Broadband provider apathy
Figured out today that these companies must make so much money from passive customers, that they just don't care if they lose you.
Tl;dr
BT didn't give a shit that they were fleecing me, and didn't give a shit that I was happy to leave.
Sky didn't give a shit that they were going to leave a new customer without service for two months, and didn't give enough shits to offer a solution, or give a further shit that this would lose them a customer completely whilst they went elsewhere.
Three (and I'm sure all of them) are happy to offer actually awful "deals" through their website, even for new customers, when they will offer 50% or more, less, if you go via a comparison site.
Long version:
I was with BT. Through being knowingly passive (full time job, three kids, and the past year was just a nightmare for other reasons), I hadn't checked in in a while.
Found out that they were now charging me £67 per month for basic Internet, Netflix, and NowTV.
Called them up to ask them to find a way to reduce the bill. They offered to cut it to £50. Then went through the cancellation process to suddenly find they could now offer me £35 per month. 'Best' they could do.
But I proceeded with the cancellation because their service is just terrible and speeds fluctuate wildly, AND I thought I should just cancel on principle. I don't want to reward companies that actively screw you over unless you go through hours of being on hold etc.
Then shopped around a bit and found a full fibre deal with Sky.
Only problem was that they'd need to come out to drill some stuff.
That was fine. It was all booked in for tomorrow.
Then I get a message last Friday to say that actually they couldn't do it because unspecified reasons, and that Sky would be in touch.
They got in touch this morning to say that they could come out in mid-June to set everything up, and that the reason was because they needed to drill some stuff.
I said this was already the case, and that this was not a new reason. The guy on the phone didn't have any more info, and I said, ok, so what do I do for two months without fibre. What can you do?
His answer? Nothing, sorry.
I know full well they can in fact send out a temporary router etc, to give at least something in the interim. But he didn't offer.
So I said ok, cancel it.
He asked what I was doing to do instead, and I said; shop around a bit and find a company that will send a router out tomorrow.
He said ok.
I need to point out here if you think I'm a rude customer. I'm not. I was polite, he was polite. He just accepted the situation for what it was, and didn't care. I imagine most people aren't paid enough to care.
So then I'm back shopping around. I find a deal with Three.
Three has a new customer deal on their website that is a two year contract, £11 per month, but goes up to £24 after the first year.
Doesn't look too bad. I then click through, and *now* it sneaks in a new little added detail. It will still start at £11, and indeed will be £24 after a year. But it will also be £22 after 6 months.
I go back to shopping. This time I go via Uswitch, and find Three again on there, but this time £14 per month on a two year contract, with no price rises.
All of the above feel like very fixable issues for companies. But I think they just get to be apathetic as they have enough people on their books paying over the odds that they just haven't had to really care yet.