Early Termination Fee - No Line of Sight after Moving

[dishcomm]

Just thinking big picture here, and again...not in any formal capacity for my employer, but if this starts becoming an issue, I see changes. Maybe it's a tiny amount of cases, but in my loyalty days, I took quite a few of these.

I suspect that if it happens enough, and enough people make a big deal of it, Dish could, at some point, stop giving free installations. They may start charging for them. As people have noted, it does cost Dish money to do an initial install. Then, Dish makes no money (generally, although I have zero evidence of it) during the first 12 months of severely discounted service. And it seems so many of these move/NLOS calls come near the end of that first year, I see Dish moving away from free installs. Or perhaps adding a rider saying they'll waive the ETF, but that the customer will be responsible for the cost of the initial install.

Dish spends a few hundred to install service. Dish then makes no money for 12 months. Then the customer wants out. Dish just lost a lot of money on that deal. I'm not talking what is right or wrong, it's been discussed to death in the thread. I'm just saying from a business angle, that Dish isn't going to roll over and lose money on these deals if they happen a lot. Dish used to waive the ETF due to mover's and NLOS, and started looking at the balance books due to it.

Again, the disclaimer in my sig...I am presenting my own opinions. Period.

Here's the rub.....Cable companies do not charge for basic installs. Neither does Directv.
I would suspect Dish will not break ranks and start charging for installations. In fact, there used to be charges that Dish itself levied on customers for certain work. To the best of my knowledge, the charges have stopped.
Contractor techs lost quite a bit of available revenue for wall fishes, additional burial footage on pole mounts and installing additional outlets.
Dish told us we could no longer charge for any ancillary service. So we just stopped doing them.
For example, if a customer requested an additional outlet or extended runs of cable, I would decline because I could not charge the customer.
Both Satellite companies are battling in a tough marketplace. The last thing both Dish and Directv want to do is have a tech walk into the custy's house and their 'free' install is no longer free.

 

[dishcomm]

I get that installs are certainly more complicated these days but,why does Dish basically insist on having installers for everyone?Looks to me like they could save themselves quite a bit of money,by at least giving the option for self install.There have been 3 instances here at my home,that Dish insisted on an installer coming out,I told them nicely I could do it myself,and actually preferred to do it myself,they would have none of it though.On 2 of the occasions that the installers did come out,I had to go behind them and correct their mistakes.Again,I'm not saying this is for everyone,it should be an option though.

Dish's entire relationship with their customers is " we don't want them to call us unless they are buying new equipment or upgrading their programming"..
Other than that, they don't want to hear from customers.
Self installs would be a source of phone calls generated by "I just installed my satellite and it won't work"....They end up sending a tech anyway.

 

[Teehar]

Dish's entire relationship with their customers is " we don't want them to call us unless they are buying new equipment or upgrading their programming"..
Other than that, they don't want to hear from customers.
Self installs would be a source of phone calls generated by "I just installed my satellite and it won't work"....They end up sending a tech anyway.

Yea,how many times do they get call backs to repair an installers job?Just from the posts I read here it would appear to be a lot.Each tech roll is costing someone some money.So that excuse don't fly.There are plenty of people perfectly capable of doing their own install.If Dish wants to spend more money because they fail to realize it then that's their loss.They even send out installers sometimes,to do a simple receiver swap.I don't see how that can be cost effective.

 

[Hall]

A lot? I really doubt it... I suppose the installers could report in every say on how many jobs they DON'T have to fix.

Sent from my SCH-I535 using Tapatalk 4 Beta

 

[brad1138]

I didn't read all the replies, so this has probably been said.

YOU signed a 2 year contract, YOU decided to move to a house with no line of sight. HOW is this Dish Networks fault? It seems very cut and dry to me, you can not fulfill your end of an agreement you signed, you need to pay cancellation fees, end of story.

 

[Tyralak]

Such as?

A Microcell.

 

[Chugga Chugga]

Yea,how many times do they get call backs to repair an installers job?Just from the posts I read here it would appear to be a lot.Each tech roll is costing someone some money.So that excuse don't fly.There are plenty of people perfectly capable of doing their own install.If Dish wants to spend more money because they fail to realize it then that's their loss.They even send out installers sometimes,to do a simple receiver swap.I don't see how that can be cost effective.

You wouldn't believe how many people don't have the ability to swap recievers. Dish mails out ALOT of recievers and a lot of customers call in and have us show up.

"So you have an issue I'm here to fix for ya?"

"Yeah, the new box came in the mail I need you to set it up".

"Did you attempt to do it?"

"Nope the new one is still in the box".

:-/

 

[Tyralak]

Again,the equipment is all leased,upon ending contract it must be returned to Dish.If new customer moves into old customers house,the wiring and dish are already there.Also it's very clear that both sat companies aim for 24 month contracts when trying to get new customers.You never see ads announcing do it yourself installs,or what the pricing will be.So apparently,the subsidizing of new customers must be at least fairly lucrative,otherwise they wouldn't promote it so much.Anyway,that's my opinion.

Back to the point,offering no service and requiring payment is wrong no matter how ya slice it.

