GATINEAU — The Competition Bureau kicked off what it is calling “Switch Week” by encouraging Canadians to shop around for better deals from their telecom providers – as well as insurance and banking services.
“By switching your telecom, insurance and banking providers or renegotiating your contracts, you can take advantage of competition to lower your monthly bills and get better products and services,” reads the Competition Bureau’s press release.
The Competition Bureau says it surveyed Canadians who recently switched providers or renegotiated contracts, and asked them to estimate their yearly cost savings.
“They reported saving hundreds of dollars per service, with combined savings totalling around $1,860 per year across six key services: cell phone, internet, television, home and car insurance, and banking,” says the release.
As part of its campaign during the week of January 18, the Competition Bureau suggests the following five steps to make service providers compete for a customer’s business:
- Determine the best time to make the switch. This may be when your contract is about to expire or at a time of year when there are good deals for a particular service.
- Review what your current plan includes and compare it with other available plans.
- Consider switching providers or using better offers to renegotiate your current contract.
- Set up your new service and cancel the old one, being mindful of contract terms and deadlines.
- Set reminders to review your services. Are you still getting the best deal?
The Competition Bureau is offering more tips and tools on posts using the hashtag #SwitchWeek on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn throughout the week.
For more, please click here.
