Utility Warehouse (Telecom Plus) Discussion

Cardew

kippen_noedel wrote: »

Carmine raised the same question here

My reply


I also pointed out that UW have more salespeople than all of the other companies put together.

Yes I am aware of that; and so was he; I answered it as well.

However he is not interested in any factual answer. I suggest every customer recruited by a UW salesman would be covered under the Doorstep Selling Regulations and as you say UW have probably 10 times more salesmen than every other utility company combined.

To bring up your expensive holiday or your Rachmanesque exploiting of your tenants is his style!!

billsavings

1carminestocky wrote: »

Like I have said before, this Ofgem ruling will affect the Big 6 way more than it will UW imo.

Surely if all UW Distributors home sales are classed as doorknocking it will have a big affect on UW energy sales.

Quentin

andybos wrote: »

UW do not give residential customers any written estimates.

You aren't keeping up.

UW reps are now trained to print off the savings calculator for the gullibles post code, and take it to the signing up meeting to show just what the "benefit" will be of joing the uw.

Mine shows I will save £880 (excluding membership fee!) if I join and have a card, or £630 if I decline the card!). The reps are told to take the print out to their friend and he can't argue you won't save him any money! (Ethical +++ or maybe just an out and out con????)

http://www.teamcalls.co.uk/

(This one is dated 18/10/09)

NigeWick

Cardew wrote: »

I doubt any UW ID will answer!

A conversation needs two people.

Do you believe that not one single person (other than a UW distributor) could benefit by being a Utility Warehouse customer?

I am a Utility Warehouse independent distributor and the views I express may not be shared by the company.

NigeWick

Quentin wrote: »

You aren't keeping up.

You are way behind. Just where is the link to your Utility Warehouse pre payment card beating cashback card or any actual evidence that it exists?

I am a Utility Warehouse independent distributor and the views I express may not be shared by the company.

1carminestocky

billsavings wrote: »

Surely if all UW Distributors home sales are classed as doorknocking it will have a big affect on UW energy sales.

Even if they are and everybody has to have a written estimate of gas and electric, IME as a referrer and not a distributor, the people I referred were well aware that, on the 'bald' figures, UWs gas and electric prices can be beaten if you are prepared to accept a 'lesser' service (I'm sure I'll get picked on for saying this but I'm sure even obsessive haters like Cardew would surely not suggest that 12 paper bills per year, opportunity to pay for exact usage each month, absolutely guaranteed UK-based call centre that usually answers the phone in seconds etc etc is not a 'superior' CS experience). They have seen my bills and that obviously included the huge discounts applied due to my use of the cashback card, they had a look at the retailers on the list, did their own calculations and realised, like I did, that, for them, UW is the cheapest option out there.

I can't imagine there are too many of the 30,000 salesforce who are professional salespeople who constantly cold call people all the time. The potential customer will probably have already seen the discounts available by either seeing a bill or being told of them. Then it is just a matter of working out if it's the best/cheapest option for them.

Seriously, if any of the detractors accuse me of ripping off my friends by introducing them to UW, I would be happy to meet them anywhere in the UK so they could say that to my face. They are getting the best deal available, like I am.

NigeWick

Ypaymore wrote: »

Agreed, but how would they be able to take into account future spending on a cash back card when providing new customers with written estimates of their likely energy use.

Have any reps been trained yet that can answer this?

How is the UW new contract different from the old one?

I haven't had any training on this subject yet, nor seen the new application form. I have sent away for the updated bumph and expect it to arrive in the new year.

I am a Utility Warehouse independent distributor and the views I express may not be shared by the company.

1carminestocky

kippen_noedel wrote: »

Carmine raised the same question here

My reply


I also pointed out that UW have more salespeople than all of the other companies put together.

Do you honestly think that more people per week will be approached about taking UWs utilities than any of the Big 6? It's already been established that the average customer base for each UW distributor is approx 10. This ruling will inconvenience the Big 6 much more than it will UW, I can almost guarantee it. But time will tell...

Cardew

1carminestocky wrote: »

Even if they are and everybody has to have a written estimate of gas and electric,

That is carespress speak for saying I got it completely wrong!!!


Seriously, if any of the detractors accuse me of ripping off my friends by introducing them to UW, I would be happy to meet them anywhere in the UK so they could say that to my face. They are getting the best deal available, like I am.

Rather than using the emotive term 'ripping them off' - let us just say it is terrible financial advice;)

You are making money out of giving them terrible financial advice. No doubt you give your commission back to your friends to salve your conscience?

Why not advise them to get Broadband only(and of course THE card), and thus save £hundreds on their gas and electricity.

You have of course seen Martin's newsletter today about getting dirt cheap telephone calls, not only from Skype but many other providers.

That of course negates the rubbish you talk about the huge value of inclusive phonecalls.

In fact why don't you take that advice yourself and while you are at it advise carespress!

Call abroad for 0.5p/min or speak for free online
If you've friends or family abroad, don't just pick up and dial - it'll cost a fortune
Calling overseas this Christmas can cost a fortune if you simply pick up the phone and dial, Virgin is £26/hour to call Spain, BT £10.30/hour to USA. Free online: If you AND the person called are online, talk for free eg via Skype*. Yet when it comes to calls to phones, don't believe the Skype hype - then you'll pay and it's often not the cheapest way. Free via phone: The fiddly JaJah web service lets you talk free to most European, North American & Australian landlines and some mobiles (you have to add some credit to start). Dirt cheap normal calls: Use your landline, dial a special prefix number and you can call most countries for 0.5p-5p/min. The CallChecker lists the cheapest. New to all this? Read the full Cheap Overseas Calls guide. Related: Home Phones

andybos

Morning all,
ypaymore, I have just received an e mail with notification of a change in brochures/application forms etc with regards to changes, but at this stage I dont know what the changes are. So I probably do stand corrected on my post yesterday evening.
Andy UW distrib.