Questionable Negotiating Tactics of Cell Tower Contracts
A client of ours recently commented to me that he agreed to terms that were lower than we recommended because he was tired of negotiating with the tower company. They had contacted him to extend his lease and even though there were 15 years remaining were pestering him on a weekly basis. Think about this- this particular tower company (a public tower company) agent felt that it was appropriate to contact a landowner about extending his lease weekly even though there were over 180 weeks remaining before the lease was set to expire. They were so desperate to extend their lease that they needed to call over and over far in advance. These high pressure sales techniques were set up specifically to have this effect.
Before you get the wrong impression that I am trying to single out a particular tower company or lease optimization firm- I want to point out that this tower company isn’t alone. The lease optimization firms use similar tactics regularly. The lease buyout companies also rely upon constant calls as a tool to wear down the landowner and make them agree to terms that they wouldn’t absent the constant pressure. The constant suggestion is that if you don’t do something now- our offer will decrease. Fact: With rare exception, the offers almost never decrease.
Who is the worst- the lease buyout firms for sure. Some of the lease optimization firms call you over and over- not leaving a message but waiting until you pick up. And if you don’t pick up, they use another number that you might not recognize until they get you. One lease optimization firm told a client’s secretary that if she didn’t get her boss on the phone, that he would sue her personally. (I called the wireless carrier who retained this firm to let them know of this pathetic tactic. They promised to resolve it so that would never occur again.)
When did their business objectives become more important than common decency? The simple answer is never. If you are getting pestered and don’t feel that you have the answers to make an informed decision, please contact us. There are very few situations where you have to make an immediate decision and we will certainly let you know if yours is one of them. Otherwise, take your time, do your research. We will be here when you feel that you need help.
