Utility Warehouse (Telecom Plus) Discussion

keggs

chrisclipson wrote: »

I would never recommend any company, particularly if I stood to gain financially from doing so.

What aholier than thou attitude. Join the real world

keggs

KimYeovil wrote: »

Yes they have.

Who? Please enlighten

keggs

kippen_noedel wrote: »

1. UW is based on socialist principles, didn't you know........... :eek:

I didn't say that. Go and re read what I actually said.

Mike_by_the_Sea

Quentin wrote: »

If that leaflet says just that, (without the small print that has the conditions that say they are only talking about BGs standard tariff, you must pay by direct debit and the claim doesn't include the monthly membership fee) then you have been given misleading and false advertising.

Hi Quentin

It is unlikely, wouldn't you think, to have an official leaflet that is giving misleading and false advertising. After all, wouldn't they have been reported by now?

I have looked at the official leaflet and it doesn't mislead.

Perhaps I should send you one?

Mike

Mike_by_the_Sea

misgrace wrote: »

yes, they did try and get him that way lol

Add insult to injury, comes back sat saying he has been approached by UW in a garden centre. Some people never learn. :rotfl:

Hi misgrace

I think your OH was probably very astute in listening to somebody in the garden centre and he might win a mini !! :rotfl:

On a serious note, if you are looking to use UW just for gas and electricity, then you can save money if you are currently on the standard BG tariff for gas and the standard tariff for electricity from your regional provider. As posters have said earlier, if you look at the online and fixed / capped tariffs then it is unlikely that UW would be the cheapest. The "value" for UW is generally best gained by having multiple services to receive discounts on your phone calls, their unique single bill for all services and their award-winning customer service (and personal support from the individual that you sign up with).

They are not for everyone, but they are difinitely for some.

Good luck in your decision

Mike

PS I am an Independent Distributor for UW.

rahl101

Not Looking to get embroiled in the fight between the two main camps in this discussion, but I must admit I haver been following this thread with interest.
Without becoming thought of as a glove puppet, for the first time I felt the need to query something on here...

Mike_by_the_Sea wrote: »

their award-winning customer service...

I appriciate that line is part of a much bigger quote, but after seeing it I had a quick glance on the UW website...What awards have they won for customer service, again this isn't a desire to become involved, but a serious question as their sites about us section doesn't mention any awards and I am unsure of where else to look

Quentin

Mike_by_the_Sea wrote: »

you can save money if you are currently on the standard BG tariff for gas and the standard tariff for electricity from your regional provider.

More misleading info from a uw rep.

Even the worthless guarantee doesn't claim that! The "cheaper than BG/regional electric supplier" claim doesn't include the monthly membership fee, and you must also pay by DD!

SwanJon

1carminestocky wrote: »

We have a couple of people on here who claim that UW make massive profits so they must be ripping off customers. Ebico would charge me more and they are not-for-profit. It doesn't make sense.

Come on Carmine, after all your rants about other suppliers' profits you have to see the hypocrisy here?

KimYeovil

keggs wrote: »

Who?

Me. I did.

Malaguti

Really glad I've discovered this (big!) thread re. Utilities Warehouse.

My only point in posting this is to share my own experience with a former work collegue who signed up with them to become a distributor with UW two weeks ago.

I went to see this former collegue yesterday (informal inviation, I'm on holiday at the moment, pop round for coffee type of thing)

When I got there though she had all of the literature out on the garden table including the Business Manual and then proceeded to tell me about her new venture.

Nothing wrong with that at all - I'm always interested in new ideas, however it became quite clear to me after a short while that this meeting had been arranged to get me on board into the distributor ranks as well.

To be honest, I didn't think it was such a bad idea especially when I found out that commission is paid on every customer bill (conditions apply though)

However, I had a quick peek through the business manual as to be honest the whole 'Martini presentation' didn't make a blind bit of sense to me. My very first impression and comment to her were that it appeared to be a kind of 'people pyramid'. The only way that any real money will be made is by gathering large teams of distributors and therefore customers.

What really astonished me though is how little information distributors seem to be expected to go out and see customers with. For example, I asked how I could work out the savings to a potential customer I am sat in front of and the answer was that you can't really tell until the person has been signed up.

UW encourage reps not to get into too much detail (I've seen the pages in the manual on that subject) Apparently they can work out a rough 'approximate' saving and are encouraged not to get into v. much detail.

That seems absolutely crazy to me - I mean if I had a rep or whatever you want to call them sat in my lounge for any product surely the basic questions have to be: What it is you're offering? How much is it? and in the case of utilities - how much will I save?
There's no way I'm going to switch with a 'oh whatever saving I make with the new company it'll be a nice surprise' attitude!

I'm always going to ask detailed questions and think it's totally patronising to suggest most people don't know what they have now or what they're paying for. Personally I would feel very uncomfortable as well having to sit in front of a customer and effectively having to 'gloss' over any real world questions.

Not sure what they tell new distributors at the first meeting either as I asked her how her commission will be paid once she starts earning it. She was under the impression that any money she earns will be taken off of her UW utilities bill!!!!

Now, she is trying to get away from an office job she hates through doing this for UW. Fair enough but how are you going to build yourself a new life/income with discounts on your bill? After various enquiries (including another friend who has also signed up and didn't know the answer!) it was established from the UW helpline that commission statements are issued seperately and monies earned paid seperately.

The lady in question is not a fool by any means so I was left fairly speechless that this info took so much work to get a hold of! What does UW cover in the initial meeting you have to attend?

Plus she confessed that she had not yet read through the business manual! Do they brainwash new distributors at these meetings? Sorry, but I have to wonder when perfectly level headed people come away from there with seemingly nothing more than a 'woohoo, we can do it if we want it enough' attitude but precious little in terms of real world info.

Perhaps I'm being terribly 'high horse' here but if I pay someone £200 and they hand me a 'manual' in return I'm going to read every single word in there asap just to see what I got for my money?

I've really enjoyed reading through the pages of this thread today especially one of the videos where the guy is trying to get info on call charges to Thailand etc for a customer he is with. He is getting laughed at for wanting to know by other people in UW. How ridiculous!

Also enjoyed the 15 min top sales guy clip - How to get bucket loads of customers. What wonderful language and turn of phrase. So professional!!!

Well, this is turning into quite the saga - my apologies for the long post but to be honest I was left feeling a bit 'conned' by that whole meeting yesterday. After doing more research on here and elsewhere on the net will have to politely decline her inviation to join the ranks of UW distributors tonight which I'm sure will be slightly awkward.

I got the distinct impression that because my friend/former collegue has now paid the £200 she can no longer afford to be sceptical and has to make this work. Think there is money to be made from it but intial outlay in costs and energy will exceed the income in the early days plus you have to have the skin of a rhino to deal with the possible rejections (def. not me)

Thanks for letting me get that off my chest everyone!