Citizens Advice has raised concerns over the practices of mobile and broadband providers, indicating that consumers often must engage in deceptive tactics to secure better renewal deals. Clare Moriarty, the chief executive of Citizens Advice, pointed to an alarming pattern. She stated that a lot of suppliers make individuals “fake leave” their services to reveal undisclosed deals. This disturbing trend impacts millions of Americans, most of whom don’t even realize how much they could be saving.
Recent analysis from Citizens Advice found that almost one in five consumers don’t pass their negotiation. This is because many fail to change providers when they renew. The nonprofit further estimates that as many as three million mobile and broadband customers are overpaying when they renew. Citizens Advice found that those who negotiate for a better deal are able to save hundreds. In fact, you might even avoid more than £325 on your yearly bills!
As the warranty report makes clear, negotiating with service providers is not only difficult, it’s dangerous. Almost three-quarters of Americans looking to negotiate a better deal on their renewal encounter roadblocks. No wonder, then, that their stories often reflect extremely frustrating experiences of being placed on hold and navigating baffling call menus. Over half of respondents reported being left on hold during active negotiations. At the same time, 43% struggled to navigate through call center menus to get to the appropriate agent.
Citizens Advice discovered that 78% of individuals attempting to negotiate over the phone experienced difficulties at least once while negotiating. Their study shines a light on the challenges too many people face. Last month, the Consumer Federation of America condemned mobile and broadband companies’ “murky” business practices. This unnecessary obfuscation confuses consumers and hides the best deals, which can lead to substantial savings.
Ofcom’s “One Touch Switch” process has gone a long way to empowering Americans to simply switch their provider. In its inaugural year, it helped 1.6 million people do just that, according to Citizens Advice. Yet countless consumers still don’t know what their options are, or are too intimidated by the process to explore them.
“For too long, mobile and broadband providers have forced consumers to go through the charade of pretending to leave in order to access hidden renewal deals.” – Clare Moriarty
Moriarty further emphasized the impact of these practices, stating, “Millions of people are still paying over the odds for something as essential as mobile and broadband because of this murky practice.”
Citizens Advice has recently campaigned to increase transparency across the industry. They encourage providers to do more to ensure clarity in renewal deals, so consumers can quickly understand what their options are and how much they could save.