Direct TV Advocated Lying About Need Of Phone-Line
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Wrong DTV mandated to the HSP's to lie to the customer; the HSP is pushing the installer to lie. Mastec just to it to an extreme and got busted for it. I just went though an annual refresher and it was made very clear that we need to tell the customers what ever to get the phone connected. They went as far to give us a list of things to tell the customer (several out right lies) and added to our site survey a section about phone lines with a signature block stating they'll leave the phone lines connected or are refusing to.Newshawk said:
Not only does this affect our pay rate too many non responders in any give quarter will get an installer fired. Most of our installers get around the phone line by selling the customers a wireless phone jack.
And this isn't limited to the Florida HSP. I've talked to techs from two other HSP's besides the one I work for and the one in Florida that got outed. DTV is pushing this behind the scenes. If a customer refuses a phone line on a DVR install I get told not to give them a DVR.
About the two lines to a DVR. The second line is how you’re able to watch one program while recording another or recording two programs at once. The DVR is basically two boxes in one, because it’s got two tuners. That’s why there’s a DVR fee. The DVR fee is a second box fee. It was the same with the TVIO receivers and is the same way E* DVR's work. The only difference with E* is that an expensive 44 switch and a DP splitter gets you two lines off of one.
Near as I can figure out the sudden requirement of ALL receivers being hooked up to a phone line is D*'s way of dealing with account sharing (and the reported cracking of there latest smart cards) to keep from having to implement there own Nazi audit team that E* employs.
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Mastec is a HSP (Home Service Provider). DTV contracts regions of DMA's to these companies. Theses HSP's get first crack at any work generated by D* in there respective territories.
E* system is slightly different from D*, but is the same basic principle.
With D* HSP's pay rate is determined by the piece and whether or not a phone line is connected. So the more receivers, dishes and phone lines they install the more they get paid from D*. With several of the HSP's this pay scale filters down to the installer level with a 3 tier pay scale. Base, Bonus1 (Special Pay1), Bonus2 (Special Pay2). To get B2/SP2 you have to have less then 30% of your main receivers come back as Non-Responders. I'm was fine with this setup as it wasn't hard to sell a wireless phone jack to a customer (get commission on the wireless jack and the hire pay scale). Now that is every receiver is harder to hit the 30% and harder to sale a wireless jack kit with more then one extender.
With Mastec it sounds like they gave there installers one pay tier (god only knows how much pay these techs are getting screwed out of this way also) and taking $5 for every receiver that came up non-responder. I don't know how much they pay for an average install or what the average install in Florida is, but I can bet just having a 40%(average for our area) Non-Responder report could put you in the hole with them.
E* system is slightly different from D*, but is the same basic principle.
With D* HSP's pay rate is determined by the piece and whether or not a phone line is connected. So the more receivers, dishes and phone lines they install the more they get paid from D*. With several of the HSP's this pay scale filters down to the installer level with a 3 tier pay scale. Base, Bonus1 (Special Pay1), Bonus2 (Special Pay2). To get B2/SP2 you have to have less then 30% of your main receivers come back as Non-Responders. I'm was fine with this setup as it wasn't hard to sell a wireless phone jack to a customer (get commission on the wireless jack and the hire pay scale). Now that is every receiver is harder to hit the 30% and harder to sale a wireless jack kit with more then one extender.
With Mastec it sounds like they gave there installers one pay tier (god only knows how much pay these techs are getting screwed out of this way also) and taking $5 for every receiver that came up non-responder. I don't know how much they pay for an average install or what the average install in Florida is, but I can bet just having a 40%(average for our area) Non-Responder report could put you in the hole with them.
Follow up:
http://www.local6.com/news/9164122/detail.html
Nearly 40 DirectTV Techs Fired After Local 6 Report
ORLANDO, Fla. -- Nearly 40 DirectTV installers were fired this week after giving on-camera interviews to Local 6 News about a company policy they say forced them to lie to Florida customers.The DirectTV technicians gave interviews to Local 6 News reporter Nancy Alvarez and discussed the policy that they believe costs them and their customers money.They said their supervisors have been putting pressure on them by deducting $5 from their paychecks for every DirectTV receiver who is not connected to a phone line, the report said.
