Spending Time and Saving Money!

Good Evening, 

What. A. Week! With several colleagues off on annual leave for their holibobs, and virtually skeleton-management in the office for the majority of the week it was certainly one for the books, not to mention a couple of engineers taking leave and a handful of sick-days. Yes, my week as the service desk manager (sort of, not really) was eventful to say the least. I shall not go into the in's-and-out's of what the week entailed fully and what customer issues I dealt with (fairly well all things considered) but I will certainly hand out credit where credit is due and my engineers were amazing and so helpful and understanding. I couldn't ask for a more helpful and lovely bunch of guys! I think I handles things well, although I am slightly less reluctant to share now that my work friends have come back from their travels. 

One thing I certainly don't have to hand over to anyone is the household chores. Oh and sometimes I wish I did. Now Mr. Warehouse is great at getting the housework done and in all fairness there is very little I have to do at home apart from the things I enjoy such as baking, cooking dinner for us both, Tidying up, Taking out the rubbish, feeding the dog and taking her for walks (most of the time anyway) and making packed lunches. However these limited amount of tasks I take on through the general household running is added onto my long list of things to keep in check, such as meter readings every few weeks, checking and comparing the prices of our monthly outgoings including TV, Broadband, Gas, Electricity and Water. It is my job to make sure that we are paying the right amount as well as any debts that are accrued over a period of time and make sure that they are settled in good time. I am also the one to negotiate the bills when they become slightly too high. 

Now this is something that some people, especially in Britain, may think of as quite controversial even in many circumstances be considered as rude. That's right, we are talking about the good old fashioned art of haggling. Now I fully understand that we are not standing in the middle of a market in Marrakech, arguing the toss over whether that handbag costs two goats or four. Nevertheless I feel that those that do not have off with any company that provides them a service deserves to be punished by paying so much for something I can get for so little. In Britain it feels like we are ingrained to believe that the price on the sticker is the price that you should pay, and whilst in many circumstances especially with retail and on High Street it is not common practise it is not to say that I have not tried my dab-hand at asking for a discount in stores. 

I am more likely than not to ask for a discount over the phone as I did this week with my car insurance provider. Keeping the conversation short and light I was able to get a discount of around £300.00 of my car insurance premium for this year which has certainly made me better off this year round, even with my no claims discount not fully intact. I started the conversation with the gentleman I spoke to asking him how his day was and politely explaining to him that I have received my renewal quote and after talking with some other insurance providers that they were able to match the same policy I was one and was coming in substantially cheaper than my current insurer. I followed up by asked him if there is anything he could do in terms of a discount as I did not want the hassle of moving provider. After checking through my details and making sure that nothing has drastically changed since last year, he was able to provide me the same level of service with ten-months cover including vehicle legal cover for myself and all passengers in my car as well as the courtesy car, should anything go wrong. After all discounts and reductions put onto my account I was still left paying less than I did last year and that was even with the crash I had in January and claim on my insurance. 

I was thrilled and after a phone call that lasting less than twenty-minutes I was able to save myself nearly enough for a small holiday. But alas this is not the first time as I am forever calling up and checking with insurance providers, or utility companies that I am on their cheapest tariff and paying as little as possible. My top tips for haggling is don't be afraid. What is the worst they could say - No?!

Male or female, flirting doesn't hurt or simply being friendly. Despite what you think they are a human being at the other end of the phone so have fun with it and ask them how their day is or what they were up to at the weekend. These are all ice-breakers and help the call-handler to see you as a nice person who just wants to cut back a bit. Lets be honest everyone is trying to cut back most of the time and explaining that you are saving for a holiday of a lifetime or a big old family Christmas are always plausible excuses for why you need to cut down on your outgoings and will again help in building the rapport with the call handler. Being rude will get you no-where and more likely than not will make the person on the other end of the phone want to cut off your service, not decrease its value. 

Explain that you have done your research and looked into other providers that are able to give you the same service or better. In most circumstances the call operator will ask you what prices you have been quoted from competitors. Be honest and explain to them that you have seen quotes online and through other providers for between 10% and 25% less than your current provider. Do not bite off more than you can chew and lie about the extreme values that you will be able to save by shopping elsewhere as the call handler may well ask you to suck it!

Stress the importance to you that you do not want to leave and that you have been a customer with the company for some time, assuming you have for example. Everyone can relate to how stressful it is trying to move providers even if it is something as simple as car insurance. By explaining that you are willing to take your custom elsewhere the company will be more likely to at least match the "offers" you have seen elsewhere and may even better it. All in all, hopefully the call operator will see that your loyalty to the company and lack of funds will encourage them to help a brother out! 

