Sometimes We Miss The Times Before Cell Phones

I’ve been wanting to switch phone providers for years since mine does very sketchy business. They are the people that call you even though you are on their do-not-call list, and if you don’t utter the word “no”, you’re paying for something. Unfortunately, they are incredibly cheap, so I had to stick with them for a while. I am non-confrontational, but with these folks, I have learned to stand my ground a little more.

I am looking at options to get a new contract but end up considering getting my current contract renewed — like I said: incredibly cheap — and after ruling out many other options, I finally find an offer on their website that I like, so I call them. I have to call three times since I have a specific question no one can answer and they apparently cannot redirect the call. (BUT, they can ask me to review the service they gave on the call.)

Finally, I end up with someone in the renewal department.

Me: “I would like [offer #1].”

Representative: “We don’t have that.”

Me: “But I’m looking at it on your website right now!”

Representative: “No, we don’t have that option.”

I realise that she can’t see it on her end because technically, I can’t switch to that contract since it is cheaper and considered a downgrade, which they don’t offer. I now also realise something else: last time I renewed my contract, they offered me a great discount to get me the deal I wanted, making me essentially pay only 15€ for a 20€ contract. Now I get why. They basically upsold me so I couldn’t downgrade below 20€. I was considering simply getting a new contract altogether, but since I am now speaking with a renewal person, I would have to call AGAIN to get a new contract.

Me: “Oh, so you offer that option only for new customers?”

Representative: “Yes.”

Me: “Well, what about [offer #2]? It says here on your website that it’s 12€ for [service].”

Representative: “No, that’s before tax.”

Me: “What?”

Representative: “That is before tax; it would end up being about 17€.”

Mind you, that would be false advertising and therefore illegal. She’s clearly lying to get me to sign something more expensive. I have to stop myself from laughing while also hardly being able to believe what I hear. She then also tries some other tricks.

Me: “So, I could get [offer #1] if I got a new contract?”

Representative: “Yes, but with all the fees included, a new contract would come to 130€.”

That’s another lie. Even with maximum 40€ for connecting services and maximum 8,50€ for keeping your number, it would still be below 50€.

I’m done with this.

Me: “All right, I’m gonna reconsider and call when I know what I need.”

Representative: “But I have a 200€ bonus waiting for you if you sign today! Otherwise, it’s lost!”

Me: “Yes, I am aware. Goodbye.”

I thought about whether or not to report this somewhere but I didn’t know where and I’ll bet the call was conveniently not randomly recorded, anyway. But in the end, this was the audacity I needed to finally look for another option. So, after eight years of feeling disgusting for doing business with them, I had a good laugh and left. The irony: this representative really made a customer happy — though not the way she intended to!