Three - a little annoying

Just replace 3 with the names of any one of dozens of other companies and the same practices will ensue. There are one or two who will reward existing customers over new, such as Nationwide, but they are in the minority.

The companies could save themselves a fortune if they offered a gradated benefit for remaining a client but choose not to. Short sighted (I wonder if Specsavers are one of them?)

Phone companies! You have just hit a raw nerve Ian. My 89 year old Dad is with Talk Talk, very long story short - his phone out of order, explained that he is not long out of hospital and phone is our lifeline, as my brother and I not able to visit every day. Chap kept saying that my Dad would have to report it! No his phone is out of order! Told highest priority 24 to 48 hours due to his age/ illness. A week later I phoned again as still not working, to be told someone had closed the reported fault file down and nothing had been done! They promised it would be repaired but insisted that I give them my mobile phone number to contact me. I told them I was not available on a mobile number and offered my home number. I was then told they couldn't ring me on a landline! After I exploded saying they are a large phone company but they wouldn't/couldnt use a landline they finally relented and took my number. Phone now fixed, so glad I am not with them and never will be.

I bought a phone on vodophone 2yr contract for my grandson kept having trouble with them putting spottify on and charging £10 mth without telling me after very many mths of agro on the phone to them they finally refunded me , only for them to put it back on again the following mth

Then when I rang to remind them I would not be renewing would not except 2 mths notice only 1 so rang every week to confirm no renewal confirming over and over I will be cancelling contract when it ends , ask for the phone to be cleared and wanted codes  ect still having agro  

I have had Ian's experience a couple of times. Once with my mobile provider and the second with my ISP.  I rang each of them and told them I wanted to cancel my contract and when asked why, I explained that I was unhappy that I was not getting the deal they were offering to new customers.  During a bit of haggling during which I stressed that I really was going to go elsewhere, they relented and gave me a better deal.  Probably not the full blown deal they were offering new customers - but at least a compromise.

Along similar lines I have walked away from £25 credit refund due under a vodaphone pre payment plan. If you don't use the pre paid aspect you lose it!  Have gone elsewhere but expect more battles in 12 months time.

We have frequently found that taking the 'thinking of leaving' option when ringing phone companys, unlocks their inability to offer new customer deals.

Talk Talk get my vote for the WORST I have dealt with on phones with nPower on electricity! 

The think I get irritated with is the texts you get as soon as you pass from one country to another, in Europe, telling you the cost of calls or letting you know it's a feel at home country.  I know it's only being helpful, but we've started betting on which of us gets the text through first!

David 

David - I went to Bermuda and and my phone welcomed me to Jamaica! 

How the heck do they ever get things right?