The main fact is that the majority of cable companies will give you a lower monthly rate if you call and inquire about it. Just bear in mind that you will need to talk on the phone for at least half an hour, call repeatedly, and exercise tremendous patience and politeness.
Did you discover a new charge hike this month when you opened your broadband bill?
It’s not just you. While internet costs abroad have consistently declined, the notoriously anti-competitive U.S. broadband sector has been pushing prices up for years. Currently, a 25 Mbps connection from a New York internet provider costs roughly twice as much as what people in London pay.
So, what are your options?
You may either brush it off or keep sending your hard-earned money away, or you could pick up your phone and begin a bargain!
Internet service providers (ISPs) like Spectrum, Xfinity Internet, CenturyLink, and WOW TV place a high emphasis on you as a client, even in a non-competitive market. Even if your service provider is unable to combine or eliminate any services to reduce the cost, they will likely reduce your membership rate just to prevent you from quitting your service.
Here’s what you need to consider when negotiating with your ISP:
Consider Your Situation
Your value as a consumer is your main negotiating point. For things to work out in your favor, you must have a clear understanding of where your account stands.
Think about the following.
- Do you always pay your bills on time each month?
- Do you have a contract that is about to expire?
If both answers are “yes,” you’re in a strong position to negotiate. Make a note of the precise dates in your payment history to mention them during your conversation. Determine your annual payment amount (do this while seated) and provide your rep with that number.
When you are in the middle of a contract, negotiations are more difficult because the representative is aware that you’ll have to pay a price to break it. This requirement is, however, also evolving as no-contract programs for internet-only service become the standard, especially in places with fiber choices.
Whatever you do, don’t give up! You still have options if the cancellation cost is less than the possible savings from transferring to or downgrading to a different provider. Additionally, when you move providers, some may pay your early termination fee (ETF).
Finally, review your account history and take note of any promotions (sign-up incentives, etc.) you have already taken advantage of as well as any price increases that have happened over your contract.
Do Your Due Diligence
You must be prepared for negotiation when you enter the room.
You can learn about all the ISPs in your neighborhood, their available plans, and how much other users on your current plan are spending.
The unfortunate fact is that 42 million Americans lack access to options for satellite broadband internet. You might have an uphill struggle if you reside in one of these places.
The good thing is that your zip code makes it insanely simple to find out the specifics of what alternatives are available.
Try Again If You Don’t Succeed the First Time
Here’s another recommendation: You should respectfully conclude the chat and try again if the agent doesn’t seem willing to cooperate with you or adopt the same gracious approach. Alternatively, if you forget the first two stages, don’t receive the information you need, or the conversation goes awry, try again.
One of our coworkers who we spoke with, echoed similar advice and related a personal customer experience scenario. She decided to call and threaten to cancel because she was so fed up with her bill rising. She thought they would beg her to stay and offer her a new promotion.
Instead, they terminated their service with her.
Later, she hesitantly called back and spoke to a different agent. Knowing that being truthful was the best course of action, she told her experience and received a fresh deal as well as the recommendation to call and inquire the next time.
Therefore, be ready for things to go wrong the first time, but don’t give up. It can take a few calls before you discover an agent that would work with you or find the promos that are most suited to your objectives. It is well worth the effort if it results in a reduced bill or a better plan.
All in All
Every American would have at least two broadband connection alternatives available to them in a perfect world. Sadly, that world doesn’t exist (yet), and chances are good that you are one of the millions of Americans who only have access to one or two ISPs.
If your ISP is aware that you are locked into a contract with them, your chances of saving money aren’t quite as good, but you can still do so through other means. Even if you’ve been a customer for years, call the new sales number directly rather than the standard customer service line.
Why? Since acquiring a new customer is more difficult than maintaining an existing one, the new sales department most likely offers considerably better discounts.
