When you think about how you can earn extra money in your spare time, you may shudder at the thought of going door-to-door to accomplish that, right? If you don’t mind hitting the pavement, you may have thought about joining Telecom Plus. Telecom Plus is a utility supplier that sells bundled services to residential and business customers. In this Telecom Plus MLM review, we’ll talk about the utility services the company sells and how distributors make money here. It’s all a little vague.
What is Telecom Plus MLM?
Telecom Plus is a multi-utility supply company that is publicly traded and operates like a multi-level marketing company. They are based in the United Kingdom (UK) and were founded in 1996. Outside of major suppliers, they are one of the largest suppliers of utilities.
They claim to make life easier and cheaper for residents and businesses by supplying gas, electricity, landline, broadband, and mobile services. They do this by reselling discounted telecommunications and utility services. There currently have over 600,000 customers throughout the UK. Products are sold under the Utility Warehouse (UW) brand. Currently, there are over 45,000 UW Partners operating throughout the UK.
Utility Warehouse is listed on the London Stock Exchange and is licensed by Ofgem and regulated by Ofcom. The company claimed a net income of £32.8 million in 2019 and revenue of £804.4 million.
Are Telecom Plus Products Worth Their Price?
UW has a range of utility products that it sells to residential and business customers. These include fixed-line, broadband, gas, electricity, and mobile services. The company bundles services to encourage customers that they can save even more money with these packages.
Honestly, the mobile offer sounds pretty good, right? £18/month for unlimited data, minutes, and texts? Fantastic! But there’s a bit of a catch. The plan is subject to the Residential Mobile Fair Usage Policy.
This policy states that you cannot use the service for excessive texting, calling, or downloading or sharing content. The emphasis is on the word “excessive.” There’s no definition of what “excessive” means. As long as you are a normal user, this shouldn’t be a problem.
So now the question is about the price. This price is based on a rolling 30-day plan. Again, this is probably not a big deal. One thing to consider is if your phone is unlocked. If it’s locked to a specific network, switching will be difficult. Depending on your network and plan, you may have to wait until your contract expires before you can switch.
So are these products a good deal? Probably.
UW guarantees that customers will pay less with their products. Prices are based on authorized debit payments.
Customers also have 30 days to change their minds and switch back to their current provider without fear of penalties.
UW is offering customers up to £200 if they switch their broadband, mobile or fixed line to UW.
The Telecom Plus Opportunity
You don’t need any special skills to join UW. You will be trained and given a partner who will show you tips and tricks for the sales process.
When you sign up with Telecom Plus, you are a Distributor, also called a UW Partner. As a Distributor, your job is to help people switch their utility services to UW.
You will receive training, marketing materials, CRM tools, team building tools, team support, and mentoring.
First, you’ll be asked to create a list of everyone you know who could benefit from savings on their utility bills.
UW recommends that you meet people in person if possible. But given the times we live in, virtual contact is also acceptable.
How Much Does It Cost To Join Telecom Plus?
There are no starter kits to buy. However, to become a member you have to pay £100. This fee is a 90-day money-back guarantee that essentially allows you to put UW to the test.
If you are already a UW customer, you only have to pay £50 for membership. If you join UW and then sign up for their services, you’ll get £50 back.
There are no fees for the first year. After the first year, UW deducts £3-£4 monthly license fee from your commissions.
There are also hidden costs such as gas charges and phone/internet costs. As with all MLMs, UW does not reimburse you for any personal expenses you incur in the course of your business.
Can You Make Money With Telecom Plus?
You make money from the customers you sign up to utility services. Each time you do this, you earn a commission on the service the customer purchases, plus a monthly commission. You also make money by recruiting other distributors. When your referred customers refer other customers, you earn a small share of the money they earn.
You can earn “customer gathering bonuses” that average about £20 for each person you refer. Earn Fast start bonuses” for recruiting new distributors.
Pros of Telecom Plus
High Commissions: Each time you refer a new customer, you receive a monthly payment of £250 to £300 per customer. This number increases with customers who sign up for multiple services.
Residual Income: You will also receive a commission equal to a percentage of a customer’s monthly bill.
Flexible Hours: You can keep your main job and do this job on the side, nights, weekends, or as little or as much as you want.
Cons of Telecom Plus
No Discounted Rates for Distributors: According to my research, there’s no information available regarding a discount for UW Distributors.
Commission Deductions: If you make over £3 in commissions after the first year, UW will deduct £3 per month for a licensing fee. However, if you make less than £3 per month after the first year, UW will deduct £4 per month from your account.
Misleading Income Potential: According to an in-depth investigation by The Guardian, the average amount earned is less than £10 per week. Only a fraction of distributors made enough to actually live on.
Slow Customer Service: UW has a reputation of being quite slow to solve customer complaints.
Overcharging Customers: UW had to pay £650,000 for overcharging customers on their energy bills.
Is Telecom Plus A Scam?
The products and services themselves don’t appear to be a fraud. But the lack of information is a cause for concern. The company relies entirely on word of mouth, which is typical of multi-level marketing companies. The company claims that distributors “can create real financial security for themselves and their families by using their spare time to sign up new Members and introduce our income opportunity…” But there is no clear path for new Distributors to achieve this.
Final Thoughts
When things are this gray about a potential income opportunity, it’s probably a good idea to pass it by. The products seem decent. The problem is the lack of information when it comes to paying distributors. When the information is so vague, it’s usually for a good reason. You do not learn about your earning potential until you become a member.
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