Not Happy Paying Tax Up Front

[jobrien]

So, last week, I ordered mobility services. Transferring a number from Rogers to Telus. And, I wanted to upgrade my device to something new.

I own a few flagships from two years ago I want to trade in. I am a business customer, and am sad that we don't have direct telus stores to demo devices before we purchase them. Here's why I say that.

I like to cut costs where I can. But having a line discount if you add multiple lines, just isn't helping. And while I'm on the subject of pricing...the new plans that come out around 2020, called 'bring it back' are the absolute worst deal I have ever seen.

You know what tops that? Honestly? Having a device shipped to my business address with an unspecified delivery time. Just to be able to demo it, I have to pay tax up front for it. I do not get that money back if I need to return it. And if I do return it, I don't have any leeway as far as ensuring that it works for my employees. If I buy it, I can't transfer my number until it is shipped. And even then, I never know what I'm getting until I open the box.

Guys, Telus, take note of this. The past 5 devices I got shipped to my business address, are pre-certified phones. I know that, because they contain scratch marks. And yet you give me a device price as if it were brand new I have to pay? And, with taxes due up front? You're already billing me for partial month charges from the day I Activated the plan, not the day I got my device shipped to me. What is up with this?

I have to go to Bell or Rogers just to try out devices, brand new, in store. Before I say I want them. And they will let me. But when I visited a Telus Mobility store, they wouldn't let me do that. Saying if I was on business, they couldn't help me out. So why the bad support for business mobility customers?

Sales tells me that they can't do anything about this. This is not the first time I've had issues with billing at Telus. Just to get an upgraded business internet installation from 1gig to 2.5 gig, I spent hours and days setting up billing plans just to get a competent tech to complete the full order the back end never fully provisioned in the first place.

Like I say, this is the service you can expect to get from the Business side. In case you're a home / consumer user and are curious about customer support. It's far from perfect, I can tell you that much.

I don't want to seem ungrateful, but the truth of the matter, is that I'm disappointed. To have to shell out money I can't get back for a device my employees tried, and didn't like within an acceptable return window.

The subject of this thread is about a tax up front issue. Why can't you divide taxes over the course of the phone's contract like you did before? I'm telling you this has everything to do with the draw backs of offering bring it back globally. Just to put this into perspective, I bought 3 lines. That device cost in taxes, is over $500.00. And it's money I can't get back.

Bell and Rogers never charge me up front for taxes. Bell will charge lower credit customers for a security deposit, they get back after 6 months of usage to build up credit history. That I can get behind. But Telus has to realize, no business owner wants to pay device taxes up front. And then be restricted to one account change per mobility account, not just a line per billing cycle. This kind of a restriction is making me wish I stuck with Rogers as a mobility provider. But due to their outage, I had to switch. The problem with this, is that with new Telus devices, you can't roam on other Canadian carrier networks if Telus ever had an outage. Due to the APN settings being locked to Telus itself. I find that unacceptable. I don't want to pay for an all or nothing deal, where I'm locked into endless contracts. And going with a sub premium lower priority brand that can't even give me 5g access isn't going to cut it.

So Telus, you suckered me in to business mobility. With plans that don't suit me or my employees. As a business owner, I have to say something about this.

Here are my recommendations to anyone looking to get the latest flagship devices at a lower cost. Buy it directly from the manufacturer. It's a higher cost option to you, but it will lower your monthly bill and you will not be locked into a contract over it. Don't let a service provider dictate to you terms that only benefit them, and not you as their employer. Remember the power is in your hands, as it is your money you're giving to them so they can keep you online. I find it dispicabal that there's 0 roaming agreements between the big 3 telecommunications networks in this country. This worries me greatly, because we pay top dollar for exclusivity, not inclusivity as it should be.

[darthOG]

This is equally as frustrating for renewing customers.  I have 20 years with Telus...that is unheard of from a customer point of view.  I have a 'Bring it Back' device, which intend on buying out.  My buyout is $190...when you combine the taxes that have to pay on a new device, I'm paying $350 to renew a service that I've had for 20 years.

[jobrien]

I hear that. Speaking from experience, I've watched the corporate world in general become self entitled to more power than people realize. It's the kind of situation that only has one real solution, which is to buy it back no matter what. In Telus's case, they don't give you all possible options manufacturer-owned and shipped products entitle you to as they are a retail reseller. As someone who despises reselling and upselling, within the business sphere of influence, I always tell people to avoid needless spending where ever they can to save everything they have available to them. In the world of tech, only telecommunications companies tend to force you into endless contracts. My advice to you as a long-term customer, is phone up the business billing department and ask to speak to anyone who works at customer loyalty. Those guys are a step above separate support departments for consumer and business accounts, and will be able to accredit you instantly if you explain your case well to them. All problems in business relationships start when miscommunication is allowed to foster into entrapment by partial term acceptance. The best plan you can get on, is Bring Your Own Device. Telus could make this so much easier, if they separated phone contracts to another department, compared to combining billing for contracts and phone services.