I cancelled after 10 years and they still want disconnection fees.

[Jimbo]

Just some points

1. its not 500 but 480 ( 20 x 24 months )
2. If you order online is it listed on the site and it something you have to click pass to continue with the order.
3. New customer rebates at the end also state again that you are agreeing to the contract by accepting the 12 months of credits
4. when ordering equipment ( existing customr ) ACE agents are required to disclosed it will cause a 24 month contract ext , and then Ace or Tech will state it a 2nd time when they go to activate. Failure to do either of these is considered a red flag 2 red flags and you fired. So it is something we take seriously most customers do not open there ears and listen.

You made a very good point there SC.
As for the sub not listening.

I have to call all my subs ahead of time and more than half the time when i call the number given to me to contact them, it' someone else, so when the company calls to see how things went, the sub doesn't know that I called usually.

 

[cfb]

Just some points

1. its not 500 but 480 ( 20 x 24 months )

I specifically said $500 to see someone jump pointlessly on the $20 difference.

2. If you order online is it listed on the site and it something you have to click pass to continue with the order.

You might give this a whirl because it does no such thing. In one of about 8 screens theres a list of products and services and next to the service plan line item theres a place you can click to 'see my agreement'. There is much trumpeting of free stuff, free installs and great prices. I have to notice and click on something specific and scroll through a long agreement to see that there is a commitment and an early termination fee, and how much it is. On the very first, very busy page full of offers there is a sub note under the price that says "with agreement". Plenty of room there for "with 24 month agreement and early termination fee".

Further, I note that if you dont give it your social security number for a credit check, you get dinged for $300 up front with a $5/mo 60 month credit, but you cant get the credit unless you agree to give your email address to directv for spamming purposes. Thats not very nice.

3. New customer rebates at the end also state again that you are agreeing to the contract by accepting the 12 months of credits

Nothing I did involved a rebate, so I cant comment on that, but I'm going to go out on a limb and say that its something I have to see and click on, not something in 24 point font that flashes and tells me about the agreement and what the implications are.

4. when ordering equipment ( existing customr ) ACE agents are required to disclosed it will cause a 24 month contract ext , and then Ace or Tech will state it a 2nd time when they go to activate. Failure to do either of these is considered a red flag 2 red flags and you fired. So it is something we take seriously most customers do not open there ears and listen.

Or its not being said. What is the system to assure its been said? Do you have the customer enter into an acknowledged recording of the tech telling them and them saying "I agree"? Is it in big red letters on the top of the front page of the agreement and are they told its an agreement they might sign before the install proceeds?

I agree there may be many people who go by this verbally without recollection, but I also believe that it just doesnt get said sometimes. How do you red mark someone twice and fire them? Presume that when a customer says it wasnt ever discussed that the customer is right and the directv agent is lying?

Sounds like you think a lot of this stuff is well disclosed, but from my personal experience and from investigating what you've claimed, its not. Its still tucked away where someone who would have no expectations that would drive looking for such a thing isnt likely to find it.

So I'm still of the same opinion. You're putting the onus on the prospective customer to find and examine the agreement thats unlike how the cable company does business and how the satellite companies did business until a few years ago and you're leaving it to the human element to make sure its understood.

Thats why there are so many failures and so many angry customers. Sadly, while ten years ago every angry customer told ten friends, now they tell 10,000.

 

[Voyager6]

Couldn't some of this misunderstanding be avoided by having the customer initial a box next to the 24 month commitment/ETF clause?

 

[yaz96]

Couldn't some of this misunderstanding be avoided by having the customer initial a box next to the 24 month commitment/ETF clause?

Of course, but they don't want to highlight this for customers.

 

[cfb]

Correctamundo on both counts. "Initial here to accept that you understand the 24 month commitment and $500 termination fee".

Sadly, thats where 5-15% of customers would say "THE WHAT?!?" and keep their commitment free cable.

