Dr.No

Just a heads-up: Although I've been quite happily insured through Gary M @ Keith Michaels with Groupama for the past few years - this year's renewal came through and after some ringing around was comfortably beaten by A-Plan.

Identical cover (same underwriter), identical excess, etc. etc. - all the same - though to be honest the level of customer service seems far better at A-Plan (and most of the other brokers I spoke with) based on my poor experience of KMs today.

Business is obviously very good at Keith Michaels, as they seemed happy to let me walk for the sake of £2.41 (I must admit, the APlan quote was more than £20 less than the original Keith Michaels renewal - isn't it very strange how they "just run a few things through" and the gap lessens...)

Anyway - if you're with Groupama, have a chat with APlan at Thatcham - they seem to have access to Groupama deals that cannot be beaten!

DN

Moley

iTrader: (9)

With a like-for-like quote (they were quoting on less annual miles than we had down untill we changed it), yes..... A Plan were £2.41 cheaper with the same insurer.

You failed to add to your post that you decided to stay with us, untill I pulled the price due to your rudeness and sarcasm.

After I offered to pay the additional £2.41 myself so we could match the quote I wasn't expecting your sarcastic comment.

I'm not here to be spoken to like that, so it should be no surprise that I pulled the quote and advised you to go to A Plan.

hooley scoob

lordharding

iTrader: (1)

There is only one God

Gary m

End off
Sums up what a top bloke when he offers to pay £2.41 put of his own pocket to get the Buisness

Top bloke as always !

I don't even bother looking around now
As nothing can compare to Gary
(sounds like a dodgy love song ).

BULLITT

Ha! While you're on the phone to A-Plan see if they can insure your Failboat as well

Oh Gary, found a P/O that didn't stink of **** so was able to get my tax lol

Dr.No

Eh? I wasn't going to dig the dirt as it makes you look unprofessional and uninterested in customer retention - but I don't think I've ever been accused of being "rude" on the phone by anyone in many, many years - not least by someone that should see me as a valuable customer. I guess that's not your way, and I guess you've lost me as a customer period.

The actual conversation (relevant parts) was as follows:

"A-Plan have quoted me £380 Gary - can you do anything similar?"

"Let's see - what's the mileage quoted... we've got 3,000 to 4,000"

"Well, I told A-Plan 3,000 so go with that"...

<brief check of other details>

"Right, well the lowest Groupama can do is £382.41"

"OK, well, so you can't match A-Plans £380 then?"

"The lowest Groupama can do is £382.41"

"Hmmm, OK, well if that's the best you can do then I'm surprised that you'd let me walk for the sake of £2.41"

"Well, it's the lowest that they can do"

"OK then, I'll call A-Plan and check everything and if it's in order then will go with them at £380"

"OK, well, I'll pay the £2.41 myself then" (we all know that you wouldn't be 'paying' the £2.41 yourself Gary, though KM may slice a small amount from the commission that you/they get in order to retain me as a [never claiming] customer - it might reduce your commission by £2.41 but it'd still be a net gain for you/KM!).

"Well, I don't mind how it happens but if you can match the £380 then I'll renew with you now... How do you want me to pay?"

"I'm just getting the £2.41 out of my own pocket now" (this attempt at continued sarcasm from you surprised me)

"My heart is bleeding at this end..." (you started the joking, I was continuing it).

"Oh! Well, if you're going to be sarcastic like that then we'll just let the policy lapse shall we... Yes, I think we'll just let it lapse - I don't want to deal with sarcasm and rudeness like that." (Well, to think that at one stage I thought I was dealing with an organisation and person that actually cared and valued customers - I guess I was VERY wrong.)

"That's fine if you want to, yes, we can do that." (My custom is worth more than being spoken to like that by anyone, especially someone that I'm about to pay £380 to, so I'll simply take my business elsewhere.)

"Goodbye", etc.



To be honest I'm glad that I'll no longer have to deal with what I've often felt to be a gruff telephone attitude and lack of response from staff at KM (though this is the first time that I've had cause to take issue with Gary's service, other than him not calling back due to being busy - but that's almost acceptable) - and I will now be able to sample what A-Plan claim to be great Customer Service. We shall see.

