Utility Warehouse (Telecom Plus) Discussion

Browntoa

http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.html?t=305655

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1carminestocky

espresso wrote: »

So can you clarify exactly what Low users, Standard users and High users are for gas and electricity?

Please provide a link to where this is explained on the UW website.

Maybe I've misunderstood Keggs' post (one of us certainly has ) but I'm assuming he meant by A unique billing system that no matter how many services you take from UW (gas/electric/broadband/telephone/mobile), there's only one bill?

Inidentally, I've just been looking on British Gas' site and can't see anywhere where it details what they deem a low/standard or high user, either. I've obviously missed it, so would be grateful if you could provide a link. TIA!

Plushchris

Apologies for the long quote but I though people may have missed it....

conmenot wrote: »

Hi - apols for the long post.

The above quote regarding a policeman getting drunk people to switch to his product really doesn't surprise me at all, given what I've just witnessed!

I am certainly NOT a UW distributor or customer, but however I did go along to their sell-out networking recruitment conference show in Northampton yesterday, with an elderly neighbour who was interested in becoming a distributor.

So I have some inside information about this company and it's odd methods of selling a pretty poor product.

1200 people packing a theatre, it was an impressive turnout, there were video crews there and big screens plus one of their ugly branded yellow Minis on the stage, which you get to drive as a company car if you sell enough. Whoopee!

It's all very strange indeed, and more than a little crass.

Needless to say my neighbour has no interest in joining the ranks of the distributors any more.

A quick summary of this conference:

Two fairly high level execs tried to compere the 8 hour (!) show with an attempt at comedy which was pitiful at best and downright embarrassing at worse, especially when the audience had better punchlines to their "jokes" than they had written.

Lots of "motivational speakers" who turned out to be execs at the top of the pyramid imploring the audience to find more customers/distributors.

They then dragged a hearing impaired man on the stage and a visually impaired woman, both of whom got a standing ovation for some unknown reason, as if the ability to sell utilities is somehow an incredible achievement for the disabled, which was patronising to say the least.

There were three signers eagerly translating all the sales pitches in BSL to what appeared to be only one deaf man, so they were definitely going down the "we love the disabled" route, and indeed much of their pitch was to do with helping communities.

I was rather hoping the blind lady would win the Mini Cooper just to see how the comperes would get out of that one without a script.

A senior level exec from Liverpool dragged his young family onstage and actually started crying (with his back to the crowd) when telling the audience about his nice new house. Then recovered his composure immediately.
His kids didn't look remotely concerned their dad was crying, because he was clearly putting it on... the son was looking at the crowd dead pleased with his dad's acting abilities.
At that point it really did resemble an American evangelist church meeting, with all the appalling emotional play-acting that goes with it.

There was a reasonably funny guy with a dry sense of humour with a guide to failure, how not to succeed, that kind of thing, but even he was being pretty patronising and even insulting - implying that people who work for a boss and have a small house are losers, that sort of nonsense.

Then they wheeled out their "celeb", who was - wait for it - an Olympic Gold Medallist!!
Turned out he rowed in Sydney 8 years ago as part of an 8 man team and won a gold medal - he's now their commercial director.
Seemed like a nice guy, though very posh (like all their top brass) unlike the mainly Northern middle class aspirational audience, then spent a painful amount of time describing the minutae of winning, before showing his successful rowing team win the gold. Then showing a replay. It was pretty sad by then.
You would think with all the money made from a sell out theatre show they could have afforded a decent celebrity endorsement.

The whole day was peppered with personal testimonials from people (an unusual amount of them were former police officers) who had achieved "SE Gold" which means they have roped in a minimum of 10 personal
customers and a minimum total of 50 customers within two months and get a mere £500 for bringing in what would potentially amount to tens of thousands for the company.

The comperes summed it up at the end most aptly by describing the whole day (and it was a very long day!) as being "an emotional rollercoaster".

Which is of course true - emotions were being manipulated all day, to make those who were not selling enough feel guilty, and to massage the egos of those who were doing OK.

It's very much an American style set-up, and seemingly has found popularity in the north of England, where social networking is somehow easier and more practical with smaller communities and the pub and sport culture that isn't so prevalent in London.

To be fair, the people we spoke to during the break (only one 45 minute break in 8 hours!) were really nice people, but had been hyped up to the point of obsession and were purely motivated to try and sell to us once they realised we hadn't become customers yet.

Which is the fundamental problem I have with this company and others like it: the onus is on you to sell these utilities to your friends and family as if you're doing them a huge favour.

Trouble is - as this site has shown, you're not!

UW/T+ prices are not really very competitive, they're only buying from the same place as everyone else after all, and are subject to the same rises in costs.
A three minute comparison with other providers will result in a far better deal.

Raising the prices without warning is a mean trick - not one I'd like them to pull on my friends and family.

And as for having to get up on stage and recieve a public pat on the back for using your treasured social circles as a commodity for making the poshos at the top of the chain richer - no, definitely not for me.

By the way - none of this could be construed as disclosing private business information - as I have a feeling a lot of the UW distributors will read this post in horror and try to get it deleted for breaching company privacy - which is nonsense.

It was a public show in a public theatre, and this post is genuinely warning people to avoid the cult-like behaviour and virtual brainwashing that is going on at these things - it's deep level marketing dressed up as charity work.