Local 6 News reported that phone lines are not necessary for a DirectTV system but having them enhances the service -- allowing customers to order movies through a remote control instead of through the phone or over the Internet.But the report found that every phone line connected to a receiver means more money for DirectTV and Mastec -- the contractor for whom the men work, Alvarez said."Speaking out to Local 6 has apparently cost these DirectTV installers their jobs," Alvarez said.The mass firings came two days after the report uncovered the apparent practice that has cost the workers and possibly their customers hundreds of dollars, according to the report."I believe it's retaliation for going to Channel 6 with a legitimate news story about how we're being treated here and how the public is being deceived," technician Mark Hemenn said.Thursday, the technicians protested the mass firings outside of Mastec's Orlando office.
"For giving a company 20 months, pretty good track record with them and for them to do this because we exposed their policy?" technician Joseph Guest said. "It doesn't make any sense.""If we don't lie to customers, we get back-charged for it and we don't make money," an installer said.The bosses at Mastec's Orlando office had no comment when Local 6 News first investigated the allegations, the report said.They also had no comment Thursday.The technicians plan to move forward with plans for legal action against their former employer."At the end of the day, are you sorry you spoke out about what was happening to you?" Alvarez asked."Not a bit," Jim Hehmann said. "I'd do it again right now.""The next step for these employees will likely be to file a whistleblower claim with the National Labor Relations Board in Tampa," Alvarez said. "And the attorney general's office is already investigating their claims that they were ordered to lie to customers."Mastec sent Local 6 News a letter after the initial investigation aired, saying the report misrepresented some of the facts.DirectTV never returned any Local 6 calls.Watch Local 6 News for more on this story.
http://www.local6.com/news/9164122/detail.html
Nearly 40 DirectTV Techs Fired After Local 6 Report
ORLANDO, Fla. -- Nearly 40 DirectTV installers were fired this week after giving on-camera interviews to Local 6 News about a company policy they say forced them to lie to Florida customers.The DirectTV technicians gave interviews to Local 6 News reporter Nancy Alvarez and discussed the policy that they believe costs them and their customers money.They said their supervisors have been putting pressure on them by deducting $5 from their paychecks for every DirectTV receiver who is not connected to a phone line, the report said.
Local 6 News reported that phone lines are not necessary for a DirectTV system but having them enhances the service -- allowing customers to order movies through a remote control instead of through the phone or over the Internet.But the report found that every phone line connected to a receiver means more money for DirectTV and Mastec -- the contractor for whom the men work, Alvarez said."Speaking out to Local 6 has apparently cost these DirectTV installers their jobs," Alvarez said.The mass firings came two days after the report uncovered the apparent practice that has cost the workers and possibly their customers hundreds of dollars, according to the report."I believe it's retaliation for going to Channel 6 with a legitimate news story about how we're being treated here and how the public is being deceived," technician Mark Hemenn said.Thursday, the technicians protested the mass firings outside of Mastec's Orlando office.
"For giving a company 20 months, pretty good track record with them and for them to do this because we exposed their policy?" technician Joseph Guest said. "It doesn't make any sense.""If we don't lie to customers, we get back-charged for it and we don't make money," an installer said.The bosses at Mastec's Orlando office had no comment when Local 6 News first investigated the allegations, the report said.They also had no comment Thursday.The technicians plan to move forward with plans for legal action against their former employer."At the end of the day, are you sorry you spoke out about what was happening to you?" Alvarez asked."Not a bit," Jim Hehmann said. "I'd do it again right now.""The next step for these employees will likely be to file a whistleblower claim with the National Labor Relations Board in Tampa," Alvarez said. "And the attorney general's office is already investigating their claims that they were ordered to lie to customers."Mastec sent Local 6 News a letter after the initial investigation aired, saying the report misrepresented some of the facts.DirectTV never returned any Local 6 calls.Watch Local 6 News for more on this story.
Seems that detailed story above outs them as the liars and not DirecTV.
They get paid more money if they get the customer to connect a phone line.
The story even claims the same DirecTV info, the receivers do not NEED a phone line, but work to the fullest with it.
