DirecTV email support - install fiasco

[AC Lown]

I've been having a hard time emailing DirecTV with my issue. Once I hit submit, I get an error rather than a confirmation that my message has been sent. I am wondering two things: First, could I be having this problem because my message is too large for their system? And secondly, would they respond favorably to my complaint? I've pasted my entire message to them below... I'd really rather be able to send this in writing, because it is just too much to try and explain over the phone.... Message follows:

Hello -

I have been a direcTV subscriber for a few months now. Although I enjoy the service (now that it's working), getting it up and running was a fiasco, and the problems I encountered have yet to be resolved. I will start at the beginning.

1. I purchased the DirecTV equipment (dish, DVR, additional receiver) from Best Buy in March of 2004. They advertised "Free Professional Installation" and "free equipment". I paid for the equipment, with the promise that I would be reimbursed once the service was activated.

2. The "professional" installers showed up to my house about a week later. They bolted the dish to the side of my houes, ran the wiring through, and could not get anything to work. No signal what so ever. They told me that they needed to come back a differen't day with their speical "testing equipment" to see what the problem was. I never heard from them again.

3. I went back to Best Buy to complain. They promised to send out a different set of installers.

4. In May of 2004, a new set of "professional" installers showed up. They determined that there wasn't sufficient line of sight from my yard, hence the reason for no signal. I disputed this, since my calculations showed that there was plenty of good sightlines in various places on my house. They disagreed and left.

5. I returned to Best Buy to once again complain. I explained that there was in fact good line-of-sight from my yard, and I would like someone to try to get the thing working, or at a MINIMUM at least take the dish down, removing the wiring and patch the holes in my house.

6. In June of 2004 the second set of installers returned. They had no interest in trying to get it to work. They took the dish down, removed the wiring, and told me that needed to pay $60 for the service call or else they would be entitled to seize my equipment. I protested, stating that this was supposed to be "free installation". They said that this was an "uninstall", and if I wanted it to be covered I should take it up with Best buy.

7. By this time it was Late June of 2004. I returned to Best Buy, only to find out that too much time had passed to return the equipment for a refund, and the only way to collect my rebate was to actually get the equipment working.

8. After much digging for information, etc, I finally was able to install the dish myself (at great personal expense for wiring, grounding blocks, and various other hardware), and I activated my service on September 6th 2004. As I suspected, the sight lines are great from my house, and everything works just fine.

9. Once again, back to Best Buy. The then informed me that too much time had passed to claim my rebate for the equipment, and I was out of luck. They said they would try to reimburse me for the $60 fee that I was charged on the third install visit, but that hasn't happened and they are not returning my calls.

So, to sum it up, I have paid in full for all equipment, for the install, and all related expenses, as well as an extra $60. I have gone through a lot of frustration and personal expense to become a DirecTV customer. Although I like the service, I am going to cancel and never return as a customer unless someone makes this right. The retailer and the installers both are unwilling to help. I realize that this isn't a DirecTV-caused problem, but it is DirecTV who will soon be losing a customer if there isn't some kind of resolution.

Please let me know how this can be resolved! I would be happy to speak on the telephone with the proper party, but I thought it would be easier to outline this in writing. I will appreciate a prompt response.

 

[charper1]

I feel for you, but with something of this nature you should have CALLED or need to call D*on the phone ASAP. This has been going on for nearly 9 months? Have you tried calling D* even once?

IMHO

 

[AC Lown]

yes...

Yes, I contacted them during the problems with the installers, and I once again attempted to explain the entire situation when I called to activate my service back in September. Each time, I was told to deal with Best Buy and leave DirecTV out of it, which is what I attempted to do. Now, I've finally reached the point of being completely fed up. I am wondering if I just didn't act angry enough...

 

[charper1]

Well before service activation I can surely agree with the D* view. I would be calling the Best Buy HQ and trying to resolve it there along with a Better Business report (and mention that to the Best Buy HQ) , and I might add that time doesn't seem to be on your side having had so much pass by since you initial BB problems. Good luck.

