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In making that decision, it's a good idea to figure out how much alternative services - like DSL Internet or satellite TV - actually cost. And have a clear idea of how big of a discount you're looking for. If you just want to pay less money, then make it clear that you're just interested in that and are not interested in faster service, premium channels, or other perks. So it's good to game out in advance what kind of concessions you're interested in. When I still wasn't satisfied, he offered me a $10 discount, and then a $15 one.
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When I said I was, he offered to give me a free upgrade to Comcast's "Blast" tier instead of a discount. When I called Comcast, a representative asked if I was having trouble with video streaming.
"They will try to avoid giving you a deal as much as possible until they realize nothing else is going to work." Know exactly what you wantĪfter talking to these experts, I put their advice to the test. "Being super firm but not angry about it and just continuing to toe the line until eventually they break is the way to do it," Reinardy told me in May. But if you hold out, their tune is likely to change. The representative might claim that they have rules against giving customers back-to-back discounts, or claim that giving too many discounts to one customer would be unfair to other customers. So the person you talk to may try to persuade you with something other than a price break. If you retained a customer without giving them any sort of deal, you got commission on it." "Everything was very commission-based," according to Adam Reinardy, who worked in a Comcast call center in Minnesota until 2008. "They will try to avoid giving you a deal as much as possible" So they're going to do their best to get you to change your mind for free. People in Comcast's "retention" department are rewarded based on their success at getting you to keep your service without giving you a big discount. So just say "I'd like to cancel my service please." You'll almost certainly be transferred to a "retention specialist" whose job it is to change your mind. "Threatening to cancel will get you further than outright asking for a discount." He worked at an Oregon Comcast call center from 2002 to 2009. "It pays to play hardball," a former Comcast rep told me in May. If they think you're just bluffing, then they have no reason to offer you a discount. That means that your cable company is going to be willing to give you a hefty discount to keep your subscription - but only if they actually think you're going to cancel otherwise. Gradually raising prices helps Comcast get as much money as possible out of each customer Almost all of your monthly cable bill goes straight to your cable company's bottom line. But once the equipment is in the ground, the cost of providing service to one customer is very low. But that probably won't work.Ĭable networks are extremely expensive to build. You might be tempted to just be honest and ask for a discount. How exactly does this process work? And what should customers do to get the biggest discount? Earlier this year, I talked to two former Comcast customer service reps who have seen how the system works from the inside. As a long-time Comcast customer, I knew that if I called and threatened to cancel, the cable giant would likely offer me a discount.īut I wanted to know more. Starting out with a low introductory rate and then gradually raising prices helps Comcast get as much money as possible out of each customer.
Basic economics suggests that companies can increase their profits if they charge different customers different amounts. That was almost double the rate I had signed up for.Įconomists call this strategy price discrimination. Then, in May, my bill went up again - to $74.95.
When I moved to the Washington, DC, area in 2013, I signed up for Comcast's Xfinity broadband service at an introductory rate of $41.99 per month. Comcast, my cable company, has an annoying habit of unexpectedly raising my bill for cable internet service.