When perks disappear, should your carrier lose your loyalty too?
With perks fading, more customers are tempted to make the switch.
This article may contain personal views and opinion from the author.
For many long-time customers, loyalty to a service provider feels like it should be a two-way street. Yet in practice, it often seems that the only way to get noticed or to secure a better deal is to walk away.
I learned this lesson firsthand. After months of asking my ISP for a home internet discount and being turned down every time, I finally canceled my service. Within a day, I was flooded with offers that had not been available before. It was a clear reminder that, for some companies, customer retention only becomes a priority after you have left.
Verizon loyalty discounts disappear
Recent developments at Verizon have shown that this pattern extends beyond internet providers and into the mobile carrier space. This week we learned that Verizon sent out emails informing many customers that their loyalty discounts, which ranged from $10 to $25 off per line, would be ending on September 1, 2025. These discounts had been an important incentive for people to stay, especially for those on older plans that were otherwise more expensive than newer offers.
The message from Verizon positioned the change as a move toward transparency, encouraging customers to explore newer "myPlan" options. However, many subscribers viewed the move as a breach of trust rather than an upgrade. Some took to online forums to say the loyalty discount was the only reason they stayed, and losing it meant they were ready to switch. Data suggests the backlash may already be having an impact, as Verizon reportedly lost about 51,000 postpaid customers earlier this year, while rivals have seen gains.
A partial backtrack
In response to the public frustration, Verizon appears to be backtracking slightly. Some customers have reported that using the My Verizon app to generate a "Transfer PIN" (a code needed to move your number to another carrier) can trigger a one-time offer to restore a $20-per-line discount for 12 months. There are also rumors that a new, percentage-based loyalty program offering 10 to 25 percent off an account could launch later this month.
Is it time to check if the grass is greener on the other side? | Image credit — Phonearena
Still, for many, the damage is already done. The reaction online has been blunt: customers feel that their loyalty was taken for granted, and that only the threat of leaving can produce any meaningful savings. This mirrors the experience many have with cable and internet providers, where new customers get the best rates and existing customers have to push hard or cancel to see similar offers.
Why loyalty only matters at the exit
Adding to the frustration is the fact that Verizon's move comes alongside other changes that feel like cutbacks. In recent months, the company has increased certain fees, such as activation and administrative charges, and has also removed free bundles for services like Apple Arcade and Google Play Pass from some plans. For customers, the combined effect is higher bills and fewer benefits.
This raises an important question: why do companies wait until after a customer cancels to offer better terms? The short answer may be that it is a calculated business decision. Discounts aimed at customer retention are often more targeted and limited, designed to win back high-value accounts that are at risk of leaving, rather than to reward every loyal customer equally. But this approach can backfire, eroding trust and prompting more people to consider alternatives.
The lesson for consumers is twofold. First, it is always worth reviewing your plan and seeing if newer options or competitor deals can save you money. Second, as frustrating as it is, sometimes the best way to get a better offer from your carrier is to be ready to walk away.
In the end, the situation with Verizon is just the latest example of an industry-wide trend: loyalty perks are rarely permanent, and often only appear when you are already out the door. As my own experience with my ISP showed, sometimes the strongest negotiating tactic is the cancellation notice, though it is unfortunate that it has to come to that.
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