Utility Warehouse (Telecom Plus) Discussion

1carminestocky

I'm not sure I've read any of the UW distributors who regularly post on here ever claim that the price you see beside UW on the switching sites is anywhere near the cheapest price, Cardew. Have they? Whilst we are concerning ourselves with facts, you yourself have finally conceded that by using the cashback card you can get a great deal. Therefore my personal take on UW is that, contrary to ANY other energy supplier in the UK, the price quoted on the switching sites is a *starting* price that can be reduced considerably (in many cases to the very cheapest available anywhere, no matter whether it's an online tariff or whatever) by embracing the innovations that UW have introduced. Correct? That doesn't mean to say everybody will be prepared to do that, of course. It's called choice. You are with BG, I personally believe them to be an awful awful company, but have I ever told you that you shouldn't be with them? No. Because that would be arrogant and rude. If you're happy with BG and BT for your utilities fine by me.

NigeWick

Cardew wrote: »

The bottom line is that UW's marketing structure depends on distributors recruiting friends and family and signing up some of those people as distributors, who in turn recruit friends and family.

Incorrect. The bottom line is getting paying customers to take the services. The more customers one gathers, the more money one gets paid. Yes, one can earn even more by finding people who also want to earn from the business as once trained, these new distributors will generate cash for the person signing them up. But, only if services are sold. Friends and family need not come into it. When I joined, I let my friends and family know what I was doing and why. None became a distributor. Some became customers and saved money compared to what they were paying for utilities. At present Utility Warehouse has roughly one percent of the utilities market and is growing steadily. They do this because they have a business model that works. It works because people can see the potential and put a bit of effort in, as well as the company coming up with innovative ideas to keep profits up while offering customers the chance to pay less for their utilities than with any other company if they are prepared to accept certain conditions. I am prepared to accept those conditions and am happy with my choice.

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

Cardew

1carminestocky wrote: »

I'm not sure I've read any of the UW distributors who regularly post on here ever claim that the price you see beside UW on the switching sites is anywhere near the cheapest price, Cardew. Have they? Whilst we are concerning ourselves with facts, you yourself have finally conceded that by using the cashback card you can get a great deal. Therefore my personal take on UW is that, contrary to ANY other energy supplier in the UK, the price quoted on the switching sites is a *starting* price that can be reduced considerably (in many cases to the very cheapest available anywhere, no matter whether it's an online tariff or whatever) by embracing the innovations that UW have introduced. Correct? That doesn't mean to say everybody will be prepared to do that, of course. It's called choice. You are with BG, I personally believe them to be an awful awful company, but have I ever told you that you shouldn't be with them? No. Because that would be arrogant and rude. If you're happy with BG and BT for your utilities fine by me.

I am happy with post #2916.

arteta1878

Cardew wrote: »

I accept that, and likewise would like to think that I am the same.

Since I have joined this thread I have tried to concentrate on prices, but inevitably got drawn into the Modus operandi of UW.

That stance has earned me the status of Public Enemy No2 in the eyes of many of the UW reps on this forum. I have to concede top spot to Quentin!! About whom I posted this earlier:-


As you have just joined MSE I suspect you haven’t trawled though the 3000+ posts in this thread or indeed reads Martin’s edict on UW.

The forum is about money saving. Since it was started it has been ‘spammed’ by UW reps with post after post making the most outrageous claims about price saving on gas and electricity with UW. Most of these have been deleted but went considerably further than the totally discredited Triple Value Guarantee(TVG) usually along the lines that “UW guarantee to give you the cheapest gas and electricity available”

Quentin initially was meticulous in debunking these claims, and because of this virtually all of the personal attacks were initiated by his ‘opponents.’

If UW reps conceded that their gas and electricity was just about the most expensive in UK as a starting point for discussing UW, then we could have a meaningful discussion on other UW issues.

Surely on a Money Saving forum it is a service to readers to point out that UW have very expensive gas and electricity. Unless there were people on MSE doing just that, the massed ranks of 26,000 UW reps would have a free hand.

Lastly, you stated in an earlier thread that UW are a reputable company, well frankly the videos of the selling techniques condoned by UW would not support that contention IMO. My view is supported by the actions of some of their reps on this and other forums, as well as a couple of ‘cold callers’ who have tried to introduce me to the ‘cheapest gas and electricity in UK.’

Fair enough, I feel after my posts and responses today that there are 2 things going on here, one being the price issue, the other being the customer gathering and marketing issue.

I want to keep to the price issue, and as I have stated all along UW are not the cheapest. But, like every other utility company, you can choose or not if you want to use them.

Now from my findings, I can tell you that there are lots of households out there who are on different tariffs, and some of them I have found to be dearer than UW.

I would not have been able to sign customers if I had not been able to show them that the tariff rates were cheaper than the ones they were currently on.

Whether you and the other bloke believe that or not is completely your choice, but as you said this is a money saving forum, and I would not be posting this if I had not saved some people some money! I am not on here touting for business and that may be were some reps have got your back up before?

If anybody has said that UW are the cheapest gas and electric without providing evidence of this, then as far as I am concerned you have every right to take them to task!

