02 Retentions thread 2

-BA-

schizometric wrote: »

Just rang o2 this a.m. as a customer of 7 years. Asked for a deal on any of the Blackberries - not able to do retentions deals on this. Best they were able to offer is a contract for £25 on a Nokia E71. 1000 texts, unlimited o2 to o2 calls, unlimited web and 400 mins. Declined because I wanted to sell it and get an iphone, and overall it only saves £40 if you get it for that purpose. What with ebay costs, potential for it not selling very well and the wait involved if I do it this way, I decided against it.

I went with MSE advice on iphone 3GS, 18 month initially £44 reducing to £34 - saving myself (if cashback deal comes through) £65. I'm happy with that.

Went into my local O2 store today and the guy was trying to push the business tarrifs on me pretty hard. He said that O2 are keen to push them and apparently you don't have to provide all the sole-trader information they used to ask for. The deal he was trying to push was: Small Business Frequent tarrif @ £36.50/month (24 months - not ideal I know). The tarrif offers Unlimited O2 to O2 calls, 700 xnetwork anytime calls, unlimited calls to 10 UK landline numbers, the iphone bolt-on which gives the unlimited browsing within that £36.50/month. If I signed up for that I could have the 16GB 3GS for £57.80.

Not much experience of these tarrifs at all and unsure if one can downgrade after 9 months or not. Also I assume if you buy the iphone bolt on, you don't need the web bolt-on too, that's for other web enabled phones?

Advice welcomed please

Bustage

First post here, so please be gentle! I always read the forum before buying anything of value, but this is the first time I have felt compelled to post.


I phoned up O2 earlier today, asking when my contract runs out so I know when to give 30 days notice. They told me and asked me if I would like to speak to someone in retentions, so off to retentions I go.

They gave the usual spiel, asking why I was leaving. I told them plainly that the selection of phones that they are offering customers is poor beyond belief. They then asked me what I was looking for in particular, I explained that I was ideally looking for an 18 month (max) contract, web bolt on and I did not want a contract for more than £35. I also proceeded to reel off a list of phones that I would like and they did not stock. (HTC Touch Pro 2, HTC Diamond 2, HTC Touch HD, N86, N97 etc.)

The lady on the other end picked up on the fact that I would like a high end(ish) phone and proceeded to tell me the benefits of having an Iphone. I asked her to tell me what they were offering. Her next words were... "I can do the OLD Iphone for £35 a month". I asked her why on earth she thought I would take a piece of equipment which was already superseeded. She replied that "It's the same as the new one just without some stuff you probably won't need anyway".

She then offered me a deal for the 16g 3GS. £45 for 24 months, but luckily for me I didn't have to pay for the phone. I asked her if my loyalty was worth anything to the company, she then replied of course it was..... but not on the Iphone. Too which I told her that I did not want and have never wanted an Iphone.

We then went around in circles with her offering me phones I did not want on tarrifs which were unacceptable as retention deals. I asked to be put on simplicity until I find another company to get a contract from.


Over all an extremely frustrating phone call with a company who are basically whoring themselves out to Apple. I will not be staying with them for more than it takes for me to find a company with a contract and phone I like.

thor

stokefan wrote: »

i can see that why cant some high payed suits with degrees in business management??

You mistakenly believe that business management is worthwhile and not a mickey mouse subject. It's just talking a load of twaddle basically. Success in business has nothing to do with being clever or hard working(look at how many failures could subscribe to those attributes) but rather luck. I don't care what Alan Sugar or Richard Branson says. Anyway enough of the rant.
It looks like my hunch was wrong and O2 still appear determined to lose all there customers, even after a month of playing hardball.
I called up and asked for my pac. My hopes rose slightly when I was asked why I was leaving so I told him that I could not afford and had seen much cheaper cashback deals. He tried to put me off cashback by scaring me about the possible pitfalls but as I have been using them for over 5 years, the prospect of taking out another cashback contract holds no fears for me and I told him so.(I also said I could get a deal for aorund a fiver a month just to see how close he could get to it). The best he could do was a simplicity contract for 10 quid a month. I don't know the details cause I had already switched off when I heard '£10 per month' That made my mind up for certain there and then. I told him to forget it and reaffirmed that I want my PAC. Maybe they are hopingto snag a few more gullible ones before returning to the way they were before?
Atm I'm going to get an ASDA sim. Their call charges seem very reasonable.

fergies_army

O2's thinking is that unless you want to pay over the odd's and through the nose for a poor Iphone contract there not interested at trying to retain excisting customers.

monkeytennis14

Hi everyone, just got home and found this mail from O2 re: my latest dealing with them and their lack of actually doing anything to retain their customers:

Dear Mr Jones

Thank you for your email dated 26 June 2009 addressed to Matthew Key. Matthew has asked me to contact you directly.


