Fleeced for your loyalty

[ufkacbln]

I am becoming increasingly annoyed that "loyalty discounts" are penalising loyalty

The latest is the AA

Renewal (with £40 loyalty discount) is over £180

Yet a new member can get the same cover for £120

It is the same with magazine subscriptions and the like where you can also have savings of half if you cancel and renew as opposed to renew.

One company refused to allow this and even accepted a total cancellation rather than the discount...... bizarrely my cat took out the subscription and got the new members discount!

Remember when a loyalty discount actually meant something?

 

[gbb]

There is no loyalty anymore, it's an illusion they throw out to pander to our rosy tinted memories of how things used to be.
No-one owes you anything, you owe them nothing...it's a hard nosed business transaction where they are going to extract the maximum they can from you. It's the punters job to make sure they don't.
Modern life I'm afraid.

 

[ufkacbln]

There is no loyalty anymore, it's an illusion they throw out to pander to our rosy tinted memories of how things used to be.
No-one owes you anything, you owe them nothing...it's a hard nosed business transaction where they are going to extract the maximum they can from you. It's the punters job to make sure they don't.
Modern life I'm afraid.

I agree, but why bother wit the pretence?

 

[Moodyman]

I agree, but why bother wit the pretence?

Basic marketing. Because most consumers are apathetic to independent research. "They do as they're told" was what a senior marketeer once said to me when the organisation was planning to rollout a new product.

 

[numbnuts]

The AA tried this on with me, I complained so in the end they let me have in at the new members price

 

[DanZac]

I've kicked off at the AA for the last 5 renewals about this now and always got it down to the same or below the internet price. It really winds me up that you have to tell them to shove their stupid quote before they will give you the proper price though.
No such thing as loyalty any more, broadband, tv, insurance their all in on the same try to sting you for staying loyal game.

 

[slowmotion]

In this household, I'm afraid that any renewal notice for insurance , utilities etc is just treated as an alert that it's time to find an alternative supplier.

 

[User33236]

I've cancelled and renewed car insurance with the same company for the past four years. This year they called me about my renewal to offer it as new customer rate as it saved them 'a lot in admin fees'. Was certainly worth persevering.

 

[Drago]

Every year I get my inflated car insurance renewal quote. Every year I do a comparison. Every year the comparison comes up hugely cheaper. Every year I then ring to cancel, and they offer me a really good deal to stay. Every year I decline their kind offer, on the basis that if they really valued my custom they'd have offered that to begin with.

Unfortunately, too many folk either pay the inflated renewal, or accept the later offer, so they've little incentive to change. If enough folk grew some stones and did what I do then they might suddenly see the light.

 

[furball]

RAC sent me a renewal price of twice the amount I previously paid. When I phoned to complain they put the price back to the original and then promptly tried very persuasively to sell me additional services costing £50.
I let them think they had succeeded and then phoned back after 10 minutes and cancelled.

 

[slowmotion]

Every year I get my inflated car insurance renewal quote. Every year I do a comparison. Every year the comparison comes up hugely cheaper. Every year I then ring to cancel, and they offer me a really good deal to stay. Every year I decline their kind offer, on the basis that if they really valued my custom they'd have offered that to begin with.

Unfortunately, too many folk either pay the inflated renewal, or accept the later offer, so they've little incentive to change. If enough folk grew some stones and did what I do then they might suddenly see the light.

It's actually quite funny when the guy on the end of the phone gets all shirty when you politely say you are leaving despite their final offer.

 

[swee'pea99]

It's actually quite funny when the guy on the end of the phone gets all shirty when you politely say you are leaving despite their final offer.

I'm sure you've heard all the stories about mobile operators doing everything but beg to get people not to jump ship. The two times I've phoned to say I'm leaving, they've said 'Oh, ok.' Very hurtful!

 

[slowmotion]

I'm sure you've heard all the stories about mobile operators doing everything but beg to get people not to jump ship. The two times I've phoned to say I'm leaving, they've said 'Oh, ok.' Very hurtful!

You really should try PlusNet. He got quite rude. The mask of steady, helpful Yorkshiremen, peddled in their adverts, fell to the floor pretty fast.

 

[Drago]

I was coming to the end of my mobile contract and some cheery bloke from Vodafone called me and said "how would you like a shiny new phone?"

He really picked the wrong bloke, and seemed astonished that someone wasn't suckered into another years contract by the prospect of a new gadget. He seemed even more astonished when I was asked if they did Cat or JCB mobile phones.

I'm now sim only with Tesco, 6 quid a month for a crap load of minutes and data, the latter I never use, and their customer service is a refreshing change from the high pressure tactics of their rivals.

 

[Deleted member 35268]

Yes, it is outrageous.