3 (three) dont value their existing customers?

withPeace

Hello

I've been with 3 (three) for a good few years now and ive been looking to upgrade to a nokia n95 8gb. Somewhat suprisingly, the best offer they could do is to match what they would give to any old joe off the street (n95 8gb + 300 mins for £30)?

I find it strange that this offer is only for new customers and that as i was a loyal customer they were willing to make an exception for me and give me the same offer (http://threestore.three.co.uk/dealsummary.aspx?offercode=18M300D041&id=1201).?

Spoke to a manager who tried to drill down into the detail (something about no discounts can be applied to the mix and match + phone plan)...but essentially I made him admit that bottom line, a new customer will walk out the store with the same deal as an existing loyal customer.

So in the end, I requested my PAC code so am now looking for a new contract elsewhere...frankly with that attitude, i'd rather not stay with three....i think its unfair on existing customers?

I wonder whether existing o2, vodafone, t-mobile, orange customers upgrading to the n95 had similar experiences, I'd be surprised, but can anyone comment?

withPeace

wow am I the only one who has experienced this issue. not fair

Sol00

I had a similar experience with 3 a couple of years ago.

After I upgraded, I asked to be changed to a tarriff which included x amount of music downloads per month, I was told it would be changed.

At the end of the month my bill showed it had not been changed and was told this tarriff was only available to new customers, I was obviously very :mad: about this.

After the introduction of the downgrade charge and 3 faulty phones, I decided to up and leave to O2 and I've had no problems with them to date :j

lewt

i had this this week, they would not offer me anything better than i could get as a new customer, they talked round the houses and almost got me to sign up to mix and match with an old n95 and free 8gb card. but i would be getting less uniots than i do now and no pic messages. ive gone to o2 now with a 12 month contract and n95 wirth loads of txt and mins for a little more but i would end up paying that anyway through pic message charges.

you_llneverwalkalone

withPeace wrote: »

wow am I the only one who has experienced this issue. not fair

You are not alone my friend....Me and my wife,s contracts ran out on the 28th Jan and we was with 3 for two years and last year we was offered contracts equivalent to almost £7 a month BUT this year was a different matter and all that was offered to us by retentions was the same as new customers!

3 could not care less that they were losing our custom so we went elsewhere!

I know that they have offered the chosen few on these forums great deals but you have to just drop lucky on them calling you with them.

fnfsaeed

Your certainly not on your own when it comes to this kinda treatment.

My dad has been with 3 for a good few years, at one time he even had a 4 contracts out with them at the same time. Anyhow when his contract was about to end afew months ago the best they were willing to offer was the same as existing customers could get, at one point they even offered him a deal which was even more expensive then if a new customer brought it straight outta there store. Needless to say he cancelled the contract.

Think 3 rely on the fact that if you've already been with them for the length of your contract your gonna stick with them for the length of another contract rather then fidn something better. They proved this when i called em not too long ago. The customer advisor said to me, its too much hassle and hard work to cancel your contract and move to a different provider so your best of sticking with us, the cheek.

bigvince76

Same here, been with 3 for years but they offered very little to temp me to stay this year. With the other networks offering good deals and quidco It was an easy decision to switch to orange. Shame really, I liked 3 but it all comes down to money and frankly 3 were no longer the cheapest. Now in 18 months I wonder if orange will want to keep me or will I be back...

withPeace

Thanks for the comments; Looks like this was a bizarre strategy someone in 3 cooked up and its obviously a very bad move as lots of customers are moving on and out of the realms of 3.

The sad fact is they'll probably only realise 6 months down the line when they look back at the poor amount of renewals and by then it'll be too late to undo the damage.

Right, free spirit, now need to fish for a good deal on an n95 8gb; time for a new thread me thinks.

Amba_Gambla

They give me 25% off my line rental each month when I signed for 18 months. I've been with them about 3 or 4 years.

plob

sim only 500 mins and 100 texts £5pm for 12 month. no phone. im v happy with that. was offered allsorts before i plumbed for the above deal. so im a
happy customer

deano72_2

plob,they offered me that deal but was going to throw a avarege nokia,i said ok then,but done my sums & it worked out that i would be paying roughly £30-£35 pm as i use approx 400 txt,so thats where they get there money back from me,so thought hold on can get simular deal with better fone thrown in for £35 p/m,so foned them bk 10 mins later said dnt bother sending the fone,they said to late the order has been placed & couldnt be canceled (even tho this was on a fri late pm,)& said the fone would be sent tues,so it turned up but told the delivery man to take it back!!