Horrible installation experience - and it isn't even installed yet

[rugbyqueen]

I ordered Dish Network over the phone last week. Arranged for installation today between 8 a.m. and noon. Received recorded phone message on Saturday evening confirming installation for today.

By 10:30 a.m. and no sign of the Dish guys, I figured something was up. I started calling the Dish Network people and after going through various supervisors and managers, was told the "dispatcher" would call me back in 5-10 minutes to give me an estimated arrival time. No one called. So I called back. This time they gave me the phone number of the "dispatcher".

So I called this so-called dispatcher, who turns out to be the installer himself, who then proceeds to tell me he isn't coming because he doesn't have the equipment!!! What the HECK??? If he doesn't have the equipment, wouldn't he have known that by yesterday or at the very least by this morning? Why did it take me tracking them down for ANYONE to let me know that the installer didn't have the equipment? And with a WEEK's notice, why didn't he have the equipment???

To make matters worse, the guy sounds kind of like he was on drugs or drunk or something. He made me very uncomfortable and (being female) I'm nervous about him coming out to the house if I'm going to be here by myself.

Is this typical? Do they cancel or mess up your installations without notice on a regular basis? Are the installers a bunch of skeevy guys that mean you should be armed with your pit bull and a shotgun before they set foot on your property?

When I called back to Dish Network - pretty worked up by this point - I just kept getting transferred to the "Billing Department" and they were of little to no use at all. They told me the best they could do was to reschedule me for two days out (I am not available at that time) and offer me $20 off my installation. My installation is free anyway, after they charge me and refund it, so that's not much help. They also outright LIED to me and said they left a voicemail telling me the installation would be delayed. We received no such voicemail and, in fact, were home almost all day yesterday, and I haven't left the house today, so it's unlikely we missed a phone call.

Who can I complain to? What can I do? What works? Help!

 

[Mike500]

Cancel. Find a local dealer.

 

[Dodge Ram Nut]

Cancel and go to a well known, well respected local DISH dealer who can give you face time.

If you REALLY wanna get some heads rolling..email ceo@echostar.com with where/how they can reach you. They produce some pretty good results. Might even give you a sweeter deal than you originally signed up for. They're pretty good at returning your email/calls pretty quickly.

If you don't want the hassle of the CEO...just cancel and go to a local DISH dealer.

 

[rugbyqueen]

How fast can local retailers come out to do an install? We REALLY need this installed this week because the rugby world cup starts on Friday, and that's the main reason we're getting it. And I'm heading out of town, so it has to be in before then. And of course my time is limited because of work, appointments, etc. I can't just be hanging around for a four hour window every day.

I will definitely email the CEO address. Thanks for that. I have no qualms about sending those kinds of emails. I'm extremely frustrated wtih this service. It's appalling.

I clicked on the "find a retailer" link on the Dish site. How do you know who is good? There are 67 listed in my area. I'm in Houston. Is it better just to go to a RadioShack or Sears? It says it's available at both.

Man, I wish I'd gone to a local installer to begin with. This is terrible service. Is this typical of Dish Network? Is this what I have to look forward to?

 

[Dodge Ram Nut]

How fast can local retailers come out to do an install? We REALLY need this installed this week because the rugby world cup starts on Friday, and that's the main reason we're getting it. And I'm heading out of town, so it has to be in before then. And of course my time is limited because of work, appointments, etc. I can't just be hanging around for a four hour window every day.

I will definitely email the CEO address. Thanks for that. I have no qualms about sending those kinds of emails. I'm extremely frustrated wtih this service. It's appalling.

I clicked on the "find a retailer" link on the Dish site. How do you know who is good? There are 67 listed in my area. I'm in Houston. Is it better just to go to a RadioShack or Sears? It says it's available at both.

Man, I wish I'd gone to a local installer to begin with. This is terrible service. Is this typical of Dish Network? Is this what I have to look forward to?

Well..personally..I can't vouch for 1 company. What you can do is pick up the phone book and see if you can't find one closer to you. Drive by and take a look and use common sense. If you want, you could call the BBB.

