Bad experience today for Hopper 3 install..

[FearTheVoices]

so my install it as scheduled today between 12-5. I recieved multiple notifications last night and early this morning confirming the appointment during our winter storm here. I receive a call about 9:00am stating that the tech could come out at that time as he finished early at another job, I told them I couldn't as I was at work and leaving early already 11:30am. Fats forward to 12:30 and I get a call from the tech stating he will be here at 1:00pm.

He shows up and ask where my dish is, it's obvious that's it's on the roof right in front of him. I tell him and then show him and he says he can't install it because it's a storm or snow on the roof or whatnot. That is understandable but they couldn't figure this it 24hrs ago when we were forecasted to have 8" of snow? The heaviest parts were also forecasted for morning and early afternoon.

Pretty obvious to me it would be common courtesy to cancel the appointment the day before so I didn't lose 5hrs of time at work for nothing. Even the tech that came here, why don't you ask before driving 30 minutes in a snowstorm where the dish is instead of wasting your time.

Other than that the tech was a nice guy and seemed to be sorry about the whole thing.

Not sure I even want to reschedule now as i have been on the fence about dropping the whole dish service anyway.

 

[JSheridan]

so my install it as scheduled today between 12-5. I recieved multiple notifications last night and early this morning confirming the appointment during our winter storm here. I receive a call about 9:00am stating that the tech could come out at that time as he finished early at another job, I told them I couldn't as I was at work and leaving early already 11:30am. Fats forward to 12:30 and I get a call from the tech stating he will be here at 1:00pm.

He shows up and ask where my dish is, it's obvious that's it's on the roof right in front of him. I tell him and then show him and he says he can't install it because it's a storm or snow on the roof or whatnot. That is understandable but they couldn't figure this it 24hrs ago when we were forecasted to have 8" of snow? The heaviest parts were also forecasted for morning and early afternoon.

Pretty obvious to me it would be common courtesy to cancel the appointment the day before so I didn't lose 5hrs of time at work for nothing. Even the tech that came here, why don't you ask before driving 30 minutes in a snowstorm where the dish is instead of wasting your time.

Other than that the tech was a nice guy and seemed to be sorry about the whole thing.

Not sure I even want to reschedule now as i have been on the fence about dropping the whole dish service anyway.

Usually techs can reach the dish from the ladder, even if it's snowing. If you have to get off the ladder and walk on your roof to reach your dish, which you would know ahead of time and the tech wouldn't, then maybe you should have called to reschedule when you saw the snow coming. That would have saved the tech from wasting his time too.

 

[FearTheVoices]

Usually techs can reach the dish from the ladder, even if it's snowing. If you have to get off the ladder and walk on your roof to reach your dish, which you would know ahead of time and the tech wouldn't, then maybe you should have called to reschedule when you saw the snow coming. That would have saved the tech from wasting his time too.

Really?! I am supposed to know what the installer will and won't do? I'll walk on my roof all day with 1" of snow or 2'. Not an issue for me or most people I know.

The whole New England area got 6"+ today so he knew it was snowing or going to snow. 90% of the dishes I see everywhere around here are on right on the center of the roof on the ridge cap so it's not something out of the ordinary. Out of the 50 or 60 dishes I drove by today afterwards I saw maybe 3 or 4 right on the edge, the rest on the center.

 

[JSheridan]

Really?! I am supposed to know what the installer will and won't do? I'll walk on my roof all day with 1" of snow or 2'. Not an issue for me or most people I know.

The whole New England area got 6"+ today so he knew it was snowing or going to snow. 90% of the dishes I see everywhere around here are on right on the center of the roof on the ridge cap so it's not something out of the ordinary. Out of the 50 or 60 dishes I drove by today afterwards I saw maybe 3 or 4 right on the edge, the rest on the center.

