Should loyalty cost?
| Related: | Personal Finance•Utilities•Digital TV |
I had a call from Sky today, who informed me that as a loyal customer they wanted to reward that loyalty. At last I tought a company who are proactively rewarding their customers.
I was asked as series of questions to confirm that I was who they said I was!!
Then they talked to me about A Sky+ HD box. I listened and at the end of the sales pitch said but you said that you wanted to reward me for my loyalty. She replied that this was the lotalty bonus.
So I ran the offer past her again. You want me to take out a Sky HD subscription at a reduced cost of £5.20 for 8 months and then 4 months at the full price of £10.25. So you are rewarding my loyalty by asking me to pay a further £82.60 on top of the £53 a month I already pay? So in order to reward my loyalty you want to charge me more!
Yes, she nonchantly said!
I asked her to qualify how is that rewarding my loyalty? She became very defensive and said you're only paying half the cost of the subscription for HD!!
If I wanted to upgrade to this service I could have done so through a range of cashback sites who were offering a deal where the cost of HD would have been free for a year! She said, we never give anything for free!
So have you ever been offered a reward for your loyalty that would cost you?
Responses (11)
The loyalty reward scheme offered by sky is no such thing its just a well thought out sales pitch.
Actually this is in essence so immoral, unethical and almost deplorable use of warmth and emotion to rope people into their income generation scheme. It's akin to offering the hand of friendship at one end while sucking you dry at the other. Product loyalty was dead and buried years ago when customers became identified on a spreadsheet with a numerical prefix. I have been with HSBC for 43 years and yest received no so much as a chocolate raisin from them. In fact, when I made a not insubstantial complaint last year and received their response, I was told to 'take it or leave it'.
Recently I wanted to upgrade some software with a company from whom I have bought several items. I emailed them and ( reminding them of my customer loyalty ) asked if a discount could be offered. They can back with a 25% off spiel that on the surface was quite inviting until I managed to source the identical product on Amazon for 60% off.
It pays to be 'loyal' to the 'shop around' maxim!
I don't think there is such a thing now as loyalty when buying
anything. I wanted some parts for my hoover and to buy them
locally would have cost twice as much as Amazon (including
free delivery) and I didn't have to use my petrol to go 8 miles
to order it.
I am still trying to work out why an Insurance went up from £20
to £32 for something to do with the drains and then when I said
I was going to cancel the policy the lady came up with a price of
£6.50. I'm still trying to fathom that one out.
No such thing as loyalty from companies, and no such thing as rewarding customer loyalty either. MoreThan car insurance renewal came this week, the renewal price is £30 dearer than taking out a new policy with them and is £40 dearer than last year (no claims). Needless to say I have done neither and have gone elsewhere and saved over £100.
On TopCashBack, I have seen the same offer as I was being sold on the phone today and taking into consideration the cashback aspect, the monthly cost would be £5 for 12 months.
Tonight I feel a valued and appreciated customer of Sky - NOT!
Talk talk offer new customers a better deal than there long term loyal customers for broadband and phone. My answer switch to Sky a better package at a cheaper price and guaranteed not to rise for at least 12 months.
Consumers need to have the bottle to tell their current suppliers that they're off! The moment they do most company's suddenly tell you of a loyalty package that has existed for years.
The magic phrase I find in this day and age is 'can I have the MAC code, please' it works a treat with broadband and mobile phone companies, as this signify's that you are intending to move and then they pull all the stops out. The only difference being that Sky is a monopoly and there aren't any real alternatives to the service thet provide.
In a word yes. Loyalty should always cost (sometimes at a premium)in a service industry but the loyalty should always go the customer in the form of cheaper prices for sticking with the company. In fact,I would advise the long term customer to ring the service provider and say that you wish to move to another provider unless they can promise to match the prices being charged by x,y and z.
Virgin Media are guilty of the same tactics, Parchester. I get loyalty offers from Virgin Media through the post, but the flat downstairs from mine is empty and so I have access to the post for that flat too...and lo and behold, the 'occupant' of that address gets 'new customer' offers that are far more attractive than the so-called 'loyalty' offers I get! Hmm!
This isn't the first time they've tried to pull the wool over their customers eyes Parchester.
Hubby and I have had a contretemps with them on and off for a while now over various concessions.
They must think that we're either stupid or gullible to fall for their spiel and I thought misleading advertising etc was closely governed, it would appear not in this case.
I think that loyalty means nothing as far as the big companies are concerned. If you stay with the same insurance/fuel supplier/bank/broadband or phone company for long you will not get the best and cheapest offers. You just have to keep reviewing and shopping around and never accept a phoned sales pitch without checking the alternatives online.
However some small businesses do value loyalty and you may well get a better deal and better service. For example my local car service garage (a one-man band) does an excellent job for a much better price than I could get from a main dealer.
Totally agree, Sidesalad, my local garage (also a one-man band!) does a great job at a very good price.
Companies will do anything to increase our spend with them, they make it sound like they are doing us a favour and then boom hit you with it. I can't believe the woman you spoke to thought it was ok to ask you to spend more when they were supposedly rewarding you!
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