You could explain your plight to the retailer. You can be judge of character then. Maybe flash a 20? They "arranged" for an installer to come out as soon as the installer had enough free time within a day or two. I know some people who did that, flashed a 20 and when the installer came..they personally put the 20 in the installers pocket and said "thanks for helping me out" if you get my drift? I ain't trying to tell you to bribe them, but some times you gotta take desperate measures respectively.

As for service accountability...there is ALWAYS a bad apple here and there at every company. Some people always get the luck of the draw and have EXCELLENT service/customer service for the longest time. Some folks, well, I guess you can imagine what I'm gonna say. If you do "get" a bad apple, simply hang up, re-dial the number and ask for Tech Support. They're the BEST ones to work with. I know becuz I've been with Dish almost 10 years now. Tech Support does it ALL.

Round here, where I live, I find a smaller company works better because they give you more face time and they want to make it in the bizness world. Big time companies..you are just a number to them. Thats what I'd do..look for a small local retailer and go from there, but don't hold me to it.

 

[Desert Satellite]

Most retailers should be able to install you the next day... or within 2 days... If they say something else... call the next one.... if it takes a week to get a system installed, how long is it going to take for them to do a service call if one is needed... nobody is too busy to get a system installed for you in a few days... at this time of year all satellite business usually are slow... Dish Network pays their employees by the hour.... retailer normally pay their installer by the job.... in our area Dish Network usually carries a 10 day backlog.... Go with a retailer. Watch the installer - there are some bad installers out there... inspect his work before you sign any paperwork and if it looks bad, ask him about it and if you don't like the answer, call his office he is out of... it will be on the paperwork... Customer service should be their primary concern and you should expect good service.

 

[ArtWIS]

How fast can local retailers come out to do an install? We REALLY need this installed this week because the rugby world cup starts on Friday, and that's the main reason we're getting it. And I'm heading out of town, so it has to be in before then. And of course my time is limited because of work, appointments, etc. I can't just be hanging around for a four hour window every day.

I will definitely email the CEO address. Thanks for that. I have no qualms about sending those kinds of emails. I'm extremely frustrated wtih this service. It's appalling.

I clicked on the "find a retailer" link on the Dish site. How do you know who is good? There are 67 listed in my area. I'm in Houston. Is it better just to go to a RadioShack or Sears? It says it's available at both.

Man, I wish I'd gone to a local installer to begin with. This is terrible service. Is this typical of Dish Network? Is this what I have to look forward to?

67 local retailers Wow! They can be just as bad or worse that what E* themselves send out. Maybe a neighbor with E* can recommend a GOOD local installer. With what happened with your scheduled messed up install I would go through the CEO e-mail deal and I would bet you get a better offer than any retailer will give you.

 

[Dodge Ram Nut]

I will definitely email the CEO address. Thanks for that. I have no qualms about sending those kinds of emails.

Could you please let us know what you ultimately decide and/or if anything ever becomes of the email sent to the CEO address if you did? I know I'd like to hear how they treat NEW customers like you. I'm just a snoop..I know..I cant help it!! It's in my genes, like I tell every one at work!!

 

[rugbyqueen]

67 local retailers Wow! They can be just as bad or worse that what E* themselves send out. Maybe a neighbor with E* can recommend a GOOD local installer. With what happened with your scheduled messed up install I would go through the CEO e-mail deal and I would bet you get a better offer than any retailer will give you.

I don't know anyone except one person in Atlanta with the Dish Network. Everyone I know has cable. That's why we just called the company. In retrospect that seems stupid.

Could you please let us know what you ultimately decide and/or if anything ever becomes of the email sent to the CEO address if you did?

I'll be sure to update this thread as things progress....

As for now, the original installer (who the Dish people called the "dispatcher", and the one I was afraid of) is supposed to come out tomorrow. As much as I hated to go this route, I got my husband to talk with him. (I hate having to do that - I'm the one who always takes care of the tech stuff - but seriously, this guy skeeved me out.) Apparently he was extremely apologetic (to my husband, anyway - not to me), and so they agreed he's going to come out and install it tomorrow. As this man made me nervous even over the phone, my husband is going to plan to be here to make sure everything in the safety and security department is okay.

