floreenathomas 
Pasadena, California, USA - Oct 09, 2021: AT&T Store - Pasadena, California.
Have you ever heard of the retention department? The customer retention department is part of the customer service organization in most customer-oriented companies that are responsible for persuading people to stay with the company. Customer retention aims to increase customer loyalty and reduce cancellations. Most companies that earn recurring revenue need to retain customers for as long as possible to maximize their Lifetime Value (CLV).
If you call AT&T in a heated mood and demand cancellation of your account, your call will be quickly forwarded to a retention specialist whose job is to calm you down, lead you to be satisfied with their service, and keep you as one. Buyer.
In this article, I am going to tell you how to talk to retention departments and get the best possible deal, keeping in mind that they have incentives to keep you as a customer. Whether you’re calling the AT&T retention department or any other company you do business with, these tips will come in handy.
Older readers may recall a time when the phone company did not consider whether you were a customer. If you canceled, many more people would come to the door to get the service; They didn’t need you. While this is still true in some cases (such as wanting a freephone), some things have changed. Since the level of competition among phone companies is incredibly high, some companies have chosen to focus on retaining their existing customers rather than just relying on new revenue. With more competition for fewer customers, companies are working hard to keep you in their books.
Customer and churning
Customers are leaving the company and others are signing up for the service all the time. This ebb and flow of customers are called churning. Until a few years ago, most technology service providers simply accepted churning as a fact of life and did not worry about having a specific customer or leaving. It was the same whether you talked about the internet, cell service, car insurance, or any kind of service.
Now things are different. Customers are demanding discounts and are much more aware of moving to a new contract or researching a cheaper deal. Companies are now actively trying to retain you as a customer because they have realized that it costs money to acquire customers and it is often better to give a good deal to a paid customer to keep them from leaving. It puts you in the driver’s seat for once.
Hold the customer and get a good deal
AT&T is responsible for reducing the churning within the retaining company. They have many discounts and offers that they can use to entice you to stay one more year or two. You can contact them by dialing 611 from an AT&T phone or by calling 1-800-331-0500.
However, to get a good deal from any retention department you need to be organized.
Shopping nearby for other deals
When your installment plan is about to expire, it means your phone has been paid, shopping around for other deals. Compare Likes to Like Services of all companies offering similar services in your area Copy or quote, and find out who is offering what. Keep that list close at hand when calling. You know, Telco X offers me the same level of service that you’re offering but less a powerful bargain chip per month.
To get a discount, you need measurable data to support your case. There is no point in talking to a retention agent claiming a discount and that is it. You need to present your evidence to show that you can get a better deal at a lower price or with more features.
Understand what you are paying for
To get a discount on your service, you need to know how much you are paying, what features are being added to the cost, what features you are using, and what you can do without. Some of your current features may be modified or completely replaced. Understand what you are currently paying for as well as what you want to pay for.
Mark your goals
Finally, mark your goal when making calls. Do you want a lower monthly bill or more features? Both? Want fast speed or a big data cap? Both? Knowing in advance what you want will help prevent you from getting caught up in something you didn’t want.
Call to hold AT&T
Once you’re ready, it’s time to call. Keep your list in hand and don’t forget to call from a quiet place where you won’t be bothered.
Most importantly, don’t tell them you want to match them with another company or tell them directly what you want. Ask them what they can do for you to keep you as a customer. Then let them work their magic.
4 Tips to Deal with Customer Retention
- If you’re not happy with what the AT&T retention agent brings back, don’t be afraid to ask for more. Unless you are flexible and fair, you can always ask for more, or a few months a free feature or some other benefit depending on the goals you set earlier. Don’t be afraid to ask for more because these companies are never afraid to take more.
- Use breaks carefully because you want to honor the time of the AT&T customer service agent. Agents schedule their calls and your call needs to be served quickly and to another one. Don’t go to all the TVs and tell them to wait 30 seconds at a time, but use breaks to show resentment or make them sweat a little. Sometimes a simple break can provide a more generous offer so they can create another satisfied customer.
- Understand that most delegates will offer you what they have at the time. The goal of a customer service representative is not to argue with a customer, it is much easier to give them what you want if they are available. You can always politely request to speak with a manager if you feel that there is something you are not being offered
- Lastly, if the agent you’re talking to isn’t interested or annoyed about keeping you as a customer, thank them and hang up. Leave one minute and try again. Different staff members will have different levels of motivation or different levels in their monthly goals. Also, like many other companies, AT&T uses both contract employees (non-AT&T employees) and corporate employees in its retention department. They may not have the power to approve other deals depending on who you are talking to.
Deal low-down
Before making a call, keep in mind that maintaining your loyalty is not the only goal of the company. All AT&T customers need revenue to continue providing services, so you can get a special offer if you add a new service to your bundle instead of reducing the bill credit or rate, it will often save you money on other bills (for example; Switch to Internet AT&T).
If you are looking for a deal on a new phone then you may be out of luck. The agent may have the option to reduce your plan and offset the price of a new phone, but you will still have to pay advance tax and MSRP (price set by the manufacturer) for the phone.
Deals available to retention agents are pre-loaded and mapped by someone they have probably never met before. We say this because AT&T says they can’t do it so you don’t want to waste your time trying to get something that other companies are offering. Sometimes the best deals are for new customers, you can always switch to another provider to take advantage of the discount and then return at a later date.
How to ensure that your customer retention agreement is honored
Once you have a deal, repeat it to them. It verifies that you understand what is being offered and that they are clear about your expectations. Next, get the delegate’s first name and enter your call time. Whenever an agent touches your account, the notes contain an ID (the agent cannot give you this ID and some will not give you their last name, but their first name and call time should suffice). If you have problems with your promise, call again with that information.
Then set a calendar reminder to yourself to repeat the whole process when this agreement expires. Over time, you can save a lot of money by contacting the customer retention teams of AT&T and other businesses that you pay monthly,
If you can spend an hour researching deals and talk to an agent, you can save money or get extra features for little or no money. Unless you’re justified in your request and with the AT&T retention agent, you’ll be amazed at what they can do to keep you as a customer!
