Cancelling a Three Contact - Jeez! A Justified Rant

AnthonyG

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Posting this as a semi rent. But jeez cancelling a three contract is like getting out of the Army during a war.

Seen a deal for £15.50 for the Galaxy S3

samsung galaxy s3 - £15.50 PM - Total £372 @ BuyMobilePhones - Hot UK Deals

So thought after so many people do it, I will cancel, go to retentions and ask to match it. If not then they have lost a customer to T-Mobile (I have been with them since April 2011)

So Phone up three to cancel. Get to an indian guy, am asked why, and and say I want to go and get this deal from T-Mobile. I am instructed to go to T-mobile and see this is not a T-Mobile deal but a third party deal.

No offer to match it, or even give me a best we can do. The guy starts goin on a tangent about some Sony phone for £22. I tell him I am not interested

So he says as you are a premium customer just for you you can have a 12 months. 500MB data. 200 minutes. 5000 texts

I tell him I am not interested. Then he says you can have it as a rolling for £9.90.

Tell him I am not interested in this either. So then he starts on the terribleness of 250mb as the Samsungs use internet like no tomorrow and you will use this in a day with the Samsung and you will end up paying hundreds and hundreds of pounds for going over your 250mb usage and he is telling me to phone T-mobile to ask about what happens if you go over and he is saying don't cancel the contract don't cancel the contract.

So I say I will phone up T-mobile and think about this.

I then look up

MoneySavingExpert.com Forums - View Single Post - 3 Retention Deals

3 Retention Deals - Page 213 - MoneySavingExpert.com Forums

And I think, not too bad I will take up these deals. So I phone back up and say (cheekily I know) I wanted to cancel and was promised this deal if I stay with the unlimited data.

So I get a new indian guy who looks and says the best you can do for the unlimited data deal just for you is £12.90 reduced from £16

I look on the website and I say, no its not its £12.90 on your website too. And then am told about how no longer we treat current customers different to new and all get the same offers.

So I say to cancel. Then he goes off on the Sony like the last guy. Then I say to cancel and he is like wait a minute my manager has tapped me on the shoulder. And comes back with a Nokia deal which is the same on the website.

Then after saying I want to cancel he is like again, wait a second my manager is waiving to me. And then comes back the rolling contract of £9.90. Again the same I can get on the ruddy website.

So ask to cancel again. Then he starts saying did T-mobile tell you about line rental as it will not be £15.50 just phone them up and ask about their secret line rental. Phone them up and ask them.

Say I want to cancel again. Then an offer for 48hrs to swap the sim to a relative or friend to get these "premium discount perks" I am entitled to.

Say to cancel again. Then he is talking about something else I did not understand.

75 minutes this call lasted to cancel the sim. And 30 mins from the first. nearly 2hrs wasted on my day off. My throat is raw. And in this time all I was offered was terrible pathetic deals that are on the website. Not once any better. And never once was my, can I cancel request was offered. Always more stupid non deals.

Waste of my time and energy. If they have of offered me the deal linked to I would have took it and stayed with them.

Cancellation retentions are the worst people ever. Offering the same deals new customers can have pretending its mega discounts like people are stupid. When they offer other people actual deals.
 
How far are you into your current 3 contract?

It was a 12 month Contract in May 2011. I bought a used Blackberry from three for £100 and took out the Sim only deal then to go with it. I got £55 Quidco for getting it then too.

Am paying £10.30 now sim only for a paltry 300 mins 1GB data. Which I barely use as I actually have two sims with them and the other gets mostly used.

Never tried to cancel before.
 
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Whenever I have cancelled a contract (3,vodafone,O2 and T-Mobile) I just ask for the PAC. When they ask why I am leaving I tell them once, I don't want a conversation about it. After that I just repeat my request and so far have never been pestered to stay.
 
Whenever I have cancelled a contract (3,vodafone,O2 and T-Mobile) I just ask for the PAC. When they ask why I am leaving I tell them once, I don't want a conversation about it. After that I just repeat my request and so far have never been pestered to stay.

