Given the themes that have emerged in the forum and an observed increase in new posters (perhaps struggling to understand the negative feedback), or potential new customers hearing about this negative feedback elsewhere, the following could serve as an updated FAQ regarding the change in rewards programs:
Q. If a customer has been with PM for 5 or more years, they had received $60 per year as a loyalty reward. A newer customer (since Jan 2022) has received 10 points or the equivalent $10 per year. Now, regardless of how long one has been a customer, everyone gets the equivalent of $10 per year. Is that a consistent approach to recognize loyalty?
A. No, but we don’t care
Q. Previously, a customer could have their rewards applied directly to their monthly bill. Now, a customer needs to accumulate 15 points ($15) to apply against their bill and must remember to do so and log into their account themselves to make it happen? Is that an improvement in client service?
A. No, but we don’t care. We’re hoping customers will accumulate 15 points ($15) and perhaps forget to log into their account to apply it themselves. Then, if they decide to leave to one of our competitors, we save money.
Q. Customers on the 3G plans could be described as light data users interested in a very basic plan. Customers on a 4G plan want a moderate amount of data and may not have a 5G-enabled phone. Customers on a 5G plan, for whatever their individual reasons are, are paying the most to PM. However, currently your 4G plans are for new customers only. Could you explain your rationale behind this?
A. By removing the previous loyalty rewards offered, those on a 3G plan will be paying more and are not likely to move up to 4G (or 5G) as they’re light data users. Those on a 4G plan will be paying more and are not likely to move down to 3G because they’re moderate data users or to move up to 5G as those plans cost even more. Those on a 5G plan will be paying more and the temptation to move down to a 4G plan will not realize the actual savings by comparing costs since the removal of loyalty rewards effectively removed the “discounting” of plan prices. So, our rationale is we make more money regardless of our customers profile.
Q. There was a previously-offered bonus for joining the new points system which provided 1 point for every month a customer has been with PM. That has since been rescinded. A new bonus has been given which offers additional data (amount dependent on subscribed plan) that expires in 150 days and is only available if a customer doesn’t move to a lower-priced plan. For those who don’t use their plan-allotted data or wish to optimize the use of the bonus data by moving to a plan that offers less data, is there really any benefit to this “gift”?
A. No, but we don’t care
