VOIP etc > Voice Over IP - VOIP > VOIP Tech Chat > [VOIPo.COM] VOIPo changing their business model?

reply to IanR

Re: [VOIPo.COM] VOIPo changing their business model?

reply to PX Eliezer

reply to PX Eliezer
Hmmm.
I have problems with companies which regard existing customers as "hooked fish". There is a certain lack of respect for loyal customers. It's a downward slope once that attitude is shown... I hope this isn't what is happening here.

I left Packet8 when they upped pricing 40% on me. After many discussions I gave them 4 months to come up with a better deal and when they didn't I left. They then called me up and offered me the world to stay. I told them tooooo late.

I left Cablevision when they upped pricing 30% on me and I gave them 4 months to offer a better deal. When they didn't I left and went with Verizon FIOS. Cablevision then sent someone from their management to my door and personally offered to beat ANY Verizon deal by $20.00 p.m. and pay my penalties to get out of the new Verizon contract. I refused saying they had had their chance and I wouldn't break my new contract.

Verizon FIOS are now upping their fees on my TriplePlay by $40.00 p.m. so I am moving away from their Digital Voice etc.

There's a theme here which is.. Treat your existing customers with respect and they will stay loyal long term.

I am not being anti just speaking my mind as I have seen many a company ruin their customer base needlessly. Netflix is another example. I also have 2 lines now as another added Friday and I like the new features coming soon etc. Voip success is all about keeping your costs down, providing a good stable service and being "competitive" in pricing as it is so easy for customers to migrate. P8 was an interesting case they too decided they were no longer in the low end pricing for consumers, but their successsful strategy was to move 100% of their business thrust into small/medium sized companies and being an approved provider to Gvt departments. This strategy is paying off for them. It's much more difficult to begin a strategy of somewhat higher pricing and staying in the same marketing sector.
I want Voipo to continue to be succesful and I appreciate Tim's presence here and straightforwardness.

reply to IanR

reply to screenname
Yeah, I too was a little disappointed that I couldn't pull the trigger on the renewal promotion this time around. I had done it twice before and would have absolutely done it again, but I was just not able to pull it off. I just knew that the good times would need to end at some point - at least I'm paid up to 2015!
--
The goal of the broadcast engineer is to get all the meters on the transmitter to go as far to the right as possible!!

To be honest I personally doubt that Voipo will be able to completely make the transition away from this 2 year advance payment model....

On another point I am wondering how their new SMS feature will work on a house phne or is it intended for use on cell phones?

reply to VOIPoTim

Sorry for the typo.
Thank you for the info. Another reason I don't want to extend my prepaid to 2016.

I apologize, it was just too good to resist.

Here is what VOIPoTim (didn't know he was Irish) said in the past about the relationship between the two companies:

»Re: VOIPo Devices Losing Registration - Some Insight

reply to screenname

Yes, I'm both the CEO and an owner.

I founded VOIPo, run it, and jointly own it with a passive investor (he is the founder of HostGator).

I'm a former HostGator executive (stepped away when VOIPo took off) and my silent partner is the founder of HostGator.

We have a great relationship between our companies and have leveraged that relationship to work together in many ways and take advantage of the HostGator brand recognition. HostGator is a large VOIPo customer as we not only provide all of their phone service for their call centers and offices, but we also have a partnership to provide free toll-free numbers to all of their customers on one of their higher end hosting plans.

Bottom line...while we have a great relationship and do a lot of business with each other, VOIPo is NOT owned by HostGator and there is no financial connection at all between the two companies. We just like each other a lot.

Tim,

Re the SMS feature you are planning...
"2) SMS Text Messaging - Send and receive text messages on your VOIPo phone number. (available in 99% of our coverage area)"

How will this work? Will it be for use ONLY on the software one will soon be runing on a cellphone? Could you elaborate on this feature. I can't see it working over the usual Voipo home phone. Thanks.

reply to screenname
"A beautiful woman (Dana Lje) said to an average looking man (Robin Weinbaum) the words "You are now a hooked fish" when her extensive plan to marry him succeeded. He was happy. This was in James Blish's 1954 short story "Beep"."

Great story.

reply to VOIPoTim
Hmm that sounds ineresting. Gotta get my head around the possibilities... What about interantional SMS?

By the way I mentioned I ordered a full 2nd line Friday and late that day I sent the porting docs to Voipo.
Lunchtime today my hardware arrived and I plugged it all in and waited 10 minutes. To my shock it makes calls out identifying itself as my home phone number i.e. the number I am porting from verizon DV (doesn't yet receive inward calls). All I can say is WOW that was quick!:)