 

[raoul5788]

I would like to point out that the op hasn't returned to this thread, and I doubt he will. Just a hit and run whiner.

 

[cfb]

If theres any good news, its that he reminded or let a few thousand people who read or will read this when they google it know that theres a contract and an ETF!

So, I guess it was a good undertaking by everyone involved if it prevents someone from landing in something they werent aware of.

 

[ranmic]

Here's my take (not that anyone cares). We are all Adults(for the most part) and just about every service under the sun that we purchase today comes with some sort of a string attached........term fees.......up front coast.....blah blah blah.

If you don't have enough sense to do your research on a product, company or service and you get screwed by something they DO put in writing, then it's your own fault....plain and simple.

I joined D* two years ago and I did my research prior to joining and understood the early term fees and what happens when I add equipment. I knew then and I know now what happens if I try to back out of an agreement. This is the same with other crap I own too.......ie; Cell phone, Cable Internet promotional discount...you name it.

People love to whine and complain that they got screwed by someone due to their own lack of knowledge.

 

[raoul5788]

Here's my take (not that anyone cares). We are all Adults(for the most part) and just about every service under the sun that we purchase today comes with some sort of a string attached........term fees.......up front coast.....blah blah blah.

If you don't have enough sense to do your research on a product, company or service and you get screwed by something they DO put in writing, then it's your own fault....plain and simple.

I joined D* two years ago and I did my research prior to joining and understood the early term fees and what happens when I add equipment. I knew then and I know now what happens if I try to back out of an agreement. This is the same with other crap I own too.......ie; Cell phone, Cable Internet promotional discount...you name it.

People love to whine and complain that they got screwed by someone due to their own lack of knowledge.

Well, jeez, if you are going to be all reasonable about it, what's left to argue about!

 

[ranmic]

Well, jeez, if you are going to be all reasonable about it, what's left to argue about!

Guess you have a good point there raoul.

 

[Jimbo]

I would like to point out that the op hasn't returned to this thread, and I doubt he will. Just a hit and run whiner.

This was his only post and last time he was on the site according to stats .....
Time to Close ?

We can all continue to post in this thread, but if the OP or another that is debating on signing up isn't here, what good was it ?

 

[Jimbo]

Here's my take (not that anyone cares). We are all Adults(for the most part) and just about every service under the sun that we purchase today comes with some sort of a string attached........term fees.......up front coast.....blah blah blah.

If you don't have enough sense to do your research on a product, company or service and you get screwed by something they DO put in writing, then it's your own fault....plain and simple.

I joined D* two years ago and I did my research prior to joining and understood the early term fees and what happens when I add equipment. I knew then and I know now what happens if I try to back out of an agreement. This is the same with other crap I own too.......ie; Cell phone, Cable Internet promotional discount...you name it.

People love to whine and complain that they got screwed by someone due to their own lack of knowledge.

I agree with all of this you posted, I too do my homework before I jump, unfortunately, some don't.

In my case, the 24 month thing doesn't mean anything, I'm not going anywhere.

I do have other thoughts on the 24 month commitment scattered all over this site, mainly, AFTER your 24th month , you should get tied to anymore commitmenys, you've already proved your reliable and going to pay your bill. (provided your in good standing with the company after your 24 month commit)

 

[cfb]

I agree completely Jim. Theres no reason to lay another $500 2 year commitment on someone who finished their first one. The installation and customer acquisition costs are over and recouped. The receivers dont cost >$200 to make. It doesnt make a lot of sense.

Does the 24 month thing 'mean anything'. Well, it did to me. I was sold a bill of goods with regards to the products capabilities and reliabilities and while its performing more or less adequately now, the first 12-15 months were far less than satisfactory. I would have liked to have had the option to take my business elsewhere without having to pay for the pleasure.

In the case of the missing OP, they raised his costs right after he upgraded. A customer should be able to opt out of receiving the service without penalty if theres a price increase, especially if it happens while they're locked into a contract that stipulates that they can change any aspect of the contract and theres nothing you can do about it.

