Martin Lewis, the founder of Money Saving Expert (MSE), has shared a simple hack that could help you haggle better deals and discounts on your household bills. In a video posted to the MSE website, Lewis revealed that using the word 'disconnections' can unlock significant savings when negotiating with call centres.
The 'Secret' Word for Better Deals
According to Lewis, the key is to ask to be transferred to the 'customer disconnections' department. He explained: "Do you want to know the secret to haggling with call centres? We're talking breakdown, cover mobile phones, digital TV, insurance companies and more." He noted that this department is often actually 'customer retentions', where staff have the authority to offer the best deals to keep customers from leaving.
Lewis said: "What really happens is when they say to us, 'Okay, I'll put you through to customer disconnections' if you say, 'I'm going to leave.' In reality, they're putting you through to customer retentions. That's the place where they have the people who have got the power and authority to keep you as a customer and give you the best deals and discounts."
How to Use the Hack Effectively
Lewis advises starting by politely informing the company that you are unhappy with your current service or considering leaving. Then ask to be transferred to disconnections. He emphasised using charm: "So if you first go through to call centre staff and you're politely talking with them and they're not giving you what you want, then again, with a smile on your face, because we must use charm to get the best deals, ask to be put through to disconnections. And then you may get a much better deal."
The MSE website provided additional guidance, highlighting that timing is crucial: "Haggling works best when you're near or beyond the end of your contract." It also suggested specific phrases to use when negotiating, such as: "I've worked out my budget, and my absolute max is £[insert price here] a month", "[EE/O2/Three/Vodafone] can do it for less", "I need to think about it", "My husband/wife won't be impressed if I pay that", "It's still a lot of money", and "What's the very best you can do?"
Don't Accept the First Offer
MSE stressed: "Don't say yes to the first offer they give. You should never go with the first offer. Chances are, it's not the best deal they can do. Remember, be firm." By using the word 'disconnections' and following these tips, consumers can potentially secure significant discounts on a range of services.
