Utility Warehouse (Telecom Plus) Discussion

Quentin

Have you seen the reviews of uw here:

http://www.reviewcentre.com/reviews-all-87791.html

There are the same number (91 actually).

The picture given there is vastly different to the which survey!

If you have difficulty spotting the reviews written by uw reps, then come back for some guidance!

Cardew

shaznmark wrote: »

I have been approached about joining Utility Warehouse as a customer & distributor. It seems as though there are arguments for & against on here. I did wonder if it's too good to be true but also wondered why Which have it as a Best Buy. If anyone can provide for & against this I would appreciate your feedback.

Which have not given their electricity and gas a 'Best Buy' rating.

They hold a readers satisfaction survey, where UW got the highest rating - even for 'value' when it is an indisputable fact that UW have some of the most expensive gas and electricty prices available.

UW also came top in a similar survey by The Guardian?

Both Which and the Guardian did point out that UW charge £xhundred more than some other companies.

Now UW have 26,000 'independant' distributors(I use the term in it's loosest possible connotation!). They and their families have a vested financial interest in seeing that UW perform well on any survey.

Such surveys where vested interests have the opportunity to vote are totally discredited.

I predicted earlier that Cyprus would give the Greek song top marks in last weeks Eurovision song contest - and they did. Wow what a surprise!

1carminestocky

Anyone on something similar to my proposed package would have to vote tops for 'value' when it comes to UW....wouldn't they? Of course, the Which figure quoted (£100 more expensive on average to the cheapest tariffs from the Big 6) is entirely correct (in my case the gap would be wider still) but I still end up paying much less. How come? Well, taking advantage of the built-in free calls for G&E customers and signing up for the phone/BB deal for one. Your utilities don't have to be dealt with in isolation. Then of course there's the cashback card that, to be fair, Which can't really include in any calculations as it will be entirely dependant on the customer's shopping habits.

Maybe a large proprortion of these 90 respondees are seeing definite savings on the overall package? Let's be brutally honest, my proposed pacakge even minus the cashback was a lot harder to beat than a lot of you thought it would be. UW have already officially revealed that each customer takes an average of just over 3 services so this would seem like an explanation.

Quentin

You know you used my words out of context, so read whatever fits into my reply.

Quentin

NigeWick wrote: »

No. Your words are not used out of context.

The words you quoted out of context were (as you well know) used in this post of yours:

Nigewick wrote:

Originally Posted by Quentin
the revelations of how you are taught to sign up customers

As in offering to show them how to save money?

In fact my post was much more representative of how we have seen uw reps being taught to sign up customers:

I would have thought the revelations of how you are taught to sign up customers (using the worthless guarantee, and avoiding detail) would be enough to stop most people getting in touch.

If you want to dispute this image we have of uw reps, then do so, but you simply used my words out of context.

(I stand by them!)

Journeyman_2

I too have been approached to join UW as a customer/distributor, so i thought 'check on MSE website to get the lowdown' - bad idea - i'm even more confused now, guess I was expecting too much...

epsilondraconis

Journeyman wrote: »

I too have been approached to join UW as a customer/distributor, so i thought 'check on MSE website to get the lowdown' - bad idea - i'm even more confused now, guess I was expecting too much...

JourneyMan - you may want to look at the following thread as it hopefully gives you an overview without getting drawn into the intricacies of this thread.

http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.html?t=1701133

Quentin

By quoting me a saying "I stand by them", then linking them to this business about your now ended police career, you again quote me out of context.

The words I actually used (which I stand by) were:

I would have thought the revelations of how you are taught to sign up customers (using the worthless guarantee, and avoiding detail) would be enough to stop most people getting in touch.

Quentin

I have already shown you how your attempt to quote my words but apply them in an entirely different context won't wash!

And I have seen the way you are trying to beat a confession out of me in episodes of ashes to ashes.

How about going back on topic?

keggs

Dear Journeyman

There are 3 groups of people here:

1. those who are genuinely happy with UW - some have also become authorised distributors
2. those who have had a problem with UW in the past which obviously colours their peception.
3. those who have total antipathy towards UW for whatever reason

That's life really. Just make up your own mind and don't take advice from anyone here. As you said you thought this site could help but you've found it to be other than helpful.

The only way to find out if anything in life is worthwhile is to try it out - if it doesn't work out what have you lost. Even joining as a distributor you have chance to test it out and get most if not all your investment back. Even if you joined as a customer first you can test the water with little or no cost.

Do what you feel is best for you. Whatever you decide the Utility warehouse isn't about to disappear any time soon. Rather the opposite actually.

Hope that helps
Steve