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Just had this mail from PN:
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We're keen to ensure that you're getting the best possible value from PlusNet and to say thank you for your loyal custom, we'd like to give you a discount.
If you agree to stay with us for 12 months, you can get
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In reply to:
The only thing I can think of is what happens at the end of the 12 months?
I have signed for this deal and one reverts to the normal monthly contract at the end of 12 months.
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Hi there,
It may be an idea to have a read of this thread. The Loyalty Discount has been discussed at great length.
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Register (or login) on our website and you will not see this ad.
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OK. I see. That was the thread for the original pilot then, since the OP was dated October. I assume then that I have had a mail from the "second wave" as it were.
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If not third or fourth 
We're sending the email in various batches. I think we've done roughly half of our userbase now.
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Or possibly one could sign up for another year
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In reply to:
Or possibly one could sign up for another year
For another
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If this is a loyalty bonus and you have shown another year of loyalty I would hoe that they would offer it again.
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Lets hope they do... then again been there 3-4 years and its the first time.
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Hi
I read the offer that arrived today and started thinking how nice, then read the catch, a year contract and the
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Hi there,
Initially, I would like to pull you up on one thing. we're not losing customers. We are growing as an ISP through recommendations and generally new signups and we're practically we only Tier 2 ISP that's doing so.
Sure, there is a 12 month tie in associated with the Loyalty Offer that we are offering, but in this industry, with margin as tight as they are with the insane level of competition that is currently present I personally feel that this offer is a good one. If you don't like it, or don't want it, then don't take it. BT Retail are currently recontracting customers for 12 months, with no perceived benefit (PSTN services). We're offering you
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I haven't had the email yet, so I could just follow the link in the first post and sign up?
If I so desired.
New Improved? Plusnet
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The above post has been made by an ISP REPRESENTATIVE (although not necessarily the ISP being discussed in the post).
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Hi James
Well as you have pointed out, with margins as tight as they are in this industry, then PlusNet must be concerned with future churn if they are willing to pay
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"done" being quite a fitting word, possibly...
____________________________
Campaigning for ADSL Broadband in the Cambridgeshire Fenland towns
www.fenlandbroadband.co.uk
__________
| ZeN (and previously plusnet Aug 2004-Dec 2006, ZeN Apr 2003-Aug 2004) |
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Churn is eating the small players alive. Punters are migrating and they are migrating to the big boys. Plusnet are defending their ground by offering a discount for a 12 month contract. I see no losers from this deal.
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In reply to:
Initially, I would like to pull you up on one thing. we're not losing customers. We are growing as an ISP through recommendations and generally new signups and we're practically we only Tier 2 ISP that's doing so.
Just for feedback, so you can pass it on, I've had a phone call this evening from a PlusNet customer who received this email. They liked the idea of saving
____________________________
Campaigning for ADSL Broadband in the Cambridgeshire Fenland towns
www.fenlandbroadband.co.uk
__________
| ZeN (and previously plusnet Aug 2004-Dec 2006, ZeN Apr 2003-Aug 2004)
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Hi
In reply to:
Churn is eating the small players alive. Punters are migrating and they are migrating to the big boys. Plusnet are defending their ground by offering a discount for a 12 month contract. I see no losers from this deal.
When it's put like that I quite agree. I'm not really against the principal of it and many customer's will likely benefit financially.
What I am against is the obvious marketing spin and less then clear "what it might mean in reality" to the customer accepting this offer. It's rather patronising for them to tell me in an email they want to reward me for my loyalty but then ask me to sign up for a 12 month contract, where only if I do, I get the reward for 5 years (in my case) of loyalty to PlusNet.
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Are you for real, every company uses marketing. It is up to the customer to decide what they want.
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Why not make a simple offer such as: after 2 years membership the next 6 months will be less
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with margins as tight as they are in this industry, then PlusNet must be concerned with future churn if they are willing to pay
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Hi
In reply to:
Are you for real, every company uses marketing. It is up to the customer to decide what they want.
Of course companies market, and some companies use marketing tactics that are extremely misleading and dishonest and they get into trouble for it, hence why we have the advertising standards authority and trading standards etc. Just because every company markets, it doesn't make every company honest in how they portray their latest offer, or that a customer is given enough information to make an informed decision.
I think PlusNet is being very devious with marketing this to existing customers. It's not a loyalty bonus, I think we all can see that. I wouldn't mind so much if they spelt out exactly what might happen if you cancelled your contract in the first 12 months with real examples of cost and it wouldn't surprise me if they asked for any discount back as well.
