Ok, ok I know I said I'd do self service is no service this week but I've had another experience I want to share with you as it beautifully illustrates the difference good customer service can have on customer retention.

I have spent the last week trying to sort out a new mobile and have had two contrasting conversations with my current provider T-Mobile which illustrate the right way and the wrong way of dealing with customers.

My first conversation was with a charming young man during which I explained that I was exploring possibilities and wished to discuss my pricing plan and phone provision.

I explained that I had been looking around at deals and had found what I considered to be a pretty good deal from 3G being: a brand new Motorola Razor V3x, 200 voice minutes, 100 txts, 25 video minutes, 25 vms/mms and £5 free downloads all for £17:50 pm.

As I currently use below 200 minutes a month and well under 100 txts this would suit me fine, my current tarif is £39pm and this seemed like a very attractive offer.

I then went on to explain that I didn't really care about the video stuff but wanted to reduce my tarif and upgrade my phone.

The gentleman then went on to offer me a very attractive package of 250 minutes, 100 texts, and a Nokia 6131 at £15pm, I hadn't seen the handset discussed so I said I'd take a look over the weekend and asked him to ring me on Monday at 4pm to discuss.

Sadly he failed to do so for some reason so today I rang back and spoke to another colleague at T-Mobile with completely different results.

I told her that I had been discussing my plan with a colleague who had offered me the above deal but that I had now had a chance to examine the Nokia 6131 and hated it, I asked to negotiate based on the Motorola V3i.

The Dear Lady concerned promptly told me that it would be £30 pm, that there was no room for manoeuvre and that there were no notes on my file about the previous offer, she then asked me what I had been offered elsewhere, something she should have done first I'd have thought but hey what do I know?

I explained what I had been offered and her only comments were are you in a 3G area and if you transfer you won't get the same level of service you've had for the last 5 years, 5 years of line rentals and call charges all paid on time I might add.

I asked her for the PAC code so that I could transfer to 3G and she went off onto an obviously prepared speech about transfers taking 5 working days and being liable for all outstanding charges etc.

She then gave me my PAC code in a very abrupt manner, I'm a funny bugger but the ruder people are to me the nicer I am to them, it drives them wild, and by the time she'd finished I was being very nice indeed.

I then rang 3G and spoke to a charming young lady called Daniella who talked me through the plans available and I ended up with 750 minutes, 150 txts, 50 video mins, 50 vms/mms, £5 worth of downloads and a motorola v3x for £21 pm, £3:50 more than I intended but a hell of a lot more minutes and stuff.

I guess I was influenced by the poor attitude of the Dear Lady at T-Mobile and my good intentions about video crumbled.

So what have we learnt?

Had I spoken to my original guy at T-Mobile I'd probably have signed up with them again for more than £15 pm as it's a more expensive phone but less than the £30 for sure, occasionally I have heavy months and spend a lot of time on the phone, 2 months ago I spent £129 for instance and that money has been lost to T-Mobile and transferred to 3G.

Over the 12 months I would have spent lets say £20pm on rental with occasional large bills amounting to who knows what? > £600 certainly over the course of the year.

By not offering me a £120 discount T-Mobile have lost £480 in turnover I have no idea what that converts to in profit but I do know that businesses that treat their customers in a cavalier fashion very soon find themselves in trouble.

Like all disgruntled customers I'm telling my friends, sadly for T-Mobile that amounts to a few more than the 7 surveys suggest.

Ok next week, failing something extraordinary Self service is no service...

FFriar.com