topic Re: Idea in Plusnet Feedback

Idea

glloyd — Sun, 14 Jul 2013 09:24:56 GMT

Here's a good idea. Stop trying to compete with the mass of confusing and in some cases dubious offers race and simply offer a straight forward cheaper price from day one. All this "haft price", "free months", vouchers for this and that is getting to be a joke. Why not lead the way and scrap all that nonsense and just give good value. Only fools are taken in by all these so called reductions and offers, they all have to be paid for by higher basic charges.

Re: Idea

w23 — Sun, 14 Jul 2013 09:44:44 GMT

Re: Idea

Strat — Sun, 14 Jul 2013 11:28:56 GMT

Unfortunately marketing departments follow trends.
One ISP places an offer on the market and all or most others feel obliged to follow suit.
It's a brave ISP that bucks the trend.

Re: Idea

Oldjim — Sun, 14 Jul 2013 11:33:07 GMT

More to the point - add to the special introductory offers the extensive use of cashback sites which I think is totally unacceptable

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picbits — Sun, 14 Jul 2013 11:39:06 GMT

The cashback site was a decider for me Jim - I worked out my yearly cost for the phone and FTTC and divided it by my contract length and found that overall, the cost of my FTTC+Phone was more competitive than most of the other offerings on the market.
Having done the other maths and worked out that Plusnet won't be making any profit out of me until > 12 months into the contract then it comes across as even better value. At the end of my 18 months contract, if I'm still as happy as I am at the moment then I won't go shopping around for an alternative ISP or throw my toys out of the pram demanding more discounts - a company has to make profit sometime.
The six month hafl price offer and £70ish cashback through Quidco (along with free installation) was enough of a worm on a hook to lure me to try Plusnet. Once I'd been "hooked" I've settled into the PN family and can see myself being here for a long time

Re: Idea

jimbof — Sun, 14 Jul 2013 14:45:47 GMT

I like you had the calculator out to work out what was best value at the time and also used a cashback site (you'd be silly not to!) which in total gave me £98 off the contract - or £5.40 discount per month, without counting the free installation.
It would be nice if they just dropped the pricing by that much, but I guess the reality is only a small proportion collect the cashback, so in most cases the money doesn't change hands or ends up in the pocket of some Affiliates network or similar. So there is a commercial logic in the flexibility to offer such cashback, otherwise you would never stand a chance with the customers who just look for cashback. I did it myself for a while and then realised that actually a lot of the better suppliers don't offer cashback so you're limiting your choices too much.
Now I find the deal I want and then start looking at the cashback options.
As strat says, it would be a brave ISP who bucked the trend!

Re: Idea

glloyd — Mon, 15 Jul 2013 09:12:40 GMT

Once upon a time PlusNet had the guts to buck the trend. All these offers must cost the company and therefore current customers a fortune.

Quote from: Strat
Unfortunately marketing departments follow trends.
One ISP places an offer on the market and all or most others feel obliged to follow suit.
It's a brave ISP that bucks the trend.

Re: Idea

newagetraveller — Mon, 15 Jul 2013 11:41:02 GMT

I realise it's not broadband but my energy supplier just has two simple tarrifs. So much easier to decide who to use without all the complications of discount for this and discount for that!
The only thing that determine a different price per unit is the supply area.
So they have "bucked the trend" and what a refreshing change it makes.

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Mayfly — Mon, 15 Jul 2013 13:47:22 GMT

I agree - I hate all the froth and bubbles and spin doctoring - just tell me what it's going to cost without me having to have a maths degree.

Re: Idea

adamwalker — Tue, 16 Jul 2013 13:10:42 GMT

Hi all,
Thanks for the feedback, as you might appreciate we need to make sure our offers are competitive and attractive and to do that we sometimes need to target certain offers at certain groups of customers or potential customers.
We will genuinely take this feedback onboard though and I'm sorry if such offers may appear negatively to some of you.
Adam

Re: Idea

glloyd — Wed, 17 Jul 2013 09:28:38 GMT

Adam, I would suggest most if not all people would prefer a fair and simple "This is what it will cost you" rather than have to sit down and work out if ISP (A) offer is better the ISP (B) offer. As a post said earlier I buy my electricity and gas from a supplier who only has two tariffs standard and green no silly offers hence price are cheaper. It's obvious to most these free, half price, vouchers, free this and that have to be paid for and the people paying for it are the current customers.

Re: Idea

beeceegee — Wed, 17 Jul 2013 09:52:50 GMT

Quote from: glloyd
. As a post said earlier I buy my electricity and gas from a supplier who only has two tariffs standard and green no silly offers hence price are cheaper.

Would that be OVO by any chance? I went with them 2 years ago on a 1 year fixed deal. I too thought they could shake up the marketplace. At the end of the year, surprise, they were no longer competitive (by a long way) so it was back to one of the big boys (Scottish Power). Another year on and I'm off to EDF. Back to the "silly offers"
I'm less likely to do that with phone/bb as there is more hassle switching for the sake of a few quid, and quality of service to consider

Re: Idea

newagetraveller — Wed, 17 Jul 2013 13:24:37 GMT

Apologies, off topic somewhat! "Would that be OVO by any chance?"
I know you were quoting glloyd - but. Yes, it is. Two years now and their prices are still JUST the cheapest for me. I was a bit annoyed that their daily "service" charge increased by a very large margin in comparison to the small increase in unit cost. I will, of course check very carefully later this year when my 12 months is up.
It is difficult to know fully though with all the big boys' so called discounts for whatever.

Re: Idea

shutter — Wed, 17 Jul 2013 15:37:25 GMT

Quote from: _Adam_Walker_
Hi all,
Thanks for the feedback, as you might appreciate we need to make sure our offers are competitive and attractive and to do that we sometimes need to target certain offers at certain groups of customers or potential customers.
We will genuinely take this feedback onboard though and I'm sorry if such offers may appear negatively to some of you.
Adam

My Bold above.....
Yes... I understand that... but ... How about some sweeteners for the existing LOYAL custumers that you have.... something like an "annual bonus"... would be appreciated for not shifting back and forth between all these "special offers"...
I am cynical about them, and can often "see through" the con in them... i.e... "half price"..... in big bold brash loud script... then hidden in some unreadable small white type at the bottom of the screen/advert, for three months... ( then three times as much for an 18 month contract with terms and conditions apply).... ....
I can`t remember what made me choose PlusNet... except that the ISP I was with, (V21) excellent provider.... was taken over by "Biscuit"... and ...yes you guessed.... it crumbled.... Fortunately, I got out of V21.... before Biscuit crumbled... and landed up with PN.. who.. apart from a few gripes on the forum... ! ! Have been an equally excellent supplier, as V21 were... Still a Happy Customer...but it would be nice if "us oldies" and "loyal customers" got some of the "cream" being dished out to the newbies.....