School of Life Hacks
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    The Tier That Is Never Offered

    Most large recurring vendors publish a cheaper tier that existing customers are never moved onto. Finding it is research, not negotiation.

    Module 3 of 84 lessonsWritten in full1 worksheet
    Start this moduleThe whole course

    The lessons

    All 4, in the order they are read.

    1. 1. Why the cheaper tier exists and who it is for
      Acquisition pricing and retention pricing are different products sold at different prices, and you are on neither by default.
    2. 2. Finding it in writing
      The tariff, the rate card, the plan comparison page and the regulatory filing are all public, and one of them names your cheaper tier.
    3. 3. Lifeline, hardship and income-qualified tiers
      Utilities, telecoms and insurers run legally-mandated or voluntary low-income programmes that are almost never mentioned on an inbound call.
    4. 4. The annual price walk
      A charge that rises quietly every twelve months is a policy, not an accident, and the record of it is your strongest single argument.

    The worksheet

    Published-tier finder

    One row per vendor from your register. The point is column four: a URL or a document name. A tier you cannot cite is a tier you cannot ask for by name, and a request without a name gets 'there is nothing available'.

    Published-tier finder
    VendorWhat you pay nowCheapest published tier for the same thingWhere it is published (URL or filing)Difference per yearEligibility conditions
    EXAMPLE — replace$79.99/mo$49.99/mo, same speed, 12-month promotional tierVendor's own plans page, dated$360.00New and re-contracting customers
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