I have a feeling the second time it was because of my saying I was told I can have an all I can eat data sim card deal which is the same they offered this guy on mysupermarket to stay.

But not to me. I mean

500 Mins
2000 3-3 Mins
5000 Texts
Unlimited Data (250mb data for £8pm)

with either an Alcatel One Touch OT903, Samsung Galaxy Ace or HTC Desire C.

I would take that and be very happy. Even without the bundled phone I would have been very happy. But all I was offered was £12.90 for unlimited data and no phone which is the same on their website. But the guy is saying check our website it is really £20. And I did check the website and said no its not its £12.90 there too. And then he is saying we offer new customers the same deals as existing. But he kept going on and on and on about if I cancel I will lose my loyalty discount entitlements and I was asking which ones. The 12.90 for unlimited data. Which I say you are offering everyone.

I am annoyed. And I work long shifts so do not have time to mess about with them. I know tricking retentions is underhanded. But I have been with them for 2 years nearly now paying £10.30. I barely use it and I know from reading these threads my deal can be had via retentions for £6.90. But not to me it seems. My £6.90 deal was the one on their website for 200 mins 500meg data.
 
I never give a reason when I want to cancel. Their whole system is based on a flow chart of response depending on what reason you give. When you don't give them a reason, there's nothing they can do.

I still think OfCom should insist that companies allow customers to cancel by the same method they signed up by. It's a diddle to sign up for most services online, but when it comes to cancel they all seem to insist you phone in. Obviously so they they can try and persuade you to stay. Unfortunately I think you have to be pretty rude to them on the phone to get them to realise you do genuinely want to cancel.
 
I phoned then back up annoyed this time and said I am not really wanting to mess around everyone else is saying they are getting this deal of all you can eat deal for £11 with a free phone.

And she said I can have a lesser one with 200 mins the phone for £15. Or a lesser Sim only 200 mins all you can eat data for £12.90. I said this is the exact deal you have on the website I have been a loyal customer for 2 years I have barely used your service in this time but paid full price and you have got a lot of money out of me due to this. Will you better this £12.90 deal or I am going from three.

And she said this is the only deal we have.

I said do you get commission or a bonus if you keep people on and offer them a poor deal to stay. And she said we are offered nothing its our job.

I said then how come all these other people can get better deals than me which all you are offering me is the exact same deal as what is for new customers. So I said one last time is there a better deal than £12.90 which a brand new customer can get.

No that is the only deal. Said fine then thanks for your time and I hung up.

Either they are lying to me. Or they have seriously misunderstood the role of retentions. I get the feeling its the former. No way would retentions basically convince those who are wanting to cancel to stay by offering the same deals that new people can get.

And the other thing there justification in the 75min call was new customers have to go through a credit check which I will not have to.

They are treating me like an idiot or their retention prices are terrible. (and before someone says it, yes I know retentions are secret, but do not lie about your deals saying you are getting a £12.90 deal that should be £20 when everyone else, e.g new customers, can have it for £12.90 too)
 
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I can't see an issue really. They're a business at the end of the day and can offer whatever service plans they want at whatever prices they want.
Yes, some people get offered better deals than others, but they're going to be in the minority customers and they're likely to be the people that actually make money for 3. If you're paying for a contract but not actually using it, what's the point in 3 offering you a cheaper one that you're still not going to use? They'd be loosing out on half of the money they currently get from you each month.
I don't even know why you're entering into dialogue with them. Just phone them up and ask for your PAC code then move to another network.
 
I can't see an issue really. They're a business at the end of the day and can offer whatever service plans they want at whatever prices they want.
Yes, some people get offered better deals than others, but they're going to be in the minority customers and they're likely to be the people that actually make money for 3. If you're paying for a contract but not actually using it, what's the point in 3 offering you a cheaper one that you're still not going to use? They'd be loosing out on half of the money they currently get from you each month.
I don't even know why you're entering into dialogue with them. Just phone them up and ask for your PAC code then move to another network.

No like said in this thread about by someone else they are the ones who act like bastards who get it.

I used to work in tech support for a mobile phone company - wont say which one due to NDA. But what I will say of one case which annoyed me.

