3 Retention Deals

Dando83

robt wrote: »

You obviously were not a customer worth keeping (profit wise). If you were, then they would have offered you a better deal. That is how it works with all networks.

Yes, they made a song and dance about me having two accounts with them, but didn't seem to make a difference did it?

Dando83

robt wrote: »

Pretty industry standard.

Tacking on extra months for an early upgrade may be standard, but other companies do allow for downgrading of plans after so many months (like Orange).

And unless they outright lied to me, Phones 4 U said that they'd buy out the remaining part of a contract if only a few months. Then again, I'm sure I read once on this site that another consumer ended up with two contracts after realising buying out a contract didn't mean what he thought it meant!

Maybe the lesson is you pretty much get screwed no matter what! It's just how screwed and how well you deal with it.

marksaver

Dando83 wrote: »

Tacking on extra months for an early upgrade may be standard, but other companies do allow for downgrading of plans after so many months (like Orange).

The thing to remember about Orange is they (generally) charge a lot more for the plans. The nearer to profit margin you're working, the less room there is for flexibility. For example, on the Blackberry Bold 9700, a comparable plan on Orange to Three's £30 one is nearer £40 per month, hence they have £10 per month more 'shuffle space'.

Extensions for early upgrades, as robt said, are industry standard for the same reason. A simplified example would be the following:

• A crumpet factory buys crumpets for £50, and sells them to consumers for £6 per month, requiring a 10 month commitment. If someone wants another crumpet early, they can - up to 3 months early, but they'll have to pay the £10 for 13 months this time. A buyer buys two crumpets, a normal one and an early one, and as such they profit by £20.
• Another crumpet factory buys the same crumpets for the same price, and sell them at £8 per month, requiring a 10 month commitment. This company lets customers get a new crumpet three months early without contract extension. A buyer buys two crumpets, a normal one and an early one, and as such they profit by £36.

It's the same deal, but in a different package. And in this instance, the crumpet factory that requires a contract extension makes less money.

Dando83

Hope that helps,

Mark


Mark, it helps me want crumpets really badly! Emergency trip to the shop now.

billa_champion

Does anyone know if after your contract with 3 runs out they automatically sign you up for 12 months? I was under the impression that this was not the case and you switched to a one month rolling one. They rang yesterday with a retention deal and I mentioned that my contract had run out in September and the operator said that I had a contract until October 2010!!! I didn’t have time to argue yesterday as I was busy but will call back today.

I already have 500 mins/100 texts for £15/month and they offered me:


For £20/month - unlimited BB data and the Bold 9700 for free

Or for £15/month – unlimited internet and either the HTC Hero/Nokia E71 for free

Which offer should I take?

planetf1

I'm pretty sure it's a rolling 30 days. It's the same contract, just gone past the minimum period.

But I could be wrong, haven't checked detailed T&Cs

I didn't get anywhere getting a better deal, yet I'm not too bitter since my current £10/month covers VT500+1Gb data & I cannot get anything similar for less than £15.month with any provider (3 included) even if signing up for an extended period.

sat384

billa_champion wrote: »

Does anyone know if after your contract with 3 runs out they automatically sign you up for 12 months? I was under the impression that this was not the case and you switched to a one month rolling one. They rang yesterday with a retention deal and I mentioned that my contract had run out in September and the operator said that I had a contract until October 2010!!! I didn’t have time to argue yesterday as I was busy but will call back today.

I already have 500 mins/100 texts for £15/month and they offered me:


For £20/month - unlimited BB data and the Bold 9700 for free

Or for £15/month – unlimited internet and either the HTC Hero/Nokia E71 for free

Which offer should I take?

Thats a great deal on the Bold 9700. They want me to pay £125 for the phone, whilst paying £23 a month for 750 mins and BB data. I wouldn't mind that contract, but don't want to pay that much for the phone.

How long is the contract length? and when did you get offered that deal?

Big_Red_2

Struck this deal today, delivery Monday next week

HTC Hero
12 Month contract
500 minutes
100 texts
Cost of phone £140
Monthly £20
Internet add on 1gb £5
£10 credit to my account(2 months Internet free)

Si in theory
£290 contract
£140 for phone

Total over a year £430

Also bonus that I managed to get 12 month contract this time with a wee bit negotiation
Pretty pleased overall

billa_champion

sat384 wrote: »

Thats a great deal on the Bold 9700. They want me to pay £125 for the phone, whilst paying £23 a month for 750 mins and BB data. I wouldn't mind that contract, but don't want to pay that much for the phone.

How long is the contract length? and when did you get offered that deal?

TBH I am not sure if it was 12-18 months. They offered me this deal on saturday, just gone.

sat384

billa_champion wrote: »

TBH I am not sure if it was 12-18 months. They offered me this deal on saturday, just gone.

I'm guessing it was probably 18 months then.

I'll give them a call today to see what they offer me.