I've been a big fan of services such as Vonage and Skype. I've written about VOIP over the years. But I just discovered the ball and chain approach to retaining customers.
To cut to the chase, I asked Vonage to cancel my account since my phone does not work with another Vonage user in another part of the world --the reason we both bought the Linksys boxes and signed up.
The reality: You could do everything with Vonage, online, except cancel the service.
You have to call them, but that too, only on weekdays between 9 and 5.
Then there are the Terms of Service.
I looked at the link they had emailed me to the Terms of Service, when I signed up.
The one- or two-year term is couched in the legal-ease:
If your Service was activated on or before January 31, 2007, the disconnection fee is waived if your Service is disconnected one (1) year following your activation date.
Meaning: I am stuck with a one-year contract!
Isn't there a simple straightforward way to say that in about 6 words?
How does this relate to marketing?
Whatever happened to exceeding customer's expectations? Heck, what about their part of the contract, that I get the part of the service I signed up for?
There must be a huge disconnect between what the Customer Care people are allowed to say, and what 'Marketing' has asked them to say. The CSR can't terminate my account without a penalty, but tells me about value added services. Look, I stopped him, I called to cancel my account, not to listen to your value add.
To make matters worse, my buddy tried to speak to customer care from overseas through his crippled Vonage connection The line was so bad, they didn't understand each other.
Oh, they do have a 'solution.' My account has been downgraded to $5 a month for the next two months, after which I could cancel without a penalty. Brilliant marketing strategy, that.
For the next two months I can warn everyone considering Vonage to please, please, go over to Skype.
Reminds me of the anecdote I heard from Fred Reichheld (The Ultimate Question) on taking back a rental car and being slapped with a penalty after being caught in traffic. They recommended in future when he rents a car, he buys 'protection.' He was livid (on his podcast that is now out there) wondering if it was the car rental business or organized crime..
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