The Art of Negotiation
 

Hi:

Before picking up the phone and dialing my mobile phone provider I read articles in regard to negotiation.

http://www.forbes.com/sites/jennagou...off-the-table/
http://www.investopedia.com/articles...#axzz2NID4Jbn6

Still reading through this BTW-
http://www.wifcon.com/pubs/artofnegotiation.htm

And this:
http://certification.comptia.org/new...gotiation.aspx

Putting the cards on the table:
How to start the conversation is perplexing in my mind but based on the articles it is an art. The basic need here is to get them to consent to my proposal.

Change the amount of min's between 2 phones so that the bill isn't so expensive. Spending less is the goal here. But at what cost?

As a customer of 6 years I'm wondering if the provider would consent to 3/4 of the rollover min's carried over to the new agreement I am trying to negotiate; otherwise all rollover min's that I didn't use yet paid for are wiped clean:-
Got experience with this?

Anyway based on what I read; there is a legitimacy to the 'standard of fairness'' As a customer of 6 years they consent to 3/4 (rollover min's) or perhaps 1/2 and I still have service and I'm still a client and that's beneficial to them-
What's you take on this?

It was said that a quick response may indicate that the provider is in favor of allowing my request but needs a nudge to seal the deal-
There isn't any visual eye to eye contact in this scenario so:
How would I know over the phone; really-?

I'm thinking if the Rep I'm talking to can't negotiate with me; I can say "I'd like to have a Supervisor join this negotiation to rectify my mobile phone plan" (just cause the Rep. says no the Supervisor has authority to say yes)
We all answer to a higher power in 'Business' unless we are that power-- Agree?

When would be a good time to mention (if plausible) something like; well; another competitor is offering 500 min's for $59.00- -?

Also gave thought to the 'Worst' case:
Alternatives are what can happen if an agreement isn't reached.
I'm thinking that we should agree to part as friends, never burn bridges:hattip:

Feedback is really important when you have the time.

Do it the easy way: change providers, and take your telephone number with you.

You don't have a "big stick" with a telephone company. And remember what Teddy Roosevelt said about that.

Yeah; changing providers is an option.

Something to think about; Thanks ;) sundialsvcs

I have to agree with sundialsvcs. I think it's highly unlikely that the provider would modify one of their plans. If you threaten to leave, their "retention" department might cut you a break of some sort, but a permanent change is unlikely.

Making an exception would set a precedent that could affect their dealings with their other customers.

Of course a lot depends on your current plan. If you have multiple phones on a family type plan, an option might be to break one of the phones out on its own plan.

The service is for just 2 phones (700 min's) that's why I'm attempting this negotiation.
Text-ting and internet is deliberately/intentionally turned off and I think $80.00 a month is ridiculous; just for making calls.
You think it's ridiculous too?

Maybe it is time to find another provider.

It can't hurt to test the water right?

Mate, if your Mobile phone service providers are anything like ours here in Australia you have 2 chances negotiating with them, a snow flakes chance in the Caribbean and none. If you were in Australia I'd add Buckley's chance but its a cultural joke here.

There is a saying that says, "forarmed is forwarned" so I would go in with plans from other service providers and say hey listen here (sorry I'm not good at negotiating I say it how it is and don't fluff about) provider A will give me this plan, provider B will give me this plan and privider C will give me this plan. They are all better than you are so will you beat their prices and service quality or should I just go to one of the others?

Now if they are serious about keeping customers, you know the old adage that reputation is built on word of mouth, they will try their hardest to help you out thinking this guy will spread the word that we have great customer service and very happy customers cause we try out best to help them out. If they aren't willing to work with you then I'd be telling them that I could not in all good concience recomend them to any of my family, friends, or associates and if anyone asked me what I thought I'd be telling them to go somewhere else because they are not helpful.

Now you may be thinking that what I have said I would do is all guff (bluff with a lot of noise) but Vodafone in Australia is currently suffering pretty badly because of word of mouth, however they still haven't cleaned up their act much. Oneday big business will learn the customer is worth keeping in most cases and will do what it can to keep them.

Personally I'd just switch to a better provider and plan.

Good luck and let us know how you go.

Thanks! k3lt01

Guess I'll find that out:-

The top cell phone provider here in Columbia Maryland is Verizon and well.....
Their prices are ridiculous; Mate-
I'll see what the other two competitors; T-Mobile and Sprint have to offer but here's the one thing that I am finding out- They play games too.

Taking that to the bank with me+

Agreed! That's what I'm hoping for but you gave me some fuel to go on; Thanks again-

700 minutes for 2 phones for $80 plus taxes and fees is about as good as you're going to get. Cricket and Virgin and the others may have lower prices per minute, but lack stuff like unlimited night and weekend minutes and such.

