Off-Topic

[Majingir]

Re: Off-Topic

You know when you look at twitter, and see that Aubrey Huff and Aunt Jemima are trending, it's probably about time to turn off your phone and go to bed. That's how I always know it's time, anyway.

Next up, Uncle Ben's.

From a social perspective, I'm surprised the names did last as long as it did given the history behind it(although most dont even know, which in a way was part of the issue). From a marketing perspective, might be tough to change a name known for so long.

[dubcity]

Re: Off-Topic

Next up, Uncle Ben's.

From a social perspective, I'm surprised the names did last as long as it did given the history behind it(although most dont even know, which in a way was part of the issue). From a marketing perspective, might be tough to change a name known for so long.

Same reason the Washington Redskins are still a thing. People see them as purely brand names at this point. Even people who could/should be the most offended are often oblivious, or just don't care enough about it.

[Caulfield]

Re: Off-Topic

does anybody here remember Vera Lynn? remember how she said that we'd meet again some sunny day?

R.I.P.
I almost feel a little piece of Pink Floyd is gone

[Fresh Tendrils]

Re: Off-Topic

does anybody here remember Vera Lynn? remember how she said that we'd meet again some sunny day?

R.I.P.
I almost feel a little piece of Pink Floyd is gone

Damn.

Well, today I learned...

[Majingir]

Re: Off-Topic

It's that time of the year for me. Internet/cable negotiations.

Yes, I'm one of the people still with cable. I just prefer it more than streaming. I DVR every show I watch that isn't live sports, so having cable helps out way more than an android box or alternative might be.

Sometime in the future I could see myself ditching cable and just subscribing only to sports networks, although the way things get priced here, it's "cheaper" (cheaper but still expensive) to have a cable package than to subscribe to individual networks.

My least fave part in all this is the constant need to "play hardball". That's literally the only way you can ever negotiate with them. Telling them you want to cancel (to see what they offer you), setting up appointments to change services with a competitor, and then hoping they call you back with a new offer to try and keep you.

[Madden08PCgmr]

Re: Off-Topic

Nerds everywhere lamenting Bilbo Baggins (Sir Ian Holm) has passed away

88 years old.... just short of his eleventy-first birthday..

[Fresh Tendrils]

Re: Off-Topic

Speaking of internet - they've apparently been laying fiber on my street all week. Originally we thought they were doing power-line work, but then I saw a truck with "GloFiber" on it and got excited. Should have fiber in August. Can ditch Comcast. Honestly, I've never had problems with their internet services.

[Majingir]

Re: Off-Topic

Speaking of internet - they've apparently been laying fiber on my street all week. Originally we thought they were doing power-line work, but then I saw a truck with "GloFiber" on it and got excited. Should have fiber in August. Can ditch Comcast. Honestly, I've never had problems with their internet services.

My ISP did work on my area too recently, but I'm not sure what they even did since all my current things haven't changed, and any new service I can upgrade to has been around for years.

[pietasterp]

Re: Off-Topic

It's that time of the year for me. Internet/cable negotiations.

Yes, I'm one of the people still with cable. I just prefer it more than streaming. I DVR every show I watch that isn't live sports, so having cable helps out way more than an android box or alternative might be.

Sometime in the future I could see myself ditching cable and just subscribing only to sports networks, although the way things get priced here, it's "cheaper" (cheaper but still expensive) to have a cable package than to subscribe to individual networks.

My least fave part in all this is the constant need to "play hardball". That's literally the only way you can ever negotiate with them. Telling them you want to cancel (to see what they offer you), setting up appointments to change services with a competitor, and then hoping they call you back with a new offer to try and keep you.

Yeah, it's exhausting. You have to almost psych yourself up for the call, knowing that you're basically going to have to go 12 rounds with multiple people before you even arrive at the right person, and then you have to do it all over again. The whole entire pricing strategy of legacy cable providers makes no sense, which is probably why they will all be out of business within a decade or so.

I still have a legacy provider as well, and it's brutal anytime you have to interact with them. I suppose that's a problem that will eventually solve itself, though...

[Majingir]

Re: Off-Topic

Yeah, it's exhausting. You have to almost psych yourself up for the call, knowing that you're basically going to have to go 12 rounds with multiple people before you even arrive at the right person, and then you have to do it all over again. The whole entire pricing strategy of legacy cable providers makes no sense, which is probably why they will all be out of business within a decade or so.



I still have a legacy provider as well, and it's brutal anytime you have to interact with them. I suppose that's a problem that will eventually solve itself, though...

What sucks for me is that I'm currently on a "legacy plan", meaning a plan which no longer exists and that no new customer can sign up for. The provider is trying hard to get everyone OFF that plan (once you're off, you can't ever go back).

The new plans are basically what Xfinity has(or had?) in the US. Essentially android boxes but with dozens or hundreds of channels with lots of cloud storage.

I don't entirely mind that, but I don't want to have to end up paying more than I am now for some new features I don't want. I need to cut my bill by at least 25%.

From what I hear, it's better for them to call you than you to call them. If you call them, that means you want to negotiate more than they do. If they call you (because they heard you're cancelling and/or switching providers) then they want you to stay and will offer better things....sounds almost like dating lol.

