Vodafone, losing the plot?
Angry is a very long time customer of Vodafone - as is Mrs Angry and the three Angryites. Our contracts are currently up for renewal so we thought it might be appropriate to engage Vodafone with a view to negotiating a deal.Here's what happened:
On Tuesday April 20th at about lunchtime I took a call from a Vodafone representative who had been reviewing my accounts on foot of my request some two weeks earlier for the various PAC numbers. The chap assured me that he'd be very unhappy to lose my custom and that he'd like to try and hammer out a deal to keep me, Mrs Angry and the kids, as Vodafone customers.
Unfortunately I’m afraid his call confirmed my very worst fears - Vodafone have totally lost the plot as far as retaining existing customers is concerned.
His proposed “deal” in order to retain us as a family of five was to reduce the allowance on both contract handsets of 600 free minutes by 50% to 300 minutes and reduce the existing line rental per handset from £12.50 (inc VAT) to £10.00 (inc VAT).
It became clear what was at play when he suggested that I downgrade the family pack from the group of six (there are five in my immediate family) to the group of four (yes, you read that right) for £5.00 (inc VAT) – it had obviously escaped his notice whilst "reviewing" my account that I am currently getting the group of six for no cost at all.
Effectively, in real / monetary terms, he was “offering” to halve our existing free minutes allowance and knock one of our family off the free calls package in an attempt to retain our custom.
I’m sure readers will appreciate that whilst I’m disappointed, I'm not at all surprised.
I think this type of "offer" is something which senior management at Vodafone might want to look into as it is bound to lose Vodafone considerable numbers of customers who can see through badly thought out retention campaigns - especially in the current economic climate.
Be wary of any company that's prepared to take you for a fool - and your hard earned cash for granted.
Labels: leaving, retentions, Vodafone, Vodafone offers
posted by Mr Angry @ 5:37 PM
