Comments on: Southern Electric door to door sales. A scam?

By: Johan

Johan — Mon, 10 Nov 2008 14:31:22 +0000

Hi,My name is Johan,I’m a young white male from South-Africa.Two years ago just after finishing school I went over to the UK working for SSE as a door sales men.

I never knew what I was in for…..Doors getting shut in your face,screaming at you etc.

I had friends that was like most of the comments up here,lying and talking shit just to get that deal.

I wasnt like that,besides all the doors getting smashed in my face I had the best time of my life,coz all I did every day was to say to my self”I’m getting paid to talk to people and making friends” And just by having that attitude I signed more deals than the best”knockers”in the office.

The people didnt sign because I lied to them,it was bassicalyy because the liked me and I was honest.Wearing that jacket and badge was just an excuse to get into the house and make friends,that was it.

Till today being back in S.A I still have contact with 80% of the people I met during my knocking days.

There’s not a day that goes by that I dont miss it.
If the opportunity comes I will definately go do that again,if not something simmilar.

YOU British people are the BEST!!!!!!!!

Regards,

Johan
johan.duplessis2@bmwdealer.co.za

By: Lisa

Lisa — Tue, 14 Oct 2008 13:47:11 +0000

I have just had an appalling little oik from EDF banging on my door. I was upstairs so went to my son’s bedroom window which looks over the front door, opened the window and barked “Yes?” I have a sign in my door which I bought from a shop and it clearly states that we do not do business with ANYONE for anything at the door. I find this works very well with the exception of one group of people - utilities salesmen. Their aggression, intrusion and arrogance infuriates me! “Mrs ……?” said this man, using my name, and consulting a clipboard. This is enough to get my hackles up on its own. I said, “Who wants to know?” He turned to the trainee oik he had in tow, rolled his eyes, turned back to look up at me, held up his little laminated card with his ugly mug on it and said, very slowly, as if he was speaking to an idiot, “I’m xyz, manager from EDF. I need to discuss your tarrifs”. I said, “There is a sign on my door saying I don’t deal with doorsteppers. Please leave”. He said, “I don’t read signs on doors”, so I said, “Well I suggest you bloody well start then. Get off my property”, and shut the window. Cheeky sod! Just who the hell do these people think they are? And how on earth do they think they’re going to win round potential customers by being rude and aggressive? It doesn’t matter what power company they’re from, they’re all the same. My husband even chased one moron from Scottish Power down the road, after he had the temerity to swear at him when he said he wasn’t interested and why had he ignored the notice in the door! My husband is six foot two and gets very cross when his dinner’s interrupted. It was so funny seeing this little squirt running down the road in his cheap suit! I suppose the lesson is, don’t get into conversation with anyone at the door, just say, “Not interested” and shut the door on them, don’t feel bad about being rude - they’re being rude disturbing you in the first place. If you really want to look into changing suppliers, I would go on the internet and do your own research.

By: Charles

Charles — Mon, 13 Oct 2008 16:40:32 +0000

I have had to SHOUT at Scottish Power door to door sales persons to get them to leave my property.

I am getting extremely fed up with hard nosed power salesmen/ women. They arrive at the door claiming not to be selling anything. They also insist their rate is the cheapest, when most of the time this is patently untrue.

Their training must be to get the person answering the door to talk and then to never give up no matter what. This is extremely illegal very very high pressure cold calling selling methods.

I have told them they are HARASSING me and I will call the POLICE if they do not go. Even this is not enough to deter them, nor is threatening to report them to the council.

Even this does not always work. PLEASE CAN SOMETHING BE DONE ABOUT THIS SORT OF TACTIC. PLEASE!!!!!!

By: Steve

Steve — Sat, 20 Sep 2008 12:27:35 +0000

I’m a gas and electric door to door salesman (not for southern though) i believe that they use a script that they get trained to use on the door saying they “believe your are not claiming your deregulated rates” and ask to look at your bill….circle the unit rates etc. it’s very clever as they use a lot of body language i.e. looking at their wrist watch when saying “it will take 2 mins, can you just get me a bill please” when doing this they also leer towards the door ready to wipe their feet etc so the customer will let them in. I have friends who have worked for them before and aparently they had a whole week training course in scotland to learn this script word perfect. A few of the guys have come over to the company i work for now as they said they got told off if they DID NOT use the script!

