Utility Warehouse (Telecom Plus) Discussion

Decado23

Quentin wrote: »

So don't grumble when you are given the "sources".

I do not. If, however, it seems your sources do not in fact support your claims or are being taken out of context then I will certainly grumble about that. Would you do anything less for me?


UW Distributor

Quentin

Decado23 wrote: »

If you feel UW endorses bad practice in it's distributors ......

Read through some of the comments from your colleagues who are clearly uncomfortable and try to distance themselves from the clips on the net - eg. big al at their rally, the methods uw use to gain recruits (martini presentation/so called "practice" sessions with close friends which are really opportunities to do multi service sign ups/avoid detail when signing up etc etc)

NigeWick

Cardew wrote: »

The reason you should worry is simply that they are disgraceful and IMO bring the company into disrepute.

Your opinion does not make you the sole arbiter of anything. Why should trying to show a company in the best light bring it into disrepute? Don't all companies try to show themselves to be "good"? You forcefully push your agenda about Utility Warehouse. Fine, as long as you point out that it is your opinion and stick to facts. You state it is "disgraceful" when somebody else puts ideas forward that disagree with your own beliefs. In my opinion it is "disgraceful" of you to show such hatred of a company that I believe to be excellent value. I suspect that all companies that sell any goods or services train their people in the most effective way to promote those goods or services. I worked with Everest for a while and they had an initial course and ongoing training in how to sell their products. Everest are known as "the best" at what they do. I believe that Utility Warehouse are very good at what they do and am happy to refer people to the company because I pay the lowest price for my utilities with them.

I am an Independent Distributor with Utility Warehouse and any opinions expressed her are my own and may not be shared by the company.

Decado23

Quentin wrote: »

eg. big al at their rally

who explains a few attention grabbing phrases. big deal

Quentin wrote: »

, the methods uw use to gain recruits (martini presentation

erm... what exactly to you object to in this?

Quentin wrote: »

/so called "practice" sessions with close friends which are really opportunities to do multi service sign ups

As explained previously most UW distributors are part time and many from a non sales background. During our training we are asked to phone a friend/relative and ask them if it would be ok to practice the presentation we've just had training on. If after the presentation they choose to sign up, great. If not it's still valuable practice. There is nothing dishonest here - genuine new distributors asking friends for a genuine favour to practice a presentation they've genuinely just been taught.

Quentin wrote: »

avoid detail when signing up etc etc)

Again I assume you are basing this on a training video. The point here isn't to mislead customers, but to bolster the confidence of new distributors who don't consider themselves to be 'sales people' and who may be nervous of meeting with potential customers and getting a question they don't know the answer to.
We are not walking encyclopedias, nor do we intend to be. We don't need to memorise kwh rates or call costs to any given destination. If the potential customer wants to know these things then the tariff guide is available.


As i said earlier, considering these training videos in a vacuum gives an inaccurate and misleading impression. There is a whole package of information and training - any single part is designed for a given purpose. Without the correct context (the rest of the training) it is easy to pick holes. That does not mean it is correct to do so.



UW distributor

NigeWick

Quentin wrote: »

No private individuals would consent to having their name, address and landline phone number put on the net.

Oh dear, such a sweeping inaccurate statement to make when people have previously posted their own phone number on MSE.

1carminestocky

Aaaannnyyyywwwaaayyyy....

As I realise I have rather 'unusual' usage figures and that maybe why no-one has challenged them yet again, this time I have used the standard 'average' usage figures as provided by OFGEM. These *should* be easier to challenge. Certainly hope so. Let's have properly researched findings with links and T&Cs etc, please.

Yorkshire Region.

Gas 20500 kwhs

Leccy 3300 kwhs

Up to 24mb BB (my exchange is fully capable of exploiting this, btw)

40gb monthly download allowance

Free modem (yes, they CAN have it back should I ever leave! )

Phone Line Rental

Inclusive 24/7 calls to 01,02,03 AND 08545/0870 numbers

10 international destinations included in the inclusive calling package.

Silver club membership

£10,000 accidental death insurance (I don't know any Russian KGB people and don't enjoy sushi so that's one worry out of the way)

FREE calls to CS/BB support

No minimum term contract on any service (subject to £50 exit fee if leave the phone/BB package within 12 months. BT would charge how much if you left after 12 months and 1 day? Almost £200 smackeroos! Nothing with UW).

Chance to refer like-minded friends (hell, even sworn enemies AFAICT ) to receive %tage discounts off our bill (on-going as well!). Limited to a maximum of £250 per month and excluding club fees, line installations etc.

Free membership of Prospero Magazine and their exclusive discount offers (who knows? I'll have a butchers for nowt).

Cashback card that can mean sizeable discounts off the bill by shopping at designated High Street outlets, the 'biggie' obviously being Sainsburys for groceries, electrical items, heck even mobile top-ups and gift vouchers for other retailers if what has been posted on here continues ).