 

[boba]

If you were an inteligent consumer you would have read the contract you signed that said you had 30 days to activate your equipment. You can argue with BB and the Better business Bureau but you only have yourself to blame for the expenses. You just took too much time to expect anyone to do anything, you should have acted within 30 days.

 

[TYORK]

Yes, I contacted them during the problems with the installers, and I once again attempted to explain the entire situation when I called to activate my service back in September. Each time, I was told to deal with Best Buy and leave DirecTV out of it, which is what I attempted to do. Now, I've finally reached the point of being completely fed up. I am wondering if I just didn't act angry enough...

where do you live? what State?

 

[AC Lown]

Intelligent Customer

Michigan

 

[TYORK]

Michigan

so are you still with d or not ?

 

[uboatcmdr]

IMHO the only mistake you made was going to BestBuy to get your equipment. You should have called 1-800-DIRECTV and gotten it from Directv. Then more than likely the installer sent out would have been from an HSP (Home Service Provider) company. I work for a HSP company and while I cannot speak for all HSP's I can say that your experience would have been much better had a company like mine handled the job. Even if the first guy out turned the job down for LOS (line of sight) issues, one call to our office would have gotten you a second opinion from a senior installer who would have gotten the job done as long as it could be done to Directv specs.
The independant installers that some retailers hire are not really held to any quality standards. Oh, they say they are, but they are not. Their shoddy install might hurt them a little, they may not wind up with as many Directv jobs from the retailer, but these independants do not rely on just one retailer or install just one brand of satellite system. I have done a number of service calls on new installs by independants and in a lot of cases the mistakes they made are for stupid simple things (i.e., not using enough bolts in the dish mount, not tightening the dish bolts once aimed, not grounding the dish, using old cable lines with numerous splitter in them (and some which were plainly visible), using old used dishes & LNB's, using existing dishes & LNB's from another satellite provider, not completing the install and/or leaving before activiating the service. It just boiled down to their not taking the time to make sure the job was done right.
I'm not downing all independants, I have seen some that did good work. The bottomline is that you are better off going to Directv and cutting out the middleman. Sure you might be stuck on hold for a while trying to get a person on the phone to take your initial order, but it's better to do that up front that suffer all the grief later and having to spend much more time trying to get the mess corrected.

 

[AC Lown]

Thanks to everyone for their commentary. I am aware of the mistakes I made (from dealing with Best Buy to letting so much time pass between attempts at a resolution). What I'm really looking for is an opinion on whether or not this is worth trying one last persuit on. I've heard that DirecTV has a retention department. Should I try them, or would it be a waste of time to try to explain this convaluted mess?

 

[boba]

Grin! Bear it! and enjoy what you now have working life is too short.

 

[charper1]

IMHO being that you have only been an active D* subscriber for about 5 months or so, and you waited so long to pursue you issues with Best Buy, I think you just need to decide if you want to stay with D* or go back to cable, and then just move on. I would say "sure it never hurts to try to call the retention dept", but I wouldn't get your hopes up. I agree with Boba, learn from that Best Buy fiasco and enjoy your D* service.

 

[lowjeep]

I'm just trying to figure out why you think D* should resolve this issue for you. While I realize you are a D* sub the company had nothing to do with your equip purchase, rebate or install. Isn't the old saying Caveat Emptor? There's a reason that so many people have renamed that retail outlet Worst Buy. Unfortunately I would just suggest taking this as far as need be with the retailer responsible not the service provider beaming a signal to your equipment. Expecting D* to resolve your issue monetarily or in any other fashion would be like purchasing a tv and OTA antenna from a store, having their reps install the equip, than expecting your local CBS affiliate to fix the problems caused by that retailer and their representatives. While I realize that OTA is free, the theory is exactly the same. You purchased equip and install from a retail entity to be able pickup a television signal with television equip that you own. Yes, in the end it would be D* loss in losing you as a customer, but the whole idea that they should resolve the situaion for you is just plain silly. Too many people in the world today expect others to pay for the poor decisions they make.