Whilst I've summarised the call content above - I'll gladly post a link to the full call-recording of the conversation so that Gary or anyone else can point out where in this conversation I was rude - though I'd very much doubt that Gary would want that to happen.


Anyhow - as I was saying before being rudely interrupted - if you have a Groupama renewal then try A-Plan as they seem to be able to produce lower figures than anyone else (and I've called a few brokers today!).

DN

JonMc

iTrader: (51)

I wouldn't call £2.41 comfortably beaten - it's less than 1% of the total premium, and I reckon the oxygen you have wasted is worth significantly more than that

Dr.No

I'd say a renewal at £402 which reduced to £380 was fairly comfortable.

KM then closed the gap to £2.41 after some discussion and "mileage adjustment".

Moley

iTrader: (9)

How about saying what was actually said, rather than making up half truths?

I said that as it was only £2.41 I'd pay it myself to keep your business.
Your reply was "I'm sobbing down the phone for you" in a very sarcastic voice.

FWIW I have no issue paying that £2.41 myself, although in all fairness my manager would have likely discounted such a tiny amount.

I'd bet a large amount of money (more than a ridiculous £2.41) that you wouldn't speak like that to me infront of my face, so why you feel it's ok to be like that on the phone is beyond me.

I think people reading your last post will see how condescending you sound, and understand why I have no time for people with that attitude.

By offering to pay the £2.41 I didn't expect a thankyou, but to receive sarcasm for making an offer like that I take very personally.

I am a normal person, not a robot on the end of the phone. If you're obnoxious don't expect a "yes sir, no sir" from me.

Dr.No

Gary - I didn't start this to have a go at you, far from it - I started it to highlight that A-Plan are being VERY competitive with Groupama business. You've decided to make it some sort of slanging match, which again is very odd behaviour and I wasn't expecting it at all.

I've already said what I said, and there are no half-truths from my end - but either-way, my transcription or your version both mean much the same thing, and it was indeed said sarcastically - yes. After your stroppy "I'll pay the £2.41 myself" and sarcastic "I'm getting the £2.41 out of my pocket now" it was hardly an unreasonably sarcastic comment back from me. I would absolutely say it to you - there's no issue at all in that, it's hardly offensive.

Whatever you choose to see as 'condescending', 'with attitude' and 'obnoxious' is entirely up to you - though after doing you what I thought was a favour by being prepared to stay with KM if you matched the A-Plan price I thought I was helping someone that I'd previously enjoyed dealing with, but it seems that you're just digging a deeper hole for yourself on here now.

Try and help everyone you deal with tomorrow by getting out of the other side of the bed.

You can say what you want to defend your position and what I perceived to be your awful attitude and customer service today - but this is getting no-one nowhere, and I won't comment further on this thread.

Moley

iTrader: (9)

FWIW yes, quoting on the same mileage A Plan WERE certainly £2.41 (less than 1%) cheaper than us, I'm not denying that at all.

Well done on getting yourself a saving (with a good insurer in Groupama) I'd add.

Hopefully you'll step back and see how you came accross as rude to me.

There are bigger things in life to worry about than saving £2.41 (IMO), so just be happy you've sorted yourself out for another year.

JonMc

iTrader: (51)

That's not how I read it based upon your comment...

That looks to me like some one baiting for a fight. Your argument and the way it is presented will not stop me considering Moley for my insurance again next year. The fact that I have been insure with hi for all but one of the year that I have owned my impreza is testament to the respect that I get out of treating him like a human being and not a call centre monkey. Just to allay all fear, the one year I wasn't insured with him I was with A-Plan and when I dug into their small print I discovered that I wasn't actually insured because I had a decat fitted. Whilst I do now have a sports cat when I took the insurance I declared it as decatted and they accepted it but in the small print stated they wouldn't pay out claims on cars with a decat. Now that is underhand if you want an example of who not to be insured with

JonMc

iTrader: (51)

And of course the sweet irony is that the banner add for this thread is.....


Keith Micheals Insurance

Mick

iTrader: (1)

you changed insurers for the paltry sum of £2.41 ??? about 1 1/2 litres of petrol??? about 6 miles driving in your Subaru

And consider that comfortably beaten

If that amount bothers you I can't believe you can seriously afford to run a Scoob

That is just so funny... and then to post like that on here - have you been drinking?