Virgin Media Community

[Daniejj]

Hi, I have just been on the phone for 35 mins discussing the renewal of my tv, phone and broadband package, I’ve been with Virgin a few years now and I thought there might be a deal for customer loyalty?? I was told by the person on the phone that each employee has access to different discounts depending on who you get. I was amazed by this, surely every customer should be treated the same and have access to the same discounts? I dread having to make the call as I know it will always be a battle to get value for money??? I even provided them with the details for a friend who rang recently, as proof there are better deals out there than the one I was offered… mind you he did loose his patience and must have rung numerous times? To get this. (We shouldn’t have to do this) At the moment I’m unsure what to do? I don’t feel its the right way to run a business,I have searched for an email address but can’t find one. I’m surely not the only person that has come across this stressful scenario??

I would welcome any thoughts or ideas?

Thanks

[goslow]

Some thoughts here in a similar topic from yesterday

https://community.virginmedia.com/t5/Managing-Your-Account-Cable/Change-in-contract/m-p/4971597#M181...

Forget the idea of 'customer loyalty' though. It doesn't exist, probably not with any supplier these days and certainly not with VM.

[japitts]

This is one of those "if I had a pound" type questions, and firstly - what package a friend or neighbour gets with VM is certainly something to factor into your prep before negotiations, but becomes completely immaterial in your dealings with VM.

You need to firstly price up your chosen package of services as to what the standard price is with VM (i.e. the price after the initial promo period) and then the price from a competitor provider (Sky, BT, take your pick) for the nearest available package - and then you've got your pricing sorted.

Get in your mind a price that you'd like VM to offer "in an ideal world" in exchange for an 18month re-contract, and a price you'd be willing to accept. And go into a call with VM Retentions, with those figures in mind. You also need to be willing to walk away and give disconnection notice if you don't get a price you're happy with - if you're not (or the agent doesn't think you are) then you lose some bargaining power straight away.

That's the short version, longer versions of "how to negotiate a package deal" are available, this should give you a flavour. VM don't have a customer-facing CS email address, and the forum staff don't have a remit for package changes - you will need to call.

[jem101 · Accepted solution]

Ultimately, and legally, this is a negotiation between you as an individual and VM as a company, what the may or may not offer to someone else is irrelevant. Now as long as they don’t discriminate on the ground of protected characteristics, which currently I think are race and sex, then if they want to change you £500 a month and your neighbour £1 a month for the same service, then legally, there is nothing you can do, they offer a service on certain terms and equally you can accept or decline said terms.

The law works on the basis of both parties being competent and understanding of the obligations on both sides.

So, work out, and find out what alternatives are available and contact VM armed with that and negotiate on that basis. But always be aware  that VM don’t have to supply you with anything and equally you don’t have to pay them anything.