Haggle with Virgin - Did not go as planned 30 January 2016 at 6:07PM edited 30 January 2016 at 7:21PM in Phones & TV 17 replies 4.8K views

Blondie4321

I called Virgin this morning and told them I was unhappy with the cost of their package and was considering leaving, as both Sky and BT offer better prices for a very similar package, except for the BB speed I am currently paying 53 pounds a month for the Big Bang bundle which offers 100mb BB speed. Now I´m not fussed about the landline as I don´t use it, and I´m not too fussed about the TV package either. The only channel I would miss is Fox, but I can always stream the programs I to watch.

When I eventually got through to Virgin earlier today, the best they could do for me was reduce my package to 46 pounds (sorry, don´t have a pound sign on my laptop) and 30 pound credit to my account. I said I would think about it. I called back a few hours later and said that I had thought about it and that they offer new customers the same package I have for about 15 less than what I am paying. They still would´t give me a better deal without reducing my package i.e my internet speed. I told them just to go ahead and disconnect. However, the person I spoke to asked for "the best number to contact me on", which I gave him.

The "problem" I have when it comes to BB is that my DS is a keen gamer so I don´t want a worse/slower internet connection and would ideally like to stay with Virgin

Now what do I do? Just hold off and wait for a better offer from Virgin or start looking into Sky or BT packages? I really don´t want a slower internet connection as we´re very heavy users, but I don't want to be held to ransom over internet speed by a big company either. When it comes to gaming/heavy internet usage, what would be the best company to go with? Sky or BT?

peter999

Blondie4321 wrote: »

I called Virgin this morning and told them I was unhappy with the cost of their package and was considering leaving, as both Sky and BT offer better prices for a very similar package, except for the BB speed I am currently paying 53 pounds a month for the Big Bang bundle which offers 100mb BB speed. Now I´m not fussed about the landline as I don´t use it, and I´m not too fussed about the TV package either. The only channel I would miss is Fox, but I can always stream the programs I to watch.

When I eventually got through to Virgin earlier today, the best they could do for me was reduce my package to 46 pounds (sorry, don´t have a pound sign on my laptop) and 30 pound credit to my account. I said I would think about it. I called back a few hours later and said that I had thought about it and that they offer new customers the same package I have for about 15 less than what I am paying. They still would´t give me a better deal without reducing my package i.e my internet speed. I told them just to go ahead and disconnect. However, the person I spoke to asked for "the best number to contact me on", which I gave him.

The "problem" I have when it comes to BB is that my DS is a keen gamer so I don´t want a worse/slower internet connection and would ideally like to stay with Virgin

Now what do I do? Just hold off and wait for a better offer from Virgin or start looking into Sky or BT packages? I really don´t want a slower internet connection as we´re very heavy users, but I don't want to be held to ransom over internet speed by a big company either. When it comes to gaming/heavy internet usage, what would be the best company to go with? Sky or BT?

Left format.

You need to be more patient. It depends on person you deal with, they are all different. I also think the men offer better deals than the women who stick to the rules and won't budge, that's my experience.

I would keep phoning back until I got someone who was more helpful.

Yesterday I got offered straighaway better discount than day before, where they wouldn't budge.
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Blondie4321

Sorry, first post and had tried to justify the format to make it easer to read. Epic fail on my part.

peter999

As you have asked to disconnect Virgin Media Retentions should phone you back or you can cancel disconnection yourself.

Pester them to get better deal.

Some good advice in Martin's haggle guide, wish I'd read that before and I've been haggling with VM every year for years.

Blondie4321

Thanks for your reply. I will just hold off and see if they contact me. Having now re-read Martin´s haggling guide, perhaps late Saturday afternoon wash´t the best time to call as they could have reached their "quota". I just hate the arrogance, as they know they have more or less a monopoly on the BB speed in my area, and as hey know I am a heavy user, that is the one area I feel as if they almost hold me to ransom.

visidigi

Read this thread to get an idea what to push for and when (jump to the last few pages)

http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.php?t=1021885

gycraig_2

It's not really arrogance if you had the best product in an Internet would you reduce it and price match an inferior product ?.

duchy

I do chuckle wryly when customers say "I'm a loyal customer I want a discount" but the absolute truth for many is they aren't loyal at all but would move for a saving in a heartbeat.

The current fashion (not just for TV, BB etc but right across the UK consumer market ) is this daft haggling instead of transparency however - as someone who has haggled and done well on BB I'd confirm Saturday afternoon wasn't the best time to ring - not because of "quotas" but quite simply call flow is high - and agents who literally don't have time to breathe between calls won't be the most receptive.
I always call on a non Monday weekday in the morning and am super nice and build rapport with the agent -and it always seems to work. (For various reasons we have both Virgin BB and also an ADSL Fibre service at the moment) People who claim you need to ring up and be belligerent or rude are misguided at best as I know from personal experience that if I have someone who is pleasant I'm happy to work a bit harder for them - a rude or arrogant oaf- I'll do the minimum and get rid -as no-one wants to speak to someone foul for any longer than they have to.
It's a bit like the bloke on the Tesco ad who thinks he has got one over on the supermarket checkout woman when in fact the offer was always there and he'd have got the discount on his cornflakes anyway

glentoran99

Totally agree duchy, and this "threatening to cancel" is just nonsense, be honest with them, and ask can they do any better, I just phone them and ask can they make it cheaper as ive been with them for years, they always do

Blondie4321

I totally appreciate that the agents are very busy, especially on weekends, and it probably wasn´t the best time for me to call. I was being polite and pleasant to the agent I was speaking to as I know you don´t get anywhere by being rude and demanding. I was offered a small discount, but not a discount I was happy to accept.

As for loyalty, I have been with VM for over 10 years and do consider myself a loyal and longstanding customer. On top of the BB/TV package I also have 3 mobile phone contracts with them (for myself and the kids).

I will wait and see if I get a callback.

Having read through other threads, Sky seem to offer better discounts to existing customers than what VM do. Not sure why that is but I´m assuming it might be the BB speed they are offering, which is a very similar speed to BT/TalkTalk/PlusNet and all other providers (from what I understand they all use the BT lines/fiberoptic), but I might be wrong.

visidigi

glentoran99 wrote: »

Totally agree duchy, and this "threatening to cancel" is just nonsense, be honest with them, and ask can they do any better, I just phone them and ask can they make it cheaper as ive been with them for years, they always do

And yet that means you arent getting their best offer.

Sometimes the nonsense is the only way to get a proper decent deal.