Make the prices make sense

[Kingfisher95]

Trying to renew our contract the past day has been an absolute nightmare. It's never been this bad.

Previous years we've called up and gotten the contract to around the same price as before, this is always what we want. But this time it's impossible.

I called up and asked to sort the renewal out and they said the best deal they could offer was £120~ a month. Keep in mind, our last contract was £75/m.

Then I go through the WhatsApp chat system and ask there and the best they can offer is one at £105/m.

If I look on the My Virgin App it says I can renew our existing contract for £90/m. Which is still drastically overpriced.

So help me understand why everyone I've talked to has given me a completely different price. I also tell them they can remove some parts of the package and lower the broadband speed. But none of them do, they always add stuff and give me faster broadband. I don't want faster broadband, I don't want the extra stuff they add.

Why is it that I can't get a good deal anymore? Been a customer for almost 20 years and it's like loyalty means nothing anymore?

Also the person on WhatsApp says changing provider can be a hassle, like sure, but I'd rather go through the hassle of changing provider if it meant getting a good deal instead of being shafted?

MAKE IT MAKE SENSE? Is there absolutely nothing we can say to get a better deal?

[Kingfisher95]

Also, I forgot to add. On the app, it's impossible to lower and remove options on our package. So it seems like fraud to me, so I may have to contact whoever I can because giving me the option to change my package, but not giving me the option to make it cheaper by removing things sounds like fraud.

Also Also, even worse. There's 3 different spots that say my bill is 3 different prices. In my emails, it says 75.06, on the app it says 75.07 and in the app in a different menu it says 80.96.

This can't be legal.

[goslow]

This has been mentioned on here a lot recently. See this topic from yesterday

https://community.virginmedia.com/t5/Community-Natter/What-has-happened-to-Virgin/td-p/5580266

Someone in VM-world must think this approach makes sense. No one in the real world does though. Customers should just vote with their feet and put in a cancellation then see what happens. If nothing acceptable turns up from VM move to a different supplier.

[Kingfisher95]

It probably does make sense to them, but to me it doesn't seem legal to do any of the stuff they do? 

Also to continue on from what I've said, the person on WhatsApp said that they found the best deal at £105/m. But they've come back and now just said the best they can offer is £85/m, so it's almost like they work on commissions which sucks for us because they're doing everything they can do ignore what we ask for and just throw the most expensive bundles in our faces.

[goslow]

VM's approach, for a very long time, has been to try to get each individual customer to have to phone in and engage with a VM sales agent at renewal. The agent will try to sell you the biggest most expensive option they can. VM's model of bundling services also means that customers routinely end up taking out additional services they do not really want (such as a landline). The lower price of a bundle can be advantageous during the minimum term period but, if the customer does not renew again on time, the price jumps up to a much higher standard price for the bigger bundle once the minimum term is up.

As a result of all this, we often see on here that different customers can pay wildly different prices for exactly the same services (usually happens when one customer compares pricing with a friend or family member nearby).

Those who are good at negotiation will argue they can get a good deal by haggling in this way. I imagine most people do not enjoy having to do this and would prefer VM's pricing to be more open, transparent and consistent.

A past post from a former forum VIP is here

https://community.virginmedia.com/t5/Forum-Archive/Why-oh-why-does-loyalty-get-punished/m-p/5226917#...

the post is a bit old now but much of the advice still stands and is good if it helps you any and you feel motivated to try again to renew with VM

[David_Bn]

Thanks for reaching out to us on our Community Forums @Kingfisher95, and a very warm welcome to you!

Sorry to hear of the issues you've been facing when attempting to renew the contract on your account. 

We would need to advise that we wouldn't be able to assist with a package change on our Community Forums, but if you do have an issue with a renewal, once this has been issued to you, we can ensure that the correct package is in place for you and amend accordingly.

Do please feel free to keep us posted with how you get on, on this matter

Thanks,

David_Bn

[newapollo]

Hi @Kingfisher95 

It's never been possible to lower and/or remove package options via the My Virgin Media app or in a browser. 

The agents also don't have access to the deals offered via My Virgin Media.

VM's actual prices can vary on a day to day basis, and agent to agent basis. 

I don't, and haven't worked for VM, but have worked within other call centres as a retentions agent, and would suggest that all companies follow a similar format in that individual agents are given "save targets" and can offer different deals than those offered by other agents on the same day.

I know it sounds odd, but agents are given a set amount of allowances to offer at varying price points.

If they have used up their quota of lowest prices for the day or week, then they couldn't offer say the Mega Volt bundle for £100, but if the next agent hadn't reached their quota then they would be able to offer that price point.  It's also possible that one of the retention teams may be "trialling" a price point or free gift/addon that's not available to other teams.

To be honest if you are fairly happy with a  quoted price whilst on the phone with the agent (or need to confirm it first with say your partner) then accept it as it probably won't be available again.  You can then take advantage of the 14 day distance selling window should you change your mind and wish to reject that offer. You would then go back to your original pricing, even if it was the out of contract price,  and package (or nearest equivalent) and then have the option of either cancelling or renegotiating again.

[Kingfisher95]

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If they have used up their quota of lowest prices for the day or week, then they couldn't offer say the Mega Volt bundle for £100, but if the next agent hadn't reached their quota then they would be able to offer that price point.

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This is exactly what I hate though. If agents can't be honest with me over the phone and tell me thats the best THEY can offer, THEM PERSONALLY. Then fine, I'll call up again and talk to a different agent. But they make it out as if it's the best Virgin Media can offer when I know full well it isn't.

Also you said this.

It's never been possible to lower and/or remove package options via the My Virgin Media app or in a browser. 

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This extends even further to over the phone which covers all ways a customer can talk about the price.

You can't lower/remove stuff on the app, you can't lower/remove stuff on the website, you can't even ask the agent over the phone to remove things either because when I asked them, they said they couldn't.

So you tell me. What part of that is legal? Every avenue for sorting our package out makes it IMPOSSIBLE to remove things to make it cheaper for us? Is that not blatant fraud? Who do I talk to to report Virgin Media for these predatory tactics?

[jpeg1]

No, it's not fraud. Nothing like it.  Just unpleasand and perhaps immoral tactics, designed to make it as difficult as possible to negotiate a reasonable price. 

Everyone has a free choice, to walk away to another supplier. 

And it's now easier than before. Under Ofcom's new regulations you don't even have to contact VM to leave. Find a better deal elsewhere and the new company will do all the work. Just like changing energy suppliers.