 

[rvvaquero]

Usually techs can reach the dish from the ladder, even if it's snowing. If you have to get off the ladder and walk on your roof to reach your dish, which you would know ahead of time and the tech wouldn't, then maybe you should have called to reschedule when you saw the snow coming. That would have saved the tech from wasting his time too.

Really? You're blaming the customer for this miscommunication?

 

[JSheridan]

Really? You're blaming the customer for this miscommunication?

Hell yes! It's his house. He should know whether or not the tech is going to be able to get to the roof in a snow storm. If it's my house and I'm expecting a snow storm I'm gonna reschedule. That's a no brainer.

 

[FearTheVoices]

Hell yes! It's his house. He should know whether or not the tech is going to be able to get to the roof in a snow storm. If it's my house and I'm expecting a snow storm I'm gonna reschedule. That's a no brainer.

My house is a 4 or 5 pitch, it's not like the guy had to scale Mount Everest here... He won't find an easier roof to install on other than flat.

Put a ladder up and he could easily have done it, didn't even try. Just said no.

 

[31cold]

I think what you might be missing is that if the local office decides not to call the day, in other words, they don't think it's too bad that it will prevent us from getting to the appointment then we have no choice as technicians. We are required to go to your appointment, once on site, then we are required to make a determination if we can safely complete the job.

 

[JSheridan]

My house is a 4 or 5 pitch, it's not like the guy had to scale Mount Everest here... He won't find an easier roof to install on other than flat.

Put a ladder up and he could easily have done it, didn't even try. Just said no.

Could he have reached the dish from the ladder? If yes, then shame on him.

Just an FYI, according to OSHA rules techs aren't supposed to get off the ladder without installing a restraint system on your roof and attaching to it first, even when it's sunny. According to company policy DirecTV techs aren't allowed off the ladder at all.

 

[FearTheVoices]

I think what you might be missing is that if the local office decides not to call the day, in other words, they don't think it's too bad that it will prevent us from getting to the appointment then we have no choice as technicians. We are required to go to your appointment, once on site, then we are required to make a determination if we can safely complete the job.

The system is not for the customer then. The local office did call me his morning and were fully aware of the conditions outside. It was not just snowing around my house and sunny skies elsewhere. If I am going to take off a day of work to to meet there schedule then they should have the courtesy to know whether or not they will be able to do an install that day. If not then call that morning or the day before and cancel the appointment. Maybe Dish should keep records of customers setups on file and it could be referenced by the tech prior. Honestly I figured they would have a system like this in place already but apparently not. Dish has been to my house about 10-15 times over the last 10 years or so and they have no record of my setup?

"Customer dish center of roof" Do not service unless less than 1% precipitation forecasted and 0mph wind.

In the end a system like this would only save both the installer and customer money.

 

[Bob Haller]

safety must come first..

would you really want a tech to fall, and get hurt?

I saw a workers fall from a chimney on a 2 story home. i was a child, my grandpa hustled me into a car and away from the home, i head the sires as we left/

my mom said it was terrible.

 

[31cold]

The system is not for the customer then. The local office did call me his morning and were fully aware of the conditions outside. It was not just snowing around my house and sunny skies elsewhere. If I am going to take off a day of work to to meet there schedule then they should have the courtesy to know whether or not they will be able to do an install that day. If not then call that morning or the day before and cancel the appointment. Maybe Dish should keep records of customers setups on file and it could be referenced by the tech prior. Honestly I figured they would have a system like this in place already but apparently not. Dish has been to my house about 10-15 times over the last 10 years or so and they have no record of my setup?

"Customer dish center of roof" Do not service unless less than 1% precipitation forecasted and 0mph wind.

In the end a system like this would only save both the installer and customer money.

