What can they give for free?

I called and asked about what deals I can get (since I am out of
contract and a customer for 5 years)

I was offered a pretty good plan. (1000 anything, 8pm n/w for $40)

But I was wondering what else can I ask for? (was told thats it, $5
more for 7pm n/w)

What do the operators have flexibility to give away?

For instance, when purchasing a motorcycle, you get offered the best
deal, they usually wont be able to budge on the offer, but they will be
willing to throw in a helmet, equipment, etc.

What about for Sprint?
They might not budge on the plan, but is:
free vision, or free 7pm n/w, or even more of a discount on the phone
(more than the 75/150 offered) possible?

Thanks

---

› See More: What can they give for free?

<[email protected]> wrote in message news:[email protected]...
>I called and asked about what deals I can get (since I am out of
> contract and a customer for 5 years)
>
> I was offered a pretty good plan. (1000 anything, 8pm n/w for $40)
>
> But I was wondering what else can I ask for? (was told thats it, $5
> more for 7pm n/w)

That's a darn good offer. I doubt you could get anything else added
to it. The best I could do one year ago was 750 anytime, unlimited
n/w starting at 8pm, for $40. I was in a similar bargaining position
as you, plus I had a $20 add-on second line on a family plan.
The thing is, we only use about 400 minutes per month, so what's
the point in getting extra minutes.

--
John Richards

>I was offered a pretty good plan. (1000 anything, 8pm n/w for $40)
>
>But I was wondering what else can I ask for?

That's a pretty good deal.

Before you start bargaining for anything, you have to decide for
yourself the minimum you will accept.

If that minimum is met, many time your are better off accepting it and
being happy rather than pushing your luck.

I know a couple of people who did the "I'm going to cancel" thing, were
offered great deals, and pushed the issue. The reps eventually said
"Fine, we'll cancel you". Doh! They were no longer in a bargaining
position at all as they awkwardly backed out of the cancellation.
Also, I'm sure they now have some notation on their account that says
"Cancel Bluffer" or some such indication, which will prevent them from
getting the best deal in the future.

Don't get greedy.

If you score a great deal, take the great deal and be happy.

If everyone gets 1000 minutes for $40, Sprint has no money to maintain
the network and performance goes to ****.

If you get it, be happy.

My 2 cents.

"FWIW" <[email protected]> wrote in
news:[email protected]:

>>I was offered a pretty good plan. (1000 anything, 8pm n/w for $40)
>>
>>But I was wondering what else can I ask for?
>
> That's a pretty good deal.
>
> Before you start bargaining for anything, you have to decide for
> yourself the minimum you will accept.
>
> If that minimum is met, many time your are better off accepting it and
> being happy rather than pushing your luck.
>
> I know a couple of people who did the "I'm going to cancel" thing, were
> offered great deals, and pushed the issue. The reps eventually said
> "Fine, we'll cancel you". Doh! They were no longer in a bargaining
> position at all as they awkwardly backed out of the cancellation.
> Also, I'm sure they now have some notation on their account that says
> "Cancel Bluffer" or some such indication, which will prevent them from
> getting the best deal in the future.
>
> Don't get greedy.
>
> If you score a great deal, take the great deal and be happy.
>
> If everyone gets 1000 minutes for $40, Sprint has no money to maintain
> the network and performance goes to ****.
>
> If you get it, be happy.
>
> My 2 cents.
>
No, be greedy ! BE VERY, VERY GREEDY MINE MINE MINE ALL MINE
AHAAHAHAHHAHAHAH ME MORE GIMME MORE NOOWWWW.
Actually, your best bet is to use a little tact, perhaps invetigate what
other companies are offering similiar to your package in your area, and
explain that while your basically happy with your service ect, you are
naturally looking for the most bang out of your buck, have been scouting
other companies offers, and would like to know just what can sprint offer to
stay.
I almost always snag a bit of something extra with that method.
If they give no satisfaction, thank them for their help, say you'll consider
it, hang up and call back later and talk to a different rep [preferable one
well versed in English], and go through the same speil again.
I have tried the 'gonna cancel now' routine, and in fact actually requested
it a couple times, but was talked out of it - I don't know if its a matter of
style, what rep your talking to or what, but FW is right, you take the chance
of having your bluff called, if indeed you are bluffing.

One time I was dead serious about cancelling.
I got a phone for my daughter that qualified for the $150 rebate, so it was
basically a free phone.
Radio Shack guy said it was, then the customer rep I activated it with said
it was, and it was.
I waited for a couple months for the rebate and asked whats up, and they said
oh sorry bout the confusion, we'll get it right.
Waited another month, and was told I have to go to a sprint store.
So I did, and he said check is in the mail.
Waited another month, and called and was told that in fact that phone didn't
qualify, and I was not going to get my money.
Well, I saw red, went ballistic [in a nice kind of way] And said if you are
not going to give me my rebate, put me through to cancellation right now.
No reason to talk - Cancel my service, and that is that.
After going up the chain a few levels, they appoligized [so did I] And said
the check would be there within 2 weeks, which it was.
That was really the only bad expereince I've had with sprint in 5 + years.

" I almost always snag a bit of something extra with that method.
If they give no satisfaction, thank them for their help, say you'll
consider
it, hang up and call back later and talk to a different rep [preferable
one
well versed in English], and go through the same speil again. "

What people don't seem to realize, is that they know when you call.

I've had them say "Yes, I see you called yesterday afternoon about this
issue" or some such.

So, unless they are horribly obtuse (and they are Sprint so the
possibility exists) - they will know you are playing this game.

