Help escalating DirectTv cust service

[nbadger23]

I may be banging my head against the wall on this one but I figured I'd give it a try. Here's my situation:

DTV subscriber for 9 years
ESPN FullCourt Subscriber since it started
Paperless bill with automatic bill pay every month

With the wonderful Big Ten Network I no longer need ESPN Full Court. I totally forgot it was automatically renewed and see that I had been charged 24.95 last month. No big deal I think - I'll call them up and cancel and pay for what I've already used.

No go - they said they absolutely cannot cancel any sports subscriptions once they've already started. I talked to a supervisor named Nicole and she basically told me to take a flying leap. She wouldn't give me her last name as she said they are not allowed to do that. I tried to explain to them that the $140 that they were going to extort from me for ESPN FullCourt really wasn't worth it considering I basically pay them that in 2 months worth of programming - why piss me off???

Anyways, I'm wondering if anyone knows any escalation paths to try to get something done. I'll gladly pay for the months I've had it but see no reason to continue the service if I don't want it. Why would they risk a customer's satisfaction of 10 years for $140?????

Thanks in advance...

 

[raoul5788]

I may be banging my head against the wall on this one but I figured I'd give it a try. Here's my situation:

DTV subscriber for 9 years
ESPN FullCourt Subscriber since it started
Paperless bill with automatic bill pay every month

With the wonderful Big Ten Network I no longer need ESPN Full Court. I totally forgot it was automatically renewed and see that I had been charged 24.95 last month. No big deal I think - I'll call them up and cancel and pay for what I've already used.

No go - they said they absolutely cannot cancel any sports subscriptions once they've already started. I talked to a supervisor named Nicole and she basically told me to take a flying leap. She wouldn't give me her last name as she said they are not allowed to do that. I tried to explain to them that the $140 that they were going to extort from me for ESPN FullCourt really wasn't worth it considering I basically pay them that in 2 months worth of programming - why piss me off???

Anyways, I'm wondering if anyone knows any escalation paths to try to get something done. I'll gladly pay for the months I've had it but see no reason to continue the service if I don't want it. Why would they risk a customer's satisfaction of 10 years for $140?????

Thanks in advance...

You might want to try the retention department. When you call Directv, say "cancel" until you are connected to them.

 

[Jimbo]

Sorry nbadger23,
I doubt that you will win THIS battle....
EVERY sports sub has in the fine print that ONCE the season has started you CANNOT CANCEL... now had you realized it a day before the season started, you would have been fine.

Full Court

Automatic Subscription Renewal

Automatic Renewal saves you time and money!

Relax and experience the ease and convenience of Automatic Subscription Renewal. Here's how it works:

* When you sign up for any DIRECTV sports subscription, you are automatically eligible for Auto Renewal when the next season comes around.
* Without making a call or filling out a form, you will be signed up for the next season of your favorite sports subscription, provided DIRECTV carries the service again, at a special low price.
* Your bill will show "Renewal — No Payment Due Yet" a few months prior to the start of the season. Your first installment will be due close to the start of the season.

All you have to do is keep your DIRECTV account in good standing and make sure all DIRECTV® Receivers are continuously connected to the same land-based phone line. A past due account or a receiver without a phone line may disqualify you for Automatic Renewal. Also, if you cancel your subscription before the season starts, you'll be ineligible for the special low price.

Sports subscriptions cannot be canceled, transferred, refunded, or credited (in part or in whole) after the season starts. To receive sports programming, a DIRECTV subscription is required and all DIRECTV Receivers must be continuously connected to the same land-based phone line. Sports subscriptions automatically continue each year at a special renewal rate, provided DIRECTV carries these services, unless subscriber calls to cancel prior to the start of the season. Commercial locations require an appropriate license agreement. Commercial signal theft is subject to civil and criminal penalties. Subscriptions subject to applicable sales tax.

Jimbo

 

[nbadger23]

Jimbo,
The "automatic" auto renewal is the part that bothers me the most. As far as I know, I never had a chance to say no to this. Therefore, the onus is now on me to remember to cancel the service. This wouldn't be such a big deal if they would pro-rate a service for you when you wanted to cancel it.