Does this thread serve other purposes than to provide information to the OP and debate his situation? I think so.

However it seems to have come down to two camps. One is well educated in the product and service offerings and is smart enough to not 'get caught' by unexpected terms and conditions. The other feels that directv should be more up front and accountable for making the agreement more visible for the people who arent well educated enough or clever enough to figure it out on their own or click every link and read lots of pages of stuff to make sure they arent being put in a position they dont want to be in.

Regarding the guy who said everything comes with strings attached, for the record I have a house full of electronics and services and not one of them came with a contract or early termination fee.

 

[cfb]

One other thing. I wonder how this will affect directv's customers long term? I've heard more than a few people say they arent interested in upgrading a receiver or adding another one because they dont want to trigger a new 2 year contract/etf.

And right over there is the cable company and the fiber optic companies who dont have a contract/etf. Or Dish who has the same contract and a lower ETF.

I could actually use a 3rd DVR. And those HR24's look pretty interesting, as might the directv/tivo if it ever becomes available. But the last thing I want to do is get locked in for another 2 years.

 

[Jimbo]

One other thing. I wonder how this will affect directv's customers long term? I've heard more than a few people say they arent interested in upgrading a receiver or adding another one because they dont want to trigger a new 2 year contract/etf.

And right over there is the cable company and the fiber optic companies who dont have a contract/etf. Or Dish who has the same contract and a lower ETF.

I could actually use a 3rd DVR. And those HR24's look pretty interesting, as might the directv/tivo if it ever becomes available. But the last thing I want to do is get locked in for another 2 years.

When i looked into this stuff a few weeks back with my A/V contacts, they informed me that the local cable company NOW, DOES have a commitment period, they never use to, but decided to recently.

 

[cfb]

Perhaps some do. In my area Comcast allows you to just sign on but also offers a huge discount on your monthly fee if you commit to a one or two year term. If you cancel you have to pay back the difference between the cheaper rate and the regular rate. You also lock in that cheaper rate for the term of the agreement. No up front equipment fees.

That seems to be very reasonable, gives you a choice (and its in big red letters right next to the price) and seems quite fair in that it locks in the price. Then if you have to bail because you're moving or lose your job or you hate the service all you have to pay is the difference.

 

[stonecold]

I specifically said $500 to see someone jump pointlessly on the $20 difference.



You might give this a whirl because it does no such thing. In one of about 8 screens theres a list of products and services and next to the service plan line item theres a place you can click to 'see my agreement'. There is much trumpeting of free stuff, free installs and great prices. I have to notice and click on something specific and scroll through a long agreement to see that there is a commitment and an early termination fee, and how much it is. On the very first, very busy page full of offers there is a sub note under the price that says "with agreement". Plenty of room there for "with 24 month agreement and early termination fee".

Further, I note that if you dont give it your social security number for a credit check, you get dinged for $300 up front with a $5/mo 60 month credit, but you cant get the credit unless you agree to give your email address to directv for spamming purposes. Thats not very nice.



Nothing I did involved a rebate, so I cant comment on that, but I'm going to go out on a limb and say that its something I have to see and click on, not something in 24 point font that flashes and tells me about the agreement and what the implications are.



Or its not being said. What is the system to assure its been said? Do you have the customer enter into an acknowledged recording of the tech telling them and them saying "I agree"? Is it in big red letters on the top of the front page of the agreement and are they told its an agreement they might sign before the install proceeds?

I agree there may be many people who go by this verbally without recollection, but I also believe that it just doesnt get said sometimes. How do you red mark someone twice and fire them? Presume that when a customer says it wasnt ever discussed that the customer is right and the directv agent is lying?

Sounds like you think a lot of this stuff is well disclosed, but from my personal experience and from investigating what you've claimed, its not. Its still tucked away where someone who would have no expectations that would drive looking for such a thing isnt likely to find it.

