Martin declares Eon the cheapest supplier - allegedly

4$£&*(£$&*(!

I was in Tesco yesterday and two Eon reps were stopping shoppers as they left the store. They asked me who my current supplier was, and I'd normally walk away but I got distracted by something else so I told them.

Without checking any such thing as what tariff I was on, they immediately declared themselves as cheaper. I said my rate was fixed and incurs a release fee. They said they would still be cheaper after any release fee (which is rubbish as it's £75 in total to release me and that's a month and a half's worth of energy for me, and the release fee ends in two months).

Here's what annoyed me. I told them on comparison, when I checked about three weeks ago as my deal will be ending soon, EDF was the cheapest for me. They said three weeks ago EDF probably was. But had I heard of this gentleman called Martin Lewis? He is a money expert and advised people two weeks ago Eon was the best.

I humoured the rep from this point on, and reminded him each region has different rates, and the savings will be different for people based on their consumption, payment methods and if they are an online customer. I'd had quite enough and walked off by now.

It's wrong after all these years sales reps use the same underhanded tactics as they did 10 years ago. It's also wrong to blatently lie and use the name of someone respected in the consumer arena to try and close a sale.

Given I have had three experiences of sales reps using underhanded tactics, and in two of these cases (including Eon's case yesterday) outrightly lying, I'd happily see the regulator ban this type of selling.

What would others do - is this rant enough, or would you complain to Eon or Tesco?

kippen_noedel

CitySlicker wrote: »

What would others do - is this rant enough, or would you complain to Eon or Tesco?

Complain to both with the location, time and date, that way they can trace the agents.

So far I've made 3 complaints to UW, 1 to EDF & 2 to NPower, 1 to BG all upheld. 1 to EON which wasn't upheld because the agent couldn't be identified.

In total I've made about 10 complaints in my life to companies, 7 of which about the misleading tactics used in sales of energy. 1 to BG about the number of marketing calls I was receiving. The others were to Safeway & what used to be L&G. I think that ratio says it all.

BargainGalore

I wouldn't believe what any salesman that come from selling energy products in my experience this includes double glazing, telecoms I found all to be liars

4$£&*(£$&*(!

I decided to post a complaint to both Eon and Tesco, and highlighted this thread to them. It's worthy of a complaint I feel as there will be people who may believe the lies this Eon rep peddled, and they will be worse off financially, with our lying rep friend getting his commission too when it is definitely not deserved.

4$£&*(£$&*(!

Eon's response -

I apologise for any information you feel was incorrect. The information given by Martin Lewis was correct on GMTV when he advised that we were the cheapest on the Fix Online tariff, as this provides an additional discount, which would make overall average bills cheaper on this tariff.

Tesco will not ban our representatives from their stores as Eon customers get free Tesco points when they pay their energy bills and we work very closely with Tesco to provide this offer to Tesco and Eon customers.

---
Am I reading this correctly - Eon are saying Martin has advised they are the cheapest, and I can say what I like but it doesn't matter as Eon effectively has Tesco in their pockets? I really do not like this reply.

ben500

Yep that about sums up what they are saying, in a nutshell the energy companies don't give a flying fig what their reps say as long as they get the sale, they worry about retention later, this problem is industry wide and the regulators seem unwilling or unable to ensure that these companies practice within the law and good faith, don't expect to see this problem go away, it won't, more than fifty percent of duped customers end up staying with the company that stole or connived their account due to the incredible amount of stress and inconvenience a change can and more often than not does cause.

NEVER show your bill to a rep
NEVER allow a rep to see your meter
In fact if you were not thinking of changing before encountering them then don't even engage with them, many will simply switch you over if they have been provided enough information with or without your wishes. Forging signatures is commonplace.


As for Tesco they are hardly in a position to criticise their agents for misleading customers when they are the experts on the subject.

Halifax_sux

all these problems are caused because the regulators (all of them) are a total waste of time. these positions were only ever created to provide jobs for the incompetent.

4$£&*(£$&*(!

I have passed the email up the line to the director of customer services' office. I really wish they would accept responsibility and promise me it won't happen again, they've identified the rep etc. etc., and I'd drop it.

I really can't be bothered to make a huge fuss over something that could be trivial, but the point is a huge international company is lying to potential customers and obtaining their custom by deceit. That amounts to fraud in my eyes, and more vulnerable people are likely to believe these lies. That's why I can't really let it drop.

Plushchris

PM Martin and make sure he is aware of this, I'd say he probably wouldnt be too happy about using out of date information about what he has said.

slummymummyof3

I had a similar incident in Sainsbury's this afternoon - EDF though. Asked me who I was currently with and said 'Oh yes, we are much cheaper than Scottish Power' - I advised him that seeing as he didn't even know what tariff I was on, the basis he was making his assumptions on was rubbish. Couldn't get rid of him he was like a leech! Had to tell him I was not going to agree to anything three times. I walked off because he just wouldn't bu**er off. Do they think we are all idiots????

Plushchris

slummymummyof3 wrote: »

I had a similar incident in Sainsbury's this afternoon - EDF though. Asked me who I was currently with and said 'Oh yes, we are much cheaper than Scottish Power' - I advised him that seeing as he didn't even know what tariff I was on, the basis he was making his assumptions on was rubbish. Couldn't get rid of him he was like a leech! Had to tell him I was not going to agree to anything three times. I walked off because he just wouldn't bu**er off. Do they think we are all idiots????

If you get it happen again ask to speak to the store manager and tell them the salesman are putting you off shopping in his/her store, it probably wont get them in any more trouble but will be more of a pain to the salesman than complaining to the supplier.

I complained to the manager in my local Morrisons about some Npower salesaman I caught lying to people in their doorway, he was all over them and watching them as I left the store!