Is this normal?

[JMac1234]

Hi guys,

Im new here and I just wanted to share my recent experiences with DirecTV...

I have been a customer with them for only about 3 months, and I started off with a regular TV and a standard DVR. I got the DVR for free when I signed up, so that was a good deal. Well about a month ago my DVR just stopped working. I called tech support and they didnt know what was wrong. At this same time I had purchased a new HDTV, so instead of replacing the DVR I inquired about an HD DVR and the HD service.

Well the CSR looks for a minute and says that I have an upgrade on my account (whatever that means) and that I can get an HD DVR and installation of the new dish for free. Awesome, I think, so I set it up. Well the tech comes out to install it and says that I need a new pole in the ground and wants 100 bucks to do it. I wasnt really feeling that so I just decided to wait and called DTV and said that I would reschedule the order at a later time....fine, no problem.

Well fast forward a week or so, and I find out that I can install the new dish on the roof of my porch, so I call DTV back up to get the tech back out to hook everything up....well now the guy that Im talking to says that he has no record of me getting a free HD DVR (even though the guy was at my house to hook it up), and that the company doesnt even offer a deal like that. At this point im pretty pissed, so I just hang up. I call back again later, and talk to a different guy, who says that he can help me, but in the middle of transferring me to the right department, I get disconnected. I call back again, and once again they have no clue about the offer.

Another few days pass and I get a letter in the mail thanking me for participating in their offer for a FREE HD DVR!!! Well I cant believe this, so I call them back up and they still dont want to help me out, and tell me that I need to either mail or email the letter in before they can do anything. B.S., I think so I get mad and hang up. Once I cool down I call back once more and ask to talk to a supervisor. After 5 minutes the supervisor straightens everything out and gives me the deal....they'll be here tomorrow morning!

Just a huge pain in the butt....all I was trying to do is get the deal they offered me. Had they not done it in the first place I wouldnt have griped about it. Oh, and I didnt realize that you had to have SuperFan to get all the NFL games in HD....so after reading on here for a bit, I called them up and got that for free

Anyways, sorry for such a long post.....but I just had to vent!!!!

-Joe

 

[JAG72]

I hope you enjoy your stay here.

It is to bad that you had such a bad experience. I think that the problem is that these type of offers are at the discretion of the CSR. I am glad that you got everything squared away and hope your install goes well. You will have to let us know how things go.

 

[JMac1234]

Thanks for the Welcome!

If ive learned anything from the experience, its to not waste my time with the clueless CSR's in the first place, and to go straight to a supervisor when I have a real problem...

 

[JAG72]

You are 100% correct on that.

 

[jcrandall]

Well, you're not out of the woods yet - we'll see how tommorrow goes.

Hopefully the installer will do what they should have done the first time.

Let us know how it goes.

 

[JMac1234]

Well, you're not out of the woods yet - we'll see how tommorrow goes.

Hopefully the installer will do what they should have done the first time.

Let us know how it goes.

You know, I was just thinking that....im just waiting for something to go wrong tomorrow. I keeping my fingers crossed.

If it doesnt work out tomorrow, im just gonna give up on DirecTV.

 

[harshness]

If it doesnt work out tomorrow, im just gonna give up on DirecTV.

That's not an option. You're three months into a 12 month programming commitment.

 

[JMac1234]

That's not an option. You're three months into a 12 month programming commitment.

True....but I have a way outta that if I want to in the next couple of months.

 

[iwc5893]

True....but I have a way outta that if I want to in the next couple of months.

You always have a way out, if you're willing to spend the money.

 

[JMac1234]

You always have a way out, if you're willing to spend the money.

Well im in the military, and I am PCSing (transferring) at the beginning of November. Its a law that they have to let me out of my contract if I want to.

 

[atp1313]

That may be the best reason I have heard yet for signing up to fight for Uncle Sam!!

Just kidding about that...but seriously, thanks for your service to the country!::

 

[JMac1234]

That may be the best reason I have heard yet for signing up to fight for Uncle Sam!!

Just kidding about that...but seriously, thanks for your service to the country!::

Haha....thanks!!

AN update on my new install. They came out yesterday and everything went great! I have now joined the ranks of the DirecTV HD viewers! WHOOO HOOOO!!

The channel selection is kinda sparse now....but I guess thats about to change soon, huh? ESPN HD is just about worth the 10 bucks a month by itself though..

 

[RIRWIN1983]

Haha....thanks!!

AN update on my new install. They came out yesterday and everything went great! I have now joined the ranks of the DirecTV HD viewers! WHOOO HOOOO!!

The channel selection is kinda sparse now....but I guess thats about to change soon, huh? ESPN HD is just about worth the 10 bucks a month by itself though..

Next time that you do a deal like that and the installer pulls that stunt, get on the phone to D* while he is still there, they will end up transfering you to his install company to modify the workorder if D* commands they do it (pole mount)

 

[JMac1234]

Next time that you do a deal like that and the installer pulls that stunt, get on the phone to D* while he is still there, they will end up transfering you to his install company to modify the workorder if D* commands they do it (pole mount)

Yeah, thats what I should have done to begin with, but its ok now. They came yesterday and just put it on my roof.

 

[iwc5893]

Next time that you do a deal like that and the installer pulls that stunt, get on the phone to D* while he is still there, they will end up transfering you to his install company to modify the workorder if D* commands they do it (pole mount)

What stunt did the installer pull? A pole and concrete is NOT part of your free standard installation. D* can not "command" another company to do chargeable work for free, regardless of what you think. They can not waive the custom labor charges, or tell their contractors not to charge for it. What they can do is reimburse you for the cost, that's it (and it's entirely at their discretion).