Not saying you won't win the game, but don't assume that the guy you
get at night didn't know that you didn't call that morning.

FWIW wrote:
> " I almost always snag a bit of something extra with that method.
> If they give no satisfaction, thank them for their help, say you'll
> consider
> it, hang up and call back later and talk to a different rep
> [preferable one
> well versed in English], and go through the same speil again. "
>
> What people don't seem to realize, is that they know when you call.
>
> I've had them say "Yes, I see you called yesterday afternoon about
> this issue" or some such.
>
> So, unless they are horribly obtuse (and they are Sprint so the
> possibility exists) - they will know you are playing this game.
>
> Not saying you won't win the game, but don't assume that the guy you
> get at night didn't know that you didn't call that morning.

You are correct (well, aside from the fact that there's a good chance
the first rep was too lazy to enter call notes).

But regardless, I find this technique much better than the "I want to
cancel and then hope for the best" strategy--which can paint you into a
corner.

I always have a (valid) offer from another company in front of me when I
make such a call (after contract expiration). Through the years this has
worked quite well, as the retention rep (or whatever they are called
now) seem less combative, and more willing to do whatever is necessary
to keep me as a customer.

I usually throw in comments about how I'd truly hate to leave SPCS after
being a subscriber for over 5 years (and I mean it: I generally am not
wanting to start over with another carrier). This almost always brings
out comments of appreciation for being such a long-term customer and one
last, "Let me see what I can do."

I won't go into my plan here, but suffice to say the last time I checked
it would cost me 50%-100% more with an alternative carrier (e.g., I have
a Treo 650, plus two add-on handsets, and don't pay anything for Vision
for all three--grandfathered deal, as I was a pre-launch early-adopter).
That being the case, the deals I go after now are mostly for equipment
(in the case of the Treo, they gave me the discounted Web price plus a
$200 instant-credit on my account, to bring the price below Cingular's
price for new subscribers).

And this is without telling them I want to actually cancel. Well,
actually I do say that--but just to Claire, and now Claire II. While
this usually gets me past the typical CS drones, it's never once come up
that I told Claire "cancel" (my guess is they--techs--only analyze
Clair's "conversations" to improve the AI).


--
Mike

Word has it that Claire made an amatuer porn video that can be
downloaded online.

It was during her pre-Sprint years when she needed the cash to maintain
her coke habit.

FWIW wrote:
> Word has it that Claire made an amatuer porn video that can be
> downloaded online.
>
> It was during her pre-Sprint years when she needed the cash to
> maintain her coke habit.

Claire was a lot hotter than Claire II--and she had a much more diverse
"vocabulary."

Sadly, Clair would still be around if it weren't for one anal-retentive
(former) Sprint customer. Apparently, a person known only as Mr. Beard
couldn't resist the urge to visit the porn site his pop-up blocker
failed to catch. After downloading and watching Claire's video, he
recognized the voice and spilled the beard... err, "beans."


--
Mike

"FWIW" <[email protected]> wrote in
news:[email protected]:

> " I almost always snag a bit of something extra with that method.
> If they give no satisfaction, thank them for their help, say you'll
> consider
> it, hang up and call back later and talk to a different rep [preferable
> one
> well versed in English], and go through the same speil again. "
>
> What people don't seem to realize, is that they know when you call.
>
> I've had them say "Yes, I see you called yesterday afternoon about this
> issue" or some such.
>
> So, unless they are horribly obtuse (and they are Sprint so the
> possibility exists) - they will know you are playing this game.
>
> Not saying you won't win the game, but don't assume that the guy you
> get at night didn't know that you didn't call that morning.
>
Oh, no doubt they keep records of calls, complete with notations of subject
matter.
I'm not suggesting playing dumb here.
If you say you'll consider the matter and call back and ask again, I don't
see the harm.
I have found that there can often be a major difference between service reps
insofar as their general knowledge, and maybe its a slight matter of 'having
pull' I don't know.
But having different service reps offer different things is sometimes a very
real possibility.
Since customer service is now dominated by generic foreigners, this is likely
less of a factor than the days when you could talk to a U.S. based rep.
I haven't had a need to call sprint in months, and it seems to me your doing
good just to find someone with passable language skills.

"Tinman" <[email protected]> wrote in news:3thijcFsqm3aU1
@individual.net:

> FWIW wrote:
>> Word has it that Claire made an amatuer porn video that can be
>> downloaded online.
>>
>> It was during her pre-Sprint years when she needed the cash to
>> maintain her coke habit.
>
> Claire was a lot hotter than Claire II--and she had a much more diverse
> "vocabulary."
>
> Sadly, Clair would still be around if it weren't for one anal-retentive
> (former) Sprint customer. Apparently, a person known only as Mr. Beard
> couldn't resist the urge to visit the porn site his pop-up blocker
> failed to catch. After downloading and watching Claire's video, he
> recognized the voice and spilled the beard... err, "beans."
>
The only two words I've ever spoken to Claire are "SERVICE" and "HUMAN",
which always prompts her to state, in a voice tinged with utter fear, 'Ok,
I'll get someone to help you'.

"The only two words I've ever spoken to Claire are "SERVICE" and
"HUMAN",
which always prompts her to state, in a voice tinged with utter fear,
'Ok,
I'll get someone to help you'. "


I have fun with Clair (which always gets me a rep).

Try phone sex.

Say "What are you wearing?" or "May I do you doggy style?".

That will get you to a camel joc ... I mean "representative" as well -
it will just get you there via the scenic route.