Threatened to cancel, in order to keep discount

[zolotiyeruki]

We pay Comcast for our internet connection, and even their lowest tier (25Mbps) is plenty for our family, even with 4 or more people streaming different videos at the same time.  This tier is available for $20/mo for "new" customers.  Normally, after a year, the promotional period expires and you start paying full price, which is $40 or $50/mo.  Since you're no longer a "new customer," you no longer qualify for the cheaper price.

That is, unless you call and tell them you'd like to cancel.  Which is what I did this week.  The words "I'd like to cancel my service" magically allow the customer service folks to offer to you the new customer discount for another year.  The process repeats yearly.

This year, the phone call took 7 minutes.  I saved something like $26/mo, or $312 for the year.  In other words, my hourly rate (after taxes) for that phone call was $2,674.

[KathrinS]

That's very cool - I have done the same with my internet connection, and have secured another year of the new customer rate. The difference was only about £50 a year, so a lower hourly rate, but still awesome.

[ctuser1]

That's a great deal.

I used to live in a comcast area a decade+ ago. I also had ATT as an option at that time. I'd just switch back and forth every year.

One of my friends once told me he just flips back and forth between him and his wife every year, on Comcast itself, to keep the "new user" discount. He doesn't have a second provider option.

[Travis]

That usually works for us, except for the last time we tried it a couple years ago. I was using WiFi for the phone call and the customer service rep cancelled the service right there in the middle of the call which disconnected us. I went with the introductory plan of the local competitor. Three days later someone else from COMCAST called and offered us their special in order to get us back. You're a bit late there dude.

[marty998]

That usually works for us, except for the last time we tried it a couple years ago. I was using WiFi for the phone call and the customer service rep cancelled the service right there in the middle of the call which disconnected us. I went with the introductory plan of the local competitor. Three days later someone else from COMCAST called and offered us their special in order to get us back. You're a bit late there dude.

This is right up there with trying to have your internet connected by going online to set up your account.

The muppets who design processes like this need their heads examined.

[traveler]

I also do this every year. It irks me that I have to do it thought. So I wrote myself some notes, and keep the number for the direct line for Comcast retention center. I’m sharing the notes below.

They pick up right away since they don’t want to lose you. Make sure you open an incognito browser tab and look for the best current price before calling in.

So next time, call this number instead of regular Comcast support.

[cool7hand]

Impressive. Most impressive!

[Rhinodad]

On our neighborhood Facebook page, the number one questions is "Our internet bill went up by 10%, is there any better option? " Our only reliable high speed internet around our parts is Spectrum...and they know it. I appreciate their acumen when people call to "threaten to cancel". They simply ask "would you like that effective immediately?". It's a simple supply/demand issue. I actually applaud a business that doesn't apologize for charging what the market will bear.

[DaMa]

That usually works for us, except for the last time we tried it a couple years ago. I was using WiFi for the phone call and the customer service rep cancelled the service right there in the middle of the call which disconnected us. I went with the introductory plan of the local competitor. Three days later someone else from COMCAST called and offered us their special in order to get us back. You're a bit late there dude.

I called Comcast in Dec 2019, and they wouldn't go below $50.  I was paying $25.  So I went to WOW at $35.
Comcast called 10 days later.  I've gone back and forth between the two for many years.

[zolotiyeruki]

That usually works for us, except for the last time we tried it a couple years ago. I was using WiFi for the phone call and the customer service rep cancelled the service right there in the middle of the call which disconnected us. I went with the introductory plan of the local competitor. Three days later someone else from COMCAST called and offered us their special in order to get us back. You're a bit late there dude.

I called Comcast in Dec 2019, and they wouldn't go below $50.  I was paying $25.  So I went to WOW at $35.
Comcast called 10 days later.  I've gone back and forth between the two for many years.

This happened to me a few years ago, too.  I have to think that some executive saw that people were using this tactic, and thought that customers were bluffing.  In my case, we hopped over to Metronet for a year.  We switched back to Comcast after that year, and I've called to cancel at least three times since, so that policy must have been reinstated.  In fact, this most recent time, it was the fastest phone call ever.

[Roots&Wings]

ptf, my service renewal comes due in another month!

