On the verge of breakdown…

So the post brings me a cheery note from the AA inviting me to renew my basic cover for the best part of £80 for the coming year. Whoever constructed this bon mot also though it would be a good idea to remind us of what we paid for the current year, in my case a little less than £40. So perhaps unsurprisingly I called them up to discover why the cost appeared to have doubled…

Quick as a flash the agent replied “Let me see what I can do about this. A brief pause (while her instructions screen refreshed?) and she’s back with “We can do 12 months for the cost of 9. How does that sound?”

I replied that it sounded rather as though they were ripping off those who didn’t phone up to complain, and perhaps if I indicated that this was still 1.5 times the current price would the Dutch auction go lower? It seems it would, because there was another “Hold on for a few moments please while I see what I can do… ”

I interrupted and observed that I really didn’t want to place my business with an organisation so unscrupulous as this and was given the reassurance that everyone works like this these days and it’s perfectly normal. Pointing out that I did not work this way, I ended the call.

But this set me thinking… how many of us simply renew annual policies without question? I know I have done so many times. I presume that because I’ve a track record with the supplier that they will be looking out for the best deals for me and passing them on. Naivety 101 – yes, I can hear you all laughing at this hapless sap!

Had I simply started afresh with the AA I would have got the same deal that I was offered after my renewal quote was recalculated. So much for customer loyalty there then…

Perhaps if more of us voted with our plastic we could encourage these merchants of loyalty-abuse to rethink what is surely a sharp practice?

Meanwhile I’m oiling the chain on my bike, adjusting the brakes, and checking the spanner set in the saddle bag is complete.

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