Frustrated with your telecom bill?
A little negotiation can go a long way in getting the best deal you can from your carrier
TORONTO — Canadians have long had a volatile relationship with their telecom providers, but some savvy customers have turned complaints about monthly fees and contracts into big savings.
For Hamilton, Ont. resident Vanessa Ewen, all it took was a phone call to pare down her wireless bill. Internet charges were next on the call list. She was inspired after hearing about other people’s monthly bills.
“I heard prices and deals that they were getting, and wondered ‘Why am I not getting that?’ ” she said.
Ewen made a call to the customerservice department once she did some research on the best way to approach her wireless provider. After one successful round of negotiations, she made contacting her provider an annual event.
“I know it’s a little extra work, but it really is worth it,” she said.
Ewen estimates that she will save about $120 on her Internet bill over the next year.
The key is to determine what you want to accomplish before picking up the phone, she said.
“You need to know if you want to negotiate price or what services you’re getting,” Ewen said.
Before making the call, be sure to prepare evidence by doing a bit of research. If someone in your family has a better monthly plan, mention that to the customer service representative, or if a competitor offers a better deal, don’t be afraid to use it as leverage.
Once you’ve created a strategy, dial your provider and start the process. The first step is to get beyond the frontline staff who have hardly any power when it comes to reducing your bill. All of those decisions are made by the management or customer-retention departments, and you will often need to ask to speak with them after voicing your initial frustrations.
“Build a rapport and use their name,” Ewen suggests. “Explain to them ‘I’ve been with this company for so long. I pay my bills on time.’ You can even say things like ‘I’m going through a little bit of a hard time financially.’ ”
No matter how you choose to approach the negotiations, be sure to keep calm.
“I actually find that if you’re nicer you get further,” she said. “Nobody wants a caller freaking out. Trust me, I’ve tried that approach, too.”
Activist consumer organization OpenMedia.ca provides a database of alternative wireless and Internet providers in regions across the country on its website at www.openmedia.ca/switch.