Just this morning, I was discussing our Verizon Wireless plan with our representative. He presented an exciting opportunity: upgrading to a 52 GB data pool for the same monthly recurring charge (MRC) we currently pay for 30 GB. Given our recent data overages, typically around 10-15GB extra each month, this offer was immediately appealing. I confirmed my interest via email, a standard procedure for Verizon to document plan changes.
Later that day, I received an email from someone at NPP, also including my Verizon rep, which highlighted a crucial next step:
“One FINAL step is needed to receive the Verizon wireless discount, which is to accept the Terms and Conditions (*will ask for your EIN or Federal Tax ID) once it has been approved (~ 9AM PDT the following business day)”
NPP? This was unexpected. My Verizon representative hadn’t mentioned National Purchasing Partners or their role in this discount. Naturally, I hesitated to agree to terms and conditions from an unfamiliar entity.
As an insurance business owner, I’m accustomed to industry-specific memberships and associations. However, there was no mention of needing to be part of any group to access this Verizon discount. I wasn’t aware if our company’s existing affiliations could be relevant to National Purchasing Partners, or if this was a mandatory sign-up.
I promptly contacted my Verizon rep seeking clarification about National Purchasing Partners. My initial reaction was cautious, but the potential savings were significant enough to warrant investigation.
*Edit: My Verizon representative explained that National Purchasing Partners (NPP) is essentially a membership group or cooperative. They aggregate the purchasing power of numerous organizations to negotiate discounted rates with various vendors, including Verizon. This collective bargaining approach allows smaller businesses like mine to access enterprise-level discounts. While the involvement of National Purchasing Partners was initially surprising, understanding their function as a discount aggregator made the offer much clearer – and definitely still appealing! Who doesn’t appreciate business savings?
