New customer having rough 'Sales' experience with Spark (long sales wait, sales getting confused over price, offered worse deal, no price matching VF)

Forums › Spark New Zealand (including Skinny and BigPipe) › New customer having rough 'Sales' experience with Spark (long sales wait, sales getting confused over price, offered worse deal, no price matching VF)

arduino

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#236322 28-May-2018 19:16

Hello, I'm trying to connect with Spark for a naked UFB connection. This post is my personal experience and should be taken as constructive criticism. Having done my homework - I don't see any reason, compelling or otherwise to join Spark over Vodafone.

Issues:
-Spark has a wait time to call sales is between 1:10-1:40 hrs (according to system), for a new client!? Vodafone took me 10 minutes.
-Spark does not do price matching.
-Spark suggested an even CHEAPER deal at their sister company Skinny, the only problem is - it's even more expensive then what they were offering.
-The representative's grasp of math is quite shocking, I'm sure this isn't exclusive to Spark. Unfortunately so many of these ISP's tweak their figures instead of just giving you an average monthly amount - which is what I calculated.

The facts:
-Vodafone has the best first year pricing of any NZ ISP for the previously stated requirements.
-Spark: ($95 * 12 - $300) / 12 = $70 monthly, 1 year contract. (sum includes $300 cashback)
-Skinny: $73 monthly. (They don't play with the figures when on contract, 1 year contract)
-Vodafone contract 1: ($89.99 * (12 - 3)) / 12 = $67.42 monthly, 1 year contract. (sum includes first 3 months free)
-Vodafone contract 2: ($79.99 * (12 - 3)) / 12 = $59.99 monthly for first year, $70 monthly the following if you call up, 2 year contract. (sum includes first 3 months free)
-The first 3 months free is equivalent to the first 6 months half price.
-$300 cashback is a -$25 reduction in monthly fees.

Here are my questions:
-Why does Spark require a new customer to wait 1:10-1:40 hrs for a new connection, when talking by phone?
-How come the link for "message a representative" sends me to the FAQ on their website, when I'm trying to talk to sales. It doesn't initiate any form of contact.
-Why are the staff incapable of price matching, except for when they knock at your door?
-Why are the staff left in the dark on how much their offers cost on a monthly basis. It's quite difficult for them to talk regarding their costs when their companies figure is obfuscated by 'cash-backs', 'free months', 'half priced months'.

Thank you,
Spark is not projecting the image they're capable of meeting.

Linux

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#2024153 28-May-2018 19:24

Spark has a very good offer in the market with the Netflix deal and I would say that is why the wait is so long they are getting slammed

Price matching is a race to the bottom

John

arduino

4 posts

Wannabe Geek

#2024190 28-May-2018 19:37

Some of us don't watch tv. :)

Perhaps so, but they're rather keen when they are door knocking. The representative who came to my current location many years ago offered all sorts of things Telecom could not provide (greater upload speeds on ADSL than Telstra cable, calling plan). When Telecom tried to follow up, he'd already moved back to India - so he could not be contacted.

Whether it's called Telecom or Spark - They still have a poor sales team.

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#2024191 28-May-2018 19:38

If you don't want the add ons then look at 2Degrees as well

John

tdgeek

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#2024199 28-May-2018 19:56

arduino:

Some of us don't watch tv. :)

Perhaps so, but they're rather keen when they are door knocking. The representative who came to my current location many years ago offered all sorts of things Telecom could not provide (greater upload speeds on ADSL than Telstra cable, calling plan). When Telecom tried to follow up, he'd already moved back to India - so he could not be contacted.

Whether it's called Telecom or Spark - They still have a poor sales team.

Dont you mean they wont give you the one deal that you want? No one has 84 plans.

sbiddle

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#2024202 28-May-2018 19:57

arduino:

Having done my homework - I don't see any reason, compelling or otherwise to join Spark over Vodafone.

There is always a first for everything!

JeremyNzl

359 posts

Ultimate Geek

#2024205 28-May-2018 20:00

I've had a fantastic experience getting connected with spark, I needed a second vdsl connection when I enquired on this site as to was competitive.

A spark rep contacted me, added the vdsl to an active monthly phone account, pm'd me updates. all I had to do was provide an acc number

He even got the 2nd line activated without a new connection charge.

I know this is not typical but I was and still am super impressed.

In regards to price matching, If a company doesn't have what I am looking for I move on.

tdlr if your not happy with sparks service, go elsewhere

surfisup1000

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#2024207 28-May-2018 20:03

arduino:

Here are my questions:
-Why does Spark require a new customer to wait 1:10-1:40 hrs for a new connection, when talking by phone?

Passive aggressive much?

You obviously prefer vodafone so just go with them.