Now lastly regarding the reputation! Telecom Plus recently won PLC of the year. They also have won various awards and best buy from independent 3rd party magazines.

Now whichever way I look at it, that is far more reputable than some blokes opinions on the Internet, so that one is put straight to bed for me!
I have also asked Quentin some direct questions to which he chose not to answer, therefore I will not waste my time with him anymore.

I would like to add that these are my own views, nobody elses, and that I am not speaking on behalf of Telecom Plus / UW.

Cardew

NigeWick wrote: »

Incorrect. The bottom line is getting paying customers to take the services. The more customers one gathers, the more money one gets paid. Yes, one can earn even more by finding people who also want to earn from the business as once trained, these new distributors will generate cash for the person signing them up. But, only if services are sold. Friends and family need not come into it. When I joined, I let my friends and family know what I was doing and why. None became a distributor. Some became customers and saved money compared to what they were paying for utilities. At present Utility Warehouse has roughly one percent of the utilities market and is growing steadily. They do this because they have a business model that works. It works because people can see the potential and put a bit of effort in, as well as the company coming up with innovative ideas to keep profits up while offering customers the chance to pay less for their utilities than with any other company if they are prepared to accept certain conditions. I am prepared to accept those conditions and am happy with my choice.

Incorrect????

Sometimes I despair at the obfuscation in your posts.

Of course the distributors you recruit have got to sell services for you make money!

Of course UW is a successful business model, and of course it will grow. This is because 26,000 distributors are selling hard, and often to friends and family.
However they only buy because they believe/trust the sales patter by the reps; they certainly don't buy because UW gas and electricity prices are cheap.

Anyone reading this forum will be aware of just how uninformed the Great British Public are about gas and electricity prices. That is why xx million customers remain on the standard tariffs of the Big 6 that are almost expensive as UW.

Mike_by_the_Sea

Quentin wrote: »

Or:

New thread entitled "Utility Warehouse. Why did I switch?" starts 23/1/09.

Meanwhile the original problem gets worse. (DaveW007 reveals he was mislead when signing up, and that the promised energy savings weren't true)

The conclusion is reached after just 4 months!

DaveW007 made his own decision to sign up as per his first post, got his first bill and then went straight back to SWALEC - Is it any great surprise that this caused complications. I am impressed that it was sorted so quickly given the circumstances. Of course you can quote 4 months and ignore the detail (Heh, perhaps you would be the perfect distributor)

I have been with SWALEC for a good number of years for my gas & electricity.

Towards the end of last year I read an article about the Utility Warehouse. After speaking to them they certainly did appear cheaper than SWALEC so I signed up with them.

Just before Christmas I received a letter from the Utility Warehouse asking me to provide meter readings for Gas & Electricity, which I did.

Today (23rd January) I have received my first bill and am horrified to find it almost 3 times more expensive than what I had been paying to SWALEC. On examining the bill the Gas readings they quoted are nothing like the ones I provided. Their readings are over 40,000 units out in their favour. They don't quote any readings at all for Electricity! After spending some 35 minutes on the phone to them they have admitted they have made an error but it will be corrected for my 2nd bill!! I've told them there won't be a 2nd bill as I'm going back to SWALEC.

Whilst SWALEC may not be the cheapest for Gas & Electricity I certainly did not have any problems with them.

1carminestocky

Cardew wrote: »

I am happy with post #2916.

And I'm happy with post 1149 (in the sense of using it to judge your integrity, I mean).

NigeWick

Cardew wrote: »

Incorrect????

Sometimes I despair at the obfuscation in your posts.

Yes incorrect, and, I try and keep things simple. Sometimes I feel that you deliberately read words wrongly or try to misunderstand them. Your supposition is obviously that a person is paid for signing another up. This is where you are wrong. Money is only generated when they gather and keep customers.

NigeWick

jimexbox wrote: »

I simply state that I believe that without new UW salesman, customer growth would grind to a virtual halt. Would you agree?

No. Because the current distributors will carry on gathering new customers. Gathering customers is what pays. I gather a customer and as long as they stay with the company, I get paid a small percentage of their bill every month. However, the company will certainly grow more quickly with a larger number of distributors.

keggs

NigeWick wrote: »

Yes incorrect, and, I try and keep things simple. Sometimes I feel that you deliberately read words wrongly or try to misunderstand them. Your supposition is obviously that a person is paid for signing another up. This is where you are wrong. Money is only generated when they gather and keep customers.

Couldn't agree more with you Nigewick. Had the same feeling yesterday with the continual argument over the business model used by UW. Cardew only sees what he wants to see it appears. Sorry for the pun. Wasn't meant.

Like his friend he not really interested in whether UW can benefit people. His fixation on the idea that just because UW may be dearer than other companies for some people by extrapolation he believes (wrongly) that UW is dearer for everyone. I think he knows what he is doing, yet accuses you of obfuscation.

As we keep telling the naysayers here - people make their own choices. At least that's the case with UW. The same cannot be said for companies like BT.

Steve
UW Distributor & Very Happy Customer