Don't worry because if you are not able to get a discount or what you want financially in terms of a reduction, get them to throw something in for no extra cost such as upgrade on TV package, phone extras such as more minutes or data or maybe even free breakdown cover! Again stay polite. It is not in my remit to give you a reduction or discount on your bill just because you have asked for one. A corporation or company is out to make money from their customers and you asking for discount means there is less after profit margin that the shareholders can use to go on holiday to Marbella next year! Don't get upset or angry if they refuse you want your asking them for - Remember you are essentially asking the company for favour and to reward your loyalty. 

Lastly, there are two ways that the conversation with the Company could end. Lets start with the happy ending that you wanted - You got it cheaper! Well done. Hard work is essentially over and you can look forward to the many months of savings that you may incur as a result of what could have been quite a quick phone call or Internet chat. But don't enjoy it too much just make sure to remind yourself when the deal or offer runs out so you can call the company back and ask for further discounts for reductions to keep your bill low. 

The other side of the coin is the Not-So glamorous ending of "nope". If the call operator utters those fateful words "If you can get it that cheaper elsewhere then should you like me to put you through to disconnections / the cancellation team?" Don't Panic! Usually this part of the play means that you will be put through to what is internally known as customer retention's. Basically put, these are the people that have real bargaining tools in order to keep you as a customer. And if all else fails and they still can't help you with what you are looking for in terms of a discount, reduced bill or freebie then a simple one-liner is all you need. Explaining to the customer retention's call operator that you just need to check with your husband, wife or partner that it is OK to cancel the services. Again finish politely and thank them for their help. 

Now please don't expect this to work miracles as it is only used as a mechanism in order to afford some of life's smaller luxuries. Instead of paying through the nose for life's necessities ask for something back in return. How many of you are sat at home with the same old providers of bank accounts, home insurance, TV and other products that you have never thought of calling and haggling down the price for. Go on, I encourage you to go fourth and save pennies ... 

'Til next time, Love A.Lou xx

Working Nine To Five ...

Bonjour!

So as my first full week of being a fully fledged twenty-three-year-old I am beginning to get a bit more of a routine in my life now that the booze and birthday cake is done away with. Now that the partying is over and done with I can start concentrating on my big trip to Las Vegas in March of 2015. With just over six-months until I go I am already planning up, writing lists about list on reams of papers just waiting for the day I board that plane to a destination of many an American Dream. 

Last week I started my second job. Nothing special I must add; Just working in a call-centre calling people randomly and asking if they want to take part in a survey. Yep that's right, I am one of those annoying people that calls when your in the middle of feeding the kids, administering medication to your dog or even taking a leak. And it isn't the first time I have worked as a telephone operative as previous job roles in the past involved asking you for donations to charities you probably have never heard of, persuading you to take part in market research about lunch boxes and booking in a bowling game at your local alley. And some of the responses and people you get to speak to are just priceless. Oh yes, us call centre staff have heard it all. I don't think anything that someone says or does whilst on the phone could shock me anymore. 

I was coming to the end of my shift as a customer service assistant at a contact centre for a rather large national bowling alley. "Two minutes to go!" I thought in my head as I watched the analogue clock in the corner of my screen tick down the final moments of what had been a long and exhausting shift. Time soon to go home and put my feet up with a nice glass of wine. Then the dreaded tone beeped in my ear, abruptly crashing me down from my day-dream and into a script I knew off by heart. Welcoming the caller onto the line I looked at the clock as it turned 9pm. Everyone left apart from me. I was still sat there twenty-minutes later but it would be another fifteen before the caller eventually hung up. The lengthy caller in question was a rather demanding sweet-sixteener-to-be and with a birthday coming up in the next few weeks she was stopping at nothing to have it all her own way. Struggling not to laugh and snigger I listened to requests of her having pink flamingos and penguins greeting her guests from the entrance. She was only getting started. Banners of her face and with outside catering brought in for her twenty-something guest list I knew this was something I couldn't handle alone. 

