Any Recent subscriptions renewed?

[Fitdiculous]

I've been with Cogeco since Oct, 2009. I've renewed a "contract" twice, once in Jan 2010, again in Jan 2011, and now up again. Surprisingly I've been OK with it's services as we don't use our home line much, other than the occasional LD call to the parents, and never go above our bandwidth allowance.

Deal I had for the past year per monthprices in bold indicate new pricing):

TV: HD Digital Select 1 ($47.99+$6.00 = $53.99) ($61.91)
Internet: Internet Lite --> changed automatically to Express 8 ($31.95) ($33.95)
Phone: Select Plan ($25.99) ($27.99)
HD DVR Rental [Pace RNG200N Box] ($7.99) ($17.99)
TMN Bundle ($21.99) ($17.25)


My all in price was $161.78 which included regulatory fees. Now without the "contract" they are $194.27 (for Feb 2012). It's a shame prices have gone up every year, but was wondering if anything has changed in terms of them having a retention department. I believe last time I called and talked to someone in their "Loyalty/Competitive" department as they said, and they didn't offer me much at the time other than to down grade my internet service (had 14mbs pkg) and they'll discount $2 off TMN bundle for 4 months (wow $8). I think they said the $7.99 rental of the DVR was a promotional price too if I stayed on for another year.

I'm not willing to go down in internet package this time, and would like to keep all my services. Seems like TMN package has gone down in price anyway, but has anyone recently tried calling to renew their term and had any luck?

[mapboy]

I would ask if you can speak to someone in retentions, and tell them that you were thinking of moving over to bell if they can't reduce your price. Its worked for me.

[Bucky]

Call and ask for someone dealing with customer retention. Tell them you are considering switching to another provider. They should be able to offer some sort of a discount. Also ask them about the PVR rental. They are offering new customers a PVR for no cost for 2 years. I asked and they provided me one for no cost.

You may not have the same experience as I did, you can be sure that if you don't ask, you won't get any deals.

[Fitdiculous]

Thanks for your input.. I'm assuming calling in will do me better than actually going into a Cogeco store? the reps at the stores can't do much in terms of the prices on the services can they?

[PC21]

Don't go to store front to renew services; contact the call centre and ask to speak with Customer Retention. Call prepared to point out what Bell offers and what Cogeco offers (for new customers, i.e. free DVR rental for 2 years).

Customer Retention department has the authority to offer deals. I recently renewed by Cable services; I received free HD DVR rental for 1 year (savings 17.99 / month) , free HD Channel access (savings 6.99 / month) and $5.00 off the Digital select 3 package.

[Fitdiculous]

^^

Good to know there is a Customer Retention department, I think I'd be happy with what you have, would bring me to my totals that I was paying 2 years ago.

[Fitdiculous]

wow... extremely dissapointed with what i was offered (JUST got off the phone with them)
same "content" as what I have now, I was paying $161.78 all in from Jan 2010 - Jan 2011

$49.99 - HD Digital Select 1
$6.00 - Digital Access channels (Channels 717 to 765 or something like that)
$33.95 - Internet Express 8
$27.99 - Select Phone Package (middle one that includes 2 features and 100 LD)
$12.99 - 1 Year DVR rental
$21.99 - TMN
~~~~~
152.91 before tax ..... $174.11 after tax and reg fees.

The rep pretty much said that's the BEST she can do and all those prices included a $5 off ($20 total) for the 3 services and DVR rental. I told them them that wasn't very competitive with Bell and they said that Bell will always be cheaper but with Cogeco you get the better service. She also said, promotions are what they are, and she goes off a Matrix to see what discounts can be applied to each customer. Some of the promo's people have got before "expire" and she couldn't offer them. So am I SOL, or try calling back and speaking to another rep?

[Fitdiculous]

They claim their services are much better than competitors like Bell and there was no way they could match pricing with them as they offer services Nationally. That being said, they also seem like they won't budge on pricing/discounts either and are at the mercy of whatever discounts they can give based on some "Matrix" of what services each customer is getting and how long they've been with the company.

Does each rep have their own discretion and discount slightly more than another or is what they offered me truly "all they can do" to keep my business?

[Shippy]

I had a call at the end of January from someone in their sales department offering the 1/2 price cable box rentals for a 2 year term with no obligation to keep for 2 years but was on my way out the door so didn't close the deal. I did ask how long the promotion was on for and was told till the end of Feb.

Fast forward to yesterday...Called to see about getting the deal and also try to haggle it to a free pvr for 2 years. After speaking with the retention department, who of course said they had no record of the previous offer, they were willing to offer $25 off for 1 year and a 1/2 price pvr rental for 1 year.

I told them the offer wasn't acceptable and I was going to talk with Bell and Shaw to see what they had to offer. The rep threatened that if i didn't take this offer there was no guarantee it would still be available if I changed my mind.

Just wondering what success anyone else has had with discounts and pvr rentals pricing.

fyi - my services are as follows
2 pvr's (plan on dropping this to 1 after I get the 2 year free pvr)
Digital select 8
HD channel pack
Turbo 14 internet
Freedom Phone package