Im avoiding Tescos because of being accosted at entrance from Airtricity, Sky etc!

I am giving Tesco a wide berth at the moment.

Airtricity have their stall just inside the front entrance and I got fed up being accosted by them. I do not wish to change my supplier at the moment, a phrase they do not seem to understand.

Last week it was SKY.

The week before Airtrcity again!

Where is this happening?

Sunny South East

I have the Airtricity callers to the door on a regular basis....at least I can see them coming, with their very loud green jackets!!

The problem is if you switch to Airtricity they do not stop calling.

OP, you really are a bit of a Black Sheep. Bad Mouth those that want to save you money. I really would love to know your reasons as to why you do not wish to save money. The ESB are not going to reduce their charges to you in case you didn't know.

mercman said:

Bad Mouth those that want to save you money.

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I think the OP is bad mouthing those companies that accost him/her on the way in to do his/her weekly shop in Tescos.

They say they are happy with their current provider (BG Id guess).

OP is your Tesco part of a bigger shopping centre and perhaps its the centre owners you should be getting worked up about?

My local Tesco is not part of a shopping centre. It's a regular stand alone Tesco.
Just to clarify I have no wish to change my service providers at the moment. They are in Tesco at the moment to sell their wares, and that has nothing to do with whether I wish to save money or not.
Actually the best way I could save on my electricity bill would to cut out about 10 of the daily cups of coffee and that kettle would go on 10 times less and I can't see that happening any time soon.

BTW Mercman I don't think I said I was an ESB customer

Last time Airtricity came to my door, for the 6th or 7th time, just after I'd dumped them as a provider because of their essentially non-existant customer service, I told them to feck off (only not so politely)!. They haven't been back since. If they spent half as much on CS as they do on sales and marketing idiots...

Time said:

Where is this happening?

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Airtricity were just behind the tills in Tesco Jervis Street last week and were very persistent in their approach. Even when I told them I'm a customer they still didn't seem convinced.

Airtricity were at Tesco Extra in Drogheda all this week , Sky the week before and Airtricity the week before that. Their "pitch" is an area between checkout and the exit door so impossible toavoid them. Seems that they have a countrywide arrangement with Tesco , again I find them very persistant , can only assume these guys are on commission (€50 per sign-up I believe) hence their aggressive behaviour.

They often hang about the Celbridge Tesco shop. They are an irritation to put it mildly.

mercman said:

OP, you really are a bit of a Black Sheep. Bad Mouth those that want to save you money. I really would love to know your reasons as to why you do not wish to save money. The ESB are not going to reduce their charges to you in case you didn't know.

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I suspect Mercman is being slightly sarcastic here - the line "you mean you're not intrested in saving money?" is often trotted out by these sales people.

Airtricty is sold door to door (and I assume in the lobbies of Tescos) by commission only sales people (I believe their company is PMD Marketing but I may be wrong on this).

They have no information as to who has been 'switched' previously which is why, if you live in what is deemed to be a receptive area, you will continually find them at your door.

My advice for dealing with those in the lobbies of Tescos is just to say 'no thank you' and walk on, ignoring anything else they have to say. At the end of the day they have a job to do and they actually are trying to save you money against certain market incumbents.

My advice for dealing with cold callers to the door is to listen to their pitch and take on board the figures they are quoting you. If you know they aren't any cheaper than your current supplier (be it gas, electric, phone, broadband, bins...) tell them this and generally they will go away (there's no point in them wasting their time if you're not going to sign). If on the other hand, you think their deal might be better, take their contact info and tell them you'll check it out... and do check it out, either online or by phoning the company yourself. If you do then want to switch get that salesperson back so they get the commission. After all... everybody could do with saving a bob or two at the moment and these guys are just trying to earn a few bob.

I suggest that you write a letter to Tescos HO (and also to the local store) outlining your experience with these agressive "barkers".

Ive never seen them at Dunnes, Lidl, Aldi or Supervalue.

If enough people complain Im sure that Tescos will put a stop to these aggressive hard sell practices.

In fairness to SKY at my local Tescos they just show the matches golf etc and the crowds (of mostly men) stand around and watch. The sales technique adopted is low key and pleasant.

SKY arrived in the carpark of the apartment complex I live in last week and set up a kiosk complete with lighting and a generator running - loudly. Several residents went over and complained about the noise and the fact that it was right outside their front window. They claimed they had permission from the management company to be there. They sent a number of very aggressive salespeople knocking on doors - they were actually watching cars coming into the carpark and following the residents to their homes as they let themselves in. I had some strong words with the one who called to me as I have a sign stating 'no cold callers, salespeople' etc. They were very pushy. Its one thing avoiding them at the local Tesco - its quite another avoiding them right outside your own home!

Agreed.

truthseeker said:

They were very pushy. Its one thing avoiding them at the local Tesco - its quite another avoiding them right outside your own home!

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Yes but Tescos is the topic of this thread!

I ve had airtricity guys in loud hiviz jackets call to me front door several times over a couple of hours when I was just trying to relax and work on something in the relative peace and quiet of home. I didnt answer the door to them for the first 3 times but they kept coming back so eventually I answered it to find out what they wanted. The guy at my door found it very hard to take no for an answer.

I don't understand the problem. You say no, keep walking. How can they be persistant and aggressive if you just walk right by them, they hardly follow you to the carpark.

If you don't want to speak to them on your doorstep, say no thank you and close the door. Seriously lads, man up a bit!