Given all that, should I email the CEO tonight? Or wait until after the guy shows up (or doesn't) tomorrow? Is there an advantage either way? I don't want to tick off the installer and he doesn't show up. However, if it'll light a fire under someone, and I can get a better deal, that would be ever better!

 

[navy8ball]

i had an installer come to my house one time and i could smell alcohol on his breath. my advice to all women is to never ever be alone in your house when meeting any type of repairman.i remember a few years ago in tulsa a couple put an ad in the newspaper to sell a pool table. her husband had to work so she stayed at home to meet this guy. he raped and killed her and then took off. the cops were tracking him and if i recall right he killed someone else up in missouri. before they caught him.

 

[Dodge Ram Nut]

Given all that, should I email the CEO tonight? Or wait until after the guy shows up (or doesn't) tomorrow? Is there an advantage either way? I don't want to tick off the installer and he doesn't show up. However, if it'll light a fire under someone, and I can get a better deal, that would be ever better!

I am a firm believer that you SHOULD at LEAST give the guy a chance since he apologized all over the place towards your husband. Again..to each their own. I would give the installer a chance to show up WITH all the RIGHT equipment and make a clean, good install right the first time.
I've seen too many stories of installers showing up and TELLING YOU where he is going to put the DISH just because it will make his job so MUCH easier. Have your husband be reasonable and have HIM tell the installer where a good place is to put the dish. Don't make an argument about it, but come to a happy medium. Put the dish where it is aesthetically pleasing and has a good solid connection to the bird in the sky.

DON'T SIGN ANY PAPERWORK until your husband and/or you are happy with the install, everything works, good picture..good everything. If you sign, installer gets paid and his job is done. If the installer comes to your house all attitudey, TELLS YOU where he's gonna install it ...etc etc etc then I would email the CEO since you gave him a chance to rectify and make you a happy new customer. Lots of luck!! Let us know how it turns out!

 

[jhhenson]

Got Dish over the web last week. Email confirming installation for Monday Sept. 3 between Noon and 5pm. It is now 6pm and the "dispatch" said the guy was running late. I have now spent my ENTIRE Labor Day sitting around for an installation that will probably not happen.

I completely understand not wanting to do an installation on a holiday, but DISH is the one who set up the install NOT me. Frustrating to say the least...

 

[Mike500]

Yeah,

I'd be very very careful with Houston. I lived there from 1989-1997. I'd be very careful, since a lot of satellite installers, who they hire now are low wage ones with very little skill and experience in the field. Also, it has not been just a few days more than two years that a lot of transients moved into Houston on account of Hurricane Katrina.

I've been a subcontractor to dealers since 1998, when I relocated from Houston. Dish has cut down on payments and hired mostly unskilled technicians who the are now training in house to cut down on cost. I no longer do Dish subcontractor work.

You might try SkyTex Systems in Houston. I'm only familiar with the owner from his postings in the dealer/installer forums. He has posted there many many times since 2001, and he apparently is very knowlegeable and reliable.


By the way, what section of Houston do you live? I lived in Kingwood.

 

[rugbyqueen]

i had an installer come to my house one time and i could smell alcohol on his breath. my advice to all women is to never ever be alone in your house when meeting any type of repairman.i remember a few years ago in tulsa a couple put an ad in the newspaper to sell a pool table. her husband had to work so she stayed at home to meet this guy. he raped and killed her and then took off. the cops were tracking him and if i recall right he killed someone else up in missouri. before they caught him.

Yikes. What a horrible story. I'm generally pretty cautious when it comes to dealing with repair people, etc. I have pretty good common sense, which is why I listen to my gut when red flags go off, like they did with this guy on the phone. I will not be alone with him, that's for sure. If I didn't have a husband or a friend who could be with me for the install, I would have cancelled - that's how nervous he made me.