Looking at it another way, that having this loyalty discount offered to all customers regardless of length of stay essentially means all customers wishing to remain on their existing monthly contracts will pay
Edited by deleted (Wed 21-Nov-07 20:36:51)
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All Plusnet are doing is managing risk. If someone is on a short term contract then they can leave at a months notice free of charge. If someone is on a long term contract they cannot leave without paying the exit fee until the 12 months are up. The difference in the cost to the customer is to cover the risk of the shorter term contract and also to incentivise the reduced risk longer term contract. (The risk from Plusnets point of view)
This is normal business behaviour. If you ran a business selling paper and I placed a regular order with you of a given monthly amount for a year I would expect better rates than a person who ordered the same monthly quantity but only for a single month. I would give you a guarenteed income stream for a year but they could place anything from 1 to 12 monthly orders per year with no guarentee how much they would order.
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PlusNet have now introduced a
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Hi
BT did a similar trick not so long ago by offering discounts to pay be direct debit, it's a common marketing trick.
The facts are:
For me to remain on a monthly contract will cost me
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"Got to hand it to them, they've got most people convinced this is a special discount, and not an extra charge for monthly contracts. Someone in PlusNet's marketing dept will be on a good bonus this year"
And which part of cloud cuckoo land do you hail from? now its turned from a discount for committing to another 12 months into a punitive charge... amazing viewpoint!!!
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If PN really wanted to thank their customers for being loyal, could give them a no strings discount.
This has nothing to do with loyalty, it's just a way of trying to get as many as poss on a 12 month contract.
It will suit some customers, and not others. There is nothing wrong with the offer.
But to dress it up an offer for loyal cumtomers leaves a sour taste in the mouth.
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its amazing what a twist people are putting on this...
whats a cumtomer btw..... ;P - excessive porn downloader?
What a pair we make - me with my maths - "postings that dont add up" and you with your postings that dont make sense.... lol.....
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In reply to:
its amazing what a twist people are putting on this...
My first reduced payment went out from my bank account this morning
One wonders whether calling it a retention offer might have been a lot simpler.
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The twist I see is from PN.
As it looks like they are sending the offer to all customers (speel check on) how is that loyalty (can you be classed as loyal if you just finished a year (the min without having to pay extra costs?)).
Make the offer, but don't spin it as a loyalty one.
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I agree, after all that what it is.
Less cost, more commitment.
It's a good offer if it suits the person, but no need to dress it up as something it's not.
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>I agree, after all that what it is.
Or perhaps a loyalty payment for committing to be loyal for a year.
Is this all about word games? Dissect and analyse the offer by all means but let us not get hung up on the wordings, it is substance that matters.
My thoughts are that only each individual can decide if it is their interest or not, check out the small print and make an informed decision, nobody else can do it for them I reckon.
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The author of the above post is a thinkbroadband moderator but it does not constitute an official statement on behalf of thinkbroadband.
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FWIW.
We haven't called it a loyalty offer. Our customers have. The email is titled "Special Offer".
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>Or perhaps a loyalty payment for committing to be loyal for a year.
Thought loyalty wasn't a thing that could be bought 
>Is this all about word games? Dissect and analyse the offer by all means but let us not get hung up on the wordings, it is substance that matters.
Some people don't hold that opinion. They look at the big picture. The offer and how it's portrayed.
The offer is good it it suits the person, how it's portrayed a different matter.
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Cough* Sure, there is a 12 month tie in associated with the Loyalty Offer that we are offering*Cough
FWIW.
Not good when you can't remember what you called your own offer yesterday!
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"Some people don't hold that opinion. They look at the big picture. The offer and how it's portrayed."
Strangely enough the vast majority of those "people" are always the ones its likely to affect the least, apart from trying to score semantic points.. strange that aint it...
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In reply to:
We haven't called it a loyalty offer. Our customers have. The email is titled "Special Offer".
and goes on to say, "to say thank you for your loyal custom, we'd like to give you a discount."
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
"Nearly all men can stand adversity, but if you want to test a man's character, give him power."
Abraham Lincoln
16th president of US (1809 - 1865)
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Yawn....
Still waiting for your open and honest answer by the way......
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And strange isn't if your the one who feels he has to post about someones reason for posting!
Mind you gives Wingco1 a break form trolling him!
EDIT sorry just saw you're trolling him too!
Edited by deleted (Thu 22-Nov-07 12:26:17)
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In reply to:
If PN really wanted to thank their customers for being loyal, could give them a no strings discount
I can't actually think of a single instance of this where I seen any company give away something for free, there are always strings attached. Its a loyality offer, sign up for 12 months and I'll give you x its fairly standard tactic in a lot of service industries.
I can understand that you would want PN to be different and lead the way with a really genuine offer, but the reality of the business world is somewhat different....its all down to numbers in the end.
Paul
Plus Net - maxDSL - premier....or whatever its called now
Draytek Vigor 280VG running 2.7_E38 firmware
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though to be fair perhaps PlusNet should give all their ex customers a loyalty bonus for their continued long term loyalty to the TBBS plusnet forum.. Wingco would miss out of course but hey ho...
