Dislike Sky NZ's telemarketing methods

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BrutusNZ

18 posts

Geek

# 179260 2-Sep-2015 13:27

Hi all,

Every few months I get a call from Sky telemarketers, they are either trying to sell more channels or an upgrade to MySky.

I dislike the way they represent their deals and how little they tell you (fine print). They focus on the word "Free"

1/ Their free trial of a new channel doesn't automatically expire at the end of the trial period. You must contact Sky to cancel the service or you will be charged for another month. This is in contrast with the NZ Herald free trial, which automatically expired at the end of the free period.

2 / This MySky deal is even more sneaky (this is not word-for-word)
Telemarketer - "You get a free install worth $99 and 6 months free. Are you interested?"
Me - (Having had these calls before) "What happens at the end of 6 months, if I don't want MySky any more?"
Telemarketer - "It just costs you an extra $15 a month"
Me - "No. What if I don't want MySky and wish to go back to my old Sky, What I had before"
Telemarketer - "It is a 12 month contract"
Me - "So I have to pay $90 for the other 6 months and is there a charge to have my old Sky decoder reinstalled?"
Telemarketer - "Yes, The installation is free and the first 6 months, you have to pay for the other 6 months, There is also a charge to reinstall your old Sky box"
Me - "So how is this a free deal?"
Telemarketer - "You get a free install and 6 months free"
Me - "But I have to pay $90 so it's not free, because of the 12 month contract"
Me - "Free should be Free don't you think? You shouldn't be obligated to pay anything more. I don't like how Sky markets it's services, it is almost like a scam"
.... silence ....
Me - "Do you work for Sky"
Telemarketer - "Not really...... I'm just employed as a Telemarketer"
Me - "The deal should be... Pay $90 for MySky and get the installation (usually $99) and the first 6 months free on a 12 month contract"
Telemarketer - "We are told what to say"
Me - "It's not right so I feel sorry for you"
Telemarketer - "So do you want to go ahead"
Me - "No thank you"

3/ Oh the other thing that annoys me about Sky - the only time you receive a letter from them, is to tell you their prices are increasing. The full page letter tells you what a wonderful company they are and all the wonderful content they are delivering to you - then wham just when you thought they were going to give you something for free, they drop the price increase bomb.

Well it was nice to get that off my chest,
I'm just a grumpy old man :-)

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593 posts

Ultimate Geek

# 1378237 2-Sep-2015 13:31

There are a number of companies that are sneaky like this... "Free" is not always free...

BigPipeNZ

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BigPipe

# 1378243 2-Sep-2015 13:41

5 people support this post

ditch the landline. Go mobile only, and suddenly the cold callers completely dry up.

bigpipe.co.nz
https://www.facebook.com/BigPipeNZ
https://twitter.com/BigPipeNZ

wasabi2k

2091 posts

Uber Geek

# 1378293 2-Sep-2015 14:35

BigPipeNZ: ditch the landline. Go mobile only, and suddenly the cold callers completely dry up.

So incredibly tempted to do this after having to tell the Genesis guy no FOUR TIMES.

richms

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# 1378305 2-Sep-2015 14:53

Real estate agents call mobiles top "inform" about houses that have recently sold. They call from their mobile numbers so truecaller lets me know its an agent. I return the missed call at about 9:45 at night since they didnt text me so I have no idea why they called.

Whoever let real estate agents have unlimited calls to mobiles needs to be hit with something.

Richard rich.ms

mdooher

Hmm, what to write...
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# 1378330 2-Sep-2015 15:10

BigPipeNZ: ditch the landline. Go mobile only, and suddenly the cold callers completely dry up.

I went to 2talk and set up "Anonymous call screening" after 5pm

So if someone calls after 5 and their number is withheld, the system askes them to state their name and then it rings me and asks if I want to connect with "-----". Telemarketers never bother to leave their name so it drops the call automatically and I don't get interrupted.

Matthew

Rikkitic

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Lifetime subscriber

# 1378363 2-Sep-2015 15:26

Our Sky account is not in my name. I used to get frequent calls at all hours from people who wanted to speak to the 'account holder'. When I offered to take a message they got all coy and said they would call back. They would never identify themselves. I said any call back would just disturb me a second time but they still refused to say what they wanted. Eventually I managed to pin one down and he admitted he was calling to promote some Sky offer. I then fired off an angry letter and after a fair bit of back and forth correspondence with some aggressive sales person, they agreed to put my number on a 'don't call' list. All of the mysterious calls suddenly dried up. It has been several years now and I have never been bothered again. They said something at the time about 'building customer relationships' and I said I did not want a relationship with them. For that matter, I would rather not have Sky at all but I am not the one paying for it.

I reject your reality and substitute my own. - Adam Savage

xpd

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# 1378369 2-Sep-2015 15:30

2 people support this post

Any telemarketers...

