Page 15 - AIT.cdr

“Here are

some quick

tips...”

l BENCHMARK the cheapest price
elsewhere. It’s not accidental that I put
switch savings first here – as you need that
as a starting point to haggle with.

l CALL UP – and be polite and charming.
MARTIN LEWIS – new regular Aggression isn’t nice or productive. Use
chutzpah, cheek and a smile. You’re asking
column in Aylesham In Touch for a discount, and your provider’s as much
within its rights not to give one as you are
(factoring in incentives) for unlimited minutes,
texts and 5GB data; or £7/mth for 12GB data. Use a to leave.
comparison site including my www.moneysavingexpert. Explain that you’ve seen it cheaper
com/cheap-mobile-finder/ to find one for you. elsewhere, or it doesn’t fit your budget or
l SLASH DIGITAL TV COSTS – can you save you think it’s too expensive, but you’d prefer
£100s a year? It can be harder here if you’ve bespoke to stay.
channel packages you want to keep (so haggling, which
I cover below, can often beat switching). l IF THAT DOESN’T WORK, ask to be put
But it’s worth checking a comparison site for through to disconnections. Internally that’s
new customer deals – though always work out what called ‘customer retentions’ and it has the
channels you really watch first and be willing to ditch real power to keep you with more room to
the rest. manoeuvre.
If you’ve different providers for your broadband, line
and TV, check if you can save by combining them – l DON’T PANIC if it calls your bluff. If it
play each provider off against the other. says it’ll disconnect you my easy ‘get out of
jail free’ card is the phrase: “Hold on, I’ll call
Option 2: STICK & save... you back on that. I’d like to check with my
wife / husband / dog / goldfish first.”
If you’re out of contract and free to move, but like
the firm you’re with, then try to make them want you
as much as they want switchers. To do that you need to AND IF IT REALLY WON’T PLAY BALL,
haggle – a bit of fiscal flirting, if you like. In my last poll vote with your feet, and consider leaving.
on this, of those who tried to haggle, there were success Sometimes providers can give in at this
rates of 70%+ for BT, EE, O2, Plusnet, Sky, TalkTalk, stage and offer a stonking discount in last-
Three and Virgin (and a still decent 50% for Vodafone). ditch effort to keep you.
It’s always more art than science, but Andrea’s
email shows how well it can work: “At the end of my
BT contract, I called and used Martin’s haggling tips,
preparing myself with a list of comparable deals. After
a lengthy call I shaved a cool £318 off my package. Martin Lewis is the Founder and Chair of
Just proves that by doing some prep, being patient and MoneySavingExpert.com. To join the 7.5
politely persistent, that it pays off. million people who get his free Money Tips
weekly email, go to
Thanks, Martin. www.moneysavingexpert.com/latesttip
15