EON.....dangling the carrot..?

fourbytwo

With so many fuel companies now offering so many incentives to either remain, or rejoin them......it makes you wonder if other companies should be doing the same or is it just an EON stunt...?
Having recently changed from Eon, I received a letter offering me a clear £100 towards my next fuel bill.
All I have to do to qualify is be 70+ (which I am not), or be in receipt of a range of benefits (which I am), complete a questionnaire about me, and AUTOMATICALLY I will qualify for this cash.
Only 2 conditions...I must return questionnaire by 28th January 2011, and be one of the first 48,000 to return the form.
Judging by the wording, I would have assumed that some 'Government Money' has appeared and Eon are simply sending out invitations.
To put £4M into the kitty, just shows you how much these fuel companies are ripping-us-off and still able to make disgusting profits.....Perhaps Martin should look into this...?

echoecho_2

I'm sorry, I don't understand what has annoyed you. Could you clarify this please?

Was this a letter offering insulation by any chance? If so, each any energy company has been given a target by government to provide energy efficiency measures to vulnerable customers. Companies provide this for free for certain customers (i.e elderly, benefit claimants) or subsidised rates to others. They will be trying to hit that target as they can be fined a lot of money if they don't. So, sometimes even if they are effectively making a loss it is cheaper for them to do so to avoid fines. Sorry if the letter was not about insulation.

fourbytwo

what has annoyed me is simple..........
with so many of the fuel companies 'pleading poverty and increased running costs', how can Eon offer £100 to the first 48,000 survey replies.......as a cash incentive to go towards the next bill.....?
Surely this £4million plus could have gone a long way to keep prices as low as possible, rather than 'rip-off' the consumer....?
If you are not as angry as me at the thought of this....then I pity you..!

neilmcl

Angry at what, the idea that a private company is doing something to increase its customer base, and consequently profits, heaven forbid. And, I can't remember any energy provider "pleading poverty".

Premier_2

fourbytwo wrote: »

...Surely this £4million plus could have gone a long way to keep prices as low as possible, rather than 'rip-off' the consumer....?

According to MSE article, Eon has just over 5 million UK customers so if they divide this up, it would give each customer a one off rebate of not even a quid.

You say you are required to complete a questionnaire to get the money. It sounds like someone wants information and are prepared to pay £100 per response to me - not unreasonable depending on the info they seek.

Actually, it may be clever ploy. You say payouts are restricted to 48,000 but perhaps they will get 2 million replies so costing only £25 per response. etc. - bargain!

chippytea

To me this seems a case of getting angry for angrys sake. This mailing is to the most vulnerable of e.ons customers 70+,benefit claimants offering a possible £100 rebate and people are annoyed.
Of course things are not ideal as private companies have no real social obligation but it seems a no win situation for the companies.Considering the amounts of money involved in the industry this seems to be a more sensible approach

ANGLICANPAT

Premier wrote: »

Actually, it may be clever ploy. You say payouts are restricted to 48,000 but perhaps they will get 2 million replies so costing only £25 per response. etc. - bargain!

---

and who is to know if they payout to only the first 50, or 500, or only 1000 people ? If you dont get it youll just think you were number 48,001. That would make it really cheap for them to get loads of useful data! Cynical ... who, me?

dougz_2

The energy companies are legally obliged to subsidize vulnerable customers which they have historically done in a wide variety of ways i.e see report

So it would appear from the criteria to qualify for the £100 that it is probably just part of EONs obligatory social spend, rather than a promotion to attract new business, and someone is barking up the wrong tree.

jamesb1239

Well it's certainly a genuine deal as this morning with the post I received a cheque for £100 from eon, I was expecting a bill credit, but its a cheque which is much better! :beer:

Lip_Stick

Got my £100 cheque in the post this morning too. :j

Didn't think I'd get it as I posted my response one day before the cut off date (mid-December for me) due to the awful weather. Since it's a cheque, I guess I can change providers since a couple of days ago they wrote to me about a price increase.

sweetnorthenlass

ripped me off or year... web price deals are what u want... no their so called standard ones