Negotiate a lower cable bill
Q I called my cable company the other day to try to get a better deal, but the representative refused. She said I had used up my promotional benefits and now must pay the regular price. Since I’m on contract with this provider for almost another year, am I stuck with this higher monthly price? — Annie Anxious
A Dear Ms. Anxious: I take it from your note that you only tried the one time and gave up after speaking with the unhelpful rep. As many of us know, our telecoms bills can big time exceed $100 a month with the (in) famous Triple Play bundle of TV, Internet, and home phone service. Unfortunately, most folks don’t try to bargain with their provider; Consumer Reports, for example, says only three out of ten people from its list of subscribers ever tried to haggle. BUT of the three, more than 90 percent were successful, saving up to $50 a month.
Consumer Reports suggests these steps for haggling your way to lower bills: 1 JUST ASK. Don’t be one of those seven who stay mum. Call to see if you qualify for a promotional deal that will lower your cost. This is an especially good idea if you’re a first-time seeker.
2 CLIMB THE SUPERVISORY LADDER. If the first customer service rep refuses your plea, call back and speak with someone else. If this, too, fails, then ask for the manager. (Make sure you’ve obtained all persons’ names and any other identifying information.) Don’t be afraid to tell Martha or Melvin Manager that you’re strongly considering cutting back on services if you don’t get a break. Just be sure you always mean what you say and carry through.
3 THREATEN TO WALK. Empty threats are just that — empty — and most people know it. So as stated in No. 2, say what you mean and mean what you say and be prepared to deliver. Tell the provider you’re looking at a rival camp and thinking of canceling with the current provider. Our area is better than most for more than one available market.
4 PLAY HARDBALL. If you do decide to switch, let your current provider know so they have a chance to woo you back. In fact, even if you’ve already made up your mind, wait a week or two to schedule the disconnect. This way, you’re almost sure to be called with aggressive deals.
In closing, there’s a new bill in Congress that would allow consumers to buy, basically, an a la carte menu of cable channels. You pick just the channels you desire, which then would probably lower your cable bill. The “Television Consumer Freedom Act,” now in the Senate, would encourage cable companies to unbundle their channels to offer the a la carte programming. Moreover, for all you sports enthusiasts, it would eliminate the TV blackout rule for sports events that are currently held in publicly-financed stadiums.
Contact your U. S. senators and congressional representatives to demand their backing for this bill.