Utility Warehouse (Telecom Plus) Discussion

MillicentBystander

Nice to see OFGEM endorsing the tariff structure UW has used for years by basically forcing the Big 6 and others to adopt it...or else. Who'd have thunk it, eh?

Cardew

MillicentBystander wrote: »

Nice to see OFGEM endorsing the tariff structure UW has used for years by basically forcing the Big 6 and others to adopt it...or else. Who'd have thunk it, eh?

In the sense that UW have only 3 electricity tariffs and 3 gas tariffs(excluding pre-pay) that is the tariff structure Ofgem are seeking.(they want no more than 4 tariffs)

However as one of the fans of UW stated in another thread;):

I see problems ahead for UW as well with their 10% annual discount for Gold customers,

Without(unusually) having a go at UW their whole sales approach is to 'bundle' their gas and electricity products with 'deals' on their telephony products; and that apparently will be not be allowed if the proposals are adopted.

In fact UW's response to an ofgem consultation paper stressed that their product was marketed as a whole package.

Indeed could the cashback card come under scrutiny?

MillicentBystander

Oh, I agree (obviously, as I wrote that line ) the bundling aspect may need changing but as I see you've sort of acknowledged, and to be fair to myself, what I did state in my earlier post, the way UW have always structured their G + E tariffs has been adopted almost 100% by the regulator and will be imposed on the Big 6, the suppliers who have basically been using their legacy customers on standard tariffs to subsidise their short term online deals. The market is about to get fairer for the majority by adopting UW's approach. It is a bit ironic given what you and a few others have been banging on about on here for the last 8 years, don't you think?

If you accept that OFGEM may just have got it right at last (I'm a huge detractor but even i welcome these new proposals), then you have to accept that UW also have got it right for the last 8 or so years with regard to G&E. I just find it amusing, given what's gone off on here for those 8 years.

penrhyn

Gritish Bass only have 4 tariffs per fool now.

Clear and simple, On line Variable, and a couple of fixed ones.

MillicentBystander

penrhyn wrote: »

Gritish Bass only have 4 tariffs per fool now.

Clear and simple, On line Variable, and a couple of fixed ones.

And, funnily enough, none of their tariffs are anywhere near the top of the switching sites as they used to be in the bad old days of the seemingly weekly new online tariff launches. Which all backs up my argument, really.

MillicentBystander

https://www.utilitywarehouse.co.uk/join-the-club/index

New members joining during July will receive free membership for life.

Whilst i am sure the initiative will be good for the company's distributor's businesses in July, as a customer I'm not really happy about it. Great for them no doubt but imo not amazing for punters like me who have been loyal members for years and will still have to pay the fee each month. Hmmmmm....

Cardew

MillicentBystander wrote: »

https://www.utilitywarehouse.co.uk/join-the-club/index


Whilst i am sure the initiative will be good for the company's distributor's businesses in July, as a customer I'm not really happy about it. Great for them no doubt but imo not amazing for punters like me who have been loyal members for years and will still have to pay the fee each month. Hmmmmm....

UW are not alone. This practice of 'reverse loyalty' seems to be catching on in UK business.

The farce of some savings accounts only available for 'new money' is particularly annoying.

With UW, what would happen if you left UW and your wife joined? - or would you lose a bonus?

MillicentBystander

Cardew wrote: »

UW are not alone. This practice of 'reverse loyalty' seems to be catching on in UK business.

The farce of some savings accounts only available for 'new money' is particularly annoying.

With UW, what would happen if you left UW and your wife joined? - or would you lose a bonus?

It's disappointing as UW have always stated there would be no special offers for new customers etc. Co-op energy launched with the same sort of philosophy but they soon went back on their word with £50 cash back to new customers, a fixed rate with exit fees they promised would never happen etc. I suppose it's inevitable given that the vast majority of companies are employing this as you label it 'reverse loyalty' way of doing business.

Ps not sure getting Mrs MBS to join after me leaving would work but worth a look. edit: as you suggest, would be no good as we would lose the referral income we get.

PPS Hilariously, this initiative now makes energyhelpline's UW figures look even more inaccurate. Get a quote on there involving different tariffs for electric and gas and the figure shown will now be £36 more than the real figure!

NigeWick

MillicentBystander wrote: »

Whilst i am sure the initiative will be good for the company's distributor's businesses in July, as a customer I'm not really happy about it.

I know exactly what you mean. Fortunately for me we only have the two mobile phone connections with UW and most months they pay us to have the services because of the amount we spend on the pre payment card.

SWManning

My Dad has had this happen to him multiple times since I signed him up a few months back. I guess hes not the only one.

Sam, A UW ID