12x paper monthly bills fully itemised detailing all the services I take.

One monthly DD for the lot.

Anything missed/unintentionally embellished etc?

Let's forget the cashback card for a minute, shall we, as I know that's a major fly in Hugh and 'Fletcher Reede's' ointment.

Total annual bill: £1424.00

Monthly DD: £118.67

Quentin

NigeWick wrote: »

I believe that Utility Warehouse are very good at what they do and am happy to refer people to the company because I pay the lowest price for my utilities with them.

All very well.......BUT

Elsewhere on the net you have referred to having had "atrocious" service from uw - so you "conveniently" accept this do you?

And you have told us the only way you pay the lowest price is by using the risky prepayment card.

Surely it would be common sense to just go elsewhere and get cheaper utilities in the first place, then use another mainstream prepayment card to get discounts off your shopping? You'd save lots more, and maybe avoid that atrocious service (most people wouldn't stick with an "atrocious" company, whatever the savings), and that risky card!

Quentin

NigeWick wrote: »

Oh dear, such a sweeping inaccurate statement to make when people have previously posted their own phone number on MSE.

These have either been people like uw reps trying to get free advertising, or naive posters unaware of the risks.

UW should be well aware of the risks of putting up on the net personal names, occupations, addresses and phone numbers given to them in good faith by gullible customers who will never have anticipated what uw intended to do with them. Where's the data protection there?

jimexbox

1carminestocky wrote: »

My point is and always has been that someone who can't categorically state they at least *attempt* (for free) to get their family/friends paying not a penny more for their utilities with the knowledge they have gleaned from this forum is on shaky ground criticising someone who tries to help them to pay less for a small fee. You have admitted you don't make it your priority to do this for your friends/family. If you won't do this for family/friends off your own bat without them asking you, then how can you criticise a UW rep? I've already made it entirely clear in MANY challenges on here that UW can be the cheapest deal out there, with or even without use of the cashback card. My latest figures are just a few posts back. Still no challenge to them. Which, in a thread as confrontational as this one, tends to tell me they can't be effectively challenged, lol.

Here's a question: if a member of your family approached you for help and wanted to change their gas/electric/phone/BB arrangements and UW came out cheapest for their requirements....would you recommend them to your family member as the best deal for them?

Exactly, that's your opinion not mine. Which you are certainly entitled too, but please dont try and impose your set of ideals on anyone else. Your argument if I get the right gist is that UW salesman somehow give out impartial advice to all and sundry. So they may well recommend British Gas or Eon above their own product, is this what you are implying? As any advice I give is genuinely impartial, Its certainly a new one on me if you are alleging that UW salesman give out similar impartial advice.

If I could get my energy, never mind my friends from UW at a cheaper rate than my current providor I would switch to UW. Of course this would have to be cheaper without the use of the discount card, as the card is possible future discount, not yet realized. Where as my current 16.1% discount , Eon are contractually obligated to honour. If I did switch to UW it would be a informed decision, not one based on a 15 minute sales pitch riddled with withheld information.

NigeWick

Quentin wrote: »

Elsewhere on the net you have referred to having had "atrocious" service from uw - so you "conveniently" accept this do you?

And you have told us the only way you pay the lowest price is by using the risky prepayment card.

Surely it would be common sense to just go elsewhere and get cheaper utilities in the first place, then use another mainstream prepayment card to get discounts off your shopping? You'd save lots more, and maybe avoid that atrocious service (most people wouldn't stick with an "atrocious" company, whatever the savings), and that risky card!

I was having what I thought of at the time as a bad experience. Later on I got satisfaction from the company. Like many people, I am vocal when I believe I have received bad service.

If I were on some other companies' tariffs, I could be paying more than with Utility Warehouse, as millions are at present.

I made a conscious choice to get my utilities from Utility Warehouse and use the financially sound pre payment card to best effect because I get my utilities cheaper than I can from any other company. I do hope that you understand the concept of "choice." Utility Warehouse has had good press from a number of independent sources over the years. In a recent survey, 83% of customers who replied stated they were satisfied with the company. The next best had a 10% lower rating. British Gas who one person on this forum mentioned as a "best buy" had a rating of 37% for customer satisfaction. Your evidence for the word "atrocious" comes from a one off incident where the complainant ended up happy in the end. Therefore it is hardly a representative sample of the population. You state the card is "risky" but have nothing to show that the company promoting it, which has cash reserves, is profitable and been voted the best company by business people is a risk at all.

I get all my utilities from Utility Warehouse because they are the best company for my wants. By using the pre payment card I pay less for those utilities than I would with any other company. All your nit picking will not alter the fact that Utility Warehouse is an excellent company that uses innovation to boost profits and still provide benefits for customers.

I am an Independent Distributor with Utility Warehouse and any opinions expressed here are my own and may not be shared by the company.