SD : TV price rises

[Chad]

Originally Posted by Peter_

You are also aware that this is not an official Virgin Media forum and therefore Virgin Media are not going to take any notice of what goes on here as the is no official representation of the company here in any capacity.

If you want to complain on a Virgin Media forum then do so HERE

Also remember not everyone who posts on this forum or even this thread is a Virgin Media customer so my comment above is right and points out the is little or no difference between similar media companies as all will and do follow suit.

I’m fully aware this isn’t an official Virgin Media forum. I’m also fully aware there is no official representation of the company here. I however do not agree that Virgin Media are not going to take any notice of what goes on here. I’ve seen plenty of examples across this site of Virgin Media employees picking up complaints, feedback and queries from Cable Forum members and escalating them with their employer. This has resulted in changes being implemented. I’m sure some of our regular posters who are employed by Virgin can confirm this. If Virgin however ignore the views and feedback posted on Cable Forum then that, in my opinion, is to their determent. The threads here tend to get much more interaction than their own official site.

Also I’m fully aware that not everyone who posts here is a Virgin customer. The people who are complaining about their bills however clearly are. I’m not disagreeing that other media companies might set their prices out in a similar way. I don’t care what other companies do as I’m not a customer with them. You do raise an interesting point about all companies just following suit. Who is Virgin following? Are others just following Virgins’ lead? If you can provide proof of that, that would be a very interesting read.

[Joedm45]

I have been looking at returning to VM in the next few months and am some what concerned by these rises, as Denphone says, 10% is quite a hike on a bill!

I remember not so long ago the price rise letters used to state, for example, £2 increase in TV, 50p increase in Tel and £1 in BB. If you were lucky they held the price on one of your services, but this was probably a psycological thing to make the customer feel they are not been completely hard done by.

I think most people accept prices go up and could stomach £1 or £2 but any more than that and people get angry. I think VM have got this one majorly wrong and it will interesting to see the next batch of customer figures

[BenMcr]

Originally Posted by Chad

If Virgin however ignore the views and feedback posted on Cable Forum then that, in my opinion, is to their determent.

No-one is ignoring anything that is posted here, and I certainly do feed things back

However, in this case, feedback from direct surveys of VM's customers by VM themselves was used to inform the bill redesign - within the available options.

[Joedm45]

Originally Posted by BenMcr

No-one is ignoring anything that is posted here, and I certainly do feed things back

I did notice the multi room streaming screen shots on the VM site were quickly changed after I commented on the fact they had Sky Living as an example in the MRS thread. Your handy work I presume

[carlwaring]

Just got my letter. £2.59 increase. Not too bad, but still £30 a year. But this is all I spend my money on* (ie don't go out, no take-aways, etc.) so I'll stick with it for a while and see what happens.

(* Yes, after other living expenses, of course!)

[grahamf]

Virgin have kindly informed me of a £4.59 increase...

[tricol]

Originally Posted by carlwaring

Just got my letter. £2.59 increase. Not too bad, but still £30 a year. But this is all I spend my money on* (ie don't go out, no take-aways, etc.) so I'll stick with it for a while and see what happens.

(* Yes, after other living expenses, of course!)

So does this mean that for a customer who has the same package as Carl Waring ie. XL tv, XL phone, 1TB tivo and 30mb BB package it will also be £2.59 ?

[denphone]

Originally Posted by grahamf

Virgin have kindly informed me of a £4.59 increase...

Exactly the same as mine but the combined price rises once this comes in will be a very naughty £11 plus for the last 10 months.

Originally Posted by tricol

So does this mean that for a customer who has the same package as Carl Waring ie. XL tv, XL phone, 1TB tivo and 30mb BB package it will also be £2.59 ?

Do you have the 'Praise Company to High Heaven' discount on your bill?

[carlwaring]

I actually just called and paid the for the Line Rental Saver option, so that's another £50-odd saved

I used the "thinking of leaving us" option (5 then 3) because I know they can offer better (and new) deals/services for existing customers that the standard CS reps.

So I suggest you do the same. You might just find a nice new deal or money-saving new service. (Hint, hint.)

[montehampster]

Originally Posted by carlwaring

I actually just called and paid the for the Line Rental Saver option, so that's another £50-odd saved

I used the "thinking of leaving us" option (5 then 3) because I know they can offer better (and new) deals/services for existing customers that the standard CS reps.

So I suggest you do the same. You might just find a nice new deal or money-saving new service. (Hint, hint.)

Yes I expect nearly everyone who uses a VM forum will be taking that route which means a wait of at least an hour (albeit on a VM phone it won't cost) and in the end most will be offered a deal less than the new pricing and probably as things get desperate, more than they're paying now!

That frankly makes a mockery of a price increase, undermines standard CS reps and makes it more difficult and time consuming for those of us who are leaving.

[tricol]

Originally Posted by Jameseh

Do you have the 'Praise Company to High Heaven' discount on your bill?

It would be unfair if Carl Waring gets a lower price increase than customers with an identical package even if he does choose to spend so much time extolling the virtues of VM.

It's already been confirmed by BenMcR that all customers, are eligible for the line rental saver of £120 for 12 months unless they already have an extra free talk add-on (or something similar) included. So no special discount was given to him for that.

[paultrademark]

Originally Posted by paultrademark

Just called them, apparently am on the Premier Collection but never knew to be honest as no one said and doesn't say on bill.
That said, as got extra boxes as you see I posted earlier, I asked the guy who was really helpful and as far as he could make out my increase would be £4.09.

Well so much for him telling me it would be £4.09, just got an email confirming it would be £6.34 per month!! £76.08 per year, that's more than we pay per month!!

Back on the phone me thinks

[Chad]

Originally Posted by BenMcr

No-one is ignoring anything that is posted here, and I certainly do feed things back

However, in this case, feedback from direct surveys of VM's customers by VM themselves was used to inform the bill redesign - within the available options.

As per my post, you definitely fit into the following:

"I’ve seen plenty of examples across this site of Virgin Media employees picking up complaints, feedback and queries from Cable Forum members and escalating them with their employer. This has resulted in changes being implemented."

You are very proactive in helping Cable Forum members, and problems they many have. A real credit to yourself, your employer and this site!

[carlwaring]

Originally Posted by montehampster

Yes I expect nearly everyone who uses a VM forum will be taking that route which means a wait of at least an hour...

I got through straight away

and in the end most will be offered a deal less than the new pricing and probably as things get desperate, more than they're paying now!

Nice to see you're not judgemental or prejudiced or anything

That frankly makes a mockery of a price increase, undermines standard CS reps and makes it more difficult and time consuming for those of us who are leaving.

The "standard CS Reps" are there for new customers only, really.

---------- Post added at 15:40 ---------- Previous post was at 15:38 ----------

Originally Posted by tricol

It would be unfair if Carl Waring gets a lower price increase than customers with an identical package even if he does choose to spend so much time extolling the virtues of VM.

Seriously?