I am a firm believer that you SHOULD at LEAST give the guy a chance since he apologized all over the place towards your husband. Again..to each their own. I would give the installer a chance to show up WITH all the RIGHT equipment and make a clean, good install right the first time.
I've seen too many stories of installers showing up and TELLING YOU where he is going to put the DISH just because it will make his job so MUCH easier. Have your husband be reasonable and have HIM tell the installer where a good place is to put the dish. Don't make an argument about it, but come to a happy medium. Put the dish where it is aesthetically pleasing and has a good solid connection to the bird in the sky.

DON'T SIGN ANY PAPERWORK until your husband and/or you are happy with the install, everything works, good picture..good everything. If you sign, installer gets paid and his job is done. If the installer comes to your house all attitudey, TELLS YOU where he's gonna install it ...etc etc etc then I would email the CEO since you gave him a chance to rectify and make you a happy new customer. Lots of luck!! Let us know how it turns out!

Thanks for the installation tips. I'm interested in how this is going to go. We're having a LOT of rain and thunderstorms here these days, so I don't know if the guy can even install it.

My husband doesn't even know what we've ordered, so I'll have to watch the guy like a hawk, I guess. I'm the techie one in our household - husband just wants the stuff to work. LOL. I read somewhere about the installer trying to tell the customer that the 622 was just as good/the same as the 722 HD DVR, so I'll be on the lookout for that. Any other scams they might try to pull? Anything about the dish itself I need to know?

Got Dish over the web last week. Email confirming installation for Monday Sept. 3 between Noon and 5pm. It is now 6pm and the "dispatch" said the guy was running late. I have now spent my ENTIRE Labor Day sitting around for an installation that will probably not happen.

I completely understand not wanting to do an installation on a holiday, but DISH is the one who set up the install NOT me. Frustrating to say the least...

I hear you. They offered me Labor Day - I didn't request it. In fact I even questioned them about it, and they assured me they'd be working on Labor Day. Now the installer guy gives me two stories: first that it's Labor Day and UPS isn't delivering the equipment (ha!) and secondly that "everything is locked today because it's a holiday". Yeeeeaaahhh....riiiiiight.

Either way, Dish Network is going to get an earful from me on the terrible service that had me sitting around for four hours and forced me to find out what was going on, when their entire cadre of Jeffs, Dans, and Jennifers in Bangalore or Mumbai wouldn't.

You might try SkyTex Systems in Houston. I'm only familiar with the owner from his postings in the dealer/installer forums. He has posted there many many times since 2001, and he apparently is very knowlegeable and reliable.


By the way, what section of Houston do you live. I lived in Kingwood.

Thanks for the recommendation! If this doesn't work tomorrow, I'll try giving them a call. I appreciate the heads up on the low wages/unskilled labor. We live in the Heights.

 

[rugbyqueen]

Okay, I tried to post a long reply, which it said went just fine, but isn't showing up. Maybe it will later. Thanks for the info on the installer and the warnings about bad installers. Hopefully this guy will be okay - we'll see. We live in the Heights near downtown, btw.

 

[Mike500]

Is this the one that you posted?

---Quote (Originally by navy8ball)---
i had an installer come to my house one time and i could smell alcohol on his breath. my advice to all women is to never ever be alone in your house when meeting any type of repairman.i remember a few years ago in tulsa a couple put an ad in the newspaper to sell a pool table. her husband had to work so she stayed at home to meet this guy. he raped and killed her and then took off. the cops were tracking him and if i recall right he killed someone else up in missouri. before they caught him.
---End Quote---
Yikes. What a horrible story. I'm generally pretty cautious when it comes to dealing with repair people, etc. I have pretty good common sense, which is why I listen to my gut when red flags go off, like they did with this guy on the phone. I will not be alone with him, that's for sure. If I didn't have a husband or a friend who could be with me for the install, I would have cancelled - that's how nervous he made me.


