DirecTV Loyalty Progam

[jcrandall]

I've confirmed that DirecTV will be launching a new loyality program for customers starting in mid-August. There will be a inclusion in the August bill or a seperate mailing for auto-pay customers.

Customers will be directed to go to www.directv.com/thanks to see what offers they are eligible for.

Rumors are that offers could include free premiums for a certain time period, discounts on equipment or programming, or even free equipment.

Offers will be based on time with DirecTV and possibly programming (average bill).

No word on exact offers, but DirecTV has confirmed that it IS coming.

Check that link, hopefully come a few weeks we're all enjoying some loyality

 

[NutFlush920]

This seems cool. I'll be watching.

 

[markfp-1]

Great idea. It always bothers me that most companies, not just DirecTV, will reward new customers just to sign them up, but won't give even a "thank you" to those of us who keep making payments for years without fail.

 

[jokeworm]

Yup - this is an excellent idea ...

Seems like a good counter offer to Dish's Cinemax for a penny if you have auto payment and paperless billing.

Throw the end user a bone every now and again and it puts even the thought of "looking out of the window to see how green the grass is on the other side" out of your head.

 

[satjay]

It does sound like a good idea, I know maybe a year ago or so they had maybe something like that for prefered customers I think it was called. I just think that wanted to identify you as a valued customer. When ever I called with a question or something after I entered my number the prompt would say something like "your a prefered customer" or something like that? but it went away??? lol....maybe I was not prerfered anymore,

 

[Hemi 6.1]

Great Idea! If they would have thought of this 14 years ago, I might have still remained a customer.

 

[Rey]

it's about time somebody does this.

 

[uncrules]

I hope the rumor about customers of 10 years or more getting a free HD DVR are true. I've been a D* customer for nearly 13 years. I've been thinking about replacing the H20 in my bedroom with a HD DVR for a while so this would be perfect timing.

 

[skottey]

What I would do for my customers

If I were DirecTV, or any other provider for that matter, I would do a loyalty program as follows...

It is simple. Subscribers to DirecTV get to vote on what channels you would like to see added next via the website. For each consecutive month (not long in my case) you subscribe to DirecTV, you are given 1 point. DirecTV puts up a list of all the channels available nationwide, and you the consumer can put your points towards the channels you want.

For example, if you have subscribed to DirecTV for 15 months and you REALLY want Travel Channel HD added, you could put all 15 points towards Travel Channel. If you don't really care, you just want more HD, you could spread your points amongst 15 different channels. It would matter because DirecTV would have a tally of what people actually want and how bad. They would do everything within their power, and within reason to add the channels. Obviously, if they cannot work out a deal with the channel, or if the channel is locked into some exclusive deal with Dish Network, than they would have to skip the channel and move onto the next popular channel.

The voting would be dynamic, so you could change your points anytime. If a channel is added, you would then get the points back to spread out amongst your next favorite channel(s).

This would greatly reward the subscribers who stick around for a while. This would give DirecTV great feedback on what the consumers want.

It seems to me that when deciding channels to add, providers weigh heavily on what they think will convince TV watchers to switch to their service. If DirecTV thinks adding more RSNs will get their subscriber base to grow, they will add the RSN in hopes of getting new subscribers. Nevermind the existing subscribers that want another HBO in HD.

There is a true upside to Dish falling behind in HD and losing subscribers. They were FORCED to act and stop the bleeding. After losing many subscribers (self included), they added a bunch of new HD. DirecTV has done wonderfully since adding all that HD, and now they can sit back and collect on their investment. If they started losing subscribers, you can bet they would hurry up and add more.

I realize DirecTV is adding more this month and into the fall. But will we get what we want? I would really like to see all 26 HBO/MAX HD channels one day. Will we get that? Probably not for a while.

A voting system would truly give their subscribers what they want. I mean, seriously, if you call and "ask" for HBO Zone, does it really work? I have been asking cable and sat providers for channels I want at the end of every phone call when they ask if there is anything else they can help me with FOR YEARS. It doesn't work. I was telling BHN to add Cinemax HD (the flagship station, not the multichannels) everytime I called. It didn't work. They still haven't added it and I am not the only one that wanted it.

I am happy with DirecTV now, but a voting system would make it better. Instead of relying on employees to figure out what channels to add, they would be getting direct feedback from customers.

 

[atp1313]

I hope the rumor about customers of 10 years or more getting a free HD DVR are true. I've been a D* customer for nearly 13 years. I've been thinking about replacing the H20 in my bedroom with a HD DVR for a while so this would be perfect timing.

