How to opt out of energy retailers' customer retention phone calls?

non-core promise on 30/07/2020 - 12:35
Last edited 30/07/2020 - 14:27 by 1 other user

I probably switch energy retailers more often than most. Every quarter (usually 2-3 weeks before the read date), I go on energymadeeasy.gov.au, enter our average usage for the season and make sure we are still on the best deal. I also check Cashrewards' offers for energy and gas if there are a few retailers that are very close in price.

A consequence of that are customer retention phone calls. I have gotten used to them and now ask them upfront whether it is a customer retention phone call and politely decline their pleads for me to stay. For the most part, this keeps the phone calls' durations to a minimum, but it's still mildly annoying. It is very tempting to just yell "F*** OFF", but obviously the person on the other end of the line is just a support staff member and not the executive who decided customer retention phone calls with no clear way to opt out is a good idea.

Is there a universal way to opt out of energy retailers' customer retention phone calls when you leave them for another provider (similar to the Do Not Call Register for cold calling)?

I'm asking because I received one just now. The woman seemed really upset and almost on the verge of tears when I made it clear I was not interested. I was not rude or anything like that, but I still had to reassure her several times that my issue is with the tactics used in the privatised energy sector and not her personally. I'm thinking it was getting close to the end of her shift, maybe there's a aggressive toxic quota culture of sorts and she's in danger of failing to meet that. I'd prefer to not deal with the emotional anguish, even if it is only once a quarter at most.

I'm well aware of how "broken" the energy market is and the political discussions around the privatisation of the energy sector. I'm not really interested in that or being lectured about how minuscule the savings are from switching frequently and how I should use the time to do something else. That's a discussion for another day.

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  DashCam AKA Rolts on 30/07/2020 - 12:40

  +5

  Block the number/s?

  • 

    Luo18740 on 30/07/2020 - 12:55

    They will be from a different number each time.

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  Porker on 30/07/2020 - 12:50

  +3

  If you ask them to remove your number from the calling list, they have to do it. They don't tell you this though and you could argue to your blue in the face about how the call is inconvenient, you're not interested etc etc, but they'll call back another time unless that line is said.

  So with ANY calls I get re surveys, marketing, customer etc etc, I end it with 'please remove my number from the calling list' and they say 'okay'.

  • 

    vikvance on 30/07/2020 - 16:39

    end it with 'please remove my number from the calling list'

    Thanks.

    Was not aware of this.

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  Luo18740 on 30/07/2020 - 12:55

  +1

  You could try contacting each new company when you join and opting out of marketing calls. But they may not consider a retention call as 'marketing'.

  Easiest is probably to give them your secondary number or a fake number when you sign up.

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  Muzeeb on 30/07/2020 - 13:09

  Goes with the territory

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  Alan Laz on 30/07/2020 - 14:04

  Join Momentum and then leave :)

  I just moved from Momentum …and didn't get any calls at all

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  conan2000 on 30/07/2020 - 14:45

  +6

  Just don't answer the phone? I never answer a call unless it's from a contact saved in my contact list as it's almost always going to be charities/sales/scams.

  If it's important they will leave a message.

  • 

    sagrules on 31/07/2020 - 09:29

    And if your number is not on the do not call register, add it there

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  jackofspade on 31/07/2020 - 12:38

  Assuming you have previously signed up with EnergyAustralia via Cashrewards, did you have to wait for the cashback to be approved before switching to another provider?

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    non-core promise on 31/07/2020 - 20:33

    Check the cashback conditions on the individual pages. Some say you have to stay with them for a minimum of 75 days (not a problem if your meter is read every 3 months anyway), some don't say anything like that.

    For me, I signed up with EnergyAustralia and got my cashback early after 3 months instead of the 6 months specified. Nothing on the EnergyAustralia Cashrewards page says anything about a minimum term.

    • 

      jackofspade on 01/08/2020 - 15:41

      So you stayed with EnergyAustralia for more than 3 months then?
      I've only just transferred to EnergyAustralia and want to take advantage of this offer https://www.ozbargain.com.au/node/533325

      • 

        non-core promise on 01/08/2020 - 17:41

        You should be fine.

        https://www.cashrewards.com.au/energyaustralia

        It just says it can take up to 6 months for the cashback to be confirmed, nothing about how long you have to stay with them. If you transfer out at the next read date, it should be fine.

        If you use the 10 day cooling off period to back out, that might count as cancelling your plan and void your cashback.

        I clicked through EnergyAustralia in April and it was approved by July.