T-Mobile and Customer Loyalty

Philip WalesPhilip Wales Posts: 6,373
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Bit of a rant sorry guys!

So back in 2010 I upgraded to a iPhone 4, have been very pleased with the phone. Last September I was coming up to upgrade time and was holding out for a iPhone 5. When the iPhone came out I wasn't that impressed and decided to stay with my iPhone 4 for the time being. Anyway last December I get a call from T-Mobile telling me I could save money on my phone bill, so I reduced my £41 per month contract down to a £13 per month one (24 months), great I thought. At the time I mentioned what would happen should I wish to up grade, "no problems" was their answer.

So forward to last night I decided I might try the S4, so phone T-Mobile, first they tell me I've got to pay £200+ to finish the contract I'm on, I tell them go check their records, they come back "Oh yes" we can see that you don't have to pay, "I'll put you through to upgrades". Upgrades then want £99 for the phone and £36 a month, I say "but thats the price on the web, for a new customer anyway", they reply "but you don't have any loyalty with us, because your on a sim only deal". Well to say I was annoyed would put it mildly I was never told the "new deal" I was offered would downgrade my status with T-Mobile, and I've been with them for 8 years, never missed a payment, never caused any hassle.

This has really pee'd me off, think it's time to change providers.

Rant over.
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Comments

  • VoynichVoynich Posts: 14,481
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    There's really no such thing as customer loyalty anyway. If you spend hundreds of pounds a month with them, they can offer you reasonably good stuff to tempt you to stay. The best offer just about everyone gets is what they offer to new customers. Sometimes they don't even offer that until you threaten to cancel.
  • ChateauMarmontChateauMarmont Posts: 2,373
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    I don't understand why people get so wound up about 'customer loyalty' and thinking they should get a much better deal because they've never missed a payment in x amount of years.
    People used to get money off/free handsets on low contracts but since those days prices of phones have gone up dramatically. Gone are the days when iPhones have set tariffs the networks won't deviate from as newer phones are even now more expensive hence all higher end phones direct from providers cost more.

    If you don't like the deal, vote with your feet. Weren't Three doing a £35 deal with the handset free?
  • dannyb0yukdannyb0yuk Posts: 2,939
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    There's no bonus for sticking with a network these days. My Dad was with T-Mobile since the One2One days and was given the same crap offerings as anybody else would be when we got him upgraded recently.

    I myself have just left them for 3. From now on, I'll be adopting a 'my next contract is with whoever does me the best deal' mentality.
  • enapaceenapace Posts: 4,303
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    dannyb0yuk wrote: »
    There's no bonus for sticking with a network these days. My Dad was with T-Mobile since the One2One days and was given the same crap offerings as anybody else would be when we got him upgraded recently.

    I myself have just left them for 3. From now on, I'll be adopting a 'my next contract is with whoever does me the best deal' mentality.

    It seems sad to say but honestly I have to agree with you there. All the networks are playing each other against each other now a days even more then it used to be.
  • Philip WalesPhilip Wales Posts: 6,373
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    I think my mean gripe is the fact I was due an upgrade, which are usually better deals than starting a new contract etc. I didn't upgrade at the time and now I've changed to a "sim only deal" I wasn't informed I wouldn't get a upgrade deal.
  • jabbamk1jabbamk1 Posts: 8,942
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    I don't understand why people get so wound up about 'customer loyalty' and thinking they should get a much better deal

    I can see where people are coming from. Retention deals can be very good offers that no other network can offer and it's an incentive to stay with the network rather than move to a different network.

    The reason i'm with Talk Talk for broadband is because i pay £14pm Including line rental for fibre optic. Any new customer for any BB company has to pay £14 just for line rental where as the £14pm i pay includes my line rental. Bargain.

    So i can see where the OP is coming from. It would be nice to have an incentive to stay with the company.
  • kenny7kenny7 Posts: 1,782
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    I was in a similar situation with T Mobile. They wanted me to pay a big sum as well as £36 to upgrade to the S4.