[pietasterp]

Re: Off-Topic

What sucks for me is that I'm currently on a "legacy plan", meaning a plan which no longer exists and that no new customer can sign up for. The provider is trying hard to get everyone OFF that plan (once you're off, you can't ever go back).

The new plans are basically what Xfinity has(or had?) in the US. Essentially android boxes but with dozens or hundreds of channels with lots of cloud storage.

I don't entirely mind that, but I don't want to have to end up paying more than I am now for some new features I don't want. I need to cut my bill by at least 25%.

From what I hear, it's better for them to call you than you to call them. If you call them, that means you want to negotiate more than they do. If they call you (because they heard you're cancelling and/or switching providers) then they want you to stay and will offer better things....sounds almost like dating lol.

That may well be true, but if the company is trying to get people off of your current plan, I think the odds that they call you might be lower(?) I don't know, though. Worth a shot.

My experience is that right off the bat, whoever the first person you talk to is, try to get transferred to "customer retention" or "customer loyalty", or whatever they call that department at your provider (it's usually one of those). Those are the people that can actually do something and are authorized to negotiate, from what I understand. But every company is different and it's definitely a "your mileage may vary" type of thing.

Any way you slice it, it's like you have to block off an hour of your day just to do that. Exhausting.

[Majingir]

Re: Off-Topic

That may well be true, but if the company is trying to get people off of your current plan, I think the odds that they call you might be lower(?) I don't know, though. Worth a shot.



My experience is that right off the bat, whoever the first person you talk to is, try to get transferred to "customer retention" or "customer loyalty", or whatever they call that department at your provider (it's usually one of those). Those are the people that can actually do something and are authorized to negotiate, from what I understand. But every company is different and it's definitely a "your mileage may vary" type of thing.



Any way you slice it, it's like you have to block off an hour of your day just to do that. Exhausting.

An hour? It takes forever. Even before you call you have to have a plan of what you want, what you'd settle for, and the most you'd pay for it. If I ever get an interview talking about my negotiation skills, I'm using these as references.

This time around will be harder to get a good deal since most probably aren't working in their department, and they need as much money as they can get with the pandemic.

Only good thing for me is that I have some time before my current plan expires, so I could try to get a good deal now, if I can't, try again in a few days or a week. But its stressful doing the "I'll agree to terms with a competitor and hope my current provider calls to give a better deal" or "I want to cancel my current plan in a month" stuff. 50/50 chance it'll work.

[l3ulvl]

Re: Off-Topic

An hour? It takes forever. Even before you call you have to have a plan of what you want, what you'd settle for, and the most you'd pay for it. If I ever get an interview talking about my negotiation skills, I'm using these as references.

This time around will be harder to get a good deal since most probably aren't working in their department, and they need as much money as they can get with the pandemic.

Only good thing for me is that I have some time before my current plan expires, so I could try to get a good deal now, if I can't, try again in a few days or a week. But its stressful doing the "I'll agree to terms with a competitor and hope my current provider calls to give a better deal" or "I want to cancel my current plan in a month" stuff. 50/50 chance it'll work.

when I switched from ATT internet to Spectrum to bundle with the cable provided by my building, the guy casually mentioned that I was eligible for the same discount internet that Spectrum provided.

Really dude? So I've been overpaying all this time and no one brought it to my attention? and you're using this as a reason for me to STAY with you?

[LambertandHam]

Re: Off-Topic

It's that time of the year for me. Internet/cable negotiations.

Yes, I'm one of the people still with cable. I just prefer it more than streaming. I DVR every show I watch that isn't live sports, so having cable helps out way more than an android box or alternative might be.

Sometime in the future I could see myself ditching cable and just subscribing only to sports networks, although the way things get priced here, it's "cheaper" (cheaper but still expensive) to have a cable package than to subscribe to individual networks.

My least fave part in all this is the constant need to "play hardball". That's literally the only way you can ever negotiate with them. Telling them you want to cancel (to see what they offer you), setting up appointments to change services with a competitor, and then hoping they call you back with a new offer to try and keep you.

I go through this every year to two years with Comcast. This last one in March, had the chat dude quote me a wrong Starz promotion and then have to call back because the bill was higher than agreed to. I sure love Comcast.

[Majingir]

Re: Off-Topic

when I switched from ATT internet to Spectrum to bundle with the cable provided by my building, the guy casually mentioned that I was eligible for the same discount internet that Spectrum provided.

Really dude? So I've been overpaying all this time and no one brought it to my attention? and you're using this as a reason for me to STAY with you?

The worst is when you're somehow paying more under your current contract than the advertised price of a BETTER plan on their website. Obviously loyalty means nothing, but this is ridiculous.

The 1 negative of being a sports fan. I only really need TV anymore because of sports (not at the moment obviously), and paying for those networks individually isn't worth it and they know that.

I go through this every year to two years with Comcast. This last one in March, had the chat dude quote me a wrong Starz promotion and then have to call back because the bill was higher than agreed to. I sure love Comcast.

One provider I was looking at stated their website was wrong in terms of what was/wasn't offered. Some channels are listed as flex channels despite not being so, and some channels I should get aren't even on the list of channels I'll get.

Isn't that false advertising?