How to Negotiate With Retentions; Getting the Absolute Best Deal

[TheNewGuy]

I have a question....

If I call retentions or what not, negotiate a deal with them, can I have them put it on my account and then go to Best Buy or something and have them activate it???

The reason I ask is that Best Buy usually has free Giftcard programs and what not....

[htan]

I have a question....

If I call retentions or what not, negotiate a deal with them, can I have them put it on my account and then go to Best Buy or something and have them activate it???

The reason I ask is that Best Buy usually has free Giftcard programs and what not....

i'm doubtful; but any follow-up charges that are handled by bell can probably be waived by retentions

[anonymousI]

just a stupid question, but is there a specific way to get through to retentions? Is there a direct number? Thanks

[toemaytoe]

so, two years ago my wife signed a three year contract with bell and got a htc touch phone. What a piece of crap! She has had untold problems with this phone. She has a year left on contract and has been told that it will cost her $300 to cancel and that she couldn't upgrade to an iphone. That just doesn't make sense to me, (I use fido and have been able to negotiate with them many times over the years) so I am planning to contact retentions on her behalf and discuss her options. I would sincerely appreciate it if anyone who has successfully negotiated this sort of deal could reply with their experience and suggestions.

[cdawe]

so, two years ago my wife signed a three year contract with bell and got a htc touch phone. What a piece of crap! She has had untold problems with this phone. She has a year left on contract and has been told that it will cost her $300 to cancel and that she couldn't upgrade to an iphone. That just doesn't make sense to me, (I use fido and have been able to negotiate with them many times over the years) so I am planning to contact retentions on her behalf and discuss her options. I would sincerely appreciate it if anyone who has successfully negotiated this sort of deal could reply with their experience and suggestions.

I had the same basic thing happen to me. A couple of years ago, as part of a new 3 year contract, I bought an LG Shine. Now, if you want to talk about a piece of crap, that phone was and is crap.

The thing was not good on batteries, couldn't pair with bluetooth devices properly, and finally, almost two years into the 3-year fiasco du Bell, the screen died. Needless to say, it would have cost more to fix the bloody thing than anyone would be willing to pay. Called up Bell, was given quite the reception by their agents ... and I was finally informed that my best solution was to buy a new phone.

Painful lesson learned. Only deal with Bell in future if absolutely no reasonable alternatives exist. LOL!

... had similar lovely experiences with Bell on the TV side. Now THAT's a story I love to tell everyone I meet.

Bell ... where the contracts last longer than the product!!

Curt

[mooncore]

I had the same basic thing happen to me. A couple of years ago, as part of a new 3 year contract, I bought an LG Shine. Now, if you want to talk about a piece of crap, that phone was and is crap.

The thing was not good on batteries, couldn't pair with bluetooth devices properly, and finally, almost two years into the 3-year fiasco du Bell, the screen died. Needless to say, it would have cost more to fix the bloody thing than anyone would be willing to pay. Called up Bell, was given quite the reception by their agents ... and I was finally informed that my best solution was to buy a new phone.

Painful lesson learned. Only deal with Bell in future if absolutely no reasonable alternatives exist. LOL!

... had similar lovely experiences with Bell on the TV side. Now THAT's a story I love to tell everyone I meet.

Bell ... where the contracts last longer than the product!!

Curt

What about your responsability? You engage in a 3-year contract with a product you know nothing about. Read reviews, research the product, google user opinions. Make sure you invest in a solid phone. Don't blame Bell or any other company for your failures.

In today's market, with all the information available to us, you're supposed to know exactly what you want to buy when you enter a store. The salesguy should not have to convince you. It's called smart shopping.

Good luck

[cdawe]

What about your responsability? You engage in a 3-year contract with a product you know nothing about. Read reviews, research the product, google user opinions. Make sure you invest in a solid phone. Don't blame Bell or any other company for your failures.

