Sky+ on offer in UK only 99 - same here?

bazza

Howdy all,

http://www.ordersky.com/howtoorder/onlineoffers.asp

Sky are now offering the Sky+ box for GBP99 in the UK incl installation (see link above) - any chance they're going to do the same here? Its significantly more expensive here when you consider its EUR300 vs GBP99 (about EUR141).

Bazza

Wiggy

They do offer it for €149, which is about the same.

Both offers are for first time installation of SKY, and require you to take up multiroom at an additional €15 per month.

See http://www.sky.com/skycom/article/0,,91069-1130664,00.html and click on the Sky+ tab.

bazza

Ahhhh... now that might explain it. Being a current loyal Sky customer, I can't avail of the first time install offer, I have to pay full price. Bizarre.

chump

Tis ridiculous we've had digital I think for nearly 4 years, more I think (bit after the launch of Sky digital in October 1998), for ages anyway... we still have a crappy old grundig box, installer never connected fone line into it (fone line would have to be laid into the room), and if we want to get sky+ we have to dish out 300euro for the basic sky+ box...

you'd think they'd reward loyalty... seriously considering going ntl, cheaper and in each room

bazza

Yeah - agreed. I moved away from Chorus due to the p*ss poor service they provided (and their non-existant customer service attitude). But, that said, the Sky service has proved a lot more expensive - my ancient Grundig box gets upset and won't display normal teletext until you cold-boot it - no itv/c4 - no multiroom. Hence the reason why I'm considering upgrading to Sky+ with multiroom.

Theres a lot to be said for the standard cable operators. Sky have me by the goolies right now.

Baud

You don't have to get multi room. At least I didn't. It was 149 with or without multi room.

Also, there's a pile of threads on one of the UK forums about getting the upgrade prices. Basically stay on the phone, threaten to cancel your account, and complain about how your mate gets it for 149 and you have to pay 300+. They have something setup to give it for EUR149/£99..

L.

_Kaiser_

Well I called them up now today.....

Spoke to a girl who was all ready to put it through for till she realised I was in Ireland (despite me telling her at the start of the call) at which point she then told me it'd be €199

So I tells her that I'm looking at it here on their website and it said €149. She wasn't able to find the site of course - I sympathised saying that it IS annoying that most of the site is UK oriented even though we here in Ireland pay just as much - if not more - for the same service, actually LESS of a service as we don't get ITV, C4 etc, and then I asked for a supervisor.

After telling him the story and how, though I understand they have offers to try and attract new business, I thought it was VERY poor customer service given that I've been a constant subscriber to the top package since 1997, that I paid for my analogue equipment, and again for the relocation charge when I moved house last year AND that I had to pay for a new digibox myself cause the Grundig they gave me wasn't up to it and they wanted a ridiculous amount to give me a new one.

Anyway after all this he tells me that he can't reduce the €199 but will arrange to give me 3 months half price rental on the main sub so that I'll get my money back that way.

Will be installed so on Saturday the 4th... then I'm sure I'll be back looking for those upgrade instructions

It pays to complain sometimes I guess....

[EDIT: Names removed to protect the innocent and not so innocent ]

bazza

Nice one - so lesson is, kick up a fuss and see what happens. Suppose its worth a shot. They can only say no.

dwayneburke

kaiser2000, i rang them up today and queried the price and they told me same thing i.e. €199 plus €15 for the multiroom which you have to take.

Also they gave me an offer of €299 plus €75 install if it was a straight swap for my digibox with no multiroom.....

In the first option can i get out of the multiroom offer? There seems to so much conflicting prices around its mind bogglling....btw im a existing subscriber for the past 5 years and dont have it connected to my phoneline if that is an use?

I was half thinking of cancelling my contract and getting my girlfriend to subscribe to get the €149 offer but i dont really want any downtime so close to Xmas, but am starting to really consider it as i dont want to get fleeced...it seems Sky are really chancing their arm with the irish customers!!

Tks

_Kaiser_

well they're installing it for me for €199 as I said above with the Multiroom option which as you say yourself is a requirement of the offer in any case and in my situation is fine, as the people I share the house with will pay that part of it anyway.

But when you add in the 3 months of half price sub he agreed to give me, that works out at about 90 quid off the price so that's not bad really! Forgot to mention too that he was also gonna send out an engineer to look at my old Grundig box and replace it if necessary - pity I got rid of it cause that woulda been another new box, but in fairness I'm happy enough with the deal he gve me as is.

I suppose it depends on the guy/girl you get and how good you are at talkin them into a concession...in my case, I think I've given them more than enough over the years - full sub since 1997, they got a the relocation charge (€65 or somethin like that) when I moved house AND buying a new box outta my own pocket cause they didn't wanna give me one at a reasonable price - that I felt I could genuinely hit them with the "poor customer service/no reward for customer loyalty" line...

I also mentioned about how I COULD cancel or reduce my sub as others do, but that that's not a route I wanted to go down as by and large I'm happy with the service I'm getting... from what I've read here and elsewhere, threatening to cancel seems to work a lot of the time.

Still, end of the day, it's up to you as to how far you want to push them..having worked in callcentre enviornments myself, just remember to be nice, calm and polite and remember that there's no point "screaming" at the person who answers the phone as they really have no authority to do anything..you need a Supervisor or above to get any concessions and it seems to be somewhat discretionary as to what they'll offer...remember as well that "new customer signups" seem to have peaked as anyone who wants Sky at this stage has it for the most part, and that the stated goal of the company now is to maximize income per subscriber, so it's in their interests to accomodate you which works in your favor.

Let us know how you get on tho... good luck!