The Wacky World of a Lazy Pig (AKA Simon)

Hassling Fido for more (still unsuccessful)

Have you ever been unhappy about your fido plan? I have been with Fido in the Fido-to-Fido plan ($25), which is just cheap and really nothing special. I started in 2003 and basically haven't seen anything special happen to my account. For me, the main feature I really need is Caller ID, which has increased from $3 to $5 since 2003, probably because of the Roger take over.

Recently, I have been reading posts from this forum thread:
http://www.redflagdeals.com/forums/showthread.php?t=111887&page=1&pp=15

This is a very very very very good forum thread that talks about getting the BEST deals from Rogers wireless and basic tips on what you can do to get more from your provider. You are probably can eligible for these deals if you have already been with Roger's for more than 1 year. You can even still be in your contract (preferrably closer to the end of the contract) when you do this. Basically, people on this forum believe that they can get more for their money from Rogers and at the same time want a phone upgrade (not saying that Rogers has the best phone but hear me out).

A lot of these people on this forum have been able to get crazy deals like the following:

• 200 daytime minutes
• Unlimited Evenings 6pm-8am
• Unlimited Weekends
• Per Second Billing
• Call Display
• Voicemail
• Call waiting , Call Forwarding , Call Conference
• 2,500 Received Text Messaging per month
• Detailed Billing"
  

for 2 or 3 year contract for a total of $23/month + SAF + 911 fees + tax = $35

Some have been able to get the above package with Rogers-to-Rogers option as well to make it $25/month, or even add 1000 long distance for $25. You don't normally get these types of deals. The above deals would normally cost atleast $35 dollars with extra services and earlier evenings that are unlimited. On top of that, you can even bargain for a very expensive phone and probably get it for less than $100 dollars. If you are good enough, you can even get them to not charge you for the System Access Fee (SAF).

You are probably wondering, how the heck would I even get something like this? Well, see, businesses try to get as much money out of your pockets and don't tell you about things they can offer you. All businesses want to make sure is that they can keep their customers and prevent them from going to another competitor. You can "threaten" them by telling them that you are thinking about going to another carrier like Telus or Bell because they are offering a better plan and a new phone for a very very good price with no charge for activation or administrative fees. Usually when they hear this, they will try to transfer you to what I would call a Retention Associate.

Here, the person will try to offer you more services like more daytime minutes, free call display and good voice mail, free rogers to rogers. But the key to success is not to just take what they give you the first time, because they will try to attract you with words that are just part of some existing plans that have been slightly modified. What you need to do is to tell them that some of those extra services are not enough to meet the offer of Telus or Bell. Don't be afraid to say no for now and say you will think about it and give you some time to think of another plan of attack on the Retention guys.

Call back either later in the day or 1 or 2 days later to ask for the same things again, but this time, tell them that you have been talking with Telus or Bell (a lie most likely!) about the offer to clarify what they are offering you and you basically tell them that they need to match certain extras but providing the same amount of value. In such a case, you can even start about getting phone upgrades for a very good price. What could have been a $300 phone could go down to $100 or even $75. Once again, if things don't seem to be doing so well, tell them that you will continue to think about it, rethink you plan of attack.

Once you have gotten the deal that you want, tell them to repeat eveerything they are offering so you know they aren't cheating you. Hopefully the above works.

As for me, I called Fido 3 times today to try to get a phone upgrade by "saying" that I Telus is offering me a new phone for a cheap price of $49.99 with a lot of neat features for free over a 3 year contract (I would never take a 3 year contract though). They wouldn't give me anything good, the would give me the following after 3 calls:

• 100 mins (regular)
• fido 2 fido (regular)
• 1000 eve-weekends
• free extended coverage for 2 years
• free caller ID for 1 year
• 6 months unlimited local calling
• 6 months free extra 50 mins
• 6 months of the SAF
• $75 Razr (black) for 2 year agreement
  

Really crappy compared to what Rogers can offer for sure. I don't know if I should take it yet. I think I can swap the extended coverage with the Caller ID, caller ID is so much more useful. The phone isn't the best, but it is one of the best that Fido is even offering. Probably going to even tell them to take off the 6 months free of 50mins and decrease the price of the Razr by $25 to make it $50. Overall, my goals are the following:

• Get a phone upgrade
• Get free Caller ID
• Maybe longer evenings and weekends
• get the SAF $6.95 charge waived for the entire agreement
  

Everything else isn't that interesting to me. Going to make a few more calls until I get what I really want. Hopefully I get it.

NOTE: don't ask for too much at a time, go slowly or they may just say no and you can't do anything about it.

posted by lazypig @ 10:53 PM