Virgin Media retention deals (post your haggling successes)

Bettie

Was  reading  about next January when insurance companies must charge loyal customers the same as a newbie. Now wouldn't that be nice if they did it with broadband TV etc. Then we wouldn't have to run around begging for a cheaper price 🤣 

PZ19

youreds said:

OK, finally done a deal. Was on Player Bundle 100MB, Freeview TV, Weekend Phone just increased to £37 from £33.50, Going up to £54.
Got an offer of £48 on live chat for the same with Mix TV, refused. Customer relations next, down to £37, refused, down to ££2, refused & cancelled.
Retentions guy called today, offered it for £29 with Mix TV a choice of Sport Lite, Documentaries, Drama or Lifestyle (Music). Said I'd prefer faster broadband. So have accepted 200MB, Tv Entertainment + Documentaries (Wheeler Dealers fan) & weekend Phone for £32 a month. Basically a lot more for £5 less a month than my last deal.
The guy even said to do the same in 18 Months time, refuse all offers & cancel.
I think you need to make sure your settings allow them to contact you by phone, otherwise they won't call.

he would do, I suspect he gets a little bonus more customers he can “save” from leaving 😂😂. Mind you he’s spot on

southsidergs

Bettie said:

Was  reading  about next January when insurance companies must charge loyal customers the same as a newbie. Now wouldn't that be nice if they did it with broadband TV etc. Then we wouldn't have to run around begging for a cheaper price 🤣 

They already do. When my BT was up for renewal I got the email mandated by Ofcom offering me the same fibre 1 deal as a new customer. Virgin may be different though

Anon

Bettie said:

Was  reading  about next January when insurance companies must charge loyal customers the same as a newbie. Now wouldn't that be nice if they did it with broadband TV etc. Then we wouldn't have to run around begging for a cheaper price 🤣 

The likely consequence of this is that it will push the prices up for everyone. The new customer promo has been a valuable tool to attract new customers - we all join on the understanding it will go up to the "normal" price at the end of the promo. 

Yes people have been stung with higher charges after the promo, some for a long time, as they have not looked around for a better deal/renegotiated (whether through inertia, laziness or lack of knowledge how it works). It doesn't take much effort to renegotiate or leave - and with tv, mobile, insurance and others they do contact you to tell/warn you of the impending price rise, so there is now no excuse for someone not to know.

A shame it came to this, as it seems we will all likely now pay more for various products and services.

Bettie

I don't think Virgin do it anyway. I've paid full whack for well over 30 years and it's only a few years ago I found out I could negotiate a better deal. They never gave/offered a loyalty bonus. We are not all Internet savvy and as you get older the thought of change is off-putting.  Getting new routers and setting it all up is beyond some and then having to get an aerial in for a change of TV. plus some rely totally on their landline phone so easier just to pay over the top rather than risk change.
My cousin , in her eighties absolutely refuses to ditch British Gas and is paying silly money but she's of the generation where she is loyal to them and can't understand the concept of going with others will only affect her in that it will be cheaper. I hope for people like her they will pay a fairer price 

Anon

Bettie said:

I don't think Virgin do it anyway. I've paid full whack for well over 30 years and it's only a few years ago I found out I could negotiate a better deal. They never gave/offered a loyalty bonus. We are not all Internet savvy and as you get older the thought of change is off-putting.  Getting new routers and setting it all up is beyond some and then having to get an aerial in for a change of TV. plus some rely totally on their landline phone so easier just to pay over the top rather than risk change.
My cousin , in her eighties absolutely refuses to ditch British Gas and is paying silly money but she's of the generation where she is loyal to them and can't understand the concept of going with others will only affect her in that it will be cheaper. I hope for people like her they will pay a fairer price 

I think it changed in the last year through an OfCom intervention.  Virgin now email you close to the end of your minimum term contract telling you what the rolling price will be going up to after the end of the contract and what the equivalent new customer deal would be (though even that could be beaten by shopping around). Hopefully it will help people avoid higher charges - their drop to price is ridiculous and appears designed so that they can offer a discount (price establishment). The new customer offers seem to be priced about what would be a reasonably fair price for the services, so the drop to price is extortion!

The problem is it would not be a low price if they didn't do these promos - in all likelihood it would be higher for all (though obviously competing against other providers). 

The "loyalty" discounts for staying with a provider in many cases are anything but a loyalty discount, as you frequently see it is possible to get it cheaper (Sky VIP loyalty means little as those people staying still pay more).  

Virgin are not alone in this - Three contacted me at the end of my 12 month/£8 contract with a special offer to me as a loyal customer of £12 for 24 months for the same package 🤔, despite my same contract rrp being £7 on their website at the time (no discount mentioned), so there is still a long way to go.

New customer deals, plus cashback from Quidco/TopCashback etc can mean substantial savings. It is just how you help people like your cousin - it took a while but I finally convinced my dad that loyalty counted for nothing when I showed how much he was over paying, and now help him switch services regularly.

sysadmin

sysadmin said:

Was paying £34 pm for M350 (just broadband) and its going up to £52 in June. 
Went on live chat and got offered 1000mb for £62pm or 500 for £52pm, dont need either so told them to cancel. Then got put through to retentions, and got offered 500mb for £42 or 350mb for £38

Dont really want to pay anymore than I currently am so have put the 30 day notice in. Will see if they call with anything better in the next week or two before looking at other providers.

Had a call back from some outbound team. Have got M350 only down to £28 per month for 18 months.. Happy with that

barafear799

sysadmin said:

sysadmin said:

Was paying £34 pm for M350 (just broadband) and its going up to £52 in June. 
Went on live chat and got offered 1000mb for £62pm or 500 for £52pm, dont need either so told them to cancel. Then got put through to retentions, and got offered 500mb for £42 or 350mb for £38

Dont really want to pay anymore than I currently am so have put the 30 day notice in. Will see if they call with anything better in the next week or two before looking at other providers.

Had a call back from some outbound team. Have got M350 only down to £28 per month for 18 months.. Happy with that

That's pretty good. What date did you "cancel" and then what date did you get this latest call? Looking at your posts, seems to be 28th May and 3rd June. Just wanted to confirm. I had my disconnection email from them on 26th May and still no call back.

youreds

barafear799 said:

That's pretty good. What date did you "cancel" and then what date did you get this latest call? Looking at your posts, seems to be 28th May and 3rd June. Just wanted to confirm. I had my disconnection email from them on 26th May and still no call back.

Check your contact settings in My Virgin Media.
I believe the contact by phone needs to be on.

CAPTAINBLONDECHICK

I managed to get a good deal without having to go as far as "leaving" and getting a callback this time - £35 for 100mb, Mix Tv and landline (needed) for 18 months (usually 12 months). No change to services from the last deal and at £5 less per month. I was actually out of contract (usually when I try this, I am at the end of my 12 month contract) but because the last price I had was set for 18 months, I just held on so maybe that made a difference.