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German companies have a reputation for not giving a shit about customers and customer support is virtually non-existent. For example you are quite often require

by dsnr 6y ago

German companies have a reputation for not giving a shit about customers and customer support is virtually non-existent. For example you are quite often required to cancel your online subscriptions by letters sent by post 1-3 months in advance.

Slikey 6y ago
3 months in advance is the legal limit, it's great. We also love our contract bindings for 2 years. Cunsumer friendliness here is heresy.
- snicksnak 6y ago
  It's so bad, there are even companies that handle cancelations by mail for you. You enter your contract details on their website, they print it and send it by registered mail.
  - cscurmudgeon 6y ago
    What if you have to cancel this cancellation service?
- dsnr 6y ago
  And god forbid you miss the cancellation deadline, you’re stuck with another year.
  - cheschire 6y ago
    Or pay a termination fee equivalent of 10 months service.
  - manfredo 6y ago
    Why don't people just stop payment? I remember when an insurance company tried to not let me cancel. I copied some boilerplate termination letter from the internet, and blocked payments from my card. They cancelled very quickly. Then again this is in the USA, so Germany may work differently.
    - pell 6y ago
      In Germany if you have a contract which binds you for a certain amount of time, blocking the payment will just result in letters, extra fees and eventually collection agencies and a state bailiff. This will not just put a stain on your credit score but might also get you into legal trouble.
    - distances 6y ago
      Your debts do not go away by ignoring them, surely not even in the US? You'll end up in court eventually for non-payment.
      - manfredo 6y ago
        Sure, debt doesn't just go away. But there's no loan, so why are you talking about debt? The grandparent comment is talking about online subscriptions. If you stop paying your your subscription, then they'll terminate service. Likewise if you stop paying your insurance premium you won't be able to file any claims. But unpaid subscriptions don't magically become debt. If you don't pay your electricity or water bill then that's a different story because utilities are not allowed to just stop service for things people's lives depend on. But utilities are more heavily regulated than normal subscriptions. For the most part, if a company tries to keep you from terminating a subscription and you say, "well, I'm not paying anymore. Do you still want to keep providing the service for free?" it's an effective way to get them to terminate service.
        hocuspocus 6y ago
        > But unpaid subscriptions don't magically become debt. There are things called debt collection agencies. They are widely used by service providers.
        manfredo 6y ago
        So if you block your Netflix payments you really think there going to send debt collectors? No, they'd lose more money on hiring a collector than they'd gain back from recovering one month's subscription.
Traster 6y ago
This has been my experience in the Uk of any food delivery/taxi service. Hey! We'll be there in 10 minutes time! ... 10 minutes later... 10 minutes time! ... 50 minutes later... 10 minutes time! ...10 minutes later... Pavel has declined your order/ride, looking for a new rider/driver/CEO. <contact support> Hey! Fuck off in this endless menu! If innovation is crap customer service, these guys are the most innovative companies in the world.
jeofken 6y ago
It took me ages to cancel O2 DSL when I left Germany. I cancelled my gym membership in person at the gym many years ago - but this year 2021 I am still receiving letters, now from Inkasso where they claim I should still pay membership. I don’t even live in the country anymore, and I did cancel it in person! (That was John Reed Fitness, stay away Berliners). Call me whatever “-phobe” slur you wish, but after these experiences and more, I am never signing a contract with a German business again. No idea if AT and CH are similar.
- ChuckNorris89 6y ago
  AT is the same. The laws are very business friendly rather than consumer friendly.
kugelblitz 6y ago
Subscribe to our paid service? Enter your bank account in the small form here - and you're in! Unsubscribe? Step 1: Ok, click here. Step 2: Ok, just to make sure, you want to cancel your service? * NO, TAKE ME BACK * cancel Step 3 + 4 +5: Ok, we don't want anyone except you (even though you're logged in) accidentally cancelling your service for you by accident. We will send you a confirmation email, click on the link there, and then confirm on the confirmation page.

by dsnr 6y ago

Slikey 6y ago

3 months in advance is the legal limit, it's great. We also love our contract bindings for 2 years. Cunsumer friendliness here is heresy.

snicksnak 6y ago
It's so bad, there are even companies that handle cancelations by mail for you. You enter your contract details on their website, they print it and send it by registered mail.
- cscurmudgeon 6y ago
  What if you have to cancel this cancellation service?
dsnr 6y ago
And god forbid you miss the cancellation deadline, you’re stuck with another year.
- cheschire 6y ago
  Or pay a termination fee equivalent of 10 months service.
- manfredo 6y ago
  Why don't people just stop payment? I remember when an insurance company tried to not let me cancel. I copied some boilerplate termination letter from the internet, and blocked payments from my card. They cancelled very quickly. Then again this is in the USA, so Germany may work differently.
  - pell 6y ago
    In Germany if you have a contract which binds you for a certain amount of time, blocking the payment will just result in letters, extra fees and eventually collection agencies and a state bailiff. This will not just put a stain on your credit score but might also get you into legal trouble.
  - distances 6y ago
    Your debts do not go away by ignoring them, surely not even in the US? You'll end up in court eventually for non-payment.
    - manfredo 6y ago
      Sure, debt doesn't just go away. But there's no loan, so why are you talking about debt? The grandparent comment is talking about online subscriptions. If you stop paying your your subscription, then they'll terminate service. Likewise if you stop paying your insurance premium you won't be able to file any claims. But unpaid subscriptions don't magically become debt. If you don't pay your electricity or water bill then that's a different story because utilities are not allowed to just stop service for things people's lives depend on. But utilities are more heavily regulated than normal subscriptions. For the most part, if a company tries to keep you from terminating a subscription and you say, "well, I'm not paying anymore. Do you still want to keep providing the service for free?" it's an effective way to get them to terminate service.
      - hocuspocus 6y ago
        > But unpaid subscriptions don't magically become debt. There are things called debt collection agencies. They are widely used by service providers.
        manfredo 6y ago
        So if you block your Netflix payments you really think there going to send debt collectors? No, they'd lose more money on hiring a collector than they'd gain back from recovering one month's subscription.

Traster 6y ago

This has been my experience in the Uk of any food delivery/taxi service. Hey! We'll be there in 10 minutes time! ... 10 minutes later... 10 minutes time! ... 50 minutes later... 10 minutes time! ...10 minutes later... Pavel has declined your order/ride, looking for a new rider/driver/CEO. <contact support> Hey! Fuck off in this endless menu! If innovation is crap customer service, these guys are the most innovative companies in the world.

jeofken 6y ago

It took me ages to cancel O2 DSL when I left Germany. I cancelled my gym membership in person at the gym many years ago - but this year 2021 I am still receiving letters, now from Inkasso where they claim I should still pay membership. I don’t even live in the country anymore, and I did cancel it in person! (That was John Reed Fitness, stay away Berliners). Call me whatever “-phobe” slur you wish, but after these experiences and more, I am never signing a contract with a German business again. No idea if AT and CH are similar.

ChuckNorris89 6y ago
AT is the same. The laws are very business friendly rather than consumer friendly.

kugelblitz 6y ago

Subscribe to our paid service? Enter your bank account in the small form here - and you're in! Unsubscribe? Step 1: Ok, click here. Step 2: Ok, just to make sure, you want to cancel your service? * NO, TAKE ME BACK * cancel Step 3 + 4 +5: Ok, we don't want anyone except you (even though you're logged in) accidentally cancelling your service for you by accident. We will send you a confirmation email, click on the link there, and then confirm on the confirmation page.