---Quote (Originally by Dodge Ram Nut)---
I am a firm believer that you SHOULD at LEAST give the guy a chance since he apologized all over the place towards your husband. Again..to each their own. I would give the installer a chance to show up WITH all the RIGHT equipment and make a clean, good install right the first time.
I've seen too many stories of installers showing up and TELLING YOU where he is going to put the DISH just because it will make his job so MUCH easier. Have your husband be reasonable and have _HIM_ tell the installer where a good place is to put the dish. Don't make an argument about it, but come to a happy medium. Put the dish where it is aesthetically pleasing and has a good solid connection to the bird in the sky.

_DON'T SIGN ANY PAPERWORK_ until your husband and/or you are happy with the install, everything works, good picture..good everything. If you sign, installer gets paid and his job is done. If the installer comes to your house all attitudey, TELLS YOU where he's gonna install it ...etc etc etc then I would email the CEO since you gave him a chance to rectify and make you a happy new customer. Lots of luck!! Let us know how it turns out!
---End Quote---
Thanks for the installation tips. I'm interested in how this is going to go. We're having a LOT of rain and thunderstorms here these days, so I don't know if the guy can even install it.

My husband doesn't even know what we've ordered, so I'll have to watch the guy like a hawk, I guess. I'm the techie one in our household - husband just wants the stuff to work. LOL. I read somewhere about the installer trying to tell the customer that the 622 was just as good/the same as the 722 HD DVR, so I'll be on the lookout for that. Any other scams they might try to pull? Anything about the dish itself I need to know?


I had friends who lived in River Oaks and Hedwig Village. Some of them worked for Halliburton, Enron and Authur Anderson. I really feel sorry for those who worked for the last two.

Good luck to you..........

 

[rugbyqueen]

Is this the one that you posted?

Yes, the long one was the one that didn't show up. In my short time as a member of this board I've had that happen twice. Is there some reason posts might not show up immediately after they are posted? When I posted the short message (the one that's after the long one), it showed up in the thread immediately. If something in the post has to be scrutinized or approved before it's allowed to be posted, is there some place on the board that lists what the possible offending content is so that I might avoid that in the future?

Thanks!

 

[KenB123]

I've seen too many stories of installers showing up and TELLING YOU where he is going to put the DISH just because it will make his job so MUCH easier. Have your husband be reasonable and have HIM tell the installer where a good place is to put the dish. Don't make an argument about it, but come to a happy medium. Put the dish where it is aesthetically pleasing and has a good solid connection to the bird in the sky.

I second this. My installers were good, but they did offer to put the dish at a location that was much more easily accessible. I requested (in a professional, courteous manner) that I preferred it at another location on the roof. Both locations are reasonable installation locations, so I was not requesting anything semi-impossible or even dangerous.

I am so glad I kept firm with my request because with the location I requested, you hardly see the dish except from one angle in front of the house. The location that they originally offered would have displayed the dish from all angles in the front of the house.

 

[Van]

I completely understand not wanting to do an installation on a holiday, but DISH is the one who set up the install NOT me. Frustrating to say the least...

And your saying that you dont have the ability to select a diferent day other than the first one that was shown in the pull down window? You didnt say to yourself " hey thats a holiday and I know I dont like to work on a holiday so how about I cut the guy some slack and lighten his load and pick tuesday the 4th".

Sorry no sympathy here when your putting the blame on the company is the same as people crying about whats on the radio or tv and blaming the media outlettes when all they have to do to really make an impact is turn the damn channel.

 

[Van]

One thing I wont agrea on is telling the installer where " you think the dish should go and how to install the whole system " bluntly put its a fool that does this if they have never done this kind of work before and base the choices they make based solely on what they read on a website. To get an idea of what will work best you need to do alot of homework and not just on the web but by driving through diferent neighborhoods of diferent age to get an idea of where the dishes are mounted wether it be on a ranch or two story colonial or a Wright home.

When the installer gets there its time to talk to him and work with him or her on putting together and installation plan that works for you and him because you want the install to look good and most installers do to but you also dont want the guy to be there all day trying to jump through unrealistic hoops to satisfy dilusions of granduer and he doesnt want to be there either.