Some 20 something had a certain expensive phone that was over a year out of warranty. He had fudged his phone up trying to jailbreak it (and there are ways to know if this is how the phone no longer works, and it was confirmed 100% this is why the phone no longer worked, and its a case of definite this is the reason here) But he was saying he hadn't done it and he was kicking off that his phone is now broken and wont work.

So even forgetting the Jailbreak. It was a year out of warranty anyway.

He got through to a manager and he personally swapped the phone for him as a courtesy.

Same time people who are only a day out of warranty for reasons no fault of their own got forced to pay a lot of money for OOW replacements and the managers don't care less about them.

Kick off and act like a bastard you get everything in this life.
 
When my contract was up with orange they would only offer me the same as what their bog standard deals were I ended up going to t mobile and I am a low user.
 
one of my Vodafone lines is up in July, I'm happy to run my windows phone into the ground so will probably go for the best sim only plan not forgetting a decent chunk of cashback via Topcashback.

Have no toxic debt but every time i've applied for a contract with o2 or Three I've always been knocked back
 
When my contract was up with orange they would only offer me the same as what their bog standard deals were I ended up going to t mobile and I am a low user.

The thing that gets me is if they don't want me as a customer as I am a low user fine. Just say sorry to see you go I have cancelled you now. But if you want you can come back on the same tarrif.

But these guys were doing all they can to convice me to stay using every trick in the book. Criticisng third party sellers like you would not believe.

The second guy even told me to look on ofcom to see complaints about how bad third party sellers are to convince me not to go with that deal.

In the end if you don't want me as a customer, let me go. And if you do want me as a customer just say due to your low use we cannot offer you as good a deal as those who use our service much more.
 
But these guys were doing all they can to convice me to stay using every trick in the book. Criticisng third party sellers like you would not believe.

Only because you are letting them by playing their game. Man up, be firm but polite and make it clear that you want your PAC. Take control and stop worrying about what deals other people may or may not be getting.

Cheers,

Tony.
 
Just wondering if there was any reason to mention the person you spoke to was Indian , if indeed he / she was Indian , I recently left T-Mobile (2 lines) because the deals they were offering were crap , I had no trouble getting PAC codes ...
 
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Take control and stop worrying about what deals other people may or may not be getting.

I am taking control. I have cancelled my sim contract (eventually) and started this topic to let others know about how bad it was to cancel a contract with three.

I played their game as I really did not want to cancel my contact I wished to remain. I was happy with the actual phone service from three. I just wanted better value for money like so many others get.

I just wanted either all you can eat internet at a good deal. Or a Galaxy S3 close to that £15.50 deal.

I just do not like retentions doing all they can to keep me on the phone for 75 mins one call, 30 the other and not letting me off the phone, or just letting me actually cancel and doing everything else bar the one thing that is their job. Offer a deal better than the one you have. But pretending these same deals are amazing, oops my manager has just waived me with a new brilliant deal. £12.90 for all you can eat data, which is on the ruddy website for everyone.

Just wondering if there was any reason to mention the person you spoke to was Indian

As I do not like Indian call centres which is all Three use. The lines are terrible, muffled and their accents are terrible to understand too.

But the only way to cancel is to phone them up. So you have to deal with the indian call centres.
 
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paulyoung666 said:
Just wondering if there was any reason to mention the person you spoke to was Indian , if indeed he / she was Indian , I recently left T-Mobile (2 lines) because the deals they were offering were crap , I had no trouble getting PAC codes ...

You seriously can't think of any reason why this might be relevant? Or are you accusing the OP of racism?
 
I just do not like retentions doing all they can to keep me on the phone for 75 mins one call, 30 the other and not letting me off the phone, or just cancelling and doing everything else bar the one thing that is their job. Offer a deal better than the one you have.

That's the game and you chose to play it so there is little point in moaning about it as the decision was yours. How did they not let you off the phone? You had the power to end the call anytime that you wished all you had to do was exercise your option whenever you wanted to.

There job is to retain you as a customer not to offer you a better deal than the one that you have.

