I had been getting annoyed that my monthly Cox internet bill was slowly getting higher and higher. On a whim, I called them acting like I had the intention of cancelling my service. I was able to lower my monthly bill by 13 dollars and triple my download speeds. Best of all, my deal is locked in for 2 years WITH NO CONTRACT. So, I am still free to cancel any time with no penalty if I choose to. With this, and the recent cancellation of my satellite television plan, I'm feeling really good about the money I'm saving.
Some Tips:
-
Call with the intention of cancelling your service. Try to navigate the menu to get to the person who handles cancellations and/or plan downgrades. These reps will often have more power to offer you special deals.
-
Stay calm and be friendly. In my opinion, the reps are more likely to help you if you aren't yelling and screaming at them.
-
When asked why you are cancelling, state that it is because of cost. It may also help if you mention a deal for a competitor, as this shows that you have shopped around and are serious about cancelling.
-
If they do offer you a special rate, make sure that the new rate does not include a new service contract. Sure, you may get a cheaper rate, but if you decide to cancel before 1-2 years, you will have to pay a hefty cancellation fee.
-
My rep asked me if I wanted to cancel today or tomorrow. I think this may have been a test to see if I was serious about cancelling or not. I said today, and soon after he asked me some general questions about my internet usage and the system showed him that I was eligible for the discount. Risky move, but it worked for me.
-
Of course there is a risk that they will cancel your account without offering a special rate. In my experience, this has never happened, as I have also done this multiple times when I was still with my satellite provider, but I wanted to add the disclaimer that there is still a risk involved. Generally, however, companies would rather offer you a discount than lose you as a customer.
-
This will usually not work if you are still under a 1-2 year service contract. They know that you have to pay an early cancellation fee, therefore you lose your negotiating power.
Just wanted to share, as I'm feeling pretty good about this, and thought I could maybe help someone else lower their rates, while bragging about mine :).
June 08, 2017 at 04:26PM