I have also been a customer in good standing for 10 years. And not that yours is not a good idea and would work well for you, but i would they have a "catalog" of Customer Reward benefits, based either on time of service or level of service. For instance, the scenario you described would not work for me as I already have nothing but HR20-700's. So what good would a "free" HR2x do me? Not much. So if that doesn't apply, how about credits towards pro sports packages, or 3 free PPV/month, or unlocking all HD regardless of your package, or something like that. It would be great to log on and see the available "rewards" and pick one that works for you specifically. If it is limited to only 1 or 2 "rewards", then I don't see much upside for me. I appreciate being appreciated, but will keep the service regardless.

 

[gadgtfreek]

Good deal. Ive been a customer for a total of 12 mo's.

 

[Jimbo]

I've confirmed that DirecTV will be launching a new loyality program for customers starting in mid-August. There will be a inclusion in the August bill or a seperate mailing for auto-pay customers.

Customers will be directed to go to www.directv.com/thanks to see what offers they are eligible for.

Rumors are that offers could include free premiums for a certain time period, discounts on equipment or programming, or even free equipment.

Offers will be based on time with DirecTV and possibly programming (average bill).

No word on exact offers, but DirecTV has confirmed that it IS coming.

Check that link, hopefully come a few weeks we're all enjoying some loyality

Currently, the web page is not yet available.

Jimbo

 

[Oilers]

I hope that everyone is realistic with what they expect with this. I mean new customer deals will still be better than loyalty rewards, it is just the nature of the beast.

That being said, I am hoping for free Titanium package for a year. :
DIRECTV - TITANIUM

 

[skottey]

I hope that everyone is realistic with what they expect with this. I mean new customer deals will still be better than loyalty rewards, it is just the nature of the beast.

That being said, I am hoping for free Titanium package for a year. :
DIRECTV - TITANIUM

For some reason I was thinking they charged that price a month for that. But it is for a year. $625 a month isn't too bad. Think about a few concerts and sporting events live that you might attend in a month and it easily exceeds $600 in a months time for a wealthy family of four.

I wonder how many subscribers actually subscribe to that. Unless you watch A LOT of PPV, porn and sports packages, it would generally be cheaper just to PPV what you want to watch. You'd have to spend over $20 a day in PPV to make that deal worth while. If you watched that much TV, how are you making money?? You aren't working.

I'll bet the only people subscribing to that are lotto winners, pro athletes, and celebs that didn't work as hard as the rest of us getting rich. A smart business person isn't generally wasteful with their money like that. This package is the kind of waste you see on MTV Cribs.

 

[randyk47]

Most customer loyalty programs are a joke quite frankly and I don't expect anything great out of this. I know that sounds negative, and it is, but my wife and I are frequent fliers/travelers. We're in all sorts of airline, hotel, cruise line, rental car, restaurant, etc., etc., programs and other than minor savings most of them really don't give you much.

 

[gadgtfreek]

Freq flyer miles are good for first class upgrades , hotel points plans suck.

All I really hope to see from this, is a discount on new equipment for time served. I generally like to upgrade if they come out with new models that have more storage and small things like that.

I miss the old batline customer retention number you could call if you knew it. It allowed me to dump that crappy DirecTivo for a HR20 when it came out in Sept 06 for $99 + S&H, same time others were paying MUCH more.

 

[iceturkee]

as long as this isn't abused, i think its a great idea. and, of course, i anxiously await any offers!

 

[randyk47]

Equipment savings would be OK but then again it's not like I'm constantly changing out DirecTV receivers. At this point I have one, an H10, that needs to be upgraded but it's hooked to an EDTV, not HDTV, so an H20/21 or HD DVR isn't a big deal. Programming deals would be better for me but again I'm pretty happy with my grandfathered package and even the last CSR I talked to couldn't save me any money so I left the package as is for the time.

 

[vurbano]

They already have something like this. If you call up the CSR has a list of what free stuf you are eligible for based on equipment bought in the past, length of subscribership and the amount you pay every month, etc. What is the big change? I remember folks taling about a number of hearts next to their name a couple years ago.

 

[scottie_h]

I hope the rumor about customers of 10 years or more getting a free HD DVR are true. I've been a D* customer for nearly 13 years. I've been thinking about replacing the H20 in my bedroom with a HD DVR for a while so this would be perfect timing.

Have you tried asking? I've only been a customer for about 3 years, and have gotten 3 free HD-DVR upgrades (one HR10-250, one HR20 and one HR21) over the last couple years.