So hmm, if I am getting my pay docked for not getting the customer to connect, maybe I WILL lie to them by saying DirecTV now requires it.
This is a HSP - worker problem.
Another problem that will eventually get blamed on the deepest pockets, thus costing the end subscribers more in the long rum.
They get paid more money if they get the customer to connect a phone line.
The story even claims the same DirecTV info, the receivers do not NEED a phone line, but work to the fullest with it.
So hmm, if I am getting my pay docked for not getting the customer to connect, maybe I WILL lie to them by saying DirecTV now requires it.
This is a HSP - worker problem.
Another problem that will eventually get blamed on the deepest pockets, thus costing the end subscribers more in the long rum.
If D* and/or it's representatives/techs would lie about this one little $5 phone line connection issue, you have to wonder what other lies are circulating around that company, especially given some of the history as outlined in the original post.
I wonder what was worse?
1. The lying to the customers so they get their $5 (or whatever it was) by having them connect to a phone line.
or
2. Trying to push all the blame up onto the deepest pockets and eventually screwing all of us. (DING!)
1. The lying to the customers so they get their $5 (or whatever it was) by having them connect to a phone line.
or
2. Trying to push all the blame up onto the deepest pockets and eventually screwing all of us. (DING!)
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They have good leg to stand on, that is why they (former tecs) were fired.
I wonder how many tecs that read this site work for MASTEC across the country?
If you are a MASTEC employee ,then maybe now is the time to speak up and let our friends (former mastecs) down in florida know that if their laywer needs more testimony from other mastec employees located across this country , then it would be a big factor in stopping the madness of slave labor with the MASTEC scumbags.
I know for a fact they( MASTEC scumbags) are doing it here at Texas as well.
I wonder how many tecs that read this site work for MASTEC across the country?
If you are a MASTEC employee ,then maybe now is the time to speak up and let our friends (former mastecs) down in florida know that if their laywer needs more testimony from other mastec employees located across this country , then it would be a big factor in stopping the madness of slave labor with the MASTEC scumbags.
I know for a fact they( MASTEC scumbags) are doing it here at Texas as well.
Raydr said:
It is people like you and a few others, that do not have a clue, as to what and why, or how these system were being installed, not alone the fact that in 1994 the install price was $199.00, and now they expect more work for less than 1/2 of what was paid 12 years ago!!! There is nothing about this "Lack of Pay" that makes since....
Don't come to an open forum and spew lies!!!
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stevo/65 said:They have good leg to stand on, that is why they (former tecs) were fired.
I wonder how many tecs that read this site work for MASTEC across the country?
If you are a MASTEC employee ,then maybe now is the time to speak up and let our friends (former mastecs) down in florida know that if their laywer needs more testimony from other mastec employees located across this country , then it would be a big factor in stopping the madness of slave labor with the MASTEC scumbags.
I know for a fact they( MASTEC scumbags) are doing it here at Texas as well.
I think you are right Stevo/65!!! Your advice, to these Mastec guys, to speak up, is Good Advice!!! Let's get every State Attorney General, that has the Mastec HSP's in them, to clean house!!!
This BS has gone on long enough, and needs to be stopped TODAY!!! Here is Nancy's e-mail address: nalvarez@local6.com
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the messed up thing about this is i think is when we go to new houses that have no phone service yet and hooked up phone lines we still get hit for it because the rec. won't pick unless you reset the rec. 75% of my installs this past week "only uses cell phones ' and i still get hit for it. in all honesty if they take from me i take from them.
A Sipura 1001 configured with a free VOIP service works great for satellite receivers! One time purchase....no monthly fee, plus you get a phone line in the house you can use for toll free numbers instead of burning up your cell minutes. People can also call you from their cell or POTS line.
One time purchase....no monthly fee, plus you get a phone line in the house you can use for toll free numbers instead of burning up your cell minutes. People can also call you from their cell or POTS line.
actually, if you go to the wkmg.com website, click on local six. it will list their reporters and anchors....you'll see nancy's name. there will be a link on her bio to send an email....i just did!!
This is also a wonderful site, to put the story out on... LOL
http://www.techdirt.com/article.php?sid=20060502/2248208
http://www.techdirt.com/article.php?sid=20060502/2248208
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