In today's market, with all the information available to us, you're supposed to know exactly what you want to buy when you enter a store. The salesguy should not have to convince you. It's called smart shopping.

Good luck

It's amazing to me how presumptuous an individual can be regarding what I knew (or did not know) about the LG Shine before I purchased it. However, for the sake of discussion, a review of the LG Shine for your perusal is below. Generally, it appears quite positive. Other similar ones are online also. Does this give warning of a poor product...

http://www.thegate.ca/reviews/0552/l...ylish-and-fun/

To address what you have said: Yes, I agree that, as a consumer, I ultimately have responsibility for what I buy. To get little service support from Bell regarding a product that I purchased from Bell, under a considerably long contract (that was standard contract duration at the time), is also not acceptable.

If your logic holds here ... If I bought a faulty ... or shall we say shaky ... product from you that you tell me I must bring to you for service for 3 years, and then I had problems with it, then you have no responsibility as a seller to try and provide solutions for that product and consumer.

Interesting...

Curt

Edit: You know, even if Bell could have told me legitimately to go fly a kite under the circumstances, what chance would it leave that I would deal with them by choice in future?

[mooncore]

So how's the Samsung Impact? You're aware that LG and Samsung are almost the same company? Jk, my LCD display is from Samsung and I love it.

[MetallicaDan]

I had the Samsung double flip (U740) and it broke down within the 1 year warranty. They sent it in and within a month (and 2 weeks OUT of warranty) it broke again. I called Bell and told them I wanted to get a new phone because I wasn't going to go 2 weeks with a POS loaner phone from 1988. I'm only 1 year in my new contract (from when I got the U740) so they said they couldn't just give me a credit. I told the CSR I would pay the cancellation fee out of general principle if they didn't help me out as I always pay on time, yadda yadda yadda. The trick here is saying you'll cancel and then I was put to the Retention team. They couldn't give me an upgrade credit but instead gave me 50% my one plan for the remainder of my two years (10$ x 24 months = 240$) and a credit for the hardware transfer fee or whatever it's called. That covered enough for me to get a new phone even if I have to pay full price upfront (yay Visa!).

The only problem with this story is that I ended up getting the Samsung Impact and am not super happy with it.

[VE9LRN]

What about your responsability? You engage in a 3-year contract with a product you know nothing about. Read reviews, research the product, google user opinions. Make sure you invest in a solid phone. Don't blame Bell or any other company for your failures.

In today's market, with all the information available to us, you're supposed to know exactly what you want to buy when you enter a store. The salesguy should not have to convince you. It's called smart shopping.

Good luck

This is the kind of reasoning that gets Bell into the very last position year after year in all Consumer Report Surveys.

[TheNewGuy]

Anyone have any pointers on how I can go from my CDMA phone to a HSPA phone without changing anything on my plan??? I currently have the $30 unlimited BB Data plan which I don't want to lose....

[kccman]

You won't lose a thing when you change from CDMA to HSPA. You'll be able to keep your unlimited Data plan.

[TheNewGuy]

You won't lose a thing when you change from CDMA to HSPA. You'll be able to keep your unlimited Data plan.

Are you sure about that??
Everyone I know tells me otherwise....

Trust me I do hope and wish you are right, but I doubt it too.

[cheidt]

Cant believe this one....My corporate plan is coming due with Bell & I haven't been impressed with the offers so far. MY corporate plan is gone so they are pushing just regular personal plans which I can get the same or better with other providers.
Now I get a corporate offer from Rogers, in writing, very clear & concise, looks completely reasonable...& Bell says they can't even match it?
WTF? If Rogers can do it there is absolutely no reason Bell can't offer the same....I have been completely happy with Bell until I starting dealing with my renewal....Unbelievable.
One last call to speak to someone tomorrow...(its the principal of the thing!!) & if no luck...Hello Rogers!

[htan]

yea that's the only other thing to suggest - i'd even ask to speak to a supervisor just to avoid the hassle of switching