Nice offer from Virgin Media this morning (re Sky Sports)

I had Sky Sports + BT Sports on my Virgin Media bundle for a couple of years until, last year, they decided to increase my bill by a ridiculous amount. It would have gone up to about £130 or £140 per month from £85 so, naturally, I cancelled it. I have a wobbly Sky Sports feed on my PC which is ok, but a bit annoying with buffering and freezing, but I was prepared to live with it.

Having downgraded my Virgin bundle by quite a lot I was down to £65 per month. This morning I thought about subscribing to Now TV for either a day or a month just to get the play offs and the first Ashes Test next month. They want £34.99 for a month. I wondered if Virgin could do any better.....

The upshot is that after a few minutes of sucking up to me as a "valued customer" the guy offered me Sky Sports HD + BT Sports for an additional £16.50 per month. I accepted it straight away and before the conversation was over I checked my programme guide on the telly and they are all there.

The point of all this - why do these companies try to rip off existing, long term customers (like they tried with me last September). It's incredible that I can now have that service for only £16.50 per month (which I can easily afford) whereas before it was going to be about four times as much. I am only relating this story in case anyone is in a similar position. Now TV might be more flexible (month by month) but as I want to watch cricket this summer and then the Reds in the Championship next season (when I'm not travelling) I decided the price difference was worth signing up to.

 

Whenever you are coming to the end of your contract with Virgin always try and speak to retentions. Tell them that your contract is/has ending and see what they can offer. Tell them as a new customer sky will give you what you currently have with Virgin at a 3rd of the price for 12 months.

I'm currently paying virgin 85 a month and that's for everything with 600mb broadband, even told them where to stick the 25 quid increase that was happening in may and March and April's bill was only 45.00 and then in may back to 85.00.

My contract is up in October and expect to get the exact same but upgrade my broadband to 1gig for the same price it even less

 

Yes I know it’s always worth trying your luck with these people. I suspect they are desperate to sell Sports packs at the ends of a football season so maybe my timing is good. It’s only football and cricket for me. I know it’s a “luxury” item but it’s affordable so I can indulge myself can’t I

 

You are only a valued customer when you want to opt out. My Bill's at sky were £120+ per month. I'd had enough of pandering to every tv companies rights to sporting events. I would imagine football being the highest outlay to pay overpaid Prima Donna's their obscene wages. I wanted to not watch football at all. But other sports mainly cricket and world events. I told em I was part time (true) and couldn't keep spending on things I dont watch. Dropped payments to £60/70. Crept up again within 2/3 years. £110. Said I was leaving again. Having now retired. Valued customer. But no matter how much we removed. the bill was still more than I was prepared to pay. So fekked ot off. People complain about the BBC. At £150 pa. Yet pay as much as that per month for Sky then having to add. BT. Sports. Amazon sports. Netflix. Etc. To cover all eventualities. And to add insult to injury, pay per view.
I now pay Talk talk for broadband . TV plus and watch a lot of sport via you tube etc. £24 pm. A £1200 pa saving minimum.
Because that many people have dodgy sticks now. Due to the exorbitant prices. These companies will have to pass on the losses by folk jumping ship onto existing customers. It's s41t.
Netflix already talkiing about stopping people sharing passwords. I share my lads who lives in london. I certainly won't be looking to set up my own account if that happens.

 

I have Virgin Prince,and I used to get just the standard package as I wasn’t really bothered about the sports and films.Out of the blue they rang and offered me the new router another box which I could put anywhere upstairs,the complete full package tv sports films and whatever,telephone upgrade all for £45 a month for 18mths where as before we were paying around £80 a month.As you can imagine I snapped the offer up and I have had it for around 4mths now.

 

I hear of people getting great deals like this one but it never happens to me. Been with Virgin for 20 plus years too. It seems my negotiating skills aren’t up to much.

 

Excellent news! They can do it if they want to

 

Well it’s obvious David - just threaten to leave and then harvest all the goodies that they offer! With the online chat option it’s so easy. They fawn and flatter you until you say yes. I’ll take good deals every day of the week IF it suits me

 

Ah….right so you did it all via the online chat? That’s the way I need to go then I reckon.

 

It’s easier that way. It always starts with a Bot asking you questions but then you get to a real person and, usually, they are quite helpful. Certainly was today!