'Sky wouldn't let me leave until I had discussed my account for 90 minutes'

pen1

VisionMan wrote: »

Or as the Register puts it -
Look! A huge, oppressive monopoly! Screams huge oppressive monopoly! .....

No doubt, Gavin Patterson would realise that applying "switching rules" to pay-tv would be helpful to BT, in "extracting" customers from the grip of the larger pay-tv providers, and I'm also very wary that providers often claim to be "on the side of the consumer" when they are seeking to gain an advantage over a rival.

However, I am in favour of OFCOM taking steps to stop providers from obstructing cancellation of pay-tv, largely because of my experience with Sky.

I favour the large providers being required to process cancellations online, via immediate "click-through", in a similar manner to Sky's Now TV service, and in the same easy manner that they sell products/services online.

In my view, this would not inhibit retention activity- a customer could still contact their provider before cancelling and a provider could still undertake retention activity before, during and after the notice period; but it would stop providers from delaying/obstructing the processing of cancellations as a retention tactic, and place larger control where it belongs- with the consumer!

VisionMan

pen1 wrote: »

I favour the large providers being required to process cancellations online, via immediate "click-through", in a similar manner to Sky's Now TV service, and in the same easy manner that they sell products/services online.

In my view, this would not inhibit retention activity

I would go even further than that. Not only should cancelling be as easy as signing up to a service, customer service waiting times should be the same as the sales lines.

skea56

We obviously aren't that well loved by Sky then, 10 mins in a queue, followed by 15 mins on phone to cancel. Didn't even make an effort to try and make us stay, we are currently paying £57 for tv package only, the best they could come up with was £51 for 3 months and then back up to £57...whoop de doo, a whole £18 saving.
Come 14th August I'll have a big fat £57 saving every month.

R34GTT

When I need to cancel a service I just tell companies I'm leaving the country which stops them in their tracks trying to keep me as a customer.

scottiv

Just managed to cancel my Sky TV subscription without having to sit on the phone for hours listening to them trying to make me better offers. I feel this is a victory worth shouting about!

Sat on Live Chat for a good half hour, but claimed I didn't have access to a phone, so got the retention spiel on chat (a fantastic £7 saving!). Told them I could get the channels I watch through another service for much cheaper and it got cancelled there and then. There is hope for those of us that hate the process of having to phone up to cancel!

zoso121

Rang sky on the weekend to cancel my tv package as my 50% offer was coming to an end. Was pleasantly surprised as cancellation only took 5 minutes compared to the 45 minutes it took 2 years ago.

Joke is that the best deal he could offer me was 35% off any package for 6 months which I declined. 10 minutes later my online account had the banner headline "come back to sky, 50% off any tv package for 12 months" :j