Sky wouldn't let me leave until I had discussed my account for 90 minutes

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  • Chris1973Chris1973 Posts: 670
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    Presumably they turn around enough customers that were really going to cancel to make the offers profitable otherwise they wouldn't do it. They'll have run the numbers in detail.

    Turned around, or worn down?.

    Personally, keeping somebody on the phone for up to 90 minutes in order to change their mind and prevent the cancellation is completely unacceptable, and to me isn't that much different than a sales person sitting in somebodies living room for the same length of time, slowly wearing them down until a contract is signed by the customer, just to be rid of them, a technique that used to be employed decades ago by some door to door salespeople. All that is different is the customer has made the call, and any stalling tactics are done over the Telephone or online chat.

    Plain and simply its a hard sell method.

    I don't have an issue with Sky offering better deals to retain customers, indeed I suspect that's why most people ring them on the bluff of cancelling, however how many times does the customer need to repeat themselves, if they are really not interested in continuing with Sky or are financially unable too. Once?, Twice?, a dozen times?, where is the line drawn.

    A new offer, where available can be given in Minutes and after a second refusal and a repeat of the desire to cancel from the customer, then that should be enough to be actioned. We aren't haggling over the price of a second hand car!.

    For some people it could be difficult / foolhardy to sign a new 12 month contract, regardless of the offer made, if they are currently on a 3 day week at work, or a zero hour contract or their existing job security is questionable - in 3 months time they may be living off JSA. People have their own reasons for cancelling, and quite frankly those reasons are non of Sky's business (provided the customer has completed their minimum contract term), and the fact that not everybody is ringing on the basis of trying to get a better deal should be respected, hence the suggestion of a quick (online) means for those who have made their minds up, and the more laborious method to phone sky and listen to the low drone of a Sales operative in full flow in return for a % discount.

    If one day I wake up and decide to cancel Sky just for the hell of it, I should be able to do that, in the easiest most convenient way available without question or having to justify myself to an unseen person on the end of the phone, and with the technology available today there is no reason why this can't be done in the time it takes my morning coffee to boil.

    Its 2015, not 1915 and I have no idea why Sky would resort to limiting cancelling to one single means, especially as their existing interface seems pretty apt and efficient at enabling their customers to upgrade their subscription. I can only assume that this method is chosen, because making a physical call firstly takes more effort than clicking a link, and it is also the most effective means of delaying a decision.

    You have to ask yourself why Sky won't allow its customers to cancel by post, along with my cancellation letter, I offered to send them copies of my driving licence, passport and Council tax bill along with my employers' direct contact details to the MD in order for them to confirm my Identity and prove I was the account holder. These are acceptable means when communicating with my bank, insurance company or even the HMRC, so why are Sky playing it differently.

    Perhaps they need to be subtly reminded that they are a subscription based service provider, and not M.I 5 :D
  • ResonanceResonance Posts: 16,638
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    Don't get me wrong, badgering people into submission is wrong.
  • RichardcoulterRichardcoulter Posts: 30,159
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    Do Sky still make money from the phone calls, or has that been stopped now?

    If so, the longer you are kept on the phone, the more money they make out of you. Just a thought; I wouldn't put it past this company.
  • sodafountainsodafountain Posts: 16,829
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    Do Sky still make money from the phone calls, or has that been stopped now?

    If so, the longer you are kept on the phone, the more money they make out of you. Just a thought; I wouldn't put it past this company.

    No, they do not.
    Sky wrote:
    Call us
    Our call centres are currently closed. Please call back between 08:30 and 19:55.

    Call a Sky expert on:
    03332 022 135
    Calls to Sky contact centres are free for Sky Talk customers

    If you’re not with Sky Talk, calls to 03 numbers cost the same as calls to 01 or 02 numbers and are included in your calls package. If you don’t have a calls package, charges may apply and vary by provider. BT customers pay 9.58p per minute and 15.97p connection.
  • pjexpjex Posts: 9,315
    Forum Member
    Interesting that although Sky now use 03 numbers which are inclusive on most phone packages, this is usually only up to 1 hour, so I suspect the retentions staff have been trained to keep callers on for an hour by time wasting, then the pressure is back on the customer to get off the phone quickly as they are now paying by the minute for any time over an hour, at which point they may find it easier to cave than hold out to cancel and pay all the extra phone charges.

    You've got to admit Sky are an extremely clever company and it's subtle tactics like this which helps it keep over 10 Million customers paying many hundreds a year for a few extra TV programs.

    Sky wouldn't be the great British corporate success it is if it rolled over easily ever time a customer thought about leaving, they will put up a huge fight to retain every last customer and keep the profits rolling in. Sky is a business not a charity and will do what ever is necessary to maximise profit, that is every businesses one and only aim.

    Until a decent competitor comes along Sky will continue to be a huge pull to customers, BT have an inferior TV service with many less football games whilst Virgin only covers half the country and TV wise just resells Sky channels minus the channel with the best shows.
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