Utility Warehouse (Telecom Plus) Discussion

Decado23

Quentin wrote: »

You only need to search MSE for utility warehouse to find out all about them and their reps who are known to come here to tout for business, mislead us with their claims, pretend to be satisfied customers without declaring their interest etc etc

While it's true that some distributors have been known to take some of the actions suggested above it's far from all of us. Nor is such activity supported by the company to the best of my knowledge.

Also, you need only search MSE for any other company and it's a fair bet you'll find some horror stories - i find people are more likely to post about a company that's annoyed them than a company that's given good (or simply acceptable performance). No company i'm aware of pleases all of the people all of the time, Utility Warehouse is no exception. Although there are many reasons to believe they tend to please a higher than average proportion of their customers.

Decado23

Quentin wrote: »

Trouble is you are going to have to knock on a lot of doors if you want to find only people who will save on their gas and electric with uw.

Even their most hardened reps have admitted on here it can't be done!

All you need to do to see this is do some virtual quotes in any switching site to see how far down the page of results you have to look to find the uw!

Strangely enough I'm paying around £60 per month less since switching to UW (this includes membership fee but excludes cashback card and any additional savings from free calls). According to a couple of switching sites I'd be better off elsewhere but the fact that i'm saving money is undeniable. As for the better off elsewhere - funny really, same company I used to be with - only since I'd joined them my rates had been going upwards to subsidise low rates for new customers. Even if they're a little cheaper now I'm not switching back, sod 'em.

Besides, with the cashback card, free calls, discount directory and (if i wasn't a distributor) the customer discount plan I honestly believe UW have the best overall package on the market. This belief is supported by the several stories I've heard from UW customers (NOT distributors) of other salesmen contacting UW customers and admitting they can't give a better deal.



Of course, I'm biased (see sig). But I'm not the only one - check the company out for yourself, there have been articles about UW in Which?, Financial times (company of the year!), Mail on Sunday, Investor's chronicle, European business magazine.... Some people may dispute the validity of some of these articles but you owe it to yourself to make your own decision on which information to trust - it's your future.

Quentin

Decado23 wrote: »

While it's true that some distributors have been known to take some of the actions suggested above it's far from all of us.

The rogues who keep coming here certainly outweigh the very few who have not made false claims etc.

Don't forget the rogues usually get their posts deleted, so it may appear on first sight that they are in the minority! Not so. Unfortunately their unchecked activities on this forum let you all down.

We had a classic rep attempting to fool us all this week who is still on view:

http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.html?t=1560975

Quentin

Decado23 wrote: »

you owe it to yourself to make your own decision on which information to trust - it's your future.

The trouble is we have found that we cannot trust the misleading info regularly posted in these forums from the majority of the uw reps who come and go here.

Decado23

Quentin wrote: »

The trouble is we have found that we cannot trust the misleading info regularly posted in these forums from the majority of the uw reps who come and go here.

Having checked out the link in your last post (good for a laugh at least, so thanks) and seen a few other laughable attempts I can only agree. I was suggesting that further independent research may be in order - 3rd party publications etc. There is bias on this site both for and against UW (and any other company).

Ofcourse, for someone seriously considering becoming a distributor but unsure how comfortable they'd be recommending the services - simply become a customer for any (or all) of the services (stick to the ones without minimum term contracts if you're really unsure) and decide for yourself if they're any good. If you end up thinking they're crap, good opportunity to switch to whoever you think is better. If you think they're good then you can recommend them with a clear conscience.

Quentin

Decado23 wrote: »

Having checked out the link in your last post (good for a laugh at least, so thanks) and seen a few other laughable attempts I can only agree. I was suggesting that further independent research may be in order - 3rd party publications etc......

For most decent people, knowing that the uw apparently welcomes these types as ambassadors should be enough!

(Presumably the only real criterion for getting taken on as a rep is can you stump up the £200 to become one - we have already learnt from other reps that the training you are given is flawed, and (maybe worse) only voluntary for reps to attend anyway.)

1carminestocky

Anyway.......:rolleyes: I'm sure the 'wayward' UW reps are simply dwarfed by the Big 6's 'wayward' door knockers in number. Quentin does like I do (it's hopefully the only thing we have in common, lol) - he switches regularly for cashback purposes. Taking his 'moral crusade' to its logical conclusion, would that mean that he would never sign up with a member of the Big 6 who has door knockers who cheat and lie to get custom? Clearly he doesn't see this is as a big enough moral dilemma. THAT'S why I find his hatred of this company completely baffling. I also think it's sad that he doesn't use his knowledge and, apparently limitless, free time to get involved on the G&E forum in a positive way. Check out his posts, just about the ONLY time he gets involved on this forum is to have a ruck about UW. What a missed opportunity, but he's sort of put himself in an awkward position now by criticising what UW do as he now knows he can't let it slip what company he's with for fear of a backlash as to how they go about their business and all the ASA adjudications they have had against them. It's all genuinely sad.

Decado23

Quentin wrote: »

For most decent people, knowing that the uw apparently welcomes these types as ambassadors should be enough!

on that basis I could claim that most decent people should try a google search for "[their energy supplier]+ofgem" or "[their energy supplier]+asa". I've just done a few myself and the results are quite interesting.

Now i'm not saying it's OK (I for one won't be disappointed if any miss-selling reps get their agreement terminated, they just give the rest of us a bad name), two wrongs don't make a right and all that but I do feel your comment is somewhat naive.

Quentin

One bit of research for someone who is prospective uw rep then would be to look up the utility warehouse and telecomplus at the ASA and see their adjudications for false advertising - especially the false claims made that they are the cheapest!

Then read up on the small print of their main "plank", often used here and no doubt used all the time with the gullibles at the stand at the supermarket - the "guarantee"!

Energyman_2

cheekymonkey20 wrote: »

I am just about to start doing business through utility wearhouse.

quote]

Good Luck!

Just don't believe the hype that you were probably told at training.

Don't believe the 'guarentee' - it is worthless!

Don't quote the saving figures shown in the booklets and assume everyone is going to save vast sums of money. (if you've sold eon before you should know this)

Be wary of selling of friends or family who may find out later that they have been sold a pup!

Don't spam this site claiming to 'have found an excellent deal that no one else knows about'

Read the other threads if you need to know more about them.
We would be very interested to know how you get on