# Any "loyalty and retention" tips?



## MichelArsenault (Aug 16, 2010)

After spending 30 minutes in the Telus store followed by 45 minutes on the phone with loyalty and retention (half of that talking to various computers asking me if I was really sure that I wanted to call in the first place) I was given a date. October the 27th. That is when I reach my 1 year mark, and are eligible for a fully subsidized iPhone if I am willing to start a new 3 year contract. At first that was fine, until a trip that was planned for October the 30th had to be moved to early September. 

Has anyone had any luck with Telus loyalty and retention on getting the iPhone subsidized before reaching their 1 year mark? If so what was your story? I am hoping to take the iPhone with me instead of brining an entire Mac and my current phone is not capable of doing the few things I need to do while on vacation. 

Thanks!


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## staples57 (Nov 19, 2007)

I'm a self confessed cynic... having said that... here's my two cents.

Customer Retention is a MYTH, it simply does not exist in Canada.

Canadian cell phone providers (and let's face it, there's really only two... Bell & Rogers) all offer the same plans for the same prices. They may dress up their plans a bit... different bows, different ribbons & different shiny stuff, but at the end of the day, when you get you wireless bill, they all offer the same plans for the same price. 

Where's the competition?

More and more people are flocking to the providers every second. Why would they (the cell phone providers) be concerned with retaining existing customers when new customers are coming to them faster than they can handle it. 
Take a look at the recent iPhone 4 launch. People are STILL lining up where ever the iPhone 4 is available (or rumored to be available)!

They're simply sheep herders!

Cell phone providers are relying on the hardware to bring in the customers, NOT their service plans and certainly NOT the quality of their customer service. It's a fact that Canada has some of the HIGHEST cell phone rates.

Competition, real competition, will be the true beginning of Customer Retention in Canada.


Like it or hate it, agree with it or disagree with it... that's my two cents!


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## kkritsilas (Mar 1, 2010)

Some of this is still true, some of it has changed. While we still have expensive voice plans, our data is cheaper ($30/6GB Month on Rogers, or sign up for a $65 voice/data plan on Telus, and they take your data to 5GB/month) than AT&Ts, now that AT&T has gotten rid of their unlimited plan. And while customer retention still leaves a lot ot be desired, concentrate on the services side of what the carriers are doing. 

Fact of the matter is, the iPhone is in short supply all over the planet, including the US, where delivery times are now being quoted as 3 weeks or longer, still; even though they launched a month before Telus/Bell/Rogers/Fido/Virgin did. People flock to locations with iPhones because they choose to, driven by their own inner desires. Nobody HAS to have an iPhone 4; nobody for that matter absolutely NEEDS to have a cell phone; people WANT cellphones, and they WANT the iPhone 4. Only people with that amount of desire are willing to spend hours at a time, perhaps for multiple days, in line. I would like an iPhone 4, too, but I won't stand in line; I can wait for more inventory to arrive, and when there is enough inventory in place that I can walk in, get a phone, have it activated, and walk out without any delays, is when I will go get one. People are sheep, as you put it, because they choose to be, the carriers can only offer what makes the most business sense to them; if what they are offering suits your requirements, then go with them, if they don't, go with another provider, or don't use a cellphone at all.

I neither hate it, like it, agree or disagree with it, but some of your "facts" are provably incorrect (see example of data rates, above).

Kostas


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## bsenka (Jan 27, 2009)

Telus is particularly good at retention. You can demand almost anything and get it if your contract is almost up. They do more for their customers than Bell and Rogers, that's for sure.

Less than one year into a three year deal though? What's their motivation?


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## MichelArsenault (Aug 16, 2010)

bsenka said:


> Telus is particularly good at retention. You can demand almost anything and get it if your contract is almost up. They do more for their customers than Bell and Rogers, that's for sure.
> 
> Less than one year into a three year deal though? What's their motivation?


Their Motivation: They have hearts? 

Anyways, thanks for helping/making me scared of all major canadian corporations! 

Ill call just because I have nothing to lose but wont be expecting anything (never was)

Ill post back if some miracle happens ...


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## MichelArsenault (Aug 16, 2010)

Just got off the phone with Telus, the lady (who was very nice) said the best she could do was August the 24th and she said it like she was sorry. I was shocked, I thought that the best they wold of been able to do was early october! I guess I was just EXTREMELY lucky...


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## John Clay (Jun 25, 2006)

Rule #1 is always be polite.

Just got off the phone with Rogers, and got a better deal than before.

I'm now paying $45.30/month (taxes/fees included) for:
200 Wkday/Unltd. Eve/Wkends ($17.50)
6PM Early Eve. Calling Option ($7, fee waived)
Data Service Plan 6GB ($30, $10 discount)
Caller ID, Voicemail, 2500 Sent/Unl. Received Txt ($10, fee waived)
Gov't Regulatory Recovery Fee ($2.58)


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## bsenka (Jan 27, 2009)

MichelArsenault said:


> Their Motivation: They have hearts? .


They already are showing huge hearts by allowing you to renegotiate your contract when you're only one third of the way into it. You're the one who is trying to take advantage of them.


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## broad (Jun 2, 2009)

> I'm now paying $45.30/month (taxes/fees included) for:
> 200 Wkday/Unltd. Eve/Wkends ($17.50)
> 6PM Early Eve. Calling Option ($7, fee waived)
> Data Service Plan 6GB ($30, $10 discount)
> ...


thats pretty pimp. i am about to start pretty much the same plan, except i have 1000 mins north american long distance and unlted texts to the US as well. mine comes out to $62 after taxes and all that crap. just waiting to find a mothereffing phone so i can renew


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## andreww (Nov 20, 2002)

John Clay said:


> Rule #1 is always be polite.
> 
> Just got off the phone with Rogers, and got a better deal than before.
> 
> ...


Thats what gets me with the phone companies. One guy gets one thing, another guy gets something different. If Rogers were to offer a plan like that I might actually consider signing on, but the stock plans they sell are crap in comparison. I rarely talk on the phone, send a handful of texts every month, but surf quite a bit. Why should I have to shell out $30 a month for phone services, just so I can be eligible to buy a data plan. WHY DOESNT ANYONE OFFER PAY & TALK WITH 2 or 3 GIGS OF DATA????? At say $25 a month + usage they'd get a ton of users!


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## bsenka (Jan 27, 2009)

andreww said:


> Thats what gets me with the phone companies. One guy gets one thing, another guy gets something different. If Rogers were to offer a plan like that I might actually consider signing on, but the stock plans they sell are crap in comparison.


I mentioned this in a previous thread: who actually pays the listed price? I never have, ever, for any telecom related service. You should always ask for a break on the terms and/or the price. If the first guy says "no", call back and talk to someone else. It's very similar to buying a car, the list price is just the "sucker" price; they only charge it to people who don't know enough to ask.


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