Virgin Media Retention thread

comics

Just gave VM a called, and must admit they, where quick and curtious. Less than 2 minutes to speak to someone.

I was on
Telephone: £11
Broadband Size L: £25
Goodwill: -£15.01
Total: £20.99
That was for 12 months (which was and extention of the same offer), which is just about to end.

Phoned retention, but got instantly thrown to sales (maybe when I said I was on an offer, they thought I was on a basic offer, not the retentions offer). I told the sales girl that the new offers she gave me was nowhere near enough and would therefore cancel, so she put me back to retentions.

The gentleman I spoke to had a look at my goodwill offer, but couldn't beat it, saying that he could only give me a discount of £13.50, adding that there could no longer give out goodwill offers, only discounts (, not that I know the difference).

This would mean that my new bill would be £22.50, an increase of £1.51, also that this was on a 12 month contract.

I tried to neogiate, using sky's £10 for 16mb, but he said that the best my telephone exchange could give me was 4mb (which I believed). I then said that I could then move to Sky's 8mb of for £5 (thereby still getting the 4mb from the exchange,) in the hope of getting him to budge.

He didn't budge one inch, but did add that in the summer their broadband would increase in speed that telephone exchange could not beat.

I gave in, as it was still an acceptable offer, with future speed increases, and acceptable services.
Basically I was scared to cancel because of the hassle of moving to another provider.

What I'm on now
................................Telephone: £11.00
.......................Broadband Size L: £25.00
Discount on a 12 month contract: -£13.50
...............................................______
....................................Total: = £22.50
....................Previous offer total: £20.99
...................Difference in price: +£ 1.51

I guessing that people on big goodwill offers, shouldn't get their hopes up on getting the same ones extended.

jowie

Very useful info comics, thanks for posting that. I will try my best to keep some kind of retention deal when mine runs out... We're on broadband only though so I'm not sure what I can get. Maybe if I agree to a new 12-month contract they might budge. I can't move the phone across to Virgin because my partner is so convinced VM will screw it all up... I'm inclined to agree considering the problems we've had in the past. I just want to stay on cable for BB like you because of the speed difference! Other than that your situation regarding VM vs Sky 4Mb is identical to mine.

Anon

jowie wrote: »

Maybe if I agree to a new 12-month contract they might budge.

All retentions deals mean signing a new 12 month contract, therefore not really a negotiating technique that will work. Generally, the more services you take, the better your deal.

Anon

comics

Having looked in the Newspaper, I just found out I've being offered the deal as if I was a new customer. The one where cheap BB for £4.50 (for 2mb) if taken with line rental.

Here's the deal for Large, which is the same £22.50 per month which I'm on.

Also when I was on the Goodwill deals, there were no contracts, I could have left anytime. I think that is what VM is trying to stamp out on, both non contract and goodwill deals.

If anyone is trying to get a new deal, I think that there best they will offer you will be in line with the new customer offers.

Babbler

comics wrote: »

Having looked in the Newspaper, I just found out I've being offered the deal as if I was a new customer. The one where cheap BB for £4.50 (for 2mb) if taken with line rental.

Here's the deal for Large, which is the same £22.50 per month which I'm on.

Also when I was on the Goodwill deals, there were no contracts, I could have left anytime. I think that is what VM is trying to stamp out on, both non contract and goodwill deals.

If anyone is trying to get a new deal, I think that there best they will offer you will be in line with the new customer offers.

When I phoned for a deal the other day I casually said at the end "well, Im no longer in contract am I" to which they replied "You signed up for another 12 months in October when you had a goodwill gesture added to your account". To which I replied "I wasnt informed of this" (I wasnt!). They basically said tough! Isnt that illigal - signing me up to 12 more months and not informing me?

zolablue25

I had a phone call from retentions yesterday and the very pleasant lady on the phone actually managed to convince me to give them another go. In return I didn't get a very special deal, but they have thrown in a V+ box and I haven't agreed to a new 12 month contract (in writing from retentions) so, if a good deal comes through from Sky I can always shift!

judderman

comics wrote: »

Having looked in the Newspaper, I just found out I've being offered the deal as if I was a new customer. The one where cheap BB for £4.50 (for 2mb) if taken with line rental.

Here's the deal for Large, which is the same £22.50 per month which I'm on.

Also when I was on the Goodwill deals, there were no contracts, I could have left anytime. I think that is what VM is trying to stamp out on, both non contract and goodwill deals.

If anyone is trying to get a new deal, I think that there best they will offer you will be in line with the new customer offers.

Well done Comics :beer:
just rang and quoted that from above, looks like back in contract but for £24.25 for BB Large, phone, caller display not so bad, he did say about xl tv which would bring it up to £35.
V+ box half price till the end of Feb £75 one off payment.

comics

Babbler wrote: »

"You signed up for another 12 months in October when you had a goodwill gesture added to your account". To which I replied "I wasnt informed of this" (I wasnt!). They basically said tough! Isnt that illigal - signing me up to 12 more months and not informing me?

What was your goodwill offer and for how long?

I tend to always ask if I'm was a contract offer, and I always got a no from them (until this latest offer).
I'm 100% sure that they said that because first (over two years ago, which I've also posted in this topic board), I was only offer 3 months goodwill, and then 6 months goodwill before the final 1 year goodwill. If I really was on a 12 month contract there would have been no need for them to extend their goodwill at the end of the 3 or 6 months.
They could have said "Tough, you have to pay the full price for the remainder of the contract, only after can you negoiate a new deal."

Personally I think you should get techical, while there might be terms and conditions for discount offers, goodwill offers are different. Or at least that is the impression that I got off the retention employee.

Goodwill terms are made on the spot verbally, we're all individually told how much goodwill we're going to get and for how long, if we're not told of any contract tie-ins then it should not be part conditions.

While that may be my technical input, I've no idea how you would argue that point accross.

Maybe Lestinch can shed some light on this matter.

bingobango_3

Is there anyone here who just has Broadband L (4Mb) from Virgin (no phone or TV etc, just broadband)?

If so how much are you paying please?

And was this an offer you got through retentions?

Did you upgrade from the 2Mb speed?

Thanks.

littleange

We have just broadband XL 20mb and we pay half price £18.50 from a deal from retentions, it was £17.50 with NTL previously.