I've reviewed the offer made to you and, based on your bill spend and tenure, I feel the quote was fair and accurate. To qualify for a free Nokia 5800 your simplicity tariff would need to be increased. Alternatively, the phone would be chargeable if you were to remain on a lower tariff.

The tariff you were offered was suggested in order to match your current usage. The £30 tariff includes 400 minutes and 500 texts with a free Nokia 5800. Customers are also able to reduce the monthly tariff thus reducing the free call and text allowances but in turn, the cost of the handset will increase with each drop of tariff.

I note from your account that you've upgraded in store and have subscribed to a £25 per month tariff that includes 600 minutes and unlimited text messages for 24 months.

I'm sorry you feel dissatisfied with our upgrade policy but I'm unable to better the original offer made to you. However, as a gesture of goodwill for the inconvenience caused, I've credited your O2 account with one months worth of line rental. You'll find a credit for £25 on your next bill.

Should you wish to discuss this with me in more detail, I can be reached on 0845 330 0683. My office is open from 8am until 6.30pm.

Yours sincerely



Liz Jones
Executiv Relations

So, I've done a little bit better than I expected in getting an extra £25.00 credit, which all in all after 9 years of being a customer isn't much at all in but it's a little bit extra more off my monthly bills.

Even though Liz Jones can't actually spell her job description correctly, maybe it's an idea if people contact her directly in looking for a better deal on retentions... you're not gonna get thru to Matthew Key, so maybe she's the next best option.

Good luck everyone.

jump82

I cancelled my o2 contract today. I cant believe their retention strategy. I remember those days, that when you tried to cancel your contract and they would give you a really good deal. Now all they are trying to offer me is free broadband for 12 months!!! I told her i already have broadband, cant she just take more money off the tariff, her reply was no.

She even had the cheek to tell me to tie myself in for another 18 month contract & when its time for that upgrade, they MIGHT be able to offer me a better deal! I told her the rate they are going they might not be around for another 18 months! Its times like this when you sholud be trying to retain your customers not persuade them to go elsewhere.

Oh well, after 30 days I'll be having nothin to do with o2. After 5 years of loyalty this is what its come down to!

-Liam-

Phoned up CPWH to cancel my contract and request my pac code. I was transfered to o2's loyalty team (?)

Tbh, I'm not really that fussed about a new phone, I've also been the victim of crap customer service in the Shrewsbury branch after 18 months with a crap phone that kept breaking, and I'm currently on reduced hours ar work.

I was on o2 200 - 200mins/200 texts (20 quid/month) + a web bolt on for just over 6 quid. My bills normally came in somewhere between 30 and 40 quid dependant on web usage and texts over my allowance(although my last bill was 55 quid *gulp*.

I've been offered, 200 mins/400 texts and a free unlimited web bolt on for £9.97/month. That is with immediate effect including my next bill. I'm happy with that. Sound reasonable? Saving me 20 - 30 quid a month. I've been given a direct number for the chap that dealt with me should I have any problems, given my history with CPWH.

Horrorflash

I gave up with retentions. Instead I went into a store, and using a family members staff discount managed to get an upgrade - a £35 tariff down to £24.50 a month (30% discount) on a free nokia E71 with 600 minutes, 1000 texts and free unlimited bolt on. This is undoubtedly a good deal but if it wasn't for the discount I would be out of o2 in a flash, the way they are dealing with their customers is a disgrace.

DUS

Horrorflash wrote: »

I gave up with retentions. [...] ... the way they are dealing with their customers is a disgrace.

Well, yes, even paying 100 - 150 quid a month didn´t me make a "valuable customer worth keeping", so I will walk away as well. And reading that o2 is said to have secured the exclusiv rights for the Palm Pre, I doubt that o2´s "retention philosophy" will change anytime soon. They seem to believe that having 2 phones on an exclusive basis in the UK justifies pi**ing their customers off. Well, we´ll see..........

DUS

shaggy

In all fairness, after all the O2 bashing in this thread I think they are the best of a bad bunch. IMHO Voda, T Mobile and ESPECIALLY Orange CS were totally useless last time I dealt with them.

So, even after O2 can't be bothered to keep my custom I'll be sticking with them as they are the best of a bad bunch. Oh, and they have the Iphone :j