offer to re-sign at a worse deal

Forums › One New Zealand (including Vodafone, WxC, Farmside) › offer to re-sign at a worse deal

SeanC3

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#261725 12-Dec-2019 08:11

I recently received an email from Vodafone, telling me that if I was to re-sign for my home and broadband package (for 24 months) I would be eligible for a $10/month discount.

The email gave the impression that the contract period that I was locked in to was either over or coming very close to ending, and by signing up for a new 24 month period that I would be better off (than if I didn't re-sign).

It turns out that my current locked in contract doesn't expire for 10 months, and this wonderful deal that I could have accepted was not only dearer but also for fewer services than i currently receive.

The whole thing feels very shady to me, and has cemented my decision to sever my connection with VF once the current contract expires.

I don't normally pay too much attention to 'renewal' notices - just pay and move on. This has been a life lesson for me.

ajw

1932 posts

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#2372934 12-Dec-2019 08:41

Have you talked to the retentions department. In my case on the Docsis 3.1 network and having fibre in my street got me a better deal plus I got a twinset of Panasonic cordless phones. The general drift I got was they want to keep you on the Docsis 3.1 network for as long as possible.

Dial111

978 posts

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#2372982 12-Dec-2019 08:57

To be honest I would say it was more of an oversight rather then something sinister to con you out of your current contract.

My experience is with big corps (worked for a very large German car manufacturer) is that the left hand rarely ever communicates with the right hand and information across departments is hard to come by without pushing for it. I’d say VF will have some form of internal issues with communication just like a lot of places.

MurrayM

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#2373041 12-Dec-2019 09:23

I too received this email and started to investigate it. Turns out that I'll not only save $10 a month but I'll also switch from 30/Mbs to 100/Mbs because they don't offer 30/Mbs plans any more. Other than the naked broadband I don't have any other services with Vodafone (except my pre-pay phone). I took the deal.

SeanC3

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#2373050 12-Dec-2019 09:38

ajw:

Have you talked to the retentions department. In my case on the Docsis 3.1 network and having fibre in my street got me a better deal plus I got a twinset of Panasonic cordless phones. The general drift I got was they want to keep you on the Docsis 3.1 network for as long as possible.

that's good to know. thanks.

SeanC3

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#2373052 12-Dec-2019 09:45

Dial111: To be honest I would say it was more of an oversight rather then something sinister to con you out of your current contract.

My experience is with big corps (worked for a very large German car manufacturer) is that the left hand rarely ever communicates with the right hand and information across departments is hard to come by without pushing for it. I’d say VF will have some form of internal issues with communication just like a lot of places.

I suspect that you're right. I have probably let a history of not having particularly flash experiences dealing with them cloud my perceptions. But it has reminded me to check the fine print before signing up to 'special offers'. And also helped to strengthen my resolve to see if the grass is greener elsewhere, after a 20ish-year relationship with them.

SeanC3

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#2373053 12-Dec-2019 09:46

MurrayM:

I too received this email and started to investigate it. Turns out that I'll not only save $10 a month but I'll also switch from 30/Mbs to 100/Mbs because they don't offer 30/Mbs plans any more. Other than the naked broadband I don't have any other services with Vodafone (except my pre-pay phone). I took the deal.

Nice! Glad to hear that it worked out in your favour.

esawers

551 posts

Ultimate Geek

#2373057 12-Dec-2019 09:51

Also got the email - not sure when our contract expires (think another 6 months) but it would have been an extra $8/month for us to change.

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sen8or

1789 posts

Uber Geek

#2373064 12-Dec-2019 10:02

At least they are being proactive about end of term contracts.

Ive switched from them and one other provider in the past purely because at the end of the term, they simply hiked up my payment to the current non-contract amount rather than contact me and suggest an alternative. By hiking up my payment it prompted me to look further into what was out there and better alternatives were available, if they'd left things alone and/or been proactive I could still well be with either of them.

Bazzi99

16 posts

Geek

#2373105 12-Dec-2019 10:48

ajw:

Have you talked to the retentions department. In my case on the Docsis 3.1 network and having fibre in my street got me a better deal plus I got a twinset of Panasonic cordless phones. The general drift I got was they want to keep you on the Docsis 3.1 network for as long as possible.

