Choosing a new provider

You may be hunting around for a new provider for a service. For example, you may be after a new health insurance plan, a new mobile phone plan or a new bank loan.

An important consideration of any new service is - how good is the customer service?

Most companies will have great customer service when you're looking to sign up. They'll answer the phone quickly and you may even deal with local staff.

However, some companies provide a sub-par service for existing customers. Give your potential new provider a call and select the dialpad option for "existing customer". You may be surprised at how long it takes for them to pick up! Compare a few and see whether the wait times are acceptable for you.

This is one way to help you judge the service you'll get as an actual customer without having to hand over a cent!