[Make the call] There’s no way to make this work by email or letter, you have to call. The end of the month is the best time to call because they’ll be under pressure to hit targets. […] You have to find a number for retentions, or choose the option to cancel your service when you call up. Do not call the sales department. Worst case scenario you’ll have to talk to a customer service rep and tell them you want to cancel to get transferred through to the retentions department. Only the retentions department has the power to offer these deals…]

• Never accept the first offer because it won’t be the best one.
• If they say they’re not authorized to give you a discount then ask to speak to a supervisor.
• It’s possible they won’t offer you anything. Don’t panic. There is a discretionary element to this and it can be worth giving up with the person you’re talking to and trying again with a different person a few days later.
• If they’re prepared to let you go and they won’t at least match a competitor’s offer then you probably should switch anyway.
• Write down everything they offer and don’t feel pressured to accept on the spot, you can always say you have to discuss it with your significant other.

It sucks that you have to do this to get the best deal, but it’s well worth making a phone call every six months or so if you can save yourself a significant sum of money, and you often can. You’ve really got nothing to lose by trying. Good luck! – Simon Hill,Digital Trends

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