While its upsetting to you that things didn't work out the way you wanted, as techs we don't get to make the call that we can't come out for your appointment. We do not keep track of every nuance and variable of every customers setup and I think its a poor notion that we would. Not being present at your location, but based on what you have described, its seems that this came down to a safety issue and I sorry but my wife and kids would suffer dearly from my death or inability to provide for them. Now while this still does not solve your issue, I hope you can comprehend our point of view. Now whether Dish could have fore warned you about numerous variable that might prevent the appointment from being completed (I suspect that there are too many variables to discuss with every customer, that they leave the judgement to proceed with the tech on the ground and the customer). Just my opinion

 

[FearTheVoices]

Hell yes! It's his house. He should know whether or not the tech is going to be able to get to the roof in a snow storm. If it's my house and I'm expecting a snow storm I'm gonna reschedule. That's a no brainer.

safety must come first..

would you really want a tech to fall, and get hurt?

I saw a workers fall from a chimney on a 2 story home. i was a child, my grandpa hustled me into a car and away from the home, i head the sires as we left/

my mom said it was terrible.

The point of this thread is not decided on whether or not he is going on the roof or not. It is that if dish has these rules in place they should then be canceling the appointment prior and not wasting the customers time. I couldn't careless that he didn't go on the roof. The point is obviously there is going to be snow on the roof anywhere he goes within a 300 mile radius. If dish does not keep records of a customers dish setup then there not running there company efficiently. If a installer is going call a customer before he drives 30-60 minutes during a storm then it's only common sense to ask "where is your dish located"

 

[JSheridan]

Yup, he should have asked where your dish is located and yup you should have told him your dish is on the ridge of the middle of your roof. If either of you had thought to ask then you could have rescheduled and you both would have saved yourselves a lot of trouble.

At our office we ALWAYS ask 'where is your dish located'.

 

[stardust3]

It's unfortunate, but it is what it is. Reschedule for a better day and chalk this 1 up with lesson learned. I wouldn't skip out on the Hopper 3 because of this.

 

[WiCkeDuDe]

Yup, he should have asked where your dish is located and yup you should have told him your dish is on the ridge of the middle of your roof. If either of you had thought to ask then you could have rescheduled and you both would have saved yourselves a lot of trouble.

At our office we ALWAYS ask 'where is your dish located'.

Yeah but your office is one of the few organized ones. Here there is a lot to be desired...

 

[Yespage]

The system is not for the customer then. The local office did call me his morning and were fully aware of the conditions outside.

You could have asked when they contacted you.

'Hey, my roof has snow on it, will this complicate the install?'

 

[Claude Greiner]

First of all the customer can't make the determination if an install can go in or not.

If the tech doesn't feel comfortable going on your roof, then they have the right to refuse the job.

Here is one I got to do next week.

Dish is either going on the edge of the metal roof or being pole mounted.

I am not climbing on a steep metal roof.

The installer may be lazy trying to blow off the job, but the rule is your not supposed to get off your ladder.

 

[the mack]

I am no roofer, but it seems you would NOT want to put holes in a metal roof?

 

[jarvantgroup]

You could have asked when they contacted you.

'Hey, my roof has snow on it, will this complicate the install?'

I get the feeling that even if the technician called, and there was snow outside, this customer would have still instructed the technician to come out to attempt the installation since he had taken half a day off from work. Dish isn't going to cancel a potential upgrade due to a possibility of weather. They've never done that and never will. In a industry that is as competitive as satellite TV, one reschedule could easily equate into a new customer for your competitor.

As far as whether or not to risk his own personal safety for someone's viewing pleasure......heck no!!! I wouldn't do it. If he gets on his roof all the time in inches of snow, that's his business. Its his home and he takes the risk of leaving his family destitute as a result of his carelessness. As for the tech, he has to make the final call. I can't tell you how many customers rant and rave because you won't crawl all over their roof in an unsafe manner, or through puddles of sludge under their home so they won't miss Bonanza and One Life to Live reruns.

At the end of the day, if you fall and crack your back, or put in a pole and hit a gas line, or drill and pop a water line......the customer WILL wash their hands of any responsibility. And after saying things like, "I have no idea why they did that", they'll have some other schmuck out there to attempt something unsafe again.