There comes a time in everyone’s life where he/she decides it’s time to switch mobile carriers. Either the costs are getting too high, you are experiencing low signal strength, or the service you are receiving from the company just isn’t what it used to be.
Deciding where to go from here is the hard part. How do you know if a different carrier will be any better? Is it worth the hassle of changing companies? It can be difficult to make this decision without any knowledge to back it up. Amy Gahran, independent writer and mobile technology enthusiast, explains the three steps you should take if you are thinking of changing mobile carriers:
- Document service problems and compare connection quality.
Record detailed notes about when and where your phone is dropping calls or the connection slows down. This will give you proof to show your current carrier (see step #3), and allow you to compare against other companies. You don’t want to leave one company for one that
will be just as bad, if not worse. Recording the problems gives you proof and allows you to see what you need out of your next carrier. - Research other carrier options.
You want to walk in to the fight being knowledgeable. If you walk in to a carrier with no knowledge about what you want or expect, you may walk out spending more than you ever needed to and being cheated more than you were with your old carrier. Figure out plans they have to offer, which phone really will suit your needs best (not just the newest and most expensive model), and if the service they provide is worth the money. I always suggest asking friends and family what their experience has been with different providers. They usually have some useful information when it comes to comparing. - Complain to and negotiate with your current carrier.
Take that data you have collected in steps #1 and #2 and bring it to your provider. Show them at least one competitor that has comparable, if not better options for you. This gives you more power and they will work harder to keep you. They may cut down on fees or offer you other fixes for your dropped signal issues.
Gahran also suggests you consider early termination. “Also consider the business value of your connectivity. If your company loses sales or experiences other problems when your mobile connection fails, you might come out ahead by paying an early termination fee and switching carriers.”
It’s never easy making a change, but by following these three steps you will have the knowledge, and therefore the confidence, to get what you need from a mobile carrier.
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