Pick-and-Mix Plans a First for NZ Mobile Customers

Thursday, 3 November 2005, 5:44 pm
Press Release: Vodafone

Pick-and-Mix Plans a First for New Zealand Mobile Customers

Vodafone New Zealand this week launches a radical new pricing model that for the first time will enable customers to tailor-make a plan to suit their specific needs.

On Account Vodafone customers are now able to choose from one of six core calling plans, with no restrictions on who they can call or when the allocated minutes can be used.

Customers are able to complement the core plans with their ideal pick-and-mix combo of TXT, video calling, international calling and nights and weekend minutes.

Vodafone says the new pricing structure has been based on extensive customer research and designed to offer customers greater choice, flexibility and value.

“We realise that people really dislike paying for things they don’t use and not getting the things they actually need included in their plan,” says General Manager Business Marketing Kristin Dunne.

General Manager Consumer Marketing Larrie Moore said customers had told Vodafone that their ideal mobile plan would be one they’d chosen themselves to meet their unique needs.

“Every one of our customers has a different need. Mobility is all about choice and this initiative provides huge flexibility in allowing customers to mix and match the services that are most valuable to them,” he said.

Moore expects the new plans to appeal to a broad range of Vodafone customers - everyone from young adults through to small businesses.

“The great thing about these plans is that you’re able to swap around your add-ons every month if you want to. You might up your TXT add-on if you’re holidaying in January or increase international calling minutes if your partner is heading overseas with work for a month.”

Dunne said a number of other add-ons would be introduced over the next 12 months.

“This is the first time we’ve offered a pricing structure like this in New Zealand. In developing our plans we looked to other Vodafone operating companies who have launched similar schemes, and researched what our customers wanted locally,” she said.

During customer research Vodafone identified that nearly half of its customers on Mobilise plans were exceeding their allocated minutes each week. The new core calling plans have been structured to better reflect actual customer usage, while providing greater value for their monthly fees, and increased price certainty.

“Vodafone is committed to making mobile even more affordable for our customers and helping them reduce costs both at work and play. This initiative will allow our customers to start using their mobile in an entirely different way - they’ll be able to tailor a plan to suit their needs, not anybody else’s,” Dunne said.

“We’re convinced that the greater value being offered on You Choose - which are 25%-37% per minute cheaper than Mobilise plans - will encourage more businesses to opt for mobile-only solutions.

“And if you’re a high TXT message user, you can buy a TXT bolt-on for $9.95 which gives you 1,000 Vodafone to Vodafone TXT’s – that makes it less than one cent to send a a TXT!”

To take advantage of the new pricing plans customers must sign up with Vodafone for at least 24 months. All customers switching to the new plans will receive either a handset subsidy or additional minutes in their core calling plan.

The full set of plans and rates will be available on www.vodafone.co.nz/plans when the new pricing model is launched to customers on Saturday.

ENDS

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