Are AI Agents the Future of Haggling?

Yesterday, I called Rogers Communications, ready for a fight.

Why? Because my two-year contract was coming to an end...

... and my rate for 1.5GB unlimited internet was going to go from $69.99/month to $140/month.

No change in service, just double the monthly cost.

With two adults working from home most of the time and four children constantly on their various internet-enabled devices, fast and reliable internet isn't just something we'd like to have; it's absolutely necessary. 

But that doesn't mean I want to spend more than I need to spend.

So I used ChatGPT to quickly find all providers offering 1.5GB Internet packages and how much each package would cost. And after about thirty minutes of research, with a competitive offer in hand (TekSavvy was offering 1.5GB for $89.95), I made the call.

Once I got through to an actual human (and after exchanging some pleasantries and completing the authentication process needed to prove I was who I said I was), the phone call went like this:

Me: "Hello, my contract is up in two weeks, and I'd like to cancel my Internet."

Simran from Rogers: "Sure, may I ask why?"

Me: "My rate is going from $70 a month to $140, and I'm not going to pay double for the same service. I found a much better rate with a competitor."

Simran: "Let me check something, please... Okay, sir, I can offer you 2.5GB unlimited speed for $60 a month, with no installation charges..."

Me: "Wait, what? Yeah, sign me up!"

Did I suspect that calling to cancel might get me some rate relief?

I did. In the past, I've been able to negotiate the same service for the same price and occasionally even better service for the same price.

But getting a better service for a lower price? That was unexpected.

Do I understand why companies don't just offer you the best price in the first place?

Of course I do: if I were to quietly accept the increase, that extra money is pure profit!

Do I wish more telecom companies would realize that making us play the renewal game (and, let's face it, most of us play) leads to an erosion of trust and brand love?

Yup!

And am I fully aware that getting me used to speeds "up to 2.5GB" is going to make it impossible to ever go down to a lower tier, and that offering me a "taste" now is going to make it impossible to withdraw from that speed tier two years from now?

I am indeed. (But that's a future-me problem. Present-me is celebrating the win.)

But today, I was ready for a fight...

... and Simran from Rogers helped me avoid it entirely. 

She may not have restored my trust in Rogers (offering me the very best deal in the first place would have done more towards that), but she created a positive brand experience. 

And all of that brings me to this recent headline:

Google launches new protocol for agent-driven purchases.

Soon, AI agents will be able to shop and make decisions on behalf of users.

I'll say, "Find me the best 1.5GB internet deal", and a bot will just... make it happen.

Are AI Agents the Future of Haggling?

I'm not sure.

I also haven't yet decided whether this is a good thing, a bad thing, or both.

But I can certainly imagine how Simran feels about this.