No, they don't advertise do it yourself installations, because too many people screw it up and cause a tech to have to come out and do it over again the right way. I've been in the business for 10 years, I've seen a LOT of that.

 

[Tyralak]

Techs get paid AFTER the job is closed and done not during it hour by hour.

If you're a sub, yeah. Not if you're in house.

 

[Tyralak]

Yea,how many times do they get call backs to repair an installers job?Just from the posts I read here it would appear to be a lot.Each tech roll is costing someone some money.So that excuse don't fly.There are plenty of people perfectly capable of doing their own install.If Dish wants to spend more money because they fail to realize it then that's their loss.They even send out installers sometimes,to do a simple receiver swap.I don't see how that can be cost effective.

Sorry, but that's incorrect. A far higher percentage of self installs required service calls than those professionally installed. Service calls DO still happen, sometimes due to installer error, sometimes due to customer stupidity. This is why satellite companies don't encourage it. Unless you've worked in the industry, I wouldn't expect you to understand.

 

[SomeDishGuy]

You wouldn't believe how many people don't have the ability to swap recievers. Dish mails out ALOT of recievers and a lot of customers call in and have us show up.

"So you have an issue I'm here to fix for ya?"

"Yeah, the new box came in the mail I need you to set it up".

"Did you attempt to do it?"

"Nope the new one is still in the box".

:-/

Goes back to reading instructions, and how people do not do that. The replacement receivers are sent with a guide on how to install them. It's not hard. Set the old receiver on top of, or under, the old one, move the cables one-by-one to the new receiver. So many people cannot follow that simple step. Remote antennas connected to "antenna in", sat in cable to "antenna in", and other assorted ridiculousness that shows the person read nothing before they started ripping cables out.

I almost never have sent a tech for setting up an RA'd receiver until the person tries to hook it up. No way am I going to make an installer show up to a new receiver sitting in the box, unless that person has a legitimate reason for not being able to do the swap (really, really elderly, handicapped, or just incredibly stupid). Frankly, some customers are better off not touching stuff, they'll mess it up.

 

[Scherrman]

The majority of customers are afraid of technology. They do not want to even attempt it because they are afraid of messing everything up. It gets frustrating for me but I try to put myself in their shoes. I may know technology but I do not know mechanics. I don't mess with anything when it comes to my vehicle, I send it to a mechanic.

 

[Hall]

Then you get HD receivers hooked up to TVs via (a single) coaxial cable...

 

[harshness]

I get that installs are certainly more complicated these days but,why does Dish basically insist on having installers for everyone?Looks to me like they could save themselves quite a bit of money,by at least giving the option for self install.There have been 3 instances here at my home,that Dish insisted on an installer coming out,I told them nicely I could do it myself,and actually preferred to do it myself,they would have none of it though.On 2 of the occasions that the installers did come out,I had to go behind them and correct their mistakes.Again,I'm not saying this is for everyone,it should be an option though.

Largely because for every customer who is sufficiently competent to perform their own installation, probably two or more only think they are. Time and again questions get posted here about what we would think to be general knowledge but someone who "has always installed my own" didn't know how to approach a modern installation or had equipment, tooling or theories that were years outdated. Having to support a poor installation is an very poor way to build a relationship.

How do you propose that DISH could evaluate your competence to perform a high quality installation without risking equipment or customer satisfaction?

 

[Teehar]

Well,I guess it's settled then.Dish should never,ever,allow anyone to do their own installation,receiver swap or replace a smartcard.Apparently customers just aren't bright enough to handle it.

 

[dishcomm]

Largely because for every customer who is sufficiently competent to perform their own installation, probably two or more only think they are. Time and again questions get posted here about what we would think to be general knowledge but someone who "has always installed my own" didn't know how to approach a modern installation or had equipment, tooling or theories that were years outdated. Having to support a poor installation is an very poor way to build a relationship.

How do you propose that DISH could evaluate your competence to perform a high quality installation without risking equipment or customer satisfaction?

Self installs are a bad idea. Obviously Dish and most likely Directv management have recognized that..
Now, anyone is free to purchase equipment for self install. But NOOOO....Purchase?!!! Are you out of your mind?!!!!! We want it free ANNNNND an opportunity to screw it up.

 

[dishcomm]

Well,I guess it's settled then.Dish should never,ever,allow anyone to do their own installation,receiver swap or replace a smartcard.Apparently customers just aren't bright enough to handle it.

Nope....It's just too much trouble.
Here's an idea. When the tech gets to the custy's home the custy tells the tech that he is more than capable of doing the work. Sing the paperwork and tell the tech to have a nice day....
Of course, I as a tech would so "no way. I am responsible if you make an error and I will take a financial hit if you call within 60 days to have service on the equipment. Sorry can't let ya do it.".

 

[Teehar]

The moral of the story....Installers must really think people are dumb.That's a great way to build a relationship!Reading back through several of these posts I see customers being called stupid,dumb,not too bright.Really nice.

 

[dare2be]

I just think people in general are really dumb. I'm not an installer.

 

[Teehar]

I just think people in general are really dumb. I'm not an installer.

Well,at least your not prejudiced.I can say this though,if society is as dumb as most around here think,we are in big trouble.