fail to tell current customers that they have so you’re missing out on what you should get for what you’re paying. This is important because they may use that in their negotiations when you should be receiving those upgrades in the first place.
3. Determine what you want because they’ll usually offer several options – lower rates at the same service, same rates but with better service such as faster Internet speed, more free minutes, upgraded movie packages, etc. So know your priorities prior to know what direction to haggle.
3. Collect all of those mailers you get from their competitors on the great deals they are offering. Or, go to their website and get their offered specials there. You will need those in the negotiations.
4. Some say to go to customer service to start the negotiation but from our experience, go straight to cancellation department. They have the most incentive and power to negotiate. Remember, it costs them much less money to keep you than recruiting a new customer.
5. Be sincere and nice. It really helps. Tell them that their competition is bending over backwards to offer you a package that is too good to turn down. (Which they are but usually only for 3 months to a year.) That’s when the negotiations start.
6. Negotiate your deal on the priorities you set in step 3 until you’re satisfied. And, only agree to the terms for one year. Very important. That gives you next year to continue to negotiate the good deal you have or an even better one. When you get a good deal usually it’s only for one year and then they raise rates or take away added services.
7. Be prepared to leave. As you are well aware from the number of specials you receive in the mail or on advertisements, there are always great deals out there. Yes, it’s a pain switching services but it’s the only way to keep these companies in check providing the best package for the money. And, most of the time, they will not let you leave without offering you something.
8. If you hit a brick wall, don’t hesitate to talk to their boss. The higher up the ranks. the more they have to lose if they lose your business.
9. Don’t take their first offer. Push another time to see. Who knows how much rope they really have to let loose.
These companies know by research that us customers don’t want to spend the time changing providers so won’t try. And, in the meantime, your phone, cable and/or internet bill continues to rise. Or, they know you’re too uncomfortable in negotiating so they keep raising their rates. In this regard, the squeaky wheel gets oiled and you’re a paying customer so you have all of that working to your advantage.
We all need and/or enjoy these services but not necessarily at the rates they charge and continue to increase so do your due diligence and negotiate at the end of every contract term.
Just another Shop RTO lifestyle tip and money savings tips to save you some coin.