So I'm still of the same opinion. You're putting the onus on the prospective customer to find and examine the agreement thats unlike how the cable company does business and how the satellite companies did business until a few years ago and you're leaving it to the human element to make sure its understood.

Thats why there are so many failures and so many angry customers. Sadly, while ten years ago every angry customer told ten friends, now they tell 10,000.

I mention the 20 dollar difference as I feel the facts need to be stated not your exagerations. People need to know how we get 480 and that each month is valued at 20 dollars at 24 months. I am sorry you feel I am being petty about it. But my goal here is to help people understand the system and help them out the best way I can which is pumping there heads full of knowledge.

I also recently placed a mock order for service using a fake name we use in the company for testing the systems. Again you have you click past the agreement to finish your order, we can not force the customer to read the contract. If they would read it they would see all the terms . I can lead you to water but I cant make you drink

I am not here to debate policy only to state it so you understand how it works. To answer your toher question we record all calls . they are held for 2 to 3 weeks. QC goes thoughs a percentage of them for billing is like 1/3 of the calls for ACE ( who orders and activates equipment ) over 1/2 the calls are quality controled. This is not including the calls supervisors like my self have to listen to grade and coach the agent on. So like I said if they fail to disclose it is strike 1 of a 2 strikes and your out system . Directv is serious about this kind of stuff and I am sorry the op got caught up in another contract but knowing what my agens in bill and others go through, it hard for me to belive that 2 separate agents failed to disclose the contract ext information .

But sir, you go ahead and believe what everyou want as I believe that your god given right.

 

[Jimbo]

I mention the 20 dollar difference as I feel the facts need to be stated not your exagerations. People need to know how we get 480 and that each month is valued at 20 dollars at 24 months. I am sorry you feel I am being petty about it. But my goal here is to help people understand the system and help them out the best way I can which is pumping there heads full of knowledge.

I also recently placed a mock order for service using a fake name we use in the company for testing the systems. Again you have you click past the agreement to finish your order, we can not force the customer to read the contract. If they would read it they would see all the terms . I can lead you to water but I cant make you drink

I am not here to debate policy only to state it so you understand how it works. To answer your toher question we record all calls . they are held for 2 to 3 weeks. QC goes thoughs a percentage of them for billing is like 1/3 of the calls for ACE ( who orders and activates equipment ) over 1/2 the calls are quality controled. This is not including the calls supervisors like my self have to listen to grade and coach the agent on. So like I said if they fail to disclose it is strike 1 of a 2 strikes and your out system . Directv is serious about this kind of stuff and I am sorry the op got caught up in another contract but knowing what my agens in bill and others go through, it hard for me to belive that 2 separate agents failed to disclose the contract ext information .

But sir, you go ahead and believe what everyou want as I believe that your god given right.

Stone,
If I call into D* for something that the regular CSR's can't answer, can I get YOU on the phone ?

 

[stonecold]

Stone,
If I call into D* for something that the regular CSR's can't answer, can I get YOU on the phone ?

Problem with DTV system is that they reuse exts at every call center

so lets say my ext is 51671 problem is that you can call in and get say west virgina and some one else has that ext in use. so the xfer would go to them. the systme a mess .

all Supervisors are given an personal 1800 number but we use to be able to give it out and now where not allowed too because people abuse it. I am trying to get permission to give it out again as some here have asked for it or at the very least let me make outbound calls to you guys to get issues taken care of.

 

[Jimbo]

Problem with DTV system is that they reuse exts at every call center

so lets say my ext is 51671 problem is that you can call in and get say west virgina and some one else has that ext in use. so the xfer would go to them. the systme a mess .

all Supervisors are given an personal 1800 number but we use to be able to give it out and now where not allowed too because people abuse it. I am trying to get permission to give it out again as some here have asked for it or at the very least let me make outbound calls to you guys to get issues taken care of.

That would be good !

You could always give your HOME number out, we won't tell anyone !