    Just went to Phones4U with no upfront cost! Phone's delayed though.
  • Philip WalesPhilip Wales Posts: 6,373
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    The annoying thing I was paying £41 a month and I paid £250 up front for my iPhone 4, when I didn't upgrade, they offered me a reduced monthly contract, but by doing that I seem to have lost any "loyalty benefits".
  • jabbamk1jabbamk1 Posts: 8,942
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    The annoying thing I was paying £41 a month and I paid £250 up front for my iPhone 4, when I didn't upgrade, they offered me a reduced monthly contract, but by doing that I seem to have lost any "loyalty benefits".

    Have you actually spoken to the retentions/disconnection dept?

    Might be worth asking for your PAC and getting through to them and then see what they can do for you.
  • Philip WalesPhilip Wales Posts: 6,373
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    jabbamk1 wrote: »
    Have you actually spoken to the retentions/disconnection dept?

    Might be worth asking for your PAC and getting through to them and then see what they can do for you.

    When I finish work I'm going to have a wonder over to CPW and EE, but yes asking for my PAC had crossed my mind.
  • jabbamk1jabbamk1 Posts: 8,942
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    When I finish work I'm going to have a wonder over to CPW and EE, but yes asking for my PAC had crossed my mind.

    I know it requires a new contract but it might be worth using this as a reference-
    http://www.affordablemobiles.co.uk/contract-mobile-phones/t-mobile/full_monty_31/apple/i_phone_5/52487376.html?

    &

    http://www.affordablemobiles.co.uk/contract-mobile-phones/t-mobile/full_monty_26/apple/i_phone_5/52628920.html?source=webgains&source=webgains&siteid=73902
  • ChateauMarmontChateauMarmont Posts: 2,373
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    I know that the company I work for (one of the 'Top 5') if someone asks for a PAC code it doesn't make any difference, it just gets issued. Unfortunately there isn't any magic retention system that offers the Earth. It used to be that way admittedly until about 18 months ago, now everything is structured and very rarely we can offer money off phones/tariffs.
  • jabbamk1jabbamk1 Posts: 8,942
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    I know that the company I work for (one of the 'Top 5') if someone asks for a PAC code it doesn't make any difference, it just gets issued. Unfortunately there isn't any magic retention system that offers the Earth. It used to be that way admittedly until about 18 months ago, now everything is structured and very rarely we can offer money off phones/tariffs.

    Well you don't work for EE (t-mo/orange), vodafone or O2 then.
  • ChateauMarmontChateauMarmont Posts: 2,373
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    jabbamk1 wrote: »
    Well you don't work for EE (t-mo/orange), vodafone or O2 then.

    I do, and have done so for over three years now. Surprisingly in the loyalty department so I know very well how it works and what I can offer to about 95% of customers. The other 5% are the ones we can give some form of offer to, not many though!
  • jabbamk1jabbamk1 Posts: 8,942
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    I do, and have done so for over three years now. Surprisingly in the loyalty department so I know very well how it works and what I can offer to about 95% of customers. The other 5% are the ones we can give some form of offer to, not many though!

    Really. There are always certain retention deals on offer that new customers don't have access to. For example o2 have a set budget on upfront costs for certain phones. So they can always discount a tariff that way. There is always some sort of discount to be had if you're a contract customer upgrading.
  • VoynichVoynich Posts: 14,481
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    The annoying thing I was paying £41 a month and I paid £250 up front for my iPhone 4, when I didn't upgrade, they offered me a reduced monthly contract, but by doing that I seem to have lost any "loyalty benefits".

    You're rated on how much you spend a month not length of time or type of contract. There's a small fraction of people spending hundreds a month and they're the only ones they give a damn about! Ask for a PAC and they'll put you through to retentions. They may offer you something.
  • denyo1977denyo1977 Posts: 699
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    Not sure if it's just me, but somehow I don't see the problem for the OP. You have got a 24 month contract (which probably has got more included than the one month rolling contract for the same price), which they basically let you cancel without a penalty and then on top you even want a better deal than a new customer?
  • Step666Step666 Posts: 1,284
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    Voynich wrote: »
    There's really no such thing as customer loyalty anyway.
    In either sense.
    A customer who leaves a network they have no problems with simply because they're not offered a better deal than other customers is hardly 'loyal'.