By: Abdul

Abdul — Wed, 17 Sep 2008 18:38:21 +0000

I switched to southern electric about 2 years ago and i am saving huge on my bills because they are cheapest in uk and true british company. Most people in england dont have clue what they paying towards their bills because they are too busy chatting shit and making critics. Its free country every 1 has full rights to change their company so why not change and try it. Well you lot change your clothes everyday so why not companies to see what suits you better. Thats what british people dont know. They think we are british cos we are with british gas when in actual fact British Gas is owned by france. That explains all…….

By: York

York — Mon, 15 Sep 2008 17:08:21 +0000

I have too had this problem, i guy turned up at my door, spinning something about him being from my energy suppler (which as far as i’m consirned is British Gas as they are who i pay my bill too)

He asked confusing questions and was generally intimidating.

Don’t let these people in!!!! Say your not the one that’s sorts out the bills and that they are away.

By: Gary

Gary — Tue, 19 Aug 2008 11:55:05 +0000

I have to add i am a distributor for the Utility warehouse. Where as other companies have sales personel doing door to door for them and 9 times out of ten dont have very good knowledge of the services offered, i dont work for the utility warehouse, i am an independant distribtor and work self employed. I personally don’t canvas door to door as i don’t like it as much as the next person, and frankly all these canvasors don’t really give you a good name. The utility warehouse distributors won’t argue about your current supplier and who is cheapest as we know that nobody else can make the same guarantees as us. And on top of that you won’t be tied in any contracts, thats how confident we are and dont feel the need to go cold calling every day as people just as easily come to us. Why can’t other companies do that instead of bothering you at your dooor every couple of days.

By: Seething of Chatham

Seething of Chatham — Thu, 07 Aug 2008 13:08:01 +0000

Just had a Southern electricity ’salesman’ at my front door. Very aggressive, with a “we know stuff about you” attitude, and just wouldn’t except “no thanks” as an answer. Ended up having to close the door in his face (literally no other choice other than just stand there at the front door watching him arguing the same rubbish over and over).

Door to door sales should be outlawed. Especially when the ’salesman’ use verbal obfuscation techniques to try to convince you they are something other than a salesman on commission.

By: Peter Reeve

Peter Reeve — Fri, 04 Jul 2008 08:51:45 +0000

My other half answered the door this week to be told “I’m from Southern Electric…” (the website is offline, by the way - I tried to complain to them)…”I’ve seen your gas bill (how?) & we can do it cheaper…your neighbours saved £20/month” (I’m sure they’d be delighted that she was discussing their business) then the best bit…”can I look at your bill?”…I thought you’d seen it. When told we are not interested “why not”!! Why do these amateur cold-calling idiots persist in lying & pressurising in the face of no interest? I train sales people & would shoot anyone who used these tactics. Anyone know How I can get in touch to complain?

By: Hmmm

Hmmm — Fri, 04 Jul 2008 08:34:00 +0000

As a utiities sales rep with years of experience, it worries me that people in the industry such as Hydro and rugratz can be so wrong.

Firstly, TRANSCO is now known sinmply as the National Grid and as you might expect from the name are owned by (yes you guessed it) National Grid. National Grid distribute gas to most of the UK.
SSE own only a 50% share in Scotia who bought two gas distribution networks from TRANSCO in 2005. They are in no way a part of, or owners of, TRANSCO or National Grid.

SSE still have to pay to use the Scotia network just like any other company would. This is to ensure the market remains competitive. You will notice that SSE chsrge the same for gas supply on Scotia’s network as they do on National Grid’s network.

Having said that, SSE are generally very competitive on price for gas and in most of the UK for electricity, unless you live in an SSE area (Scottish Hydro, SWALEC or Southern) in which case SSE will generally be a more expensive option for electricity.

rugratz seem to think EDF will work out cheapest in their own area. In fact the opposite is true. Electricity companies are generally much more expensive in their own area, so EDF will be expensive in the South East (SEEBOARD area) the South West (SWEB area) and London (London Energy area). EDF are generally competive out of area though.

As a general rule the old monopoly electricity supplier in each area is the most expensive for electricity and British Gas is most expensive for gas.

The problem seems to be not just sales reps who know better but still lie but also a case of inexperienced sales reps being poorly trained or deliberately misled so that they go out and sell on price in areas where their employer is not competitive on price.