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It is a well known symptom of Compulsive Obsessive Disorder.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
"Nearly all men can stand adversity, but if you want to test a man's character, give him power."
Abraham Lincoln
16th president of US (1809 - 1865)
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Wingco... youre so so drolll...
Ex customers and customers posting in a forum and the occaisional contribution from future prospective customers or even people passing through is normal... for a person to hang around deliberately sniping for two years or more who has NEVER been a customer now thats some form of obsessive compulsion.........
Disgusted from Tunbridge Wells should have at least been there once..... or its a false label.
PS that applies to most. not all of your contributions....
Edited by deleted (Thu 22-Nov-07 12:35:56)
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O2 give me a "loyalty offer" of free minutes after been with them 3 months.
It doesn't cost me anything, and didn't have to sign up for anything.
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Paddy, just to let you know I'm of to free chat now
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
"Nearly all men can stand adversity, but if you want to test a man's character, give him power."
Abraham Lincoln
16th president of US (1809 - 1865)
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But nothings ever done, but what's new in this forum 
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Paddy is unable to debate without getting personal. He has a fixation with who is and who isn't a PN customer. He has no interest in expressing an opinion on topic. He feels only current/past customers opinions are valid. An opinion not shared by the boards owners. He feels compelled to reply to every post I make usually with "yawn". That is the reality.
I won't let it get to me as I am an adult and understand that Paddy needs someone to focus on. I won't post anymore in this thread as it is likely to be locked, which would be unfortunate. Especially now that James has denied that the offer is a loyalty offer.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
"Nearly all men can stand adversity, but if you want to test a man's character, give him power."
Abraham Lincoln
16th president of US (1809 - 1865)
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Got me there 
I've only referred to it as a loyalty offer as that is what our customers called it in the Community site thread.
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In reply to:
who has NEVER been a customer
Can you prove that, or is it yet another of your symptoms?.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
"Nearly all men can stand adversity, but if you want to test a man's character, give him power."
Abraham Lincoln
16th president of US (1809 - 1865)
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Please keep to the truth... 2 times in the last month is not "every" lets keep this "Open and Honest"
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At least James doesn't mind answering questions or clearing points up.
I wonder if if the Mods have got Paddy on ignore?
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> O2 give me a "loyalty offer" of free minutes after been with them 3 months.
Or maybe they withhold those free minutes in the first place so they can provide them later?
----
At the end of the day, in the churners market we are in now, there is a value to us associated with customers who are prepared to commit to us for a period of time. We are simply passing that value on in exchange for a commitment to using our service. I don't think it's anything more than a semantics issue at discussion here, and how customers interpret the offer is surely down to them?
I'm very happy we've heard various views on this anyway. I have a feeling though that this issue is being used to propell other arguments, and for a minute there (In fact a matter of weeks) I was thinking we might have all moved on from that?
Ian
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The above post has been made by an ISP REPRESENTATIVE (although not necessarily the ISP being discussed in the post).
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I think it's a fair offer customer gets
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I agree it's a good offer, and should be looked on positively.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
PMs turned off due to abuse from paddyclark!
"Nearly all men can stand adversity, but if you want to test a man's character, give him power."
Abraham Lincoln
16th president of US (1809 - 1865)
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re PMs
Like I said before wingco... stick to the truth please.
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Like you stick to topic?????
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
PMs turned off due to abuse from paddyclark!
"Nearly all men can stand adversity, but if you want to test a man's character, give him power."
Abraham Lincoln
16th president of US (1809 - 1865)
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Handbags
Why don't we *all* stick to the topic?
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More than happy to oblige
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
PMs turned off due to abuse from paddyclark!
"Nearly all men can stand adversity, but if you want to test a man's character, give him power."
Abraham Lincoln
16th president of US (1809 - 1865)
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OT is always good, hopefully one day they will wake up to who is causing it!
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I've only just migrated across to the PRO package from Pipex but I'd be tempted to sign up for a year for a fiver off
Mapster
Heading off to PlusNet with their PRO package.
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In reply to:
As if the service goes downhill, after they have been locked into a years contract, you will hear so many screams
that's the risk ! I get the impression your a 'glass is half emtpy' sort of guy
The O2 offer is not bad
Paul
Plus Net - maxDSL - premier....or whatever its called now
Draytek Vigor 280VG running 2.7_E38 firmware
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I think you need to quote the whole paragraph, not take a sentence out of context
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with a good "Irish" name like David Finbarr I would hope he fills that glass on a regular basis...
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how have I taken things out of context?
thinking about it I probably have
Paul
Plus Net - maxDSL - premier....or whatever its called now
Draytek Vigor 280VG running 2.7_E38 firmware
Edited by paul2002 (Thu 22-Nov-07 16:49:12)
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Hi James
In reply to:
Got me there
I've only referred to it as a loyalty offer as that is what our customers called it in the Community site thread.
