How many CSR's does it take to change a lightbulb?

[GaryPen]

Well it brings up the point...how many electric companies give subscribers light bulbs? We are paying for the friggin' electricity every month...you'd think the electric company would provide free light bulbs, right?

Sound silly doesn't it. Yet, we expect the satellite companies to give us new equipement that costs several hundred times more than a light bulb even though we pay the satellite company, on average, less a month than the utility company.

Sorry to interrupt a light thread with some substance. Back to the hilarity.

See ya
Tony

A. The electric companies do not normally have any compettion, so no perks are needed to choose their service.
B. They do often give away, or sell at below cost, or offer huge rebates for, energy-saving flourescent bulbs.
C. In NY, they used to sell appliances at discounts, in order to get people to use more electricity (or gas). Of course, now they want people to use less.
D. Other utilities that have competion, like cell phone providers, do give away equipment in abundance.
E. The other DBS provider also gives away equipment. (which most people would say is superior to Dish's.) That is the business model for this market.

This whole "light bulb" thread...does it have anything to do with the new Polish channels?

 

[bnaivar]

"I'm sorry, that's a hardware problem that cannot be fixed over the phone. You'l have to contact your local technical representative so that a technician can be dispatched to your home."

 

[bcshields]

This whole "light bulb" thread...does it have anything to do with the new Polish channels?

I was going to make a joke about those channels but thought it would be in poor taste.

I just like lightbulb jokes.. and thought it'd be a little light to poke fun at Dish reps.

Oh, and I wish I knew about getting the florescent bulbs from the electric company before dropping $90 on them. But I got my money back in the bill, so it's all good.

 

[snathanb]

A. The electric companies do not normally have any compettion, so no perks are needed to choose their service.
?

They do in Texas. Sorta' like number portability.

 

[GaryPen]

Do they offer perks to choose one over the other?

 

[fuque]

I'm sorry sir, but we just can't GIVE you a light bulb...those are reserved for new subscribers only.

...and you can't buy the bulbs - you can only lease them.

 

[Pepper]

...and you can't buy the bulbs - you can only lease them.

I see you bought one of those unauthorized bulbs on ebay. No way will we provide electricity for that.

 

[wtourigny]

Ah, I don't have the right lightbulb in my truck. You need to set up another install at a later date. Oh, the bulb is going to cost you $50!

 

[snathanb]

Do they offer perks to choose one over the other?

They all have different rates... some offer gift cards to sign up, etc. Some advertise that their power is "green" (i.e windmill driven).

If your curious... this site explains it all: http://www.powertochoose.com/

One unpleasant side affect is having to watch TV commercials for power companies.

 

[GaryPen]

I believe you. It just proves my point that Tony's elctric company analogy was a poor one.

Where there is competition, there are incentives.

 

[BobMurdoch]

"We've never heard of any light bulbs "burning out". Did you try powering it down first and then turning it back on? Is your plug inserted in the outlet properly?"

 

[SimpleSimon]

Then again, my electric company rate is the same as 1984 - yeah that's right - 20 years ago, and straight numbers, not inflation adjusted. It was 6 cents then, it's 6 cents now. PLUS, they send me a check every year because they're running so far in the black, they don't need the money - and that's been true for 20 years, too!

That's what co-ops do. I'm a capitalist, so don't flame me for that.

So, how do they do it (and in a rural area to boot - very high distribution costs)?

Easy: the employees actually work for a living instead of being paper-pushing middle managers.

 

[dlsnyder]

Q: How many CSRs does it take to change a lightbulb?
A: One, but you will have to call repeatedly to finally find the one who knows about the promotion. Even then you will probably have to sign up for a one year commitment and CC autopay.

 

[JBKing]

Stay tuned for our next Charlie Chat for exciting new information concerning your light bulb.

 

[BobMurdoch]

And the next tech chat will have a short 10 minute film about the time they want light bulb shopping......