D* Customer Service insulting

[spaulhus]

Ordered a new H20 from the D* web site ($105 with tax) to replace and older SD box, it arrived yesterday. Hooked it up, activated it and found severe pixelation on all HD locals and most HD channels. I've essentially isolated the problem to the new H20 as it has the same issues at other working D* connections in the house and as well, I took an existing, working H20 from the living room and hook it up at the new location and it worked. Having done all of this legwork, I contacted D* technical support to get a swap. No can do???

First of all, the agent informs me after the greeting that I'm eligible for a "free" HD swap - hmmm. We get into the issues, I let the agent go thru the 101 stuff, unplug the receiver, reset, etc... Issue unresolved. So I ask for a swap and the agent informs me that they have to send a tech out and it's a billable service call because I installed the box - I just about went crazy! Not only do I have to take time out of work again, but they are going to charge me as well??? I ask for a supervisor. On hold for 15 minutes only to be told the supervisor is busy and sending out a tech is the only option. I then reminded the tech that I've been a D* customer for 12 years and spend ~$200 a month - she then puts me on hold again to get another supervisor.

After another 10 minutes on hold, I get a supervisor. I then have to rehash the entire story while keeping my cool as I want to lash out at these guys. He not only doesn't budge from their original stance of no swap and sending out a tech, but he refuses to credit me the $105 even though I have earned a "free" HD swap. I went orbital - these guys are out of their minds. I want to rip out every piece of D* hardware out of my house. The $150 cancel fee is nothing given I'm paying ~$200 a month now.

I insisted that I speak to a higher supervisor and I was told I was as high as I could get on the pecking order.

Anyone have any ideas or other options for me as I feel other than ripping everything out, I have no other recourse. I've read some bad threads before about D*'s cusotmer service, but this is as bad as it gets...

 

[jcrandall]

I don't usually recommend this, but you have good case of bad service. Call and ask for cancellations. You will get retention dept, don't necisarrily threaten to leave, but explain what happened and why you are upset and they shoul easily take care of a box swap or free service call if D* wants to go that route.
Good luck.

 

[joed32]

What do you get for $200? Premier and service and the magazine and HD plus the other HD pack and six DVRs costs me $150. I'm not doubting you, just curious to see if I'm missing something.

 

[spaulhus]

Yes, plus MLB and NFLST with SF for both - so it averages ~$200 a month 9 or 10 months a year...

 

[Rey]

let us know what happens please.

 

[spaulhus]

Tech arrived today - took one look at the H20 they sent me and just threw up his hands. He says he sees this all day long, "old" H20's sent out with minimal testing. He went to the truck, got me a new H21, we hooked it up and things were perfect.

I relayed my story to him and he says he hears these types of stories everyday although mine was pretty bad. Even though he works for a sub, D* is their livelihood and he finds it bothersome. He also recommended that I call D* again as I was not treated correctly. In fact, when he called D* to activate me, he told them "I have a 12-year customer who is not very happy with us right now." In any event, I was not charged for the visit - he never asked, nor did I bring it up.

I will get around to calling D* back to see what they can do... stay tuned

Again, any advice or special numbers to call? I received an "A List" card years ago but when I call the number listed, it seems to the the line for the masses...

 

[deathmetal]

I recently had a similar experience.it seems D* has slowly adopted the big utility C.S. attitude of we'll do what we want,and you will like it.I guess they hit the tilt point in subscribers where we stopped being customers and have become numbers.

 

[iwc5893]

Tech arrived today - took one look at the H20 they sent me and just threw up his hands. He says he sees this all day long, "old" H20's sent out with minimal testing. He went to the truck, got me a new H21, we hooked it up and things were perfect.

I relayed my story to him and he says he hears these types of stories everyday although mine was pretty bad. Even though he works for a sub, D* is their livelihood and he finds it bothersome. He also recommended that I call D* again as I was not treated correctly. In fact, when he called D* to activate me, he told them "I have a 12-year customer who is not very happy with us right now." In any event, I was not charged for the visit - he never asked, nor did I bring it up.

I will get around to calling D* back to see what they can do... stay tuned

Again, any advice or special numbers to call? I received an "A List" card years ago but when I call the number listed, it seems to the the line for the masses...

First of all, I am glad that you got your problem worked out. As to being charged for the call, if D* is going to charge you it will show up on your monthly bill. And finally, all the special numbers for D* have been rolled over to the standard customer service number because of abuse by end users. There used to be a direct number to Customer Retention, but people got a hold of that number and used it for everything, including initial ordering calls. The only way to get to retention now is by going through customer service. They will give you a phone number and a PIN.

 

[joed32]

Yes, plus MLB and NFLST with SF for both - so it averages ~$200 a month 9 or 10 months a year...

I see. I get ST but not the baseball.

 

[mattopia]

Make sure to read my "I'm Livid..." thread active in the main DirecTV forum for another horror story. It saddens me that this seems to be the "norm" in customer service these days. Customers are treated like pieces of sh*t pretty much across the board these days.

One of the downfalls of large companies gobbling everyone up into one massive supercorp.

 

[charper1]

Its surely not the norm; its just the norm to only post bad experiences.

 

[pepee]

executive team customer service e-mail ellen.filipiak@directv.com

 

[agregjones]

Its surely not the norm; its just the norm to only post bad experiences.

I agree. Happy customers rarely post news of a job well done. Like most news channels, negativity is the impetus for mosts posts regarding customer service. I cannot recall the last negative situation I had with DirecTV, but it would have been years in the past.

Very few people post to say their service call completely failed to shock, upset or disappoint them.

 

[ariatari]

Refurbished H20

I just ordered An HD receiver to replace an SD. I paid $107 including sales tax.
I received a refurbished H20. I called customer service and I got the story that the
warehouse controls what is shipped. I said that I paid for a new box and I want a new box. They said there is nothing they can do, I called again and said "cancel" to get to retention. I found out my rating is 4 out of 5 hearts. I told retention the same story and got the same response. I told them that I have been a DTV customer for 6 years will now look at Fios. They said they would do nothing.
Since the Fox era DTV has gone downhill.

 

[Ronnie-]

I just ordered An HD receiver to replace an SD. I paid $107 including sales tax.
I received a refurbished H20. I called customer service and I got the story that the
warehouse controls what is shipped. I said that I paid for a new box and I want a new box. They said there is nothing they can do, I called again and said "cancel" to get to retention. I found out my rating is 4 out of 5 hearts. I told retention the same story and got the same response. I told them that I have been a DTV customer for 6 years will now look at Fios. They said they would do nothing.
Since the Fox era DTV has gone downhill.

I am sorry, but this is what happens.

Did you specifically ask for a new box when you ordered it (even then, they have the right to send you a refurb as a replacement), and does the refurb unit work?

 

[raoul5788]

I just ordered An HD receiver to replace an SD. I paid $107 including sales tax.
I received a refurbished H20. I called customer service and I got the story that the
warehouse controls what is shipped. I said that I paid for a new box and I want a new box. They said there is nothing they can do, I called again and said "cancel" to get to retention. I found out my rating is 4 out of 5 hearts. I told retention the same story and got the same response. I told them that I have been a DTV customer for 6 years will now look at Fios. They said they would do nothing.
Since the Fox era DTV has gone downhill.

Since you don't own the box, why do you care if it is refurbished or new? The only thing that really matters is if it works. Does it?