back to article TalkTalk posts 3% sales drop, says Openreach should walk the WalkWalk

TalkTalk's sales dropped by 3 per cent in its first quarter, with an extra 20,000 new customers failing to offset the drop. The Brit broadband provider blamed the dip in revenue on a fall in overall consumer sales. No figure was provided for the three months to the end of June. However, full-year guidance remained unchanged, …

  1. hatti

    Perhaps

    The elephant in the room here must be the hack a couple of years ago and Talk Talks dreadful lack of ensuing support on the issue.

    That would prevent me clicking the big green SIGN ME UP button and I suspect one or two others.

    1. paulf
      Joke

      Re: Perhaps

      We need to put this in El Reg parlance:

      If TalkTalk stop being ShitShit and getting HackedHacked their customer numbers may GrowGrow !

      I've added a carefully slanted Yahoo! just for shits and giggles.

  2. Steve Davies 3 Silver badge

    TT's TV Adverts

    They are certainly trying to get Sky and BT customers with their current TV Ad campaign. They are offering Sky Sports at a pretty good price but why does the small print on the screen state that you need a Netflix streaming subscription?

    I'm not interested in TT at any price but it would be good to know why this is.

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: TT's TV Adverts

      They also have sales reps in most supermarkets and shopping centres, they really are trying to get customers left right and centre.

      I usually tell them we don't use the internet as it's the work of the devil.

      1. Mozzie

        Re: TT's TV Adverts

        "They also have sales reps in most supermarkets and shopping centres, they really are trying to mob customers left right and centre"

        FTFY.

        My mother in her 70's now travels 2 miles on the tram to get to Tescos than walk the 120 metres to Morrisons to avoid what is, borderline, a mugging by these clowns. I've been over to visit her recently and they completely ignored the reply that they would need a 6500 mile fibre cable to reach MY home and the rep just kept putting his hand out to shake mine and asking what my name was.

        1. Anonymous Coward
          Anonymous Coward

          Re: Avoiding TT arm twisters

          Tesco's is only a 100yds or so from Morrisons here. Tesco's usually have Sky people trying to get you to sign up as well as Tesco mobile. By comparison, I've never seen any 'goons' in Morrisons.

          At my local ASDA OTOH you have to run through the gauntlet of Charity Chuggers, TV Sales and Mobile Sales. Mind you ASDA is my supermarket of very, very last resort. Not wanting to pay £1.20 to park is a good starting point.

        2. paulf
          Terminator

          Re: TT's TV Adverts

          Slightly OT. My nearby shopping centre is full of these sales droids now. Vermin Media and Murdoch telly are permanent fixtures (VM also have a store - closing soon) with BT and TalkTalk having a recurring guest appearances.

          It all helps to make shopping that little bit more joyless but not as much as when the supermarket had people in the aisles pushing energy deals at commuters hurriedly grabbing a "Cry-wank meal for one".

          1. Anonymous Coward
            Anonymous Coward

            Re: TT's TV Adverts

            Cry-wank meal for one

            Oh good, it's not just me.

        3. Wensleydale Cheese

          Re: TT's TV Adverts

          "the rep just kept putting his hand out to shake mine and asking what my name was."

          Avoiding eye contact in the first place is your best bet.

        4. William 3 Bronze badge

          Re: TT's TV Adverts

          Too true. I almost battered one a couple of months ago. Just kept ignoring my "sorry, not interested" usual reply that 99.9% of sales reps realise they will never get a sale.

          Then went back and started laughing and mouthing off about me behind my back, but still within earshot.

          I was in a bad mood that day as it was, so I went back and let him know in no uncertain terms just how bad my mood was.

          And yeah, it did feel good to see him shit bricks when shit just got real for the prick.

      2. ad47uk

        Re: TT's TV Adverts

        Their sales reps are a pain int he neck, the ones in our town centre was almost running after people when they said they was not interested. I have not seen then for a few weeks, so maybe they have given up.

        If Talk Talk want more customers then maybe it would be a good idea if they offered a decent service and good customer service.

      3. WolfFan Silver badge
        FAIL

        Re: TT's TV Adverts

        They also have sales reps in most supermarkets and shopping centres, they really are trying to get customers left right and centre.

        I usually tell them we don't use the internet as it's the work of the devil.

        Around here it's Comcast trying to sign people up, usually to Comcastic two-year contracts. They infest Best Buy and other low-life scum operations. On the few occasions that I set foot into a Best Buy and the Xfinity vultures (no relation to El Reg, I'm sure) flap around, I try to walk past politely. If they insist on 'just having a quick talk about the best Internet service' I say, loudly, "I used to have Comcast. After my last experience with Comcast's customer service, I will never again have Comcast service, even if the alternative is dial-up. Never. Again. Comcast is the single most evil company operating in North America. They lie. They cheat. They steal. They absolutely, positively, cannot be trusted. If Comcast management does not like my saying these things, they know the address, thanks to the very poor experience I had with Comcast customer service. Now please get out of my way." I say it loudly enough that all in the vicinity can hear me. The Xfinity vultures flap away and stay away. I've noticed that the same sales teams tend to go out on weekends; they now know me by sight and stay far away.

        Mission accomplished.

        1. Gene Cash Silver badge

          Re: TT's TV Adverts

          There's also AT&T door-to-door salesmen. I switched from AT&T to Brighthouse (now Spectrum) after AT&T started various legal tricks to block Google fiber, which have been reported here in El Reg.

          So I told the guy this, and he gets furious and pretty much starts foaming at the mouth. Even the guy that was with him started edging away and trying to leave.

          I finally had to simply stop working on my lawn, go inside and shut the door.

  3. armyknife

    Their Reputation Precedes Them

    My own and others experiences with them, have led me to conclude they're a bunch of shitsters.

  4. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    erm Talktalk...

    1 sort your DAMN security out.

    2 - sort out your congested network

    3 - STOP sponsoring shite TV like the X factor and other gubbins and INVEST in your backbone.

    Only then will people come back to your ISP. Until then, its the old biddies graveyard and ideal for OAP's to check images of their grandkids on the various places.

  5. TheKeffster

    I don't get what the fuss is about with these chuggers and sales wallahs that hang around supermarkets, shopping centres and whatnot. They are the walking equivalent of stress balls you can be as passive aggressive as you like with.

    A stern look in their eye and a menacing growl of "Piss off" tends to make them retreat as fast as they can. Try it, trust me it's the most passive aggressive way of bringing a little light relief to your day that you can do.

    The same process works with sales people who call on the phone. Just say "Get lost" and put the phone down. Maybe don't do this at work though...

  6. mike white 1

    Best way of dealing with the salesman

    tring to flog you Sky/Virgin/TalkTalk/BT/Whatever is to say "Sorry mate you can't beat the deal I'm on I work/my partner works for <insert name of opposiion> and get all my/our services for free as a staff perk

  7. Roland6 Silver badge

    Dunstone "I think one day theyYou are going to have to face up to the fact that you are going to have to invest in the future for revenue that is going to come in the future, and that the past is not always going to pay for the future," ie. if you want TalkTalk to benefit from the investment you are asking Openreach to make then you are going to have to dip into your own pocket to the same extent and match Openreach's investment. I recommend you start socialising this to your friends at Sky, Vodafone etc.

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