[ericrugiero]

I did this a few times with Dish Network.  Eventually even the discounted rate became too high and we switched to Hulu. 

[Travis]

That usually works for us, except for the last time we tried it a couple years ago. I was using WiFi for the phone call and the customer service rep cancelled the service right there in the middle of the call which disconnected us. I went with the introductory plan of the local competitor. Three days later someone else from COMCAST called and offered us their special in order to get us back. You're a bit late there dude.

I called Comcast in Dec 2019, and they wouldn't go below $50.  I was paying $25.  So I went to WOW at $35.
Comcast called 10 days later.  I've gone back and forth between the two for many years.

My landlord is paying $45/mo for a 500Mb cable tv/internet package. I'm really going to miss that kind of connection when I get back to the US.

[Retireatee1]

I hate teaser rates.  Hey why don't we treat the new customers better than our existing loyal customers!  Sirius XM is the worst.  You can call and get the "disgruntled customer" discount of 50% off.  People talk and everybody knows about it.  The word is out and nobody pays the full price.  So why not just give everyone the flat rate?  New customers can be turned off by the stupid teaser rates.  Knock it off.

[Rhinodad]

I hate teaser rates.  Hey why don't we treat the new customers better than our existing loyal customers!  Sirius XM is the worst.  You can call and get the "disgruntled customer" discount of 50% off.  People talk and everybody knows about it.  The word is out and nobody pays the full price.  So why not just give everyone the flat rate?  New customers can be turned off by the stupid teaser rates.  Knock it off.

I seriously think you underestimate how dumb a lot of people are. As George Carlin said "Picture how dumb the average person is...and now realize 50% of the people on earth are dumber than that person."

[Retireatee1]

I hate teaser rates.  Hey why don't we treat the new customers better than our existing loyal customers!  Sirius XM is the worst.  You can call and get the "disgruntled customer" discount of 50% off.  People talk and everybody knows about it.  The word is out and nobody pays the full price.  So why not just give everyone the flat rate?  New customers can be turned off by the stupid teaser rates.  Knock it off.

Yeah, Sirius is hysterical.  I just cancelled my Sirius subscription (nothing wrong with it and the price was OK I guess, I just didn't use it very much).   Was paying about $20 a month and would renew at that rate.

After I said I wanted to cancel, magically they could cut my rate to $12.50 a month.

Told them I still wasn't interested.   OK hold on ... let me just process that for you.

Hey!   Guess what?   We can do $7.50 a month would that change your mind?

LOL stupidly I told them I didn't want it if it was free, and they got the message ... I probably should have just for kicks tried to see if I could get them to go any lower than the $7.50.

Ha, yeah one of my coworkers got the "REALLY disgruntled customer" discount from them as well.  What a joke.

[BC_Goldman]

I also do this every year. It irks me that I have to do it thought. So I wrote myself some notes, and keep the number for the direct line for Comcast retention center. I’m sharing the notes below.

They pick up right away since they don’t want to lose you. Make sure you open an incognito browser tab and look for the best current price before calling in.

So next time, call this number instead of regular Comcast support.

This is perfect! I have to negotiate my renewal in a couple of weeks. Being able to skip the obscenely long hold times would be nice.

[Poor Rod]

Hmm. Once I finally was done with DSL with Centurylink, I went with Comcast cable internet at $105 per month for 200mbps service. After 1 year, it was upgraded to 300 mbps for $70 per month. Not sure if I should be complaining or not. Comcast is the only choice for service at these speeds around here. Overall pretty happy with the service.

[Boll weevil]

The trick is to have somebody who actually wants to cancel their service go first. A few years ago one of my coworkers canceled his NFL package, and there were apparently 2 or 3 rounds of discounts offered. But he came in and told us all about it, and the couple other people who had the package called the cable company knowing where the limits were.

[BC_Goldman]

How long do you actually have to leave to get the new customer rate if they won't adjust? And can my wife and I alternate since we have different last names?

I called the number above and had trouble getting the phone to actually ring. When it was answered, the person said she wasn't in the retention dept. Said I would have to be off 6 months to get the new customer discount.