Sorry, regardless of you trying to play down the fact it was sold as a loyalty offer, it was. PlusNet call this a loyalty offer, that is what your email said to me, and that was the first time I had heard about it. Was I suppose to think, oh yes PlusNet are calling it a loyalty offer because that is what their customers started calling it in a forum I don't visit!
It went like this for me:
"Ah, that's nice PlusNet giving me a discount" as I read the first line, perhaps it was because I always pay more for included usage that I normally don't use, what a great company...
...mmm I have to sign up for 12 months minimum to get it.......
...then visiting the various forums to soon learn it has been sent to just about everyone regardless of how long they have been customer, not such a loyalty bonus after all then
The whole email was worded to make it sound "personnel" to just me or a select few.
In reply to:
We're keen to ensure that you're getting the best possible value from PlusNet and to say thank you for your loyal custom, we'd like to give you a discount.
Many people will be clicking to sign up for 12 months thinking the worst case scenario is if they cancel they just pay the
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Hi there,
When following the link in the email you are informed of the 12 month contract. The FAQ linked to in the email also explains exactly what happens if you wish to cancel and once the contract is finished.
I think we've been very clear about what commitment this offer carries.
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Hi Mand
I'm sorry I don't think it is clear enough and had stated that in an earlier post.
Why not give a clear example so your customer's know exactly what it means to sign for a 12 month contract so they can make an informed decision, i.e, "What does a 12 month contract mean for you the customer? If for example you pay
Edited by deleted (Thu 22-Nov-07 21:21:09)
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Blimey! Ask a little question and a day later look what happens!
This forum hasn't changed much in the months I've been away, has it?
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But are you "locked in"? If you want to cancel, do you have to pay the whole year's subscriptions, or do you only have to reimburse the
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>If the latter, then it's not too bad, as you wouldn't be in any worse position than if >you'd never agreed to it.
It is the former I believe. If you think about it there is no advantage to the company in offering the the latter, it is a guarantee of 12 months revenue that is at the core of it.
The OP's post sums it up to me, a good deal if it suits your circumstances and a bad deal if it does not; as with all good deals it needs to be win win for both parties.
I don't see how anyone can say which it is for anybody else.
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The author of the above post is a thinkbroadband moderator but it does not constitute an official statement on behalf of thinkbroadband.
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Hi
In reply to:
But are you "locked in"? If you want to cancel, do you have to pay the whole year's subscriptions, or do you only have to reimburse the
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It's a 12-month contract.
I'm not sure what isn't clear about that. You have to pay for 12 months service - just like you do when you get a mobile phone on 12-month contract - or a BT phone line ...
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Edited by deleted (Fri 23-Nov-07 10:39:44)
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One would have to be pretty naive to not realize that PlusNet expect something in return for the
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I wouldn't say I want to have my cake and eat it. Of course they expect something in return. The deal is (in effect)
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In reply to:
Having to pay up to 11 months' subscriptions for a package I no longer want is not fine, in my opinion.
That's the way that "retention" contracts work - it's also the way a lot of ISPs work with their standard contracts - my former ISP (Pipex) being a case in point.
At least with the PlusNet offer the choice is yours and nobody is forcing you to make this commitment. I left Pipex ( after over 5 years) because the only way they'd upgrade me to Max was to accept a new annual contract and there was no way of knowing what I'd actually gain.
For the life of me I can't see that anyone is having the wool pulled over their eyes with this deal - mind you, there are none so blind as those who don't want to see
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Post deleted by paddyclark
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Post deleted by paddyclark
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I'm not arguing that anybody IS having the wool pulled over their eyes. To be honest, I haven't even read the T's & C's - I was merely curious.
Thanks to the replies I've received, I'm of the impression it's a pretty rubbish deal, just to save a measly
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Huh? 
Total nonsense! Nothing like diesel or modems.
I'm just saying worst case, if you break the deal, ought to be you lose all the benefit of that deal (i.e. the
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It could be argued that the people accepting this offer would have stayed in any case.
There are obviously a lot of people who need to maintain flexibility and this is not the deal for them.
Be interesting to see what people accepting the deal have to say 12 months on.
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In all probability, I will still be with Plusnet in a twelvemonth, myself.
But
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my only concern is to whether my exchange is likely to get LLUD by Be or Sky in the not so distant future, which is why I have not committed as yet. Not that I think that PN are in any way inferior - far from it, but the higher speeds from BE or the package in conjunction from Sky with existing TV package are tempting. Bearing in mind the village location I will probably commit for the discount and change to BBYW 3, giving me
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I can see that the offer becomes less attractive if one is making higher monthly payments - one might argue that this is self defeating.and that a percentage reduction would be fairer but more complicated to administer.
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What exchange are you on Paddy?
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Thonton - Yorkshire
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