10 march 2011

From:

Adam Shand

To:

Premiers NZ Ltd
Complaints Department
Private Bag 92161
Dubai

To whom it may concern;

My wife and I have been Premiers customers since we moved (back) to New Zealand in 2003. In general we have been happy with the products and services which you have to offer. Recently you sent me email suggesting that we consider changing our plans to your new Mega and TXTer plans. The bestmate option sounded like it would suit my wife and I perfectly and I went to your web site to find out about changing.

I was stunned to discover that after being a Premiers customer for over four years, in order to change my plan I had to re-commit for an additional 24 months contact!??! I simply cannot believe that you would try and lock a loyal customer into a two year contract simply for changing plans.

Even though I have no interest in changing my mobile provider, by forcing me to commit to a long term contract in order to change my plan, you guarantee that I will now investigate the offerings from the other mobile providers. Why would you do that?

Please understand that 24 months is a long time in the real world. In that time I could be overseas or I could have changed jobs and no longer require a personal cell phone.

Coincidentally, I was also interested in purchasing a new Nokia N95 mobile. Out of curiosity I phoned your support desk to verify that I had understood the 24 month contract requirement correctly (they assured me that I had) and to ask if by purchasing a new phone through you if I could get around the requirement for a new contract or at least get a discount on the phone (like a new customer would). They said that no such offer was available.

I encountered a similar lack of respect for existing customers when I went to sign up for your business plans earlier in the year. While I was investigating your plans the sales person informed me that non-Premiers customers who sign up for a new business plan get $500 towards a new phone, while existing Premiers customers get nothing other then locked in to a 24 month contract. At the time I didn't have the time to formally complain, but it did stop me from signing up with Premiers as a business customer.

To wrap up I really want to remain a loyal Premiers customer but I am exceedingly frustrated by your attempts to lock me into a long term contract.

I beg you to reconsider how you treat your customers and *reward* us for our loyalty rather then punish us!

Yours in frustration,


Sunny