Why I have left Plusnet

[#1]

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@ejs wrote:

but it's a case of getting what you pay for

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Yes that's exactly what most expect the service they paid for.

Not a shoddy one riddled with numerous faults or even with a just one fault.

A lower price should still deliver a good service with just maybe fewer bells and whistles.

[#2]

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@ejs wrote:

I'm sure everyone wants the best service at the lowest price, but it's a case of getting what you pay for.

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I think most people are realistic enough to appreciate and accept that there has to be a balance between service and price, - a compromise where both are set at an acceptable level.

And as Jelv said, "There is a need for an ISP who offers a competent technical service at a reasonable price. Plusnet used to be that."

Indeed, it did. I can remember this too, - and very good it was. So why do you imply that  it is now impractical to expect this?

[#3]

I think you've overestimated how realistic most people are.

Please define the "reasonable" prices you expect.

I think a big part of the problem is that Plusnet's prices are too low. Even the standard out-of-contract prices are pretty low, and no-one wants to pay them, everyone seems to want the new-customer style discount forever. To reward their "loyalty", which is entirely dependent on receiving the lowest price, or they'll take their loyalty elsewhere.

[#4]

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@ejs wrote:

everyone seems to want the new-customer style discount forever. To reward their "loyalty"

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I don't think there is really that much "loyalty" involved just a hell of a lot of "why should we subsidise new customers".

Isn't a "free" connection and a "free" router enough?

All most want is a fair price across the board.

And of course a working service with reliable billing without the screw ups.

[#5]

I think I see more threads along the lines of "I'm leaving if Plusnet don't give me a discount" than "all these discounts are bad".

Is it reasonable to expect Plusnet to get your line fixed faster because you need it for something important even though you're not paying any extra for some sort of premium service?

Even expecting to get your full line speed all day every day is a bit doubtful considering the nature of how broadband is provided with so much shared bandwidth across large numbers of customers.

[#6]

I suspect what prompts a lot of the "I'm leaving if Plusnet don't give me a discount" posts is when they are told they can't have the same discount as new users.

[#7]

And there Jelv is the real "rub".  Let's drop the whole concept of something being " discounted" - it is rather "today's going rate".

The key question is "Why should a new customer, with all the inherent costs of customer acquisition, get the same service as an existing customer at a lower price?".

It costs money to acquire customers and there are costs in letting them go.  The best way to grow the user base is to offer a dependable service to all customers at the same attractive price.  Letting existing customers go by forcing them to pay more than new customer is simply stupid!

[#8]

I'm pretty sure the number crunchers have done their sums.  The old way of rewarding loyalty is now considered old-fashioned, churn is the modern way.  It seems most, perhaps all, large companies do it.

[#9]

I would have thought a bigger issue of unfair prices would be Plusnet's higher prices for FTTC in Market A areas.

https://community.plus.net/t5/Plusnet-Feedback/Fibre-Broadband-and-Market-A-1-Exchanges/td-p/1404954

But I suppose it's a case of if you're not happy with the prices Plusnet are offering you, then don't pay them, go somewhere else.

[#10]

@Jonpe ... And that's the heart of the issue, business driven by accounts who know the cost of everything, but the value of nothing.

It is evident that they cannot have crunched the numbers properly.  A new customer has marketing, service start up and probably exception support costs.  Leaving customers have account closure costs.

Creatng the biggest gap between arrival and departure offers the best opportunity to make margins.  Generally once connected, the bulk of users see no issues ... So why "manufacture" issues at the end point of the initial contract by seeking to charge the existing user more than a new customer ... with the likely outcome that they will leave, rather than contribute to margins?

[#11]

Have you considered how many users will move from Plusnet to BT (and visa versa)?

Win-win for BT!

[#12]

It is certainly all win for BTOR for they collect a fat bundle of money for every line service change, irrespective of who is the ISP.

Collectively for the retail divisions its loose-loose for they are paying out supplier costs all round more frequently from discounted revenue streams.  If there is still profit in the discounted fees, then why not offer the same charge to all and eliminate the cost of churn?

[#13]

It's now over 6 months since I started this topic so perhaps time for a review of what has changed. The specific points I raised were:

• IPv6
• Secure email
• New accounts system
• New network
• Webmail and mail servers
• Communicating with Plusnet
• Technical knowledge of Plusnet
• Orders System
• Pro Add-on
• Fibre Product Range

On the plus side: New network seems to have stabilised.

On the negative side: Webmail and mail servers have been giving some users more grief than ever.

Neutral: More staff on these forums to firefight (if the fundamental issues were fixed people wouldn't need to come to the forums).

Also there is a new major issue with the router they supply whereby it can't cope with heavy uploading and it is taking Plusnet forever to roll out a proper solution to all affected users.

I'm not aware of any changes on any of the other points.

[#14]

@jelv dont forget PN supposedly  are starting a Superuser program where customers engage with PN  

Look like its  been put on back burner

[#15]

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rongtw wrote:

Look like its  been put on back burner

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Sometimes things take a little longer than expected.