Sparks 24mth contract deal was pretty good when I was looking, with a year free netflix and spotify and lightbox and the $300 credit.

[edit] my mistake, the spotify was with the mobile deals.

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arduino

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#2024208 28-May-2018 20:03

Vodafone has the deal I want. This thread is directed at Spark's shortcomings.

Hmm, 2Degrees is quite competitive. $58.33pm - if you have a carryover plan, $68.33pm - without.

quickymart

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#2024209 28-May-2018 20:06

I've never heard of Spark doing price matching. I'm with them but that's because they deliver a reliable, stable connection. Price is important, yes, but it's not the only, deciding factor for me.

sbiddle

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#2024243 28-May-2018 20:35

arduino:

Vodafone has the deal I want. This thread is directed at Spark's shortcomings.

Hmm, 2Degrees is quite competitive. $58.33pm - if you have a carryover plan, $68.33pm - without.

It's very clear you're only interested in price rather than having any interest in performance or support (which are both very good from Spark) so I'd suggest you simply sign up for the cheapest provider in the market.

maxeon

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#2024277 28-May-2018 20:53

Spark is reliable. If price is important for you, try bigpipe and skinny.. Which are directly spark ventures for spark.

If you just want red deals. Go ahead with Vodafone.

hio77

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#2024280 28-May-2018 21:04

I'll step into this with firstly stating my frontline experience is not in sales.

While in my time i may have upsold a product or two, that was in the best interest of customers not to make a sale.

Issues:
-Spark has a wait time to call sales is between 1:10-1:40 hrs (according to system), for a new client!? Vodafone took me 10 minutes.

this waittime seems slightly high for the buy queue, i suspect you ended up in the wrong place in the IVR.

-Spark does not do price matching.

Matching is a bit of a no-win, especially if your customer is gunning for lowest cost over everything else.

Remember broadband is a very cutthroat market, many of the costs out there barely cover the line rental itself.

-Spark suggested an even CHEAPER deal at their sister company Skinny, the only problem is - it's even more expensive then what they were offering.
-The representative's grasp of math is quite shocking, I'm sure this isn't exclusive to Spark. Unfortunately so many of these ISP's tweak their figures instead of just giving you an average monthly amount - which is what I calculated.

This genuinely seems like a mistake on the Rep's side.

Skinny is a cheaper offering. Except in the case of the bundled join discount.

Here are my questions:
-Why does Spark require a new customer to wait 1:10-1:40 hrs for a new connection, when talking by phone?
-How come the link for "message a representative" sends me to the FAQ on their website, when I'm trying to talk to sales. It doesn't initiate any form of contact.
-Why are the staff incapable of price matching, except for when they knock at your door?

I've discussed the following questions above already.

Remember D2D sales are very different to normal sales. There are often specials on hand for that.

-Why are the staff left in the dark on how much their offers cost on a monthly basis. It's quite difficult for them to talk regarding their costs when their companies figure is obfuscated by 'cash-backs', 'free months', 'half priced months'.

Staff aren't in the dark, It's very clearly identified what the monthly cost is.

but when you bring in things like cashbacks, halfprice, free months... this leads to some calculation error potential.

I expect many of our sales agents actually have these sorts of figures downpact, as that allows them to score that sale. but some may be newer to the game and not quite with it yet.

Overall though, Spark isn't the cheapest offer out there.

If your looking for that, elsewhere may have greener pastures at this point in time.

#include <std_disclaimer>

Any comments made are personal opinion and do not reflect directly on the position my current or past employers may have.

MichaelNZ

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#2024350 28-May-2018 23:41

Linux:

Price matching is a race to the bottom

John

I have my InspireNet bill and my Netflix bill.

I have never typed the words "I want" and "cheapest" in the same sentence here.

I don't seem to have any major complaints or problems.

Must be coincidence...

WFH Linux Systems and Networks Engineer in the Internet industry | Specialising in Mikrotik | APNIC member | Open to job offers

MikeAqua

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#2024442 29-May-2018 09:35

surfisup1000:

arduino:

Here are my questions:
-Why does Spark require a new customer to wait 1:10-1:40 hrs for a new connection, when talking by phone?

Passive aggressive much?

Seem like fair question to me. Seems a bit silly. Maybe they have a bird-in-the-hand strategy.

But they don't 'require' a potential customer to do anhything. They advise the estimated wait time and after that it's up to the caller.

Do they still offer a call-back option? I've had 50% success with that, but when they actually have called back it's been quite prompt.

Mike

arduino

4 posts

Wannabe Geek

#2024907 29-May-2018 15:28

To follow up.

I've just called Vodafone sales (1 minute wait time), and they were willing to lower the price of unlimited UFB down to $70 per month, including the three months free. This makes the first year $52.49 per month. Good job!