Telephone support hours changing at Plusnet

[#1]

It answers whether or not your input into this discussion we're having may be biased or not!

[#2]

I have given my answer ( which would not be different if i did not have referrals)  , how i feel about the referral system.  
Maybe the posts regarding referral discussion should be split off.

Mike  

[#3]

No need!
The discussion has ended, unless you have anything else too add of course 
I said what I had to say and I've seen the response

[#4]

Quote from: https

Cornholio tends to wander aimlessly while reciting “I am the Great Cornholio! I need TP [toilet paper]  for my bunghole!

The real issue around here is not the referral payments, it is the cash back payments which exceed the contracted period service fees.  Do you recall the recent £2.50 / 12 month contracts with £100 cash back?  That is the real issue.  Note that there were no referral payments on cash-back sign-ups.
As for your ADSL referral, you should find that when they switch to fibre, you should get a fibre based referral payment.

[#5]

I wonder how long the referral system will last. I see PN trending towards being a mass market, low cost, broadband provider, following something broadly similar to the TalkTalk model. I think Plusnet used to be seen as more of a premium provider, and I could see how a referral system would be a good way for them to attract business.
Now that they are going the route of TalkTalk, providing ultra low cost broadband, and giving these cashback offers, one wonders if there is really a business need anymore for referrals. I have a feeling the referral system will either be stopped or scaled back if PN continue the current trend. They simply won't need it any longer as a means to attract and retain customers.

[#6]

Genuine good quality service is a bit of an anathema to the MBA type of Marketing Executives now at the core of senior management in PN. "If the system works smoothly with few complaints we must be able to increase Value" aka Cost cutting until it becomes too expensive to deal with the complaints. I've now been with PN for a few years and recently it is definitely more Tesco than M&S nowadays. The change to support hours for non-business if definitely a reduction in quality despite all the management speak wrapping the announcements.

[#7]

I have never liked the plusnet referral system, it is clever I give plusnet that, but it will lead to customers accepting poor service because plusnet are paying them for new customers they have obtained, the figures of 45k month been paid out is unreal, that is not insignificant money.  Currently there is 3 known outgoings from plusnet for customer acquisition.
referrals
tv/print/web advertising
cashbacks
I expect none of these have taken a budget hit, they have actually probably grown % wise of overall budget.
Also as I posted on tbb, the way things are been managed by plusnet is borderline insane.  We have a ticket system which has customers waiting several days for a response, plusnet have acknowledged they feel nighttime staff are sitting idle too much time.  So the big question is why havent the night time staff been kept in place and you have them answering tickets to get the ticket wait queue down? that would have been far better use of resources.
To those who refuse to say how much they get from referrals, you not helping yourselves, I will assume anyone who is scared to reveal the amount, is getting at the very least enough to cover their own plusnet subscription and are in profit.

[#8]

I have two referrals:-
1) Received £24 since 2011
2) Received £38 since 2007
So I really look forward to my £1-25 referral payment each and every month 

[#9]

I fail to see how it's anyone's business to know how much someone receives in referrals. It's also completely irrelevant to the support hour changes.

[#10]

True.

[#11]

Quote from: AndyH

I fail to see how it's anyone's business to know how much someone receives in referrals. It's also completely irrelevant to the support hour changes.

its relevant in two ways.
its money been spent that could go on improving the service
people with referrals especially a lot of them will likely be biased, as money changes people.

[#12]

why should anyone state how much theylre getting in referrals?
as the most you can get from a referred customer is 1.25 you'd need maybe 20 refers to cover it (assuming bb + line rental), if anyone has done that then the pn profit from those 20 will likely cover the referral amounts and then some.

[#13]

I feel totally changed by the massive referral payments that I get.
I don't know where a company the size of Plusnet finds the money.
I expect that they are having to sack the night shift to pay for all those massive referrals.

[#14]

Quote from: dvorak

why should anyone state how much theylre getting in referrals? as the most you can get from a referred customer is 1.25 you'd need maybe 20 refers to cover it (assuming bb + line rental), if anyone has done that then the pn profit from those 20 will likely cover the referral amounts and then some.

16 referrals for BB and Phone pays for Fibre Extra + a penny!
I still feel that £45,000+ out per month could be well spent elsewhere... specially as this cost cutting exercise seems to be screwing paying customers...
I suppose I'm wrong to want a level playing field for all customer new and old.

[#15]

I suppose you're also unhappy with cashback sites like MSE/Quidco and various Plusnet offers to new and retaining customers!