It left a very nasty taste in my mouth.

Utilities Warehouse/Telecom Plus?

Avoid!!

This is why I wouldnt touch UW with a bargepole.

1carminestocky

Maybe conmenot would prefer the British Gas way of holding motivational meetings?

:rotfl:

British Gas apologises over drunken staff brawl

British Gas has apologised after a briefing held for staff to explain its 35 per cent price rise turned into a drunken brawl.



By Caroline Gammell
Last Updated: 2:04PM BST 01 Aug 2008


The event, which took place on the same day as the company told its customers about the charge increase, was held at the International Conference Centre in Birmingham.
Comedian Jimmy Carr performed at the event and told the 1,000-strong managers and sales advisors: "I've put up my fee by 35 per cent - just like you".
The employees were given a four-course meal at Wednesday's social event which went on into the early morning of Thursday.
It is also understood that sports presenter Steve Rider compered the dinner while rugby star Lawrence Dallaglio gave a speech to guests.
Staff are said to have been treated to free drinks at the dinner but the mood turned sour when festivities got the better of some staff.
Phil Bentley, managing director of British Gas, said he was "deeply disappointed" with staff behaviour.
"At such a difficult time for our customers, we need our staff to understand why energy prices are rising and what support is available to help our customers cope," he said.
"However, we're deeply disappointed with the behaviour of a few individuals who let us and our customers down after the briefing ended, for which we sincerely apologise."
British Gas refused to comment on the reported £250,000 cost of the event.
After the 35 per cent price hike, the average annual gas bill for British Gas customers is now more than £1,300, but shareholders are set to enjoy a 16 per cent jump in their dividend pay outs.
On Thursday, Centrica, the parent company of British Gas, announced an 88 per cent jump in its pre-tax profits to £ 2.97 billion for the first half of this year.
The recent increases in fuel bills, together with large profits announced by energy companies, have prompted calls for a windfall tax on their earnings.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/2484776/British-Gas-apologises-over-drunken-staff-brawl.html

Plushchris

I know I would prefer that type of meeting!

Sounds a lot more fun!

1carminestocky

Oh dear...

Mike_by_the_Sea

espresso wrote: »

So can you clarify exactly what Low users, Standard users and High users are for gas and electricity?

Please provide a link to where this is explained on the UW website.

Hi expresso,

On the link below there is a statement in the paragraph beginning "Big 6" which identifies the definition of low, standard and high as being the standard domestic usage profiles published by energywatch.

http://www.utilitywarehouse.co.uk/store/energy.taf

Energywatch link is:

http://www.energywatch.org.uk/help_and_advice/saving_money/index.asp

Hope that helps

Mike

Plushchris

What?

8 hours of mindless drivel from UW bigwigs with only a 45 min break or a party with Jimmy Carr and a free bar, which would you choose?

1carminestocky

Plushchris wrote: »

What?

8 hours of mindless drivel from UW bigwigs with only a 45 min break or a party with Jimmy Carr and a free bar, which would you choose?

(Some would say predictably) you seem to be ignoring the drunken brawls that reportedly developed at the hotels the 'BG bigwigs' went back to?

Aug 1 2008 By Gary Marks
DRUNKEN British Gas staff ran amok after a £250,000 Birmingham junket on the same day the energy giant announced a record 35 per cent price jump.
Boozy middle managers and sales staff enjoyed free drinks and slap up four course meals at the bash, organised to discuss how to justify the gas and electricity price hikes.
Violence flared when a minority of staff returned to their hotels after the all-night event at the International Convention Centre, which ended in the early hours of yesterday morning.
The team-building event was also said to have featured free bars, a champagne reception and bottles of red and white wine scattered around the tables.
British Gas managing director Phil Bentley today said he was “deeply disappointed” with the behaviour of his staff.
“At such a difficult time for our customers, we need our staff to understand why energy prices are rising and what support is available to help our customers cope,” he said.
“However, we’re deeply disappointed with the behaviour of a few individuals who let us and our customers down after the briefing ended, for which we sincerely apologise.”
Nearly 1,000 British Gas middle managers and sales advisors were at the ICC along with sports presenter Steve Rider who compered the dinner and rugby star Lawrence Dallaglio who gave a speech to guests.
But after the expensive event festivities were reported to have descended into mayhem when drunken brawls broke out at nearby hotels laid on for British Gas staff.
One employee drinking at a hotel bar reportedly said: “The very day British Gas hikes prices massively they have a lavish party to end all parties. We are crucifying the customers.”
Julian Mears, media relations manager for British Gas, was unable to confirm that the event cost £250,000.
He said: “That is something we would have to look through.”
A spokesman for the NEC Group, which owns the ICC, refused to comment on the reports of trouble after the bash, but added: “We can confirm that British Gas held an event at the venue.”

</H1>
http://www.birminghammail.net/2008/08/01/fury-as-british-gas-staff-run-riot-97319-21449563/

keggs

I wouldn't bother further 1carminestocky. It doesn't matter what is said here British Gas and all the rest of the so called fabulously well known (can't do anything wrong) plcs will always be to some here a far better bet than a company that helps people. Incidentally, I don't even remember a bar at any of the venuse used for UW meetings. It's tea, coffee and juice all round I think.

May I also apologise if I inadvertently broke the rule. I had realised we couldn't pm or swap emails.

Regards
Steve