Vodafone is switching me form my FreeTalk plan to a Get200. The FreeTalk plan was discontinued years ago as it wasn't making them much money, but I have resisted switching for 5 years. Now they are forcing me to switch, so I have written them a letter. It probably won't achieve any thing, but I thought you all might like a laugh.
Dear Mr Moore,
I write to you in reply to your letter informing me that my Vodafone Pricing Plan will change on the 27 June. I am currently on a FreeTalk 30 Plan. On the 27 June you will be switching me to a Get 200 plan.
Your letter is extremely well written, and I am sure most people would read it and think “Great! Aren’t Vodafone nice changing my plan to this new one with all these free minutes!” I however take a much dimmer view of your offer.
I have been on the Freetalk Plan sine 1999, back when it was requirement to sign up to fixed term contracts and handsets were subsidised. I chose this plan as it was great value for money at the time and suited my needs.
Back then customers were also promised cheaper rates as time went on, and the cost to provide mobile services decreased due to increased numbers of people embracing the technology. Sadly this never eventuated and my old FreeTalk 30 plan is still the best value for money of all Vodafones’ personal plans. Also sadly, Vodafone no longer subsidises handsets. To add insult to injury, that change happened just a few short months before I would have completed my 36 month contract and qualified for an upgrade! Suffice to say I did not agree with vodafones move to remove fixed term contracts and subsidised handsets.
However, through loyalty and a perception that Vodafone was a trendy, fast-moving company, I stayed with you, and have now been an on-account customer for six years. Before that I had been a prepay customer for a further two years – 8years of continuous support!! Even though everyone else in my family were with Telecom, and have oft coaxed me to switch. In those 8 years I have had 9 handsets, 5 of them purchased without subsidy (read profit in your pocket) due to the change in your policies, and all of them high-end models at the time. I have also had for some of the time, phone insurance through you. My account has always been paid by direct debit, and in fact I have been over charged more times (3 times) than I have been late in paying my bill (0 times). Presumably, all this makes me a valued customer.
Your letter (which as it happens came with a totally crap, and naff-sounding CD by the way, and in my opinion a total WOFTAM) informs me that my new plan is great value as for the same monthly fee of $30 I now get 200 free off-peak minutes, 20 txts, and 10 pxts, and I still get the same calling rates of $0.99 peak and $0.49 off-peak, whereas my old plan only had the free pxts.
I would just like to explain to you why this is not better value to my FreeTalk plan after all (although I surmise you already know as if it was a great profit-maker for you, you wouldn’t be switching me now would you?) Although my FreeTalk plan does not have included minutes or txts, I get up to $30 worth of calls or txts or pxts or data included before I pay any more over my monthly fee (it’s kind of like prepaid, but with a better minute rate, and a minimum monthly spending amount). Under the new plan, I have to pay for every peak call, every extra txt or pxt, and every data transmission ON TOP OF my $30. So, If I make $30 worth of peak calls on my old plan it would cost me $30 – under the new plan I would be facing $60!!! Or, I could spend $30 on txts – on the new plan this would now cost$56 for the month compared with $30 on the old plan. Sure I could get a plan that favours peak calling or txts, but I like the flexibility of changing where I spend my phone bill each month be it on txts, peak calling, data or whatever – your Get200 plan gets me nothing but a migraine.
As you can see I am somewhat disenchanted with this latest “offer” from Vodafone. As a result I will not be accepting this change of circumstances. Prior to the 27 June I intend switching to one of your prepay options to tide me over whilst I investigate the options provided by other service providers. The reason I write is to voice my dissatisfaction with Vodafone and its treatment of its existing customers (new customers get offered all sorts of discounts and incentives whilst the existing customers foot the bill) and to give you a chance to remedy this situation.
I doubt this letter survives the rubbish bin – I sincerely hope I am wrong and that Vodafone faces up to its responsibilities to look after its long-serving and loyal customers such as myself.
Yours Sincerely
