You mean it gets disconnected if I don't pay?

[Redbeard]

Dump the problem people - if they aren't even paying, I don't see the big deal. So you lose a few people. Not even a considerable amount of all subscribers in general. But I guess it's worth losing money just to make a few douchebags happy.

My company has actually started doing this. I've heard management and our corporate escalations people use the phrase "Some people are just bad customers and we don't need them" more than once and it always comes down to those who A. don't pay their bills, or B. are abusive to the agents.
In fact, one customer who would call in a good 5-10 times a week demanding better discounts was told that if he called in one more time all discounts would be removed from his account forever and that if he didn't like it, he could go somewhere else.

It was...so beautiful

[Benjamin Gaunt]

I do the same with Cablevision here in NJ. Savings are not as big, but I keep getting the "new subscribers only" rate for TV w/many premium channels, high-speed Internet, and phone combo. I am always unfailingly polite to the first point-of-contact, because I know that the retention folks will make me an offer I won't want to refuse.

[earl colby pottinger]

Yep. That's exactly how it works.

I have heard it said that, for most businesses, The 5% of people who are "problem customers" -- like this one -- cause something like 90% of excess costs for the company. And when the company goes over budget, those costs get passed right on to the legit 95% of customers in the form of higher rates, little fees, et al.

When the computer store I worked laid gown the law to it's top 10 worse customers it's profits more than doubled! Getting rid of 90% of excess costs sounds like lots of profit to me.

I do the same with Cablevision here in NJ. Savings are not as big, but I keep getting the "new subscribers only" rate for TV w/many premium channels, high-speed Internet, and phone combo. I am always unfailingly polite to the first point-of-contact, because I know that the retention folks will make me an offer I won't want to refuse.

You still are giving the company money, this woman is not.