Sounds to me like you didn't get what you want and you are annoyed that someone else may of gotten what they wanted which is better than what you have. That is life I am afraid and all the internet forum posting in the world will not change that.

Cheers,

Tony.
 
That's the game and you chose to play it so there is little point in moaning about it as the decision was yours. How did they not let you off the phone? You had the power to end the call anytime that you wished all you had to do was exercise your option whenever you wanted to.

There job is to retain you as a customer not to offer you a better deal than the one that you have.

Sounds to me like you didn't get what you want and you are annoyed that someone else may of gotten what they wanted which is better than what you have. That is life I am afraid and all the internet forum posting in the world will not change that.

Cheers,

Tony.
As these people are the only ones who can cancel my contract. I was phoning to cancel my contract. Hanging up means I can never get my contract cancelled.

I said about 30 times in the 75 minute call, no just cancel the contract and he wouldn't listen. The guys manager tapped him on the shoulder three times in that call with brand new deals and he went away for three times at 3mins each time to chat with him. A very disrespectful manager I say doing that in calls. :rolleyes: (the smilee means I know its bull).

My annoyance is they were doing all they could to avoid my cancelling. Both times saying for me to telephone T-Mobile first about the 250mb and what happens if I go over. The second about the secret Line rental.

It is so ruddy obvious Three are using as a call matrix stat how many cancellations you got.

So they are using every trick they can to avoid a cancellation on their call. The amount of times I was told I can phone back later to cancel is unbelliable.

One thing that you get bollocked over in call centres is call avoidance. Which is hanging up on difficult customers. One thing you should get bollocked for at three is cancellation avoidance. As they knew I wanted to cancel but they just were doing all they could to avoid it going against their name so were saying, phone us back, phone back, phone back to do it.

I still am not even 100% sure if this second guy has even cancelled me as he said he hasn't done it as he knows I will regret it so hasn't done it. And I kept saying cancel me. And I think he has then cancelled me but like I say I am not 100% as he really did not want to cancel me.
 
I left Three back in 2011, took a 20-30 minute conversation to get them to give me a PAC code. I think the best way to go about it is just to tell them you've already purchased a contract from a competitor, hence as you cannot get out of the new contract.
Switched to T-mobile they do have better customer service, but what I've found out annoyingly since is they can adjust the monthly price by the rate of inflation under the contractual terms. So even though I'm under a 24 month contract they have increased the price by inflation twice, last year and this month (basically every new financial year). At least with Three the price was fixed. All the providers have there pros and cons, so annoyingly we can't have our cake and eat it too.
Might switch back to Three, their monthly roll over contract with unlimited data is a bargain.
 
Why tell them anything or give them a reason? Just be firm and cancel. Giving them a reason is playing their game. Don't play their game. Cancel. It is your right so take control of the situation and exercise it.

Cheers,

Tony.
 
At least with Three the price was fixed.

No three upped my price last year due to inflation. I was outside of the contract when they did it though so am not sure if my still being in a contract would have stopped them.

I found it annoying at the time as I seen people gettng my deal via retentions for £6.90. I felt like doing the mess around then but held off as I couldn't be bothered due to other things in my life then and also waiting for a decent Samsung Galaxy S3 deal for them to match - seems like waiting was for nothing as they neither matched nor dropped my price when one did come about.

Off to T-Mobie I go. Or people have said many good things about GiffGaff (who I think are also T-Mobile) .
 
Not this time it appears!;)

I was not kicking off nor acting like a bastard in any call as I was worried like the suggestion that was made in this thread that if I did it, it would be perceived to be done over racism and not the genuine just "playing the game".

Another reason I suspect maybe why Three use Indian Call centres so people are afraid to show their annoyance as if they do they are perceived to be a racist for it.
 
Another reason I suspect maybe why Three use Indian Call centres so people are afraid to show their annoyance as if they do they are perceived to be a racist for it.

Do you know for certain that the call centres are in India , if you do then fine , if you don't then please refer to them as foreign , as for suspecting their motives , I reckon you are way wide of the mark ...
 

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