Me : Hello ?
Them : Hi its ***** from*****, we'd like to offer you..
Me: Not interested, bye.
Beep beep beep.....

Its easier.

XPD / Gavin / DemiseNZ

Server : i5-3470s @ 3.50GHz 16GB RAM Win 10 Pro Workstation : i5-3570K @ 3.40GHz 20GB RAM RX580 4GB Win 10 Pro Console : Xbox One

https://www.xpd.co.nz - Games, emulation, geekery, and my attempts at photography. Now on BigPipe 100/100 and 2Talk

Emulation - The art of getting your $4000 PC to run an 80's system - and still fails.

Oblivian

3281 posts

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# 1378395 2-Sep-2015 16:27

IF.. they are good TMs and registered correctly, they are obliged to use the DNC call list.

However many are just scum and do not sign up.

http://www.marketing.org.nz/Services/Do_Not_Call

Consumer has some good guides on comebacks to them which will usually put em in their place and think twice about trying you.
https://www.consumer.org.nz/articles/telemarketing

wasabi2k

2091 posts

Uber Geek

# 1378403 2-Sep-2015 16:37

Oblivian: IF.. they are good TMs and registered correctly, they are obliged to use the DNC call list.

However many are just scum and do not sign up.

http://www.marketing.org.nz/Services/Do_Not_Call

Consumer has some good guides on comebacks to them which will usually put em in their place and think twice about trying you.
https://www.consumer.org.nz/articles/telemarketing

I just submitted my number to that - hoping it isn't an elaborate scam to harvest my details.

rlevis

305 posts

Ultimate Geek

# 1378451 2-Sep-2015 17:43

mdooher:
BigPipeNZ: ditch the landline. Go mobile only, and suddenly the cold callers completely dry up.

I went to 2talk and set up "Anonymous call screening" after 5pm

So if someone calls after 5 and their number is withheld, the system askes them to state their name and then it rings me and asks if I want to connect with "-----". Telemarketers never bother to leave their name so it drops the call automatically and I don't get interrupted.

I have 2Talk also, through an internet provider. I asked 2Talk a few weeks ago if there was any option to have anonymous calls go straight to answer machine, but the answer was no. They only appear to have an option to block all anonymous calls. They didn't mention there was an option to screen anonymous during the evening like you have described. I don't see any options like that in the 2Talk control panel, unless I'm blind. How did you set that up?

mdooher

Hmm, what to write...
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# 1378457 2-Sep-2015 17:56

rlevis:
mdooher:
BigPipeNZ: ditch the landline. Go mobile only, and suddenly the cold callers completely dry up.

I went to 2talk and set up "Anonymous call screening" after 5pm

So if someone calls after 5 and their number is withheld, the system askes them to state their name and then it rings me and asks if I want to connect with "-----". Telemarketers never bother to leave their name so it drops the call automatically and I don't get interrupted.

I have 2Talk also, through an internet provider. I asked 2Talk a few weeks ago if there was any option to have anonymous calls go straight to answer machine, but the answer was no. They only appear to have an option to block all anonymous calls. They didn't mention there was an option to screen anonymous during the evening like you have described. I don't see any options like that in the 2Talk control panel, unless I'm blind. How did you set that up?

go to "call screening options"
then this:

you can choose quite a few different options
If they choose to leave their names the call will go through ... but you get the chance to ditch it first.

I have never had a telemarketer leave their name, so they never get through

Matthew

nathan

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Microsoft

# 1378460 2-Sep-2015 18:03

the simple answer is vote with your feet and dollars and quit the service.

rlevis

305 posts

Ultimate Geek

# 1378638 2-Sep-2015 23:52

go to "call screening options"

Yep I was blind. Thanks for that. Sorry for this off topic discussion. Almost done.

If the caller doesn't leave a name does your phone still ring, or not? What I would like is to not have the phone ring at all for anonymous calls at any time and go straight to answer machine, but this is at least a step in the right direction.

mdooher

Hmm, what to write...
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# 1378726 3-Sep-2015 08:24

rlevis:

go to "call screening options"

Yep I was blind. Thanks for that. Sorry for this off topic discussion. Almost done.

If the caller doesn't leave a name does your phone still ring, or not? What I would like is to not have the phone ring at all for anonymous calls at any time and go straight to answer machine, but this is at least a step in the right direction.

It does, but it is very unusual for someone to try it. If they do try it, you hang up.

In my experience (3 years or so) I have only had one spam call (from "Microsoft"), and it showed up as originating in India. I recorded that call and play it, and my response, to all my non politically correct friends. He was so enraged at how I spoke to him he rang back to continue his tirade about what I could do to my own mother.

Matthew

sbowness

193 posts

Master Geek

Subscriber

# 1378740 3-Sep-2015 08:44

Going back to the OP, I would suggest passing this particular one onto the Consumers Institute. From the look of the conversation that is a breach of the Fair Trading Act's 'likely to mislead/deceive' clauses.

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