We all like to save money, but when you buy a phone plan, it may seem like you have just to accept whatever price you’re given. That isn’t actually the case. You can often negotiate with the seller to get a better deal. Saving money is just a matter of knowing the right negotiation strategies.
Do Deep Market Research Before Negotiating
You can’t play a hand of cards if you don’t have any cards to start with. Before you can even start a negotiation, you need cards to play and leverage to wield. This means you have to do research beforehand. You need to know the current market trends, including the latest plans, promotions, and pricing structures offered by your carrier and its competitors. If you don’t know what the financial landscape looks like, you can’t see if you are getting a good deal or not.
Make sure you know the specifics of your current plan, such as its data limits, talk and text allowances, and any additional features like international roaming or hotspot usage. Compare all of these things to plans being offered by other carriers, and determine if you can get the benefits of your plan for cheaper than your current provider is offering. This gives you leverage against your current provider—you can legitimately threaten to take your business elsewhere.
You should also check for seasonal promotions or special deals that might be available. That way, you know what kinds of discounts you should be getting from a carrier when negotiating with them. The more informed you are, the more confident you’ll feel when discussing your options with a sales representative. You have to know what you are talking about to talk with any confidence.
Have a Plan and Clear Idea of What You Want From the Start
One of the most common mistakes people make when negotiating with their cell phone carrier is not having a clear goal in mind. Before initiating the conversation, take the time to define exactly what you want out of your phone plan and for how much. Are you looking to lower your monthly bill, increase your data allowance, or add new features to your plan? Perhaps you’re interested in upgrading your device at a discounted rate. Whatever your objectives, make sure they are specific and realistic.
Having a clear plan will not only help you stay focused during the negotiation but also make it easier to communicate your needs to the salesperson. For example, if your goal is to reduce your monthly bill, be prepared to explain why you feel your current plan is overpriced and what you’re hoping to pay instead. By presenting a well-thought-out case, you’ll demonstrate that you’re serious about getting a better deal and not just fishing for discounts.
Don’t Be Fooled by Enthusiasm and Friendliness From a Salesperson
I’m not trying to say that salespeople are bad people. Plenty of them are genuinely kind and amicable. But you can never forget that selling you a phone plan is their job. Moreover, selling you a phone plan in a way that benefits the company they work for is their job. Generally speaking, they are not trying to get you, the customer, the best deal possible. Companies want more money, not less, and the salesperson is paid to facilitate that.
That’s why you must be cautious of overly enthusiastic pitches or promises that seem too good to be true. For example, a common sales tactic is to try and upsell you on a more expensive plan by pushing and praising features you don’t need. Come into a negotiation with a clear goal of what you want out of the deal, and don’t be swindled into agreeing to a bigger bill for features you won’t actually use in the long run.
Salespeople excel at making things sound good and desirable. It’s your job to understand the difference between what sounds good for you and what actually is good for you.
Know the Prices of the Competitors
One of the most powerful tools in your negotiation arsenal is knowing what the competition is offering. Your carrier wants your money, and they want as much as they can reasonably demand from you. They don’t want to cut you a deal, but if you can take your business to another carrier offering the same plan for less money, your carrier will likely be willing to provide you with a better deal. In their eyes, it’s better to get less money from you than no money at all.
So, take the time to gather detailed information about competitor offerings. Know what they are offering and for how much. Just make sure you focus on plans with similar benefits to yours, so you have an accurate comparison to use in negotiations. You want to prove that you can get equivalent service and benefits from another carrier at a lower price. Being able to get any plan at a lower price doesn’t improve your position.
Of course, if you can find a competitor plan that is actually even better than your current plan and it costs less money, that’s the best thing you can keep in your back pocket. That gives you a reason to pose a credible threat to leave your current carrier and go somewhere else unless they can give you a deal good enough to keep you around.
Consider Buy-Now Deals If They Are Good
Earlier, I said it was important to know what you wanted out of a deal and to be wary of additional offerings made by salespeople during negotiations. That’s still true, but being cautious doesn’t mean rejecting any and all offers made by a salesperson. It just means making sure you are agreeing to something truly beneficial for you.
Sellers will often present a “buy-now” deal designed to incentivize immediate action from the customer. Such plans can include bonus data, waived activation fees, device discounts, and more. If these deals offer real value to you, they are genuinely worth considering. For example, if you’ve been considering upgrading your phone and the carrier offers a substantial discount on the latest model with a buy-now deal, it might be worth taking advantage of the offer.
Just be sure to read the fine print and understand any terms or conditions that may apply. Don’t hesitate to take advantage of a genuinely good deal. Just don’t allow that deal to distract you from your intended negotiation goals.
Be Polite and Empathetic to the Salesperson
Finally, never forget that the person you’re negotiating with is just doing their job. Sure, it can feel scummy from a customer’s perspective for a salesperson to push them toward spending more money, but they are trying to make ends meet just like we are. It’s up to the customer to know what is or isn’t worth spending money on relative to their personal needs.
Moreover, a lot of salespeople will actually try to cut you a genuinely good deal if you are a polite, pleasant person to talk to. Most employees don’t truly care about putting the company ahead of everything else in life and will treat customers well if those customers treat them well. At any rate, you are much more likely to reach a beneficial deal with your phone carrier if you treat the person you are talking to with respect and dignity.
After all, would you really want to help out someone who insults you, yells at you, or treats you badly? I know I wouldn’t.
Ultimately, negotiating a better deal with your phone carrier is no different from any negotiation. The carrier has something you want. You have something they want. As long as you approach the negotiation with the right information, a clear goal in mind, and a willingness to work with the person on the other side of the table, you have very good odds of securing a better deal for yourself.