    I'm not having a pop at the OP or anyone else, it's simply a fact that customers aren't loyal which will be part of the reason why 'loyalty' isn't rewarded any more.
  • Philip WalesPhilip Wales Posts: 6,373
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    denyo1977 wrote: »
    Not sure if it's just me, but somehow I don't see the problem for the OP. You have got a 24 month contract (which probably has got more included than the one month rolling contract for the same price), which they basically let you cancel without a penalty and then on top you even want a better deal than a new customer?

    I think you may of misunderstood, I can't leave now as I would have to pay approx £250 to get out of my new "sim only contract (24months) according to them.

    Back in September when I was due an upgrade, I was unimpressed with the iPhone 5 (at this point I was offered a good deal to take one) and I have had approx 3 calls offering me an iPhone 5 at good rates, since then. But because I'm now on a "sim only plan" the don't offer that deal now or any deal. I was never advised that taking the lower tariff would effect my "upgrade options". I would have probably been better off taking a PAYG on my current phone.
  • mred2000mred2000 Posts: 10,050
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    Small point but all the SIM-only deals on T-Mobile are either 30-days or 12-months, not 24-months.
    Might be worth double checking that one. Might even be worth kicking off to say you were under the impression that you were on a 30-day rolling SIM-only contract and you feel misled...
  • denyo1977denyo1977 Posts: 699
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    I think you may of misunderstood, I can't leave now as I would have to pay approx £250 to get out of my new "sim only contract (24months) according to them.

    Back in September when I was due an upgrade, I was unimpressed with the iPhone 5 (at this point I was offered a good deal to take one) and I have had approx 3 calls offering me an iPhone 5 at good rates, since then. But because I'm now on a "sim only plan" the don't offer that deal now or any deal. I was never advised that taking the lower tariff would effect my "upgrade options". I would have probably been better off taking a PAYG on my current phone.

    I do apologise if I did, but didn't you say in your first post "they come back "Oh yes" we can see that you don't have to pay, "I'll put you through to upgrades"?
  • mred2000mred2000 Posts: 10,050
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    denyo1977 wrote: »
    I do apologise if I did, but didn't you say in your first post "they come back "Oh yes" we can see that you don't have to pay, "I'll put you through to upgrades"?

    True, I'd missed that. So the OP doesn't have to buy out a contract at all, he just isn't getting a free upgrade.
  • exterraexterra Posts: 159
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    T-mob take 20% off line rental for sim only customers at the end of each contract term - if you can stick with the deal you've got, buy the handset sim-only and you should save quite a bit over the long term. I'm currently paying £13 a month for free v/m 300 mins, unltd landline calls, unlimited data with tethering and 300 texts a month. This should go down to around £11 a month at the next renewal.
  • Philip WalesPhilip Wales Posts: 6,373
    Forum Member
    Yes at first they wanted me to "pay out my contract" I pointed out, that I was told that I didn't, they then agreed.

    On my T-mobile site it says contract length 24 months renewable after 16
  • MrSuperMrSuper Posts: 18,467
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    My current 18month T-Mobile contract comes to an end next week. I pay £26 per month, sometimes around £30 if i go over my allowance. I get 600mins, unlimited texts and under TM rules 'unlimted' internet.

    I'm quite happy with TM and their service and been with them for 7/8 years so i don't mind sticking with them. Not keen on 24months and would be happy to do another 18months again. My last upgrade was a Nokia Lumia. Wouldn't mind getting my hands on the HTC One or S4.

    How should i approach Retentions on renewing my contract and getting a better deal and upgrading to a new phone? Anyone have any helpful advice?

    Last time Retentions wasn't very helpful one bit and had to get my current deal via Chitter Chatter.
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