How to negotiate your bills –
Introduction ๐
Did you know that you can negotiate your bills, to get the prices lowered? ๐
This is one of the best savings tips that you can learn, because it can help you to save a huge amount of money.
You can negotiate bills like your:
- Car insurance ๐
- Phone insurance
- Home insurance ๐ก
- (and other types of insurance)
- TV subscriptions ๐บ
- Internet packages
- Phone package ๐ฑ
- Rent
- Energy bills โก
which could save you a lot of money in the long run!
What bills should I be paying? ๐ธ
Today we’re explaining how you can negotiate your bills to save money!
Disclaimer: This website provides information for guidance and educational purposes only. The Grown-Up School does not provide regulated financial advice. You can seek independent financial advice from a suitably qualified and regulated professional advisor. Check out our disclaimer policy for more information.
1. Introduce yourself in a friendly way ๐ค
Usually when you call a company to talk about your bills the customer service person will start off by introducing themselves. ๐
They might say something like:
Customer Service: “Hi you’re through to <insert name>. How can I help you?”
It’s important to be really friendly when you reply to customer services because:
- The more the customer service person likes you, the harder they’re likely to try to find you a good deal โจ
- You don’t want to ruin the customer service person’s day! ๐ฆ๏ธ
- Customer services are normal human beings and should be treated well ๐
- It’s nice to be nice ๐
You could reply with something like:
You: “Hi <insert name> – how are you?”
Customer Service: “I’m good thank you, how are you?”
You: “I’m doing great, thanks for asking. I’m having an issue and I would love for you to help me.”
2. Tell them your problem ๐ฌ
Your problems could be:
- You’re struggling to pay your bills ๐
- Your deal isn’t competitive anymore and other providers are offering cheaper deals ๐ธ
- They’ve increased your prices and you’re not happy about it ๐
You could say something like:
“I’ve noticed that similar businesses to yours are offering really competitive rates at the moment. Since you’re my current provider I thought it’d be a good idea to speak to you first and see if you had any offers available that could take advantage of”.
3. Show that you’re a loyal customer ๐
Companies love loyal customers. ๐
It’s easier for them to help you if you can show that you’re a customer who will use them repeatedly. ๐
They want you to:
- have a great experience ๐
- praise their customer services ๐
- recommend the business to others ๐
- continue doing business with them ๐
If you’ve been with them for a long time ๐
You could say something like:
“I’ve been with <insert company name> for <insert number of years> and I’d love to continue being a loyal, valued customer.“
If you’re quite a new customer ๐โโ๏ธ
Don’t worry if you’re not one of their long-term customers!
You can turn this into an opportunity for the business to win your loyalty. ๐
You could say something like:
“Whilst I’ve only been with <insert company name> for <insert length of time> so far, I’m a loyal customer, and would love for you to earn my loyalty and continued business today.”
4. See what they can offer ๐คทโโ๏ธ
Next, you want to give them a chance to whip out their very best offer for you. โจ
You could say something like:
“I want to have a great customer experience today with <insert company name>. What can you do for me?”
5. Don’t accept the first “no” ๐
In an ideal world, customer services will bring out an amazing deal for you and lower your bills straight away. ๐ฅณ
BUT
Sometimes, they might just say:
“I’m sorry there’s nothing we can do for you”.
If every customer asked just once for a better deal and got one straight away, companies could miss out on a lot of money. ๐ธ
If you really want a better deal, it’s important be persistent. ๐ช
Saying “There’s nothing we can do”, can be an easy way to filter out customers who aren’t committed to getting a deal. – a lot of people would just say “Okay thanks” and hang up!
Sometimes it can take a lot of asking to get that deal. ๐ท๏ธ
You could reply with:
“As a loyal customer, I’d really love to get a great experience today. Is there anything you could do for me?”
or
“I’m really keen to get a great experience today, are you sure there’s nothing you could do?”
6. Say thank you โจ
Sometimes, no matter how much you grind, they might not offer you a better deal.
This is okay!
Some companies will have strict rules around what customer services can offer.
Make sure to thank customer services for their time, and say bye. ๐
7. Call again another day ๐
It’s possible that other customer services representatives will be more helpful than the one you’ve just spoken to. ๐ค
So why not try calling back another day to see if you’ll get the same answer?
Sometimes speaking to someone else is all it takes to get a better deal. โจ
8. Consider switching ๐
If your current provider really won’t budge and there are better deals out there, consider switching! ๐คทโโ๏ธ
Most businesses offer their best deals to their new customers, and not existing ones. โน๏ธ
Conclusion ๐
So that’s it!
You can negotiate your bills by following these steps:
- Introduce yourself in a friendly way ๐ค
- Tell them your problem ๐ฌ
- Show that youโre a loyal customer ๐
- See what they can offer ๐คทโโ๏ธ
- Donโt accept the first โnoโ ๐
- Say thank you โจ
- Call again another day ๐
- Consider switching ๐
Hopefully you’re feeling more confident about understanding how to negotiate your bills.
If you know any friends or family members who might benefit from learning about how to negotiate bills, share this post with them!
Finally, don’t forget to check out our similar articles below!
Similar articles to “How to negotiate your bills” โฌ๏ธ
How to start looking after your money ๐ฑ
8 reasons to start saving money now ๐ท
Why you need to start thinking (and talking) about money๐ธ
Is borrowing money a bad thing? ๐คทโโ๏ธ
How to keep control of your money ๐ธ
What bills should I be paying? ๐ธ
Should I save for a house? โ pros and cons๐คทโโ๏ธ
What to buy for a new home: the ultimate first home shopping checklist ๐ก
What is the โBottom Lineโ? ๐
๐
Follow us!
for free daily Grown-Up lessons ๐๐