I do have some hope.. I've talked to a couple of people tonight who were successful in getting this cancelled.. one of which who said they would send me a copy of their bill showing the cancellation of the service from last week (clearly well into the season).

They are truely testing my loyalty to them with this. It seems dishonest and totally goes against all customer satisfaction rules I've learned throughout the years. Does it really make sense to make me think about cancelling for $109 ($140 was a bit off from my earlier post) ???? They are probably making close to 1K a year off me for programming - why in the world would you jeopardize that for 10% of that???

I'll also try the cancel route if that's what it takes. Now that I know some people who have got it cancelled I'll try simply calling back as needed to see if I can get a manager who will cooperate.

 

[Jimbo]

Jimbo,
The "automatic" auto renewal is the part that bothers me the most. As far as I know, I never had a chance to say no to this. Therefore, the onus is now on me to remember to cancel the service. This wouldn't be such a big deal if they would pro-rate a service for you when you wanted to cancel it.

I do have some hope.. I've talked to a couple of people tonight who were successful in getting this cancelled.. one of which who said they would send me a copy of their bill showing the cancellation of the service from last week (clearly well into the season).

They are truely testing my loyalty to them with this. It seems dishonest and totally goes against all customer satisfaction rules I've learned throughout the years. Does it really make sense to make me think about cancelling for $109 ($140 was a bit off from my earlier post) ???? They are probably making close to 1K a year off me for programming - why in the world would you jeopardize that for 10% of that???

I'll also try the cancel route if that's what it takes. Now that I know some people who have got it cancelled I'll try simply calling back as needed to see if I can get a manager who will cooperate.

It IS up to the sub to call before the season to cancel, you might tell them that you are doing this because of the NEW Big Ten Network and that you don't need it anymore and that may help .....
What you might find is that they give you credits instead of cancelling it, maybe $ 10 off your bill for the remaining months or 10 of for 12 months sometimes.

Jimbo

 

[Jimbo]

nbadger23,
You spend over $ 1000 a year and have had D* for 10 years and you would consider cancelling your service for $109 bucks ?
Or are you talking about just your BB service ?

Jimbo

 

[cariera]

I totally forgot it was automatically renewed and see that I had been charged 24.95 last month.

Sorry nbadger23, I know that Directv makes some mistakes, but I have to put this one squarely on you.

You knew it, you forgot it, now unfortunately you bought it.

 

[Ronnie-]

i have had this experience also. It says you cant cancel, however last year i ordered full court and took the two payment option. I watched the first week and realized that the games i wanted to watch were on my regionals anyway. I called, and even though they wouldnt refund the first payment, which i understood, they did let me out of the second one. Now whether this was because of how i had it set up i dont know.
Generally speaking though, I agree with jimbo, it does state that they cant be cancelled.

 

[nbadger23]

Cariera - I'll agree to disagree with you. After working in customer service for 12 years I've learned it's never a good thing to make a customer pay for something they don't want. If I were them I'd give in on this one to make sure I'd keep me as a customer. Also, as I mentioned, I have no problem paying for what I've used so far.

It's very similar to what credit card companies will do if you miss your payment by a day or so. If you are in good standing with them they will waive the late charge in an effort to keep you happy. Obviously you can't do it every month.. it's a special situation.

I would hope DTV would take into account my length of years with them and the fact that my bill is paid on time every month.. but that doesn't seem to be a priority for them.

I talked to a friend last night who had theirs cancelled .. so I know it can be done. I'll just have to keep working at it.

 

[sfollenius]

Does D* send any kind of post card reminder or anything? I used to be an E* sub with ESPN Gameplan and I always recieved a postcard stating it will automatically renew in the next 2 months if I don't call to cancel.

 

[markh]

I'm with Raoul. Say "cancel" when you call. That will take you to the CSRs who can do something about it. Explain the situation and they'll do what they can. The Retention CSRs seem to have power far beyond regular CSRs. Technically, they are right, the contracts say no refunds for this. I'd be surprised if you didn't get at least a partial refund.

 

[ddgtomahawk]

I have worked retention they will easily give you it shoot ask for couple of dvrs and they would throw them for free also im not kidding when i worked there i handed out DVRS all day now im at dish as tech support and the retention here does the same thing you will get it-- the supervisor and agent prolly thought you were just trying to get out of the package an knew you had it