[zolotiyeruki]

How long do you actually have to leave to get the new customer rate if they won't adjust? And can my wife and I alternate since we have different last names?

I called the number above and had trouble getting the phone to actually ring. When it was answered, the person said she wasn't in the retention dept. Said I would have to be off 6 months to get the new customer discount.

I havent checked in a while, but last I heard, it was 12 months. I've heard of couples with differing last names alternating years successfully

[dbfire]

I hate teaser rates.  Hey why don't we treat the new customers better than our existing loyal customers!  Sirius XM is the worst.  You can call and get the "disgruntled customer" discount of 50% off.  People talk and everybody knows about it.  The word is out and nobody pays the full price.  So why not just give everyone the flat rate?  New customers can be turned off by the stupid teaser rates.  Knock it off.

Yeah, Sirius is hysterical.  I just cancelled my Sirius subscription (nothing wrong with it and the price was OK I guess, I just didn't use it very much).   Was paying about $20 a month and would renew at that rate.

After I said I wanted to cancel, magically they could cut my rate to $12.50 a month.

Told them I still wasn't interested.   OK hold on ... let me just process that for you.

Hey!   Guess what?   We can do $7.50 a month would that change your mind?

LOL stupidly I told them I didn't want it if it was free, and they got the message ... I probably should have just for kicks tried to see if I could get them to go any lower than the $7.50.

$3/month was as low as I got them before I decided I didn't use it enough to have it at all.

[norajean]

 Cable and similar services have been this way for several decades. Once they have you hooked up it is basically no cost to them to keep giving you service. If you pay  $1 per year they may be coming out ahead, depending on what it cost them to hook you up and how they depreciate their equipment. The intro teaser rates are already profitable for them so that is the max you should ever pay.

[NumberJohnny5]

$3/month was as low as I got them before I decided I didn't use it enough to have it at all.

I pay $0/mo for our vehicles.

They have a free three month trial for a new (to you) vehicle. I mark the date on the calendar and re-signup every three months like clockwork. They need a different email (per vehicle) each time, but that's easy enough.

If my wife is at work when the sub ends, I need to sign back up in the morning before she leaves work. Else the car gets the signal saying it's cancelled, she mentions it, I do the signup process, pull the car out of the garage so it can get the "hey you're subscribed now!" signal, and Bob's your uncle.

[BC_Goldman]

After my false start the other day, I called a different number and went through the process of requesting a disconnect. Retention agent was very nice. I told her I was willing to stay if I could have the $40 rate and she was able to set me up with it for the next two years. Total call time was 6:40.

[katsiki]

Check out toast.net.  They don't jack with the prices year to year.

[evme]

Anyone have experience doing this with Cox Communications (my internet provider)?

[Plina]

I did this with a newspapersubscription for several years before I probably hit some limit because I was not offered the discount so I cancelled. It took a couple months before they offered me the discount again.

Funny thing is that my current employer pays for the subscription now. They bumped up the rate and there was a discussion if we should cancel it or not. I gave my tip and it was decided that our office manager should try the same but she tried it by emailing and asking for a discount. Duh! She got a discounted offer that would prolong the subscription during a 1-3 years but while she was thinking if those 10 dollars were worth it she missed the date to end the subscription and it was prolonged another year with the double price. Sigh!

[bbqbonelesswing]

I had to do this with Comcast this year when our annual renewal came up and the bill increased. This time I just chatted with someone online and they got it taken care of. Didn't even need a phone call, which was excellent.

[JLee]

That usually works for us, except for the last time we tried it a couple years ago. I was using WiFi for the phone call and the customer service rep cancelled the service right there in the middle of the call which disconnected us. I went with the introductory plan of the local competitor. Three days later someone else from COMCAST called and offered us their special in order to get us back. You're a bit late there dude.

I called Comcast in Dec 2019, and they wouldn't go below $50.  I was paying $25.  So I went to WOW at $35.
Comcast called 10 days later.  I've gone back and forth between the two for many years.

My landlord is paying $45/mo for a 500Mb cable tv/internet package. I'm really going to miss that kind of connection when I get back to the US.

Optimum in NJ is advertising gigabit cable for $45/mo. There may still be hope!