I'll 2nd this - after a nearly 2hr soul crushing phone experience with the support desk, where 2 routers (1 Voda supplied and the other my own) apparently went faulty at the same time, they tried to charge me to have their router replaced ($199) because my term contract had expired - I (rightly or wrongly) was incensed as I had been a loyal customer for 19 years so expected that I'd could at least get a faulty router replaced at no cost without needing to sign up for another 2 year term.....whoops, starting to rant........

Anyway - the point is that they offered to bump me up to the "full noise" fibreX/HFC service (I'm currently on the 200/20) and chop about $50 per month off the bill if I signed up for another 2 years - IIRC, it was around $112 per month, which included Sky & sport & a landline - my jaw dropped & thought was pretty sharp - looking at the pricing today, just the 900mps connection + home phone is $123 per month (which excludes TV) so that was a significant discount - I checked with the "guy" and he assured me he wasn't making a mistake on pricing.

I was pretty keen to move to fibre (the house is already connected) but they wouldn't budge on the prices for that (cost stayed about the same as I currently pay), so yeah, they really really want you to stay on FibreX/HFC was my experience.

So, once I've weened my wife off the T-Box and onto the gen 2 Vodafone TV box, it will be fibre, IP based TV & see ya Vodafone (for the connection at least, still need them for VTV)

Oh, and about those two faulty routers - magically they started working again after about 90mins on the phone with the support desk, just as I had given up and lost the will to live..........

Rickles

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#2374570 13-Dec-2019 09:31

I too got the email, but was already getting the discount etc … and another year to run on contract.

Seemed weird other than a "scatter gun" email.

Yabanize

2350 posts

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#2375709 15-Dec-2019 12:10

Bazzi99:

ajw:

Have you talked to the retentions department. In my case on the Docsis 3.1 network and having fibre in my street got me a better deal plus I got a twinset of Panasonic cordless phones. The general drift I got was they want to keep you on the Docsis 3.1 network for as long as possible.

I'll 2nd this - after a nearly 2hr soul crushing phone experience with the support desk, where 2 routers (1 Voda supplied and the other my own) apparently went faulty at the same time, they tried to charge me to have their router replaced ($199) because my term contract had expired - I (rightly or wrongly) was incensed as I had been a loyal customer for 19 years so expected that I'd could at least get a faulty router replaced at no cost without needing to sign up for another 2 year term.....whoops, starting to rant........

Anyway - the point is that they offered to bump me up to the "full noise" fibreX/HFC service (I'm currently on the 200/20) and chop about $50 per month off the bill if I signed up for another 2 years - IIRC, it was around $112 per month, which included Sky & sport & a landline - my jaw dropped & thought was pretty sharp - looking at the pricing today, just the 900mps connection + home phone is $123 per month (which excludes TV) so that was a significant discount - I checked with the "guy" and he assured me he wasn't making a mistake on pricing.

I was pretty keen to move to fibre (the house is already connected) but they wouldn't budge on the prices for that (cost stayed about the same as I currently pay), so yeah, they really really want you to stay on FibreX/HFC was my experience.

So, once I've weened my wife off the T-Box and onto the gen 2 Vodafone TV box, it will be fibre, IP based TV & see ya Vodafone (for the connection at least, still need them for VTV)

Oh, and about those two faulty routers - magically they started working again after about 90mins on the phone with the support desk, just as I had given up and lost the will to live..........

That is sharp! we had a door to door guy and got upgraded from Cable 100+tbox to HFC max + Vodafone TV (sky starter and entertainment) and landline on a 12 month term

$163 but its a $20 discount for 12 months making it $143 and then there's $200 credit as well apparently.

Happy with HFC max for now.

I also saw on the website HFC max can be had about $20 cheaper than Fibre 100 (Naked for $73 for 12 months) Fibre 100 is $93

quickymart

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#2375812 15-Dec-2019 13:23

Most likely cheaper because Vodafone own that network, so they don't need to pay Chorus a line rental.

Bazzi99

16 posts

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#2375813 15-Dec-2019 13:28

quickymart:

Most likely cheaper because Vodafone own that network, so they don't need to pay Chorus a line rental.

Yup, that's exactly it...... I think the term is "Sweat the Assets".......

SeanC3

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#2415851 11-Feb-2020 07:50

It would appear that Vodafone have upped the ante on this issue... now they are sending out physical mail with the message that it is time to renew my plan.

8 months before the current contract term expires.

There's proactive, and there's ridiculous. This is ridiculous.