Haggle with Virgin - our new guide

Fair enough. Still not looking to change though.
Is there any point moaning about the new customer offer being better value and emphasizing customer loyalty, etc?

Virgin_haggler wrote: »

Fair enough. Still not looking to change though.
Is there any point moaning about the new customer offer being better value and emphasizing customer loyalty, etc?

Every year I find out what competitors using BT's fibre are offering and tell Virgin that. Doesn't matter if the alternative is a bit slower, just say you can live with it for the price. You've little intention of leaving anyway, but it is usually enough to get you a reasonable offer to keep your custom. May involve a new 12 month contract though, so bear that in mind.
Works for me.

I have been with Virgin for many years and have phoned them annually to renegotiate my monthly bill. I haggled each year because I could not afford the continual price rises over the years. So last year, to reduce my package, I got rid of the extra Tivo box and later in the year I managed to get a £13 discount (£10 loyalty discount and £3 extra discount) for the phone, Medium + TV and broadband bundle and a £20 refund in my account. The £10 discount finished in Mar 17 so my current monthly payment is now £52.48 which in my view is expensive since I don't use the phone line and Virgin make it more expensive if you have a bundle without a phone line! That aside, on the whole, they were always good at renegotiating their deals which is why I stayed with them. However today, after phoning and speaking to the retention team, my view has changed. It is clear that Virgin has its customers at a disadvantage because VM can offer faster download speeds than any of their competitors, meaning that customers have no option but to stay with VM if they want to maintain the speed they have grown used to and pay whatever price increases virgin puts into effect. In my view they are taking advantage of their current superior status by ignoring customer loyalty and opting to hike their prices. I phoned twice today and spoke to two different people. The negotiating was extremely disappointing because there wasn't any. I tried every angle but they would not budge!!- Here's the offers: Firstly, they no longer do my TV package but can offer me a bundle, with less TV channels than I presently have, called Mix TV for £49 per month. Mmmm if my Maths serves me correctly that's a £3.48 difference between what I pay now and what I could be paying if I get the new deal with less TV channels - Apparently this includes a discounted rate too, since I am such a "loyal customer!" Alternatively, I could have broadband with phone line at £38 or broadband only at £32.25! New customers are being offered £42 month for faster gaming package, broadband and TV and Virgin seem more than happy for their existing client base to go elsewhere or pay more for less by staying with them!! On a final note: I was informed by a customer service advisor today that their discounts could change on a daily basis. So, perhaps if I phone in a couple of days time, change my accent and wear a false beard, I may get a better deal!! Or maybe I should cancel and then join as a new customer (wear a false tash this time). Ok! I can't help being disgruntled, but I don't like companies twisting and changing their packages constantly, then offering me less, at higher prices and confusing their consumers with packages which are not clear and straight forward.
Lastly, In all the years I have been with Virgin, every time I negotiated a discount and received a price drop, I could guarantee that within a couple of months or so, a letter would arrive saying how they are increasing their prices by a few pounds to improve their service! I look forward to the day when Virgin competitors introduce a superior internet connection and can go head to head again! Or may I should not care and move to the Himalayas, rear Yaks, read books and write good old fashioned letters! One thing I can be sure of is that my days of being loyal to companies such as Virgin are numbered, especially when I don't feel valued!