Shop around, THEN talk to your provider. It's much easier when you can quote a specific alternate provider's plan to the retention people. Shows you're serious.

Heed the wisdom of that famous philosopher, Al Capone: "You get more with a gun and a smile than you do with just a smile."

Well, a baseball bat is also known to be useful.

A very well-known (but, fair warning, violent at the end) clip from the 1987 gangster film, The Untouchables. Classic Robert de Niro, at his acting best, playing Al Capone. When dealing with cell phone companies, I find that it gives me a certain amount of inspiration ... a little mental imagery, reminiscent of those "The Shadow Knows" cartoons in Mad magazine. When you can't do what you really want to do, it helps to have a clear mental image of what you desperately want to do.

True:- A tad rash but I get it-
I need more ammunition before the 'negotiation'

Good clip! Tho not willing to do time- -
Trying not to do that but if I find a better plan I will. That pic is funny sundialsvcs and I'm saving it for future reminders/lessons/ideas - lol!

Verizon is out of the question.
http://www.verizonwireless.com/wcms/...verything.html

And don't have to have this phone but purchasing a new one is in the mix-
http://www.verizonwireless.com/b2c/s...edPhoneId=5985

T-Moblile can't pay for that kind of gold-- On a budget; Mate.
Basic Classic Unlimited $99.99 per month
http://www.t-mobile.com/shop/plans/family-plans.aspx

Like this Droid....$50.00 not bad- (if I can't put Ubuntu on it I'm not willing to make the purchase)
Gotta be able to enjoy what I invest in.

Virgin Mobile; had service with them about 5 years ago and calls were consistently dropped and I became disenchanted with the service- And for additional min's I had to keep purchasing 'top up' cards.

And Sprint
Looks like the lowest one can go is 700 min's for $69.99 (this could work) But I have to look for the got-ya's. And their Unlimited Basic plan for $50.00 would work but I have to call them and find out is that one or 2 phones.
http://shop.sprint.com/mysprint/shop...amilyType=null

On the down side close to home the word of mouth is that Sprint's Customer Service is terrible.

A few folks I've talked to said T-Mobile is good but there's issues with calls dropped and it's annoying.

I rarely have dropped calls with my current provider.
http://shop.sprint.com/mysprint/shop...TG:HE:FamPlans

This might work...
With this pkg it's 1000 min's to share between phones
2 year contract agreement
Unlimited nights and weekends
Free mobile to mobile
$5.00 for @ additional line
Before taxes and fees :~$ 59.98

http://www.t-mobile.com/shop/plans/c...ies-1000-Talk1

My current provider has the same plan but for 500 min's less and 9.99 for an additional line.

Here's the games that I was telling k3lt01 about:


First I've heard of this regulatory programs fee- (seems like a got-ya)

Is it just me or this implies that I will have to make an additional purchase?

I'm assuming it's a one time fee and it's non-refundable....more games-

More fees after 1/2/2014 will appear on the bill? This is not clear and the rest of this is more games in my mind.
I suspect that no matter what provider I have or what plan I have there is always going to be 'pin feather and gollyfluff' putting it nicely.

Sitting back and thinking about the advice you all have given and asking myself is it really worth negotiating over with AT&T-

I enjoyed watching De Niro playing (several times...) an unspeakably awful crime character ... and watching him (equally capably) playing a disillusioned father in Everything's Fine. Good luck in your negotiations with a cell-phone company.

Hit a ... uhhh ... "home run," willya?

Uh huh ...

Sometimes, in this ol' world ... and it really doesn't matter where in this ol' world you are, now does it ... ;) ... you just gotta know what sort of bleep! you're dealin' with ... ... :D

Thanks!

Update:

Spoke with a Manager at AT&T today and the negotiation went GREAT!

My new agreement is for 550 minutes (2 cell phones) for $59.99 a month.
Unlimited mobile to mobile
Free nights and weekends

At first the Manager was not going to carry over my 5,000 rollover min's.
I explained that I did not want to loose those rollover minutes. So;I asked him if he would
be willing to negotiate those rollover min's. (put me on hold for a few min's and than came back to the phone) He than agreed to carry those rollover min's over to my new arrangement!

I now have a new cell phone plan that is reasonable and I learned how to practice some of the skills/tasks to practice the Art Of Negotiation at the same time.

Well done, I'm impressed.

A very pleasing outcome. Yes, it can be done.

It might be a corn-pone thing to say in an in-flight magazine: "In business, you don't get what you deserve. You get what you negotiate.™"

... but, if so, it's corn-pone that made for a very wealthy man.

;)LOL! I'm happy--

;)Took about an hour on the phone but:
Yup; it was worth it!