With no other option I put the young prima donna on hold and called the branch to gain there advice. Of course, flamingos and handmade vol au vents were banned from the birthday celebrations but oddly the banners of the little darling was allowed, as was the throwing of glittery confetti as she exited the already booked limo. Thinking that the fifteen-year-old princess would kick off I took a deep breath before taking her off hold. Relaying to her the branches answers she seemed annoyed and miffed that someone was spoiling her big day but after explaining fully that flamingos and penguins were not allowed on the premises and that outside catering would be a breach of health and safety (I know that old nut) she seems to calm down. After yelling for her father and his credit card I finally spoke to someone I thought I would be able to make sense of. That was until, quite matter of fact, he said that he would buy her another pony. But egg finally landed on this well-to-do gentleman's lap as our company did not accept American Express and so had to end the call in order to find another card. Saying goodbye and ending the call I could already hear the tantrums erupting in the background. Thankful for the day off I had planned the following day I knew I would probably never hear from the little brat again. She will be eighteen now and probably still has that silver spoon wedged between those arse-cheeks of hers. 

Another job I had was market research, very similar to my second job now actually, carrying out surveys on behalf of big customers such as the government, phone providers and a multitude of high street banks. But with serious subjects to get statistics for you sometimes have to fight back the urge to just literally laugh out loud. I had this many a time, a few times where by you can plainly hear urination and others when it is simply as you go to hang up and hear the blop of a cistern and the thrashing of toilet water. One time I even caught someone in the tub! Clearly catching this man at an inconvenient time I promised to call back soon. But on the contrary he obliged and carried out the research questionnaire in full, adding in the odd splash and splosh for added effect. 

The majority of people you speak to you see are very nice and genuinely as a human being you don't want to be unkind or horrible to someone. You do get the odd dick-heads that are just shouty and angry but as I hang up and code away as appropriately and with my ears probably still ringing I think, well someone either hasn't been laid in a long time or has just burnt their dinner. Sometimes though you can call at the most in consonant of times in peoples lives and not everyone makes it easy for you to get out once your into a call. One elderly lady I spoke to whilst working in charity fundraiser answered the phone politely and kindly, a warm grand-mothering voice. When I asked for the man of the household, her husband, I was told he was not in. Asking for a time in which he would be available to speak with I was met with an answer I didn't fully understand until she had hung up. 

"Well pet, if you want to speak to him you will have to have a hot line to heaven" The old dear softly spoke down the line and before I even got a chance to open my mouth the line went dead. That wasn't the only thing as I soon realised that what the pensioner was trying to say was that her husband was dead. Feeling bad about it I tried my hardest from that moment on to be more careful with older people - They die more often. 

With targets to beat and completed surveys to get the stress levels on a market research company call floor are usually pretty intense, but sometimes you speak to that odd gem that just takes it all away. Like one man whom I spoke to on a cold winter's evening a few years ago. After going through the same old introduction again with yet another faceless voice I got an odd response that soon made me prick up my ears and put down my doodling pen. The gruffly voiced gentleman on the other end asked a common question as to what incentive there was for him in all of this. Stating clearly that there was no prize draw for a Porsche or cash give-away I was met with the usual steely cold response. Thinking that he was about to hang up I tried one last time to ask him to complete the survey. 

"You have a very sexy voice Abbey. Very seductive indeed. OK, I will do it. On one condition. Because I like your voice. I like to hear you talk. So carry on dear." Shocked I looked around. Involved with they're own workload no-one seemed to care that this older man may be praying on a college student. Doing my job I continued the seven-minute phone call without as much as a peep from the respondent apart from answering the questions of course, the odd grunt or pant for good measure being huffed down the phone from his end. What he was doing whilst I asked of his opinions on the war in Iraq I have no clue but I didn't want to ask. As we came to the end of the call I thanked him for his time and proceeded to end the conversation as quickly as possible. Not getting away easily he asked me a question I never expected. 

"Can I have your number?" A slightly out of breath man asked. Panicking I gave him the company number. 

"No. Can I have your number?" My admirer asked. Now bricking it I simply said that it was not company policy to give out individual personal details and again thanked him for his time, desperately hoping he would just go so I could go on break and laugh my tits off, hoping I never have to talk to him again. Silence was broken after a few after another frosty bit of dead-air. Finally the male hung up but not before thanking me for a very good evening indeed. Even sitting here now I can recall his final message - No No Abbey, Thank you. Thank you. 

And so I slog it out, day-dreaming away the moment I can watch a sham-Vegas wedding between two drunks that have just met. Thoughts of cocktails, wild and messy nights out and a naughty American fling. Week after week for the next six-months I shall continue to work my fingers to the bone in order to afford a holiday of a lifetime. And as I sit at my desk I wonder to myself, how an earth would I be able to date with two jobs, an apartment, a hectic social life and a holiday to save for, not to even mention Christmas! But somehow I think that maybe there is something brewing. Something that is maybe a little closer to home. Something that